I would first like to thank Agustín Lozano of the Cross two things. The first should be your invitation to join this table, but before that I would like to express my gratitude and surprise at the mention of which makes my sister Dulce on page 143 of "War must have." Meet her in this book committed, rigorous and honest, written from a position loud and clear, so moved me that I needed to say before anything else in this presentation. Thank you very much, Augustine, for giving me this surprise. She would be proud to appear on these pages, and subscribe, point by point, each of the positions they defend in your novel.
Of course, I have to thank electing me for the presentation of this book, not only because it's always an honor to present a text that claims the republican spirit, and supports the recovery of historical memory, but it allows me to contribute my little grain of sand on the same claim. And these days, it seems they start to wash their hands really could do something about the forgotten recent history, many grains are needed to get to build a place where there is no forgetting.
Grains such as Augustine himself brings Lozano de la Cruz in the novel that we are presenting, "War must have", which claimed the memory of the anti-fascist fighters, but not just those English who tried to defend the legality others were seized by force, but those who came from other countries to support the Republic.
The novel is a true statement. A reflection on memory, on time, on the need to act sooner rather than later, before the latter part of the story of betrayal and losers disappear altogether. A tribute to all those who fought relying on the strength of their ideas. To those who died and those who survived. To those who disappeared and who had no other choice but to separate of their own. A tribute to exile. To those who lost everything. For those who never returned, and those who continued to fight, dedicating his life almost entirely to the defense of the republican cause.
A novel in which reality and fiction are mixed so it is difficult to distinguish from each other.
"War must have" gives us the opportunity to understand some of our recent history. A novel with a plot very well told, in which the reader often wonders where the truth lies and where the author's imagination. And where the documentation, one of the great protagonists of the novel, the narrative is inserted in the proper place, without even, as it should be, helping the reader understand some events historical are still largely unknown, such as "Operation Reconquest", which sought to coordinate the fight against Franco exterior and interior in an attempt to invade France from the valley of Aran.
A novel flexible, well structured, it has ups and downs of a restless young man, participating in protest movements that are close, from the point of view of time and issues of concern to young people around him, as are the anti-globalization protests of the No to war, but, in the same way, was also involved in past events which led him to discover his commitment to the recovery of memory Historical.
And behind this story of commitments, shed light on some of the passions of the author. His love for the library, with its many references to books and book lovers, their passion for cinema, which is reflected in the many actors, actresses and directors who appear in the novel, his knowledge of history, reading, from Tolkien to Cernuda, through Altolaguirre, Orwell, or Saramago.
In short, a committed novel, in which the author is made clear, I do not know whether voluntarily or not, behind a first-person narrator who earns the trust of the reader from the first pages.
A narrator says page 22 of the novel: "In my country there was a war, still live people who suffered and who can testify. I can not remember since when I know that war existed, for me it is an innate knowledge, received almost by inheritance. Knowledge that for many years I did not pay much attention, but that is part of my personal background. Yes, I remember the surprise of finding that he lived surrounded by people (friends of the neighborhood and the school, neighbors) who ignored or pretended to ignore the whole story. However, the war and not another, and even less his absence was affecting their families. Most have a history (often several) that have quiet but still there, ready for anyone who wants to know. "
Hopefully there are many writers like you, Augustine engaged to recover and tell those stories.
Hopefully someday we can stop talking about the Recovery of Historical Memory, and only have to worry about "conservative." Store yesterday so we can face tomorrow. In the cemeteries where rest at last victims of this madness. In libraries, archives, documentation centers, and elsewhere aimed at the preservation of those memories that integrate the memory of the vanquished, in memory of all.
Inma Chacón
Madrid, February 20, 2009
Of course, I have to thank electing me for the presentation of this book, not only because it's always an honor to present a text that claims the republican spirit, and supports the recovery of historical memory, but it allows me to contribute my little grain of sand on the same claim. And these days, it seems they start to wash their hands really could do something about the forgotten recent history, many grains are needed to get to build a place where there is no forgetting.
Grains such as Augustine himself brings Lozano de la Cruz in the novel that we are presenting, "War must have", which claimed the memory of the anti-fascist fighters, but not just those English who tried to defend the legality others were seized by force, but those who came from other countries to support the Republic.
The novel is a true statement. A reflection on memory, on time, on the need to act sooner rather than later, before the latter part of the story of betrayal and losers disappear altogether. A tribute to all those who fought relying on the strength of their ideas. To those who died and those who survived. To those who disappeared and who had no other choice but to separate of their own. A tribute to exile. To those who lost everything. For those who never returned, and those who continued to fight, dedicating his life almost entirely to the defense of the republican cause.
A novel in which reality and fiction are mixed so it is difficult to distinguish from each other.
"War must have" gives us the opportunity to understand some of our recent history. A novel with a plot very well told, in which the reader often wonders where the truth lies and where the author's imagination. And where the documentation, one of the great protagonists of the novel, the narrative is inserted in the proper place, without even, as it should be, helping the reader understand some events historical are still largely unknown, such as "Operation Reconquest", which sought to coordinate the fight against Franco exterior and interior in an attempt to invade France from the valley of Aran.
A novel flexible, well structured, it has ups and downs of a restless young man, participating in protest movements that are close, from the point of view of time and issues of concern to young people around him, as are the anti-globalization protests of the No to war, but, in the same way, was also involved in past events which led him to discover his commitment to the recovery of memory Historical.
And behind this story of commitments, shed light on some of the passions of the author. His love for the library, with its many references to books and book lovers, their passion for cinema, which is reflected in the many actors, actresses and directors who appear in the novel, his knowledge of history, reading, from Tolkien to Cernuda, through Altolaguirre, Orwell, or Saramago.
In short, a committed novel, in which the author is made clear, I do not know whether voluntarily or not, behind a first-person narrator who earns the trust of the reader from the first pages.
A narrator says page 22 of the novel: "In my country there was a war, still live people who suffered and who can testify. I can not remember since when I know that war existed, for me it is an innate knowledge, received almost by inheritance. Knowledge that for many years I did not pay much attention, but that is part of my personal background. Yes, I remember the surprise of finding that he lived surrounded by people (friends of the neighborhood and the school, neighbors) who ignored or pretended to ignore the whole story. However, the war and not another, and even less his absence was affecting their families. Most have a history (often several) that have quiet but still there, ready for anyone who wants to know. "
Hopefully there are many writers like you, Augustine engaged to recover and tell those stories.
Hopefully someday we can stop talking about the Recovery of Historical Memory, and only have to worry about "conservative." Store yesterday so we can face tomorrow. In the cemeteries where rest at last victims of this madness. In libraries, archives, documentation centers, and elsewhere aimed at the preservation of those memories that integrate the memory of the vanquished, in memory of all.
Inma Chacón
Madrid, February 20, 2009
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