Almudena Grandes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Almudena Grandes
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Grandes in 2011
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| Born |
María de la Almudena Grandes Hernández
7 May 1960 Madrid, Spain
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| Died | 27 November 2021 (aged 61) Madrid, Spain
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| Occupation | Writer |
| Spouse(s) |
Luis García Montero
(m. 1994) |
| Children | 3 |
| Writing career | |
| Language | Spanish |
| Genre | Fiction |
María de la Almudena Grandes Hernández (born May 7, 1960 – died November 27, 2021) was a famous Spanish writer. She wrote 14 novels and three collections of short stories. Her books have been translated into many languages, and some were even made into movies. Almudena Grandes won important awards like the National Literature Prize for Narrative. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, called her "one of the most important writers of our time."
Contents
Becoming a Writer
Almudena Grandes was born in Madrid, Spain, on May 7, 1960. She started writing stories when she was just nine years old. She studied Geography and History at the Complutense University of Madrid. After college, she began her career by writing for encyclopedias.
Her first novel, Las edades de Lulú (The Ages of Lulu), came out in 1989. It was a huge success and won an award. This book was translated into twenty languages. A famous director, Bigas Luna, even made it into a movie called The Ages of Lulu.
She continued to write many successful novels. These included Te llamaré Viernes (I'll Call You Friday) in 1991, and Malena es un nombre de tango (Malena is a Tango Name) in 1994. Several of her books were also adapted into films.
Stories of Spanish History
In 2010, Almudena Grandes started a series of six novels called Episodios de una Guerra Interminable (Episodes of an Endless War). These books tell stories about people who resisted the Francisco Franco dictatorship in Spain. The first book in this series, Inés y la alegría (Inés and Joy), won a literature prize.
Other books in this series included El lector de Julio Verne (The Reader of Jules Verne) in 2012, and Las tres bodas de Manolita (Manolita's Three Weddings) in 2014. Her novel Los pacientes del doctor García (Doctor García's Patients) in 2017 won her the National Literature Prize for Narrative. Her last finished novel, La madre de Frankenstein (Frankenstein's Mother), was published in 2020. It explored the life of a complex woman in 20th-century Spain.
Her Writing Style
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Almudena Grandes' writing was inspired by Spanish writers from the 1800s. Her books often show what life was like for Spanish people in the late 1900s and early 2000s. She wrote in a realistic way, often exploring the deep thoughts and feelings of her characters.
She once said that two very old books, Odyssey by Homer and Don Quixote, greatly influenced her. She was especially interested in characters who were survivors. These characters found ways to get through tough times, rather than being traditional heroes.
Grandes was also interested in politics. Her work often looked at the time of Francisco Franco's rule and how it affected democracy in Spain.
Her Views and Activism
Almudena Grandes was known for her strong political views. She believed that reading helped her form these views. She often wrote columns for the newspaper El País and spoke on radio shows. She also supported ideas like being against the power of the church and supporting a republic instead of a monarchy.
She was a strong voice against terrorism. In 2007, she signed a statement saying that acts of terrorism were wrong. She also spoke out for peace and freedom. Grandes often shared her opinions about Spanish society. She believed that people sometimes became too focused on buying things and didn't care enough about others' suffering. In her 2015 book, Los besos en el pan (The Kisses on the Bread), she wrote about the Spanish economic crisis of 2008.
Grandes was also involved in the feminist movement. She often took part in feminist demonstrations and protests. She was a tireless social activist, always working for causes she believed in.
Personal Life and Passing
Almudena Grandes married the poet Luis García Montero in 1994. They had one daughter together. She also had a son from a previous marriage. She was a big fan of the football club Atlético Madrid.
In October 2021, Almudena Grandes shared that she had been diagnosed with cancer the year before. She passed away on November 27, 2021, at the age of 61.
Awards
Almudena Grandes received many awards for her writing, including:
- La Sonrisa Vertical Award (1989) for Las edades de Lulú.
- Coherence Award (2002)
- Julián Besteiro Award for the Arts and Literature (2002)
- Cálamo Award for Best Book of the Year for Los aires difíciles (2003)
- Crisol Award for Los aires difíciles (2003)
- José Manuel Lara Foundation Award for El corazón helado (2008)
- Madrid Booksellers Guild Award for El corazón helado (2008)
- Prix Méditerranée (2009)
- Premio de la Crítica de Madrid for Inés y la alegría (2010)
- Premio Iberoamericano de Novela Elena Poniatowska (2011) for Inés y la alegría
- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Award (2011) for Inés y la alegría
- Atocha International Lawyers of Atocha Award (2017)
- Liber Prize (2018)
- National Literature Prize for Narrative (2018)
- Honoris Causa by the National University of Distance Education (2020)
- International Journalism Award of the International Press Club (2020)
- Jean-Monnet Prize for European Literature for Los pacientes del Dr. García (2020)
Two public places were named after her:
- The municipal library of Azuqueca de Henares (2006)
- The Infant and Primary Education Center (CEIP) of the Las Morillas neighborhood in Málaga
See Also
In Spanish: Almudena Grandes para niños
Images for kids
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Grandes in 2011
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Grandes signing books in London, 2012
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Almudena Grandes with then-mayor of Madrid Manuela Carmena, 2018
