Presentes / Presents

Premio Nacional de Narrativa 2025

VUELVE EL AUTOR DE 14 DE ABRIL Y EL PE N (PREMIO C LAMO 2020) CON PRESENTES UN FEN MENO INTERNACIONAL EN TRADUCCI N A SIETE LENGUAS, GANADOR DEL PREMIO OJO CR TICO DE NARRATIVA 2024, Y UNO DE LOS 50 MEJORES LIBROS DE 2024 SEG N BABELIA.

Espa a, 1939. Once d as y sus diez noches. Un viaje al coraz n de nuestras tinieblas.

«Un retrato coral, riguroso, hiperliterario y distinto -por momentos aterrador, por momentos emocionante- de una Espa a en harapos: as empez una dictadura eterna. Un libro excelente . -Javier Cercas

La guerra ha terminado. Espa a est en ruinas. En el cementerio de Alicante exhuman los restos de Jos Antonio Primo de Rivera. Sus camaradas falangistas van a llevarlo a hombros hasta enterrarlo en El Escorial, morada de reyes, sepulcro imperial. Durante once d as y diez noches, el cortejo fantasmag rico avanzar por pueblos y ciudades entre hogueras, escarcha, brazos enhiestos y propaganda: una epopeya fascista de 467 kil metros para demostrar qui n manda en la nueva Espa a.

Sin embargo, la guerra no ha terminado. Una memoria se est construyendo y otra memoria se quiere borrar. En esos d as crudos del oto o de 1939, miles de vidas humildes sufren la zarpa de la represi n. Presos, fusilados, exiliados, trabajadores forzados, internos en campos de concentraci n, maestros depurados, vencedores desgraciados para siempre. El r gimen trata de esconderlos. Pero ah est n: presentes.

Paco Cerd , que traz el rostro humano del 14 de abril, compone una vibrante sinfon a de posguerra. Con un coro de voces olvidadas por la Historia. Con el delirio megal mano de un mito -Jos Antonio- al servicio de su amo: Franco. Presentes es un viaje al coraz n de nuestras tinieblas. El conmovedor relato de quienes so aron unos ideales jam s enterrados.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

Winner of the Premio Nacional de Narrativa 2025

THE AUTHOR OF "14 DE ABRIL" AND "EL PE N" (C LAMO AWARD 2020) RETURNS WITH "PRESENTES" AN INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON TRANSLATED INTO SEVEN LANGUAGES, WINNER OF THE OJO CR TICO DE NARRATIVA AWARD 2024, AND ONE OF THE 50 BEST BOOKS OF 2024 ACCORDING TO BABELIA.

Spain, 1939. Eleven days and their ten nights. A journey to the heart of our darkness. "A choral, rigorous, hyper-literary, and distinct portrait - at times terrifying, at times exciting - of a Spain in tatters: thus began an eternal dictatorship. An excellent book." - Javier Cercas

The war is over. Spain is in ruins. In the cemetery of Alicante, the remains of Jos Antonio Primo de Rivera are exhumed. His Falangist comrades will carry him on their shoulders to bury him in El Escorial, the abode of kings, the imperial sepulcher. For eleven days and ten nights, the ghostly procession will advance through towns and cities amidst bonfires, frost, raised arms, and propaganda: a fascist epic of 467 kilometers to show who rules the new Spain.

However, the war is not over. A memory is being constructed and another memory is being erased. In those harsh days of autumn 1939, thousands of humble lives suffer the claw of repression. Prisoners, executed, exiled, forced laborers, internees in concentration camps, purged teachers, victors forever disgraced. The regime tries to hide them. But there they are: present.

Paco Cerd , who traced the human face of April 14, composes a vibrant symphony of the post-war period. With a chorus of voices forgotten by History. With the megalomaniac delusion of a myth - Jos Antonio - at the service of his master: Franco. "Presentes" is a journey to the heart of our darkness. The moving story of those who dreamed of ideals never buried.