The Spanish Literary Generation of 1968: José María Guelbenzu, Lourdes Ortiz, and Ana María Moix

The Spanish Literary Generation of 1968: José Maria Guelbenzu, Lourdes Ortiz, and Ana María Moix serves multiple purposes. Most importantly, it is an overview of an important moment in Spanish literary history that is connected to an extremely important moment in world history, 1968, as well as what that year represents in many countries, such as France, Germany, Mexico, and the United States. This text aims to show how young writers who were coming of age precisely at that moment incorporated into their novels the new ideas that they found in the writing of many foreign authors, generally unknown to previous generations, whose works were essential to their development. The author has focused on three authors who he feels are most representative of their generation, and follows with a lengthy study of the critical reception they have received over time. Finally, in an appendix, one will find excerpts of an unpublished novel by Lourdes Ortiz and interviews with all three authors. It is hoped that this text, with its extensive bibliography, will serve as a valuable source for students and professors alike.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgements Introduction I. José María Guelbenzu II. Lourdes Ortiz III. Ana María Moix IV. In Conclusion V. Critical Reception VI. Appendix VII. Works Cited

About the Author :
William Sherzer is a professor emeritus of Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. A specialist in modern and contemporary Spanish literature, he has published books and articles on authors spanning from Benito Pérez Galdós to present day authors.

Review :
This carefully constructed and well-researched volume offers an in-depth study of the so-called Generation of 1968, focusing on three of its key members: José María Guelbenzu, Lourdes Ortiz and Ana María Moix. Although there exists a significant number of scholarly analyses of their writings, as indicated in Chapter 5, dedicated to critical reception in the form of reviews and literary criticism, there is a dearth of more comprehensive studies that satisfactorily probe the import of this literary generation within its dynamic sociohistorical context. William M. Scherzer’s book, enhanced by interviews with each writer, fills this gap. While his more specific focus is on the years from 1968 to 1969, he also provides an excellent overview of the writers’ trajectories to date. . . .In summary, Scherzer’s study provides a necessary, valuable source for scholars and students alike with which to approach the ‘Generation’ of 1968, often overlooked in literary histories and university reading lists. It is to be hoped that this book will prove the catalyst for a greater engagement with a seminal but largely disregarded literary ‘generation’ whose works have always privileged quality over quantity.