In Cigar Smoke and Violet Water, a work informed by feminist and narrative theory as well as by linguistic discourse analysis, Joyce Tolliver considers narrative tactics and their cultural context in the nineteenth-century Spanish writer Emilia Pardo Bazan (1851-1921). The critical focus is on the narrative voices in short stories by this writer and on the role gender plays both in narrative dynamics and in the writer's engagement with her public.

First book in English to offer a thorough introduction to key concepts and figures in Spanish feminist thought. Major Concepts in Spanish Feminist Theory is the first book in English to offer a substantial overview of Spanish feminist thought. It focuses on six concepts—solitude, personality, social class, work, difference, and equality—and distinguishes Spanish feminist theory from that of other countries. Roberta Johnson employs a chronological format to highlight continuity and polemics in Spanish feminist thinking from the eighteenth century to the present. She brings together arguments from well-known names such as Benito Jerónimo Feijoo, Concepción Arenal, Emilia Pardo Bazán, María Martínez Sierra, Carmen de Burgos, and Carmen Laforet, as well as less familiar figures such as the Countess Campo Alange María Laffitte and Lilí Álvarez, who defied restrictions on feminist activity during the Franco dictatorship to publish feminist books. The topics of difference and equality are explored, and the book recounts the long tension between theorists of each persuasion—a tension that erupted publicly during Spain’s democratic era. Each theorist’s arguments are laid out in straightforward, non-jargonistic prose, making this book a useful classroom tool for courses on Spanish women writers, Spanish culture, and cross-cultural feminist studies. “This book is a significant overview of the theoretical concepts and authors that make up the history of Spanish feminism from the eighteenth century to the present. The organization of the book around concepts is not only its great strength but is also refreshing—a novel approach to a chronological history of Spanish feminism.” — Alda Blanco, San Diego State University

Emilia Pardo Bazán, the most prolific and influential Spanish female writer of the nineteenth century, was a very controversial figure, vilified for her embracement of naturalism and her robust feminist stance. When Insolación was published in 1889 it provoked a litany of negative comments and personal insults. This subtle, psychological novel, drawing on many aspects of its author's personal life, deals with the relationship between Asís, a respectable Galician widow, and Pacheco, a feckless womaniser from Andalucía. Although they scarcely know each other, Asís accepts Pacheco's invitation to visit the San Isidro Fair, where a heady cocktail of sun, alcohol and revelry causes her to behave in an uncharacteristic manner. Insolación explores the conflict between Asís's self-recrimination and concern for the 'qué dirán' and her nascent sexuality. Finally, despite her determination to banish Pacheco from her mind and her intention to go back to Galicia, the couple sleep together and decide to marry. The perceived promiscuity of this work of fiction scandalised the reading public as well as many leading critics. Pereda considered Asís's behaviour reprehensible and Clarín dismissed the novel as a pseudo-erotic boutade. Nowadays, Insolación is recognised as an important novel.

"Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851-1921) was the most prolific and influential woman writer of late nineteenth-century Spain," write the editors of this volume in the MLA's Approaches to Teaching World Literature series. Contending with the critical literary, cultural, and social issues of the period, Pardo Bazán's novels, novellas, short stories, essays, plays, travel writing, and cookbooks offer instructors countless opportunities to engage with a variety of critical frameworks. The wide range of topics in the author's works, from fashion to science and technology to gender equality, and the brilliance of her literary style make Pardo Bazán a compelling figure in the classroom. Part 1, "Materials," provides biographical and critical resources, an overview of Pardo Bazán's vast and diverse oeuvre, and a literary-historical time line. It also reviews secondary sources, editions and translations, and digital resources. The twenty-three essays in part 2, "Approaches," explore various issues that are central to teaching Pardo Bazán's works, including the author's engagement with contemporary literary movements, feminism and gender, nation and the late Spanish empire, Spanish and Galician identities, and nineteenth-century scientific and medical discourses. Film adaptations and translations of Pardo Bazán's works are also addressed. Highlighting the artistic, social, and intellectual currents of Pardo Bazán's writings, this volume will assist instructors who wish to teach the author's works in courses on world literature, nineteenth-century literature, and gender studies as well as in Spanish-language courses.

Beyond the Family Romance explores parallels between Pascoli's work and such writers as Tarchetti, Boito, Poe, and Invernizio.

Winner, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, 2023—Best Women of the World Book, Spain We are living in a moment in which famous chefs, Michelin stars, culinary techniques, and gastronomical accolades attract moneyed tourists to Spain from all over the world. This has prompted the Spanish government to declare its cuisine as part of Spanish patrimony. Even with this widespread global attention, we know little about how Spanish cooking became a litmus test for demonstrating Spain's modernity and, relatedly, the roles ascribed to the modern Spanish women responsible for daily cooking. Efforts to articulate a new, modern Spain infiltrated writing in multiple genres and media. Women's Work offers a sharp reading of diverse sources, placed in their historical context, that yields a better understanding of the roles of food within an inherently uneven modernization process. Further, author Rebecca Ingram's perceptive critique reveals the paradoxical messages women have navigated, even in texts about a daily practice that shaped their domestic and work lives. Women's Work posits that this is significant because of the degree to which domestic activities, including cooking, occupied women's daily lives, even while issues like their fitness as citizens and participation in the public sphere were hotly debated. At the same time, progressive intellectuals from diverse backgrounds began to invoke Spanish cooking and eating as one measure of Spanish modernity. Women's Work shows how culinary writing engaged these debates and reached women at the site of much of their daily labor—the kitchen—and, in this way, shaped their thinking about their roles in modernizing Spain.

Publisher Description

Fulfilling the need for English-source material on contemporary Spain, this book supplies readers with an in-depth, interdisciplinary guide to the country of Spain and its intricate, diverse culture. Far from a usual reference book, Modern Spain takes the reader through the country's history, economy, and politics as well as topics that address Spain's popular culture, such as food, sports, and sexuality. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of its content, this book differs from the average typical English manuals that very rarely cover in depth the whole array of interesting issues that define Spain in the 21st century. The vast amount of information makes this book the perfect companion for any reader wishing to learn more about Spain. Packed with current facts and statistics, this book offers an unbiased view of a modern country, making it an ideal source for undergraduate students and scholars.

Novelist-critic Leopoldo Alas's reputation suffered neglect and silent reproval during much of the twentieth century, especially under the Franco regime, but his reputation has now achieved classic status in Spain. Clearly related to this is the great increase in the number of translations - Julian Barnes called La Regenta 'the foreign classic tardily discovered'. This bibliography picks up where the first one left off in 1984. It is divided into primary material and secondary material. Primary material includes: Anthologies and Selections; Criticism; Novels; Short Story Collections; Plays; Correspondence; Prologues; Reprints; Translations; and Miscellaneous, with two new categories: autograph manuscripts and iconography.

Susan McKenna presents the innovative narratives of Emilia Pardo Bazán, Spain's preeminent nineteenth-century female writer, in Crafting the Female Subject.