Rosa Regàs
Encyclopedia
Rosa Regàs is a Spanish writer and novelist.
in 1933. During the Spanish Civil War
she was exiled to France, until it ended when she was 6 years old. She was educated at a religious boarding school in Barcelona. She subsequently obtained a Degree in Philosophy at the University of Barcelona
, where she met Spanish poets such as José Agustín Goytisolo :es:José Agustín Goytisolo, Jaime Gil de Biedma
and Gabriel Ferraté.
Her literary training was consolidated between 1964 and 1970 during her work at the legendary publishing house Seix Barral :es:Seix Barral, with Carlos Barral
. In 1970 she founded the publishing company La Gaya Ciencia and began publishing works by authors who were little known at the time, such as Juan Benet
, Álvaro Pombo
, María Zambrano
, Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
and Javier Marías
, amongst many others.
After the death of Franco
, she launched the publishing house’s first political collection entitled Biblioteca de Divulgación Política, with most of its authors still underground at the time. She also founded and directed a magazine of thought, Cuadernos de la Gaya Ciencia, and another on architecture, Arquitecturas Bis, with the collaboration of professionals of the stature of Oriol Bohigas :es:Oriol Bohigas, Óscar Tusquets :es:Óscar Tusquets or Rafael Moneo
.
Determined to write, she sold her publishing house in 1983 and began working as a part-time translator and editor for different organisations in the United Nations
in several different cities around the world, leaving her more free time to dedicate to literature. In 1987 she accepted a proposal from Carlos Trías :es:Carlos Trías Sagnier, who was then director of the Ciudades collection at Ediciones Destino :es:Ediciones Destino, to write "Ginebra", an entertaining essay on the severe Calvinist capital of Lake Leman and its peculiar inhabitants.
In 1991 she published Memoria de Almator, her first novel, which tells of a woman who is overprotected by her father, her husband and her lover, and ends up taking control of her own life. In 1994 she won the Premio Nadal
award for her novel Azul :es:Azul (Rosa Regás), a story about love and the ocean which opened the door to the general public for Regàs. Azul was followed by Viaje a la luz del Cham (1995), a narrative about her time in Syria, and Luna Lunera (1999), an autobiographical novel set in Barcelona during the post-war times, for which she won the Ciutat de Barcelona Narrative Award.
In 2001 Regàs won the 50th edition of the Premio Planeta
award with her novel of intrigue La Canción de Dorotea, which narrates the discoveries of a molecular biology professor at a country house she inherited from her father. Since then she has published several works, including Diario de una abuela de verano, which was made into a television series of the same title.
Since the early nineties Regàs has been regularly collaborating in newspapers and magazines through her articles, and also carries out significant work as a lecturer and activist in human rights solidarity and defence movements.
Apart from her literary activity, Regàs has also been director of the Ateneo Americano in the Casa de América in Madrid :es:Casa de América (1994 – 1998) as well as director general of the Spanish National Library (2004 – 2007).
for Azul
1999 - Ciutat de Barcelona Narrative Award for Luna lunera
2001 - Premio Planeta
for La canción de Dorotea
Medal from the Catalan Association of Travel Journalists and Writers (2003)
- Knight of the French Légion d'honneur
(2005)
- Saint George’s Cross from the Generalitat de Catalunya
(2005)
Biography
Rosa Regàs was born in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in 1933. During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
she was exiled to France, until it ended when she was 6 years old. She was educated at a religious boarding school in Barcelona. She subsequently obtained a Degree in Philosophy at the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
, where she met Spanish poets such as José Agustín Goytisolo :es:José Agustín Goytisolo, Jaime Gil de Biedma
Jaime Gil de Biedma
Jaime Gil de Biedma y Alba was a Spanish post-Civil War poet.He was born in Nava de la Asunción on November 13, 1929. He stopped writing poetry some ten years before his death...
and Gabriel Ferraté.
Her literary training was consolidated between 1964 and 1970 during her work at the legendary publishing house Seix Barral :es:Seix Barral, with Carlos Barral
Carlos Barral
Carlos Barral i Agesta was a Spanish poet, considered to be one of the greatest poets of the so-called generation of the 1950s. He helped to establish the Formentor Group and their literary awards the Prix Formentor and the Prix International...
. In 1970 she founded the publishing company La Gaya Ciencia and began publishing works by authors who were little known at the time, such as Juan Benet
Juan Benet
-Early life:Benet was born in Madrid. At the start of the Spanish Civil War, his father died, and he left for San Sebastian with his family to find refuge. They stayed there until 1939, when they returned to the capital. In 1944, he completed his high school education and in 1948 he entered into...
, Álvaro Pombo
Álvaro Pombo
Álvaro Pombo García de los Ríos is a Spanish poet, novelist, and activist.Born in Santander, Cantabria, he studied at the Complutense University of Madrid and received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London, where he lived between 1966 and 1977...
, María Zambrano
María Zambrano
María Zambrano Alarcón was a Spanish essayist and philosopher.Zambrano studied under and was influenced by José Ortega y Gasset and went on to teach Metaphysics at Madrid University from 1931 to 1936...
, Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán was a prolific Spanish writer: journalist, novelist, poet, essayist, anthologue, prologist, humourist, critic, as well as a gastronome and a FC Barcelona supporter....
and Javier Marías
Javier Marías
Javier Marías is a Spanish novelist. He is also a translator and columnist.-Life:Javier Marías was born in Madrid. His father was the philosopher Julián Marías, who was briefly imprisoned and then banned from teaching for opposing Franco...
, amongst many others.
After the death of Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, she launched the publishing house’s first political collection entitled Biblioteca de Divulgación Política, with most of its authors still underground at the time. She also founded and directed a magazine of thought, Cuadernos de la Gaya Ciencia, and another on architecture, Arquitecturas Bis, with the collaboration of professionals of the stature of Oriol Bohigas :es:Oriol Bohigas, Óscar Tusquets :es:Óscar Tusquets or Rafael Moneo
Rafael Moneo
José Rafael Moneo Vallés is a Spanish architect. He was born in Tudela, Spain, and won the Pritzker Prize for architecture in 1996. He studied at the ETSAM, Technical University of Madrid from which he received his architectural degree in 1961. From 1958 to 1961 he worked in the office in Madrid...
.
Determined to write, she sold her publishing house in 1983 and began working as a part-time translator and editor for different organisations in the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in several different cities around the world, leaving her more free time to dedicate to literature. In 1987 she accepted a proposal from Carlos Trías :es:Carlos Trías Sagnier, who was then director of the Ciudades collection at Ediciones Destino :es:Ediciones Destino, to write "Ginebra", an entertaining essay on the severe Calvinist capital of Lake Leman and its peculiar inhabitants.
In 1991 she published Memoria de Almator, her first novel, which tells of a woman who is overprotected by her father, her husband and her lover, and ends up taking control of her own life. In 1994 she won the Premio Nadal
Premio Nadal
Premio Nadal is a Spanish literary prize awarded annually by the publishing house Ediciones Destino, part of Planeta. It has been awarded every year on January 6 since 1944...
award for her novel Azul :es:Azul (Rosa Regás), a story about love and the ocean which opened the door to the general public for Regàs. Azul was followed by Viaje a la luz del Cham (1995), a narrative about her time in Syria, and Luna Lunera (1999), an autobiographical novel set in Barcelona during the post-war times, for which she won the Ciutat de Barcelona Narrative Award.
In 2001 Regàs won the 50th edition of the Premio Planeta
Premio Planeta
The Premio Planeta de Novela is a Spanish literary prize, awarded since 1952 by the Spanish publisher Grupo Planeta to an original novel written in Spanish . It is one of about 16 literary prizes given by Planeta....
award with her novel of intrigue La Canción de Dorotea, which narrates the discoveries of a molecular biology professor at a country house she inherited from her father. Since then she has published several works, including Diario de una abuela de verano, which was made into a television series of the same title.
Since the early nineties Regàs has been regularly collaborating in newspapers and magazines through her articles, and also carries out significant work as a lecturer and activist in human rights solidarity and defence movements.
Apart from her literary activity, Regàs has also been director of the Ateneo Americano in the Casa de América in Madrid :es:Casa de América (1994 – 1998) as well as director general of the Spanish National Library (2004 – 2007).
Works in chronological order
- Ginebra (1987)
- Memoria de Almator (1991)
- Azul :es:Azul (Rosa Regás)(1994)
- Canciones de amor y de batalla (1995)
- Viaje a la luz del Cham (1995)
- Pobre corazón (1996)
- Desde el mar (1997)
- Más canciones (1998)
- Sangre de mi sangre: la aventura de los hijos (1998)
- Sombras, nada más (1998)
- Luna lunera (1999)
- Hi havia una vegada (2001)
- La canción de Dorotea (2001)
- Per un món millor (2002)
- Diario de una abuela de verano. El paso del tiempo (2004)
- El valor de la protesta. El compromiso con la vida (2004)
- Volcanes dormidos. Un viaje por Centroamérica (2005)
- Viento armado (2005)
- Memòries de la Costa Brava (2006)
Literary prizes
1994 - Premio NadalPremio Nadal
Premio Nadal is a Spanish literary prize awarded annually by the publishing house Ediciones Destino, part of Planeta. It has been awarded every year on January 6 since 1944...
for Azul
1999 - Ciutat de Barcelona Narrative Award for Luna lunera
2001 - Premio Planeta
Premio Planeta
The Premio Planeta de Novela is a Spanish literary prize, awarded since 1952 by the Spanish publisher Grupo Planeta to an original novel written in Spanish . It is one of about 16 literary prizes given by Planeta....
for La canción de Dorotea
Distinctions
- 1st Josep PlaJosep Pla
Josep Pla i Casadevall was a Catalan Spanish journalist and a popular author. As a journalist he worked in France, Italy, England, Germany and Russia, from where he wrote political and cultural chronicles in Catalan.His figure is somewhat controversial for present day Catalans...
Medal from the Catalan Association of Travel Journalists and Writers (2003)
- Knight of the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(2005)
- Saint George’s Cross from the Generalitat de Catalunya
Generalitat de Catalunya
The Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
(2005)