Javier Marías Franco (Spanish:[xaˈβjeɾmaˈɾiasˈfɾaŋko]; 20 September 1951 – 11 September 2022)[1] was a Spanish author, translator, and columnist.[2] Marías published fifteen novels, includingA Heart So White (Corazón tan blanco, 1992),Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me (Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí, 1994) and theYour Face Tomorrow trilogy, widely regarded as his greatest achievement.[3] In addition to his novels, he also published three collections of short stories and various essays. As one of Spain's most celebrated novelists, his books have been translated into forty-six languages and sold close to nine million copies internationally.[4] He received several awards for his work, such as theRómulo Gallegos Prize (1995), theInternational IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (1997), theInternational Nonino Prize (2011), and theAustrian State Prize for European Literature (2011).[5]
Marías studied philosophy and literature at theComplutense University of Madrid before going on to teach at several universities, including his alma mater, universities in Oxford and Venice, andWellesley College inMassachusetts.[6] In 1997, he was awarded the title of King of theKingdom of Redonda by its predecessorJon Wynne-Tyson for his understanding of the kingdom and for mentioning the story of one of its previous kings,John Gawsworth, in his novelAll Souls (Todas las almas, 1989).
Javier Marías Franco was born inMadrid on 20 September 1951.[7][8][9][10] His father was the philosopherJulián Marías,[10] who was briefly imprisoned and then banned from teaching for opposingFranco (the father of the protagonist ofYour Face Tomorrow was given a similar biography[11]). His mother was the writerDolores Franco Manera [es].[12] Marías was the fourth of five sons.[13] Two of his siblings were art historianFernando [es] and film critic and economistMiguel [es].[12] He was the nephew and cousin of, respectively, filmmakersJesús "Jess" Franco andRicardo Franco.[12] Marías spent parts of his childhood in the United States, where his father taught at various institutions, includingYale University andWellesley College. His mother died when Javier was 26 years old. He was educated at theColegio Estudio in Madrid. After having returned to Madrid, Marías studied philosophy and literary sciences at theComplutense University of Madrid from 1968 to 1973.[14] From the 1970s onwards, he was involved in translating English literary works into the Spanish language.[15] His first literary employment consisted of translatingDracula scripts for his maternal uncle, Jesús Franco.[16][17]
Marías began writing in earnest at an early age. "The Life and Death of Marcelino Iturriaga", one of the short stories inWhile the Women are Sleeping (2010), was written when he was just 14.[18] He ran away from home to write his first novel and went to live with his uncle in Paris.[13] He began writingLos dominios del lobo (The Dominions of the Wolf), at the age of 17.[19] It was about an American family[19] and according to him, it was written in the morning hours.[20] The novel is dedicated to the Spanish authorJuan Benet, who managed to compel the publisherEdhasa [es] to print the book, and toVicente Molina Foix, who provided him with the title.[20] In later years he considered himself an "evening-time" writer.[20] The novelTravesía del horizonte (Voyage Along the Horizon) was an adventure story about an expedition to Antarctica.[21][22]
In 1986, Marías publishedEl hombre sentimental (The Man of Feeling), and in 1989 he publishedTodas las almas (All Souls),[26] which was set at Oxford University. The Spanish film directorGracia Querejeta releasedEl Último viaje de Robert Rylands (Robert Rylands' Last Journey), adapted fromTodas las almas, in 1996.[27]
The protagonists of the novels written since 1986 are all interpreters or translators of one kind or another, based on his own experience as a translator and teacher of translation at Oxford University. Of these protagonists, Marías wrote, "They are people who are renouncing their own voices."[13]
In 2002 Marías publishedTu rostro mañana 1. Fiebre y lanza (Your Face Tomorrow 1: Fever and Spear), the first part of a trilogy which was his most ambitious literary project. The first volume is dominated by a translator, an elderly don based on an actual professor emeritus of Spanish studies at Oxford University,Sir Peter Russell. The second volume,Tu rostro mañana 2. Baile y sueño (Your Face Tomorrow 2: Dance and Dream), was published in 2004. In 2007, Marías completed the final installment,Tu rostro mañana 3. Veneno y sombra y adiós (Your Face Tomorrow 3: Poison, Shadow and Farewell).[32] In 2009, the trilogy was published as one single volume.
It was followed by the novelLos enamoramientos (The Infatuations) in 2011, a story about a woman drawn into a murder mystery. The novel won the state-runNational novel prize, but Marías rejected the award saying he did not want to be indebted to a government of any kind.[33]
He also was a regular contributor toEl País, whose editor-in-chiefPepa Bueno lamented his death and called it a sad day for Spanish literature.[34] In 2005–2006, an English version of his column, "La Zona Fantasma", appeared in the monthly magazineThe Believer.[35]
After having been awarded the title, King of Redonda, he was also known as Xavier I.[36] and, from 2000 onwards, Marías operated a small publishing house under the name ofReino de Redonda.[37] Its first book of the publishing house wasLa mujer de Huguenin by the first King of Redondo and authorM. P. Shiel.[36] Marías's novel,Todas las almas (All Souls), included a portrayal of the poetJohn Gawsworth, who was also the thirdKing of Redonda. Although the fate of this monarchy after the death of Gawsworth is contested, the portrayal by Marías so affected the "reigning" king,Jon Wynne-Tyson, that he abdicated and left the throne to Marías in 1997. This course of events was chronicled in his "false novel,"Negra espalda del tiempo (Dark Back of Time). The book was inspired by the reception ofTodas las almas by many people who, falsely according to Marías, believed they were the source of the characters inTodas las almas.[38] After "taking the throne" ofRedonda, Marías began a publishing imprint namedReino de Redonda ("Kingdom of Redonda").[39]
Marías created a literary prize, thePremio Reino de Redonda to be judged by the dukes and duchesses. The jury was of extraordinary prominence,[36] comprising the dukes mentioned below and other figures such asFrancis Ford Coppola.[42] In addition to prize money, the winners, listed below, received a duchy:
Marías died of pneumonia caused byCOVID-19 inMadrid on 11 September 2022, at the age of 70.[51][7][8][52] The Spanish novelistEduardo Mendoza remembered him as the best writer in Spain at the time of his death,[4] and one who wrote female characters the best.[53]
2008: Marías was elected to SeatR of theReal Academia Española on 29 June 2006. He took up his seat on 27 April 2008.[59] At his investiture he agreed withRobert Louis Stevenson that the work of novelists is "pretty childish," but also argued that it is impossible to narrate real events, and that "you can only fully tell stories about what has never happened, the invented and imagined."[60]
2010:America Award for a lifetime contribution to international writing[61]
Between Eternities & Other Writings (U.S.: Penguin/UK: Hamish Hamilton, 2017). Later compiled in Spanish asEntre Eternidades. Y otros escritos (2018)[85]
^Piqueras, José A. (1 January 2001)."El juego de la ventriloquía política" (in Spanish). El País. Archived fromthe original on 3 December 2015. Retrieved1 October 2020.En la memorable novela Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí, Javier Marías crea un personaje, protagonista de la trama, que convierte en escritor y ejerce de negro literario
Berg, Karen,Javier Marías's Postmodern Praxis: Humor and Interplay Between Reality and Fiction in His Novels and Essays (2008) (Doctoral dissertation (2006), later published as bookISBN978-3-63945-397-3 (2012 ed.))
[1] He was elected in 1900 but never took the seat;[2] He was elected in 1904 but never took the seat;[3] He was elected in 1918 but never took the seat
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