|
|
|
|
Arturo Pérez-Reverte
|
| |
|
| |
Arturo Pérez-Reverte Gutiérrez (born November 25, 1951) is a Spanish novelist and journalist. He worked as war reporter for twenty-one years (1973 - 1994). His first novel, El húsar, set in the Napoleonic Wars, was released in 1986. He is well known outside Spain for his "Alatriste" series of novels. He is now a member of the Real Academia Española, a position he has held since June 12, 2003.
z-Reverte's novels are usually centered on one strongly defined character (male or female), and exhibit the author's Hemingway-like ability to build layers of complexity around each person.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Arturo Pérez-Reverte' Start a new discussion about 'Arturo Pérez-Reverte' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Arturo Pérez-Reverte Gutiérrez (born November 25, 1951) is a Spanish novelist and journalist. He worked as war reporter for twenty-one years (1973 - 1994). His first novel, El húsar, set in the Napoleonic Wars, was released in 1986. He is well known outside Spain for his "Alatriste" series of novels. He is now a member of the Real Academia Española, a position he has held since June 12, 2003.
Style
Pérez-Reverte's novels are usually centered on one strongly defined character (male or female), and exhibit the author's Hemingway-like ability to build layers of complexity around each person. Plot moves along swiftly but not so fast as to make the reader lose contact with the place and time, and the writer often employs the services of a narrator who is somehow a part of the story but apart from it
The majority of action usually takes place in Spain or around the Mediterranean, and often draws on numerous references to Spanish history, colonial past, art and culture, ancient treasures and the sea. The novels frequently deal with some of the major issues of modern times such as drug trafficking or the relationship of religion and politics, as well as timeless themes of morality, honor and ethics, love and lust and power and money, though never in a simplistic fashion - recognising that there is usually more than one way to interpret a situation and the lines between right and wrong are often blurred beyond recognition.
In his columns and his main characters, he usually displays his pessimism about human behaviour, shaped by his wartime experiences in places like the Bosnian War
He originally refused to have his novels translated from the original Spanish to any language other than French. However, English translations were eventually made available for some of his works.
Personal life
Pérez-Reverte was born in Cartagena, Spain. He started his journalistic career writing for the now-defunct newspaper Pueblo and then for Televisión Española (the Spanish state-owned television), often as a war correspondent. Becoming weary of the internal affairs at TVE, he resigned as a journalist and decided to work full time as a writer.
His teenage daughter Carlota was billed as a co-author of his first Alatriste novel. He lives between La Navata (near Madrid) and his native Cartagena, from where he enjoys sailing solo in the Mediterranean. He is a friend of Javier Marías, who presented Pérez with the title of Duke of Corso of the Kingdom of Redonda micronation.
Bibliography
Captain Alatriste novels
- El capitán Alatriste (1996; tr: Captain Alatriste), presenting the character of a swordsman in the Spanish Golden Century.
- Limpieza de sangre (1997; tr: Purity of Blood), about the "purity of blood" demanded from Conversos.
- El sol de Breda (1998; tr: The Sun over Breda), about the war in the Spanish Netherlands - specifically, the Siege of Breda (1624).
- El oro del rey (2000; tr: The King's Gold), about the Spanish treasure fleet.
- El caballero del jubón amarillo (2003). Alatriste clashes with king Philip IV of Spain.
- Corsarios de Levante (2006). Alatriste fights Barbary pirates.
Other novels
- El húsar (1986). Napoleonic age.
- El maestro de esgrima (1988; tr: The Fencing Master). A lady asks lessons from a fencing master.
- La tabla de Flandes (1990; tr: The Flanders Panel). About a mysterious Flemish painting.
- El club Dumas or La sombra de Richelieu (1993; tr: The Club Dumas). A group of followers of the novels of Alexandre Dumas.
- La sombra del águila (1993). Napoleonic age.
- Territorio comanche (1994). A novelization of his Balkan war experience.
- La piel del tambor (1995; tr: The Seville Communion)
- Un asunto de honor (1995)
- La carta esférica (2000; tr: The Nautical Chart). Treasure hunting.
- La Reina del Sur (2002; tr: The Queen of the South). Story of a Mexican woman who becomes a leader of a drug trafficking gang in the south of Spain.
- Cabo Trafalgar (2004; tr: Cape Trafalgar), about the battle of Trafalgar.
- El pintor de batallas (2006; tr: The Painter of Battles). A retired war photographer confronts his past.
- Un día de cólera (2007). May 2nd 1808. The battle in Madrid against the French army for independence, hour to hour.
Non-fiction
- Obra breve (1995)
- Patente de corso (1998). Collection of press columns.
- Con ánimo de ofender (2001). Further columns.
- No me cogeréis vivo (2005)
Films based on novels by Pérez-Reverte
- El maestro de esgrima (1992) (based on The Fencing Master)
- Uncovered (1994) (based on The Flanders Panel)
- Cachito (1995) (based on Un Asunto de Honor)
- Territorio Comanche (1997)
- The Ninth Gate, by Roman Polanski (1999) (very loosely based on El club Dumas)
- The Road to Santiago (1999)-- Spanish television miniseries (story)
- Alatriste (2006) (based on the series Captain Alatriste)
- The Nautical Chart (2007) (based on La Carta Esférica and starring Aitana Sánchez-Gijón)
- Quart: El Hombre de Roma (2007) -- Spanish television miniseries based on The Seville Communion
- The Fencing Master (in production)
- The Queen of the South (in production)
See also
External links
|
| |
|
|
