Carlos Barral facts for kids
Carlos Barral i Agesta (born in 1928, died in 1989) was a famous Spanish poet. Many people consider him one of the best poets from the 1950s. He was also important in starting the Formentor Group, which gave out special literary awards. Besides being a poet, he was a member of the European Parliament and a very important publisher.
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Carlos Barral's Life Story
Carlos Barral was born in Barcelona, Spain. In 1957, he started working with Víctor Seix at the Seix Barral publishing house. His parents had started this company in 1911. It became a very respected publishing house in the 1960s and for many years after.
Helping Spanish Literature Grow
Carlos Barral wanted to help Spanish books reach more readers. So, he organized yearly meetings for publishers, writers, and critics. These meetings were called the 'International Colloquium of the Novel'. They took place in Formentor, on the island of Majorca, Spain, from 1959 to 1962. Publishers from around the world helped pay for these events.
To encourage great writing, two awards were created: the Prix International and the Prix Formentor. These awards started in 1961. Famous writers like Borges, Beckett, and Bellow won these prizes.
In 1970, Barral also helped start and manage another publishing house called Barral Editores.
Barral's Political Role
Carlos Barral also worked in politics. In 1982, he became a senator for Tarragona with the Socialists' Party of Catalonia-Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. After that, he represented Spain in the European Parliament.
His Best-Known Works
Carlos Barral is most famous for his two poetry books. They are called Metropolitano, 19 historias de mi guerra civil (which means "Metropolitan, 19 Stories of My Civil War") and Lecciones de cosas ("Lessons of Things"). He also wrote three books about his life, called memoirs, which are highly thought of.
Carlos Barral's Published Works
- Metropolitano (1957)
- Diecinueve figuras de mi historia civil (1961)
- Usuras (1965)
- Figuración y fuga (1966)
- Informe personal sobre el alba (1970)
- Usuras y figuraciones (1973)
- Años de penitencia (1975)
- Los años sin excusa (1978)
- Catalunya des del mar (1982)
- Catalunya a vol d'ocell (1985)
- Lecciones de cosas: Veinte poemas para el nieto Malcolm (1986)
- Cuando las horas veloces (1988)
- Antología poética (1989)
- Los diarios (1993, published after he died)
