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Incerta glòria #1-2
Uncertain Glory
An NYRB Classics Original
Spain, 1937. Posted to the Aragonese front, Lieutenant Lluís Ruscalleda eschews the drunken antics of his comrades and goes in search of intrigue. But the lady of Castel de Olivo—a beautiful widow with a shadowy past—puts a high price on her affections. In Barcelona, Trini Milmany struggles to raise Lluís’s son on her own, letters from the front her only solace. With bombs falling as fast as the city’s morale, she leaves to spend the winter with Lluís’s brigade on a quiet section of the line. But even on “dead” fronts the guns do not stay silent for long. Trini’s decision will put her family’s fate in the hands of Juli Soleràs, an old friend and a traitor of easy conscience, a philosopher-cynic locked in an eternal struggle with himself.
Joan Sales, a combatant in the Spanish Civil War, distilled his experiences into a timeless story of thwarted love, lost youth, and crushed illusions. A thrilling epic that has drawn comparison with the work of Dostoyevsky and Stendhal, Uncertain Glory is a homegrown counterpart to classics such as Homage to Catalonia and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Spain, 1937. Posted to the Aragonese front, Lieutenant Lluís Ruscalleda eschews the drunken antics of his comrades and goes in search of intrigue. But the lady of Castel de Olivo—a beautiful widow with a shadowy past—puts a high price on her affections. In Barcelona, Trini Milmany struggles to raise Lluís’s son on her own, letters from the front her only solace. With bombs falling as fast as the city’s morale, she leaves to spend the winter with Lluís’s brigade on a quiet section of the line. But even on “dead” fronts the guns do not stay silent for long. Trini’s decision will put her family’s fate in the hands of Juli Soleràs, an old friend and a traitor of easy conscience, a philosopher-cynic locked in an eternal struggle with himself.
Joan Sales, a combatant in the Spanish Civil War, distilled his experiences into a timeless story of thwarted love, lost youth, and crushed illusions. A thrilling epic that has drawn comparison with the work of Dostoyevsky and Stendhal, Uncertain Glory is a homegrown counterpart to classics such as Homage to Catalonia and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
457 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
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About the author
Joan Sales
20 books15 followersJoan Sales, novelista, poeta, traductor i editor. Després d'un exili de nou anys, a causa de la seva participació en la Guerra Civil espanyola, esdevé un dels editors més eficaços en la represa cultural catalana. El 1955 és un dels fundadors d'El Club dels Novel·listes, una col·lecció que es transforma més tard en l'editoral Club Editor, la qual, sota la seva direcció, publica algunes de les novel·les que marquen fites en la narrativa catalana de postguerra, com La plaça del Diamant, de Mercè Rodoreda o Bearn, de Llorenç Villalonga, entre d'altres. La seva obra més ambiciosa, la novel·la Incerta glòria, evoluciona des d'una primera versió de 335 pàgines publicada el 1956 a una de definitiva de 910 pàgines el 1971, que revisa encara dos anys abans de morir. Considerada una de les grans novel·les de la literatura catalana del segle XX, és guardonada amb el Premi Joanot Martorell (1955), el Premi Ramon Llull (1968) i el Premi Ciutat de Barcelona (1970). El 1976 publica la recopilació epistolar, Cartes a Màrius Torres (1936-1941), una obra que aporta dades d'interès per aprofundir en la personalitat dels dos autors i en l'atmosfera enrarida de la Catalunya de l'època.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
February 23, 2018
This is the first novel I have added to my ‘favorites' shelf in quite a while.
Toward the end I began to feel echoes of The Brothers Karamazov with the three men Lluis, Soleras, and Cruells as counterparts to Ivan, Dmitri, and Alyosha, but only one woman. (Someone who’d read Brothers more recently or was paying more attention would have figured this out on page 50.) It has been too long since I read Dostoyevski to pursue this, but surely the parallel is not unintentional. Both novels are complex, both intensely examine evil and faith, sin and human frailty.
