“Nada is neither moralist, nor prolix, unlike most other Spanish literature of the time and before. “Carmen Laforet finds new life with this beautiful translation…dazzling in its approach…Laforet’s talent in addressing complex familial and social issues us nothing short of amazing…her wiser-than-thou nature and clever handling of bitter dialogue the mark of a truly gifted writer….a timeless work of art.” The Fredericksburg Free Lance Star “Laforet’s moody and sepulchral debut novel…has been given new life by acclaimed translator Grossman….Andrea’s narration is gorgeously expressive, rippling with emotion and meaning…fans of European lit will welcome this Spanish Gothic to the States with open arms and a half-exasperated, “What took you so long?” Publisher’s Weekly (starred review) “A brilliantly subtle book whose power lies in what goes unsaid… Nada is a skillfully written, multifaceted novel, and its eerie relevance to today’s political climate and social attitudes is difficult to ignore.” The San Francisco Chronicle wrote Nada when she was only 23, yet the book resonates with frightening maturity, sadness and depth…a work of genius.” Los Angeles Times mesmerizing new translation….a beautiful evocation of the tidal wave of late adolescent feeling…. “ Nada does indeeed recall Sartre and Camus, but it is fresher and more vibrant than either, and with its call to intuition and feelings rather than intellect, it cuts deeper…. “That this complex, mature and wise novel was written by someone in her early 20s is extraordinary….But after six decades, this first novel has lost none of its power and originality, and we are fortunate to have it in this fine translation.” The Washington Post, chosen as a Washington Post Best Book of the Year “Laforet vividly conveys the strangeness of Barcelona in the 1940s, a city that has survived civil war only to find itself muted by Franco’s dictatorship…The spirit of sly resistance that Laforet’s novel expresses, its heroine’s determination to escape provincial poverty and to immerse herself in ‘lights, noises, the entire tide of life,’ has lost none of its power of persuasion.” The New York Times Book Review «Una sorta di #metoo ante litteram, una delle prime voci a dire basta alla violenza di genere.» Alberto Manguel, Lettura - Corriere della Sera, 7 octubre 2018

One of the most important literary works of post-Civil War Spain, Nada is the semiautobiographical story of a young woman who leaves her small town to attend university in war-ravaged Barcelona.

Nada carmen laforet english translation