Writers and Barcelona
Barcelona has been and keeps being a perfect scene for literary works, a source of inspiration for writers who were born here and a welcoming place for writers from around the world who have described it in their books.
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Francis CARCO
(Nouméa, New Caledonia, 1886 – Paris, 1958)
Francis Carco is the pen name of French poet, novelist and journalist, François Carcopino-Tusoli. Interested in the bohemian life of his time, he describes characteristic urban environments from the beginning of the 20th Century, particularly those from Paris and Barcelona.
Josep CARNER
(Barcelona, 1894 – Uccle, Bèlgica, 1979)
Poet, playwright, translator, and journalist, he was a leading figure in the Catalan cultural movement Noucentisme. Known as "the prince of Catalan poets", he is the author of poetry books such as Els fruits saborosos (1906) and Nabí (1938), among many others, as well as a renowned work of prose including titles such as Les Bonhomies (1925). Graduated in Law and Philosophy and Literature, he is a practising diplomat in several countries.
Maite CARRANZA
(Barcelona, 1958)
Graduated in Anthropology, she is a novelist, children's and young people’s author, a television scriptwriter, and university lecturer. Author of novels El fruit de baobab (2013) and Sin invierno (1999), she has an extensive portfolio of children's and young people’s literature. In 1986 she published Ostres tu, quin cacau!, which won her the Crítics Award in 1987. Other prominent works by the author include: Frena, Càndida, frena! (1992), Vols ser el nòvio de la meva germana? (2002, awarded Edebé children’s literature prize), Paraules emmetzinades (2010, Critics Award 2011) and La pel·lícula de la vida (2016, El Vaixell de Vapor Award).
Joan CARRERAS
(Barcelona, 1962)
Journalist, university teacher and writer, Joan Carreras worked for some time in television until he devoted himself only to writing. Winner of the Sant Jordi Prize in 2014 with L'àguila negra, he is also the author of Carretera secundària and Cafè Barcelona, which won a Ciutat de Barcelona award in 2014. His most recent novel is La dona del Cadillac (2017).
Jorge CARRIÓN
(Tarragona, 1976)
Writer and literary critic, he has a degree and PhD in Humanities from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona (where he lectures). He also teaches at the Barcelona Ateneu School of Writing, and is academic coordinator and lecturer on the Master in Literary Creation at IDEC-UPF. He is author of the novels Ene (2001), Los muertos (2010), Los huérfanos (2014) and Los turistas (2015) and the essays Librerías (2013) and Barcelona. Libro de los pasajes (2017).
Carles CASAJUANA
(Sant Cugat del Vallès, 1954)
With a long professional career as a diplomat, he has published many books, starting in 1987 with Tap d’escopeta. More titles by him: La puresa del porc(1990), Diumenge de temptació (2001), Kuala Lumpur (2005), L’últim home que parlava català (Premi Ramon Llull 2009), Un escàndol sense importància (2011), El melic del món (2013) y Retorn (2017), on the relationship between the poet Josep Carner and Catalonia.
Giacomo CASANOVA
(Venice, 1725 – Duchcov Castle, Bohemia, 1798)
Writer and explorer, he is author of the memoirs Histoire de ma vie. In this work, the author describes European social life in the eighteenth century, and writes about his time in Barcelona in 1768 where he was taken prisoner.
Enric CASASSES
(Barcelona, 1951)
He is one of the most recognized Catalan poets of his generation. He is author of an extensive work of poetry combining the traditional oral work of the late Middle Ages with surrealism and the counterculture movement. His work includes Tots al carrer (1992), D'equivocar-se així (1997), Uh (1997) and Plaça Raspall (1998), the name of a plaza in the Gràcia district. He also published the narratives El poble del costat (2008) and La foneria i el paper (2010), theatre production Do'm (2008) and translated several books from English, French, and Italian, into Catalan.
Francisco CASAVELLA
(Barcelona, 1963 – 2008)
A writer, he was winner of the Nadal Prize in 2008 for his latest novel Lo que sé de los vampiros (2008). In his triology El dia del Watusi (published in three volumes between 2002 and 2003) he makes an in-depth account of Barcelona during the Spanish transition and following years. Elevación, elegancia y entusiasmo (2009) reflects his essay work and his contributions to the press.
Josep Maria CASTELLET
(Barcelona, 1926 – 2014)
Literary critic and editor, he played a major part in the Catalan publishing world during the second half of the twentieth century. He was one of the founders and first President of the Catalan Language Writers’ Association. Between1964 and 1996 he was editorial director at Edicions 62. Author of an extensive work of prose and essay, some of his most prominent work includes L'hora del lector (1957), the anthology Nueve novísimos poetas españoles (1970), Josep Pla o la raó narrativa (1978) and his autobiographies written in Els escenaris de la memòria (1988).