
El viaje vertical
Anagrama, 1999
Translations
(Brazil, Cosac & Naify, 2004); (China, Beijing PH); (France, Bourgois, 2002 / Pocket, 10/18, 2002); (Greece, Kastaniotis); (Israel, Keter); (Italy, Voland, 2006); (Norway, Solum, 2002); (Portugal, Assirio & Alvim, 2000); (Serbia, Plato, 2004)
Press
«One of the most curious, original and seductive phenomena of Spanish narrative in our time.» Rafael Conte, Abc
«Immersed in the delicate operation of maintaining sense in the very centre of senselessness, or in other words: of returning intimate coherence to it with a masterfulness that makes him an irreplaceable author.» Ignacio Echevarría, El País
«Our most popular writer in Latin America.» J.A. Masoliver Ródenas, La Vanguardia
«The best writer in Spain today for a growing sect of fanatics scattered around the world: from Stockholm to Veracruz, from Paris to Cabo Verde, from Lisbon to Prague, from Warsaw to Buenos Aires.» Juan Forn, Page 12
Synopsis
(The Vertical Journey). There is a circular journey, the kind where you return to the place you set out from as described in the Odyssey. But there is also a journey with no return; the rectilinear odyssey with no Ithaca to transform the individual who will never return home. Within this second type of journey we should include the original vertical journey on which, both geographically and in life, the main character of this novel – septuagenarian Frederico Mayol, businessman, poker player, Catalan nationalist – sets out, when the day after his golden wedding anniversary he feels surprisingly and absurdly obliged to leave his married home forever.
As always in Enrique Vila-Matas, the phantoms of ageing, solitude and madness abound and spark off the dilemma between survival and suicide. On this occasion it happens in the form of a vertical journey which is, in terms of its geographical path (Barcelona to Porto, stopping off in Lisbon and again in Madeira to finally sink in the strangest of final destinations) an Atlantic novel and at the same time the story of initiation to culture. In other words, the classic learning novel, if it weren’t for the fact that the main character is of an age when generally nobody learns anything.
And at the bottom of the whole story, is the drama of a generation of Spaniards who saw their cultural education and republican freedom truncated by the Civil War and the years of barbarity that followed.
(Spain, Anagrama, 2000 / Catalan, Funambulista)
Film Rights: Mallerich Films
- Cabinet d’amateur, an oblique novel
- Esta bruma insensata
- Impón tu suerte
- Doctor Pasavento + Bastian Schneider
- Mac y su contratiempo
- Marienbad eléctrico
- Bartleby y compañía
- Dietario Voluble
- Suicidios ejemplares
- Historia abreviada de la literatura portátil
- Kassel no invita a la lógica
- París no se acaba nunca
- Niña
- Fuera de aquí
- Extraña forma de vida
- El mal de Montano
- Aire de Dylan
- Hijos sin hijos
- Una vida absolutamente maravillosa. Ensayos selectos
- El viajero más lento. El arte de no terminar nada
- Chet Baker piensa en su arte. Relatos selectos
- En un lugar solitario. Narrativa 1973-1984
- Lejos de Veracruz
- Dublinesca
- Perder teorías
- Ella era Hemingway / No soy Auster
- El viento ligero en Parma
- Exploradores del abismo
- Desde la ciudad nerviosa
- Para acabar con los números redondos
- Recuerdos inventados
- Una casa para siempre
- Impostura
- La asesina ilustrada
MB Authors
- Pablo ARANDA
- Juan Luis ARSUAGA
- Manuel ASTUR
- Flavita BANANA
- Joan BARRIL
- Nuria BARRIOS
- Felipe BENÍTEZ REYES
- Max BESORA
- Joan-Daniel BEZSONOFF
- BLACKIE BOOKS
- Joana BONET
- Juan BONILLA
- Emilio BUESO
- Leonardo CANO
- Pablo CARBONELL
- Martín CASARIEGO
- Nicolás CASARIEGO
- Paula CIFUENTES
- Juan CUADRA
- Mario CUENCA SANDOVAL
- Malén DENÍS
- Elizabeth DUVAL
- Jordi ESTEVA
- Cristina FALLARÁS
- Laura FERRERO
- Josep Maria FONALLERAS
- Albert FORNS CANAL
- Miguel GALLARDO
- Olivia GALLO
- Ignacio GARCÍA-VALIÑO
- José A. GARRIGA VELA
- Albert GASSULL
- David B. GIL
- Marcos GIRALT TORRENTE
- Enric GONZÁLEZ
- Ismael GRASA
- Javier GUTIÉRREZ
- Luci GUTIÉRREZ
- Najat El HACHMI
- Mercedes HALFON
- Alicia KOPF
- Use LAHOZ
- Lucía LIJTMAER
- Shaina Joy MACHLUS
- Ignacio MARTÍNEZ DE PISóN
- Ana MERINO
- Luna MIGUEL
- Miquel OBIOLS
- Bruno ORO
- Miqui OTERO
- Anna PACHECO
- Vicenç PAGÈS JORDÀ
- Enric PARDO
- Concepción PEREA
- Juan Manuel DE PRADA
- Jordi PUNTÍ
- Llucia RAMIS
- Marta REBÓN
- Antonio J. RODRÍGUEZ
- Félix ROMEO
- Xavier RUBERT DE VENTÓS
- Gemma RUIZ
- Juanjo SÁEZ
- Gabriel SALVADÓ
- Màrius SERRA
- Rubén SERRANO
- Rubén SERRANO
- Aránzazu SERRANO LORENZO
- Ramon SOLSONA
- José Miguel TOMASENA
- David TRUEBA
- Juan VICO
- Enrique VILA-MATAS
- Rosario VILLAJOS
- Rolando VILLAZÓN
- Pedro ZARRALUKI