A short life of the author
Eduardo Mendoza (b. 11 January 1943) was born in Barcelona. He studied law and worked as a United Nations interpreter in New York for over a decade.
Life and Career
La verdad sobre el caso Savolta (The Truth About the Savolta Case, 1975) — a mystery set in the labour conflicts of 1920s Barcelona — was published just weeks after Franco’s death and is considered the first novel of Spain’s democratic transition. Its fragmented, documentary structure marked a break with the social realism that had dominated Spanish fiction.
La ciudad de los prodigios (The City of Marvels, 1986) — about a poor immigrant who becomes the most powerful man in Barcelona between the Universal Expositions of 1888 and 1929 — is a panoramic historical novel and his most popular work.
The “nameless detective” series — beginning with El misterio de la cripta embrujada (The Mystery of the Enchanted Crypt, 1979) — features an unnamed inmate of a mental asylum who is periodically released to solve crimes. These novels are picaresque comedies.
Major Works and Themes
Mendoza writes about Barcelona, Spanish history, and the absurdity of institutional life with wit, intelligence, and narrative range. He won the Premio Cervantes — Spain’s highest literary award — in 2016.
Key Works
- The Truth About the Savolta Case (1975)
- The City of Marvels (1986)
Collecting Mendoza
Spanish originals (Seix Barral, Planeta) are the primary collected form. English translations are limited. He signs at Spanish literary events.