John London: Spanish Film, Theatre and Literature in the Twentieth-Century
Spanish Film, Theatre and Literature in the Twentieth-Century, ed. by John London and David George (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2007). xxiii & 320pp. ISBN 978 0 7083 1934 5. (Includes John London, ‘Drama in the Spanish Civil War: Was there teatro de urgencia in the Nationalist Zone?’)
This collection of valuable new studies explores a variety of major
figures in Spanish culture. Antonio Machado and Rafael Alberti are
among the poets covered. There are considerations of the theatre and
verse of Federico García Lorca, and the book also contains articles
on Miguel de Unamuno and Antonio Buero Vallejo. Famous films by Luis
Buñuel and Víctor Erice are given fresh interpretations.
The inclusion of less familiar subjects has wider ramifications: the translation of one of Santiago Rusiñol's plays informs the discussion on censorship; a Catalan novel by Llorenç Villalonga relates to influential currents of European thought; examining the literature of the nationalist Right challenges political assumptions about aesthetic categories.
While some contributors adopt feminist, psychoanalytical or philosophical approaches, the stress throughout is on understanding Spanish culture within its historical and social context. Most importantly, the style of criticism is clear and accessible .
The international contributors are : Victor Dixon , Gwynne Edwards , David George, John Hall, Sharon Handley, Robert Havard, Alan Hoyle, Jordi Larios, Helen Laurenson-Shakibi, John London, Montserrat Lunati, Herbert Ramsden and Jeremy Squires.
The book will be of interest to students and specialists alike.