Literature

Literary Madrid: Barrio de las Letras and The Madrid Review

With winter on the horizon, it’s a great time to explore Madrid’s rich literary heritage either with a good book in hand or by roaming the streets of the city’s literary district. In this month’s podcast, I hope to inspire you to just that by diving into the history of Barrio de las Letras (also …

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The female gaze: celebrating Madrid’s women writers

Male narratives have long dominated Madrid’s literary scene. So it was a heartening sight when Almudena Grandes’ name went up in lights in Atocha Station’s tropical garden in March last year. With the station officially rechristened Atocha Almudena Grandes in honour of the recently deceased novelist, it feels as if women’s literature is finally on …

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Book launch: A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District

I’m delighted to announce that A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District will be officially launched in Secret Kindoms bookshop on April 20, 2024! Illustrated by Nathan Brenville and published by Secret Kingdoms, the book is a glossy bilingual guide to Barrio de las Letras. In honour of Cervantes, the launch of A Guide to Madrid’s …

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Ateneo de Madrid’s Turbulent History

Ayuso squares off against Ateneo Ateneo de Madrid, one of the city’s most important cultural institutions, has just had its 100,000 euros per annum local government funding abruptly shut off. The only local organization hit by a total funding cut, speculation that the move is politically motivated is rife. The heart of the problem seems …

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On Guard! Dueling in the Golden Age of Spanish Literature

In Madrid’s Royal Academy of History lies a document that has had scholars of Spanish literature up in arms ever since it was discovered in a dusty archive in Valladolid back in 1840. Dated September 1569, it’s an order for the arrest of a “certain Miguel de Cervantes” accused of gravely wounding Don Antonio de …

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Agua va! (The history of toilets in Madrid)

Lack of facilities Though I love Madrid, the city is, quite literally, a bit of a toilet. Due to the lack of public facilities, many partygoers end up relieving themselves in the city streets so that after a steamy Saturday night, the pavements absolutely reek of piss by Sunday morning. Luckily our lovely ex-mayor Manuela …

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