There are so many threads here that it is impossible to say ‘it’s about...’. One can say it’s set in Barcelona and the Republican front during the Spanish Civil War. The background of the tapestry is betrayal, both personal and political. The personal betrayals takes place in front of us, while the mostly offstage political betrayal is the thickening murk that leads to undermining the Republican forces and staining its memory with atrocities. Sales adeptly contrasts various types of political betrayal: failed (Cruells' brief foray), double and equivocal (Lamoneda and Solerás) and truly self-serving and evil (Llibert). And what of the lady in the castle? Intimations, but nothing conclusive. For indeed among the hundred conclusions here is that the masses never know what is in the mind of the feudal castle (literal or figurative), or what people will do to stay there. The people in the castle know the people's memories and opinions can easily be manipulated; a dark patch in the tapestry will turn gray, then white, with a little judiciously applied bleach. The student days of the protagonists, when they played at anarchistic gestures, shows how naive amateurs are when pitted against the old guard and amoral opportunists.
So we have background, motif, and figures, now we need themes. First and foremost, there is an examination of faith at every turn. Sales pivots from formal Catholic religion to true faith and back again, over and over. Both can be true and noble, or perverse and destructive. Sales is hardest on the persecution of church and priests by the anarchists, but he also acknowledges deforming and joy-killing effects on pre-war life by a traditional church and many of its believers.
He examines faith that is assumed or thrown off at various stages of life, and how one can understand whether one’s faith is true and honest. Here the dance among the triad of Trini with her half-hearted conversion, Cruells the innocent with his childhood vocation, and Solerás with his tortuous recognition that he believes in spite of himself, is riveting. Even Lluis asks himself in a respite from battle:
Then there are the multiple ways we use one another, and whether such use is ever justified. We start with the seemingly simple case of the lady in the castle who wants her natural children made legitimate. Gradually the cases multiply and become more intimate, with higher stakes. They merge with other themes, with patriotism and betrayal. Eventually the characters makes accusations of using other people that aren’t true, but the atmosphere has become poisoned by repeated transgressions.
And what does ‘Uncertain Glory’ mean? It is connected with the most fundamental question: what is the point? Why are we here? Soleras asks over and over how to make anything noble of the mess between ‘the obscene and the macabre’--between birth and death. Early on we come to a truly obscene and macabre scene that combines attacks on Catholics, faith, using people, and nature to yield an image that shimmers underneath the surface for the rest of the novel. Can there be any glory? The term, sometimes in combination with ‘uncertain' and sometimes alone, keeps recurring.
At bottom, I think Sales asks what we should do as political animals. What is the moral action in war? Trini’s father is a lifelong anarchist, but also a complete pacifist, even when it comes to facing the fascist threat. He says:
And yet the novel is so much more than this. There is wonderful nature writing, about the Spanish landscape, weather, the heavens. Wonderful secondary characters, especially Lluis’s uncle, a capitalist who watches the anarchists take over and ineptly ruin his noodle factory. Incredible writing when Solerás rants into the night in feverish wandering explorations and evasions. I am reading now about equivocation in the period of the Gunpowder Plot, and it seems apt here as well. While the novel is set during the Civil War, and much of it occurs near the front, there are very few battle scenes. There is instead investigation of lives lived in such intensity: love, sex, drink, memory, faith, betrayal, and confession.
Obviously, highly recommended.
Toward the end I began to feel echoes of The Brothers Karamazov with the three men Lluis, Soleras, and Cruells as counterparts to Ivan, Dmitri, and Alyosha, but only one woman. (Someone who’d read Brothers more recently or was paying more attention would have figured this out on page 50.) It has been too long since I read Dostoyevski to pursue this, but surely the parallel is not unintentional. Both novels are complex, both intensely examine evil and faith, sin and human frailty.
There are so many threads here that it is impossible to say ‘it’s about...’. One can say it’s set in Barcelona and the Republican front during the Spanish Civil War. The background of the tapestry is betrayal, both personal and political. The personal betrayals takes place in front of us, while the mostly offstage political betrayal is the thickening murk that leads to undermining the Republican forces and staining its memory with atrocities. Sales adeptly contrasts various types of political betrayal: failed (Cruells' brief foray), double and equivocal (Lamoneda and Solerás) and truly self-serving and evil (Llibert). And what of the lady in the castle? Intimations, but nothing conclusive. For indeed among the hundred conclusions here is that the masses never know what is in the mind of the feudal castle (literal or figurative), or what people will do to stay there. The people in the castle know the people's memories and opinions can easily be manipulated; a dark patch in the tapestry will turn gray, then white, with a little judiciously applied bleach. The student days of the protagonists, when they played at anarchistic gestures, shows how naive amateurs are when pitted against the old guard and amoral opportunists.
So we have background, motif, and figures, now we need themes. First and foremost, there is an examination of faith at every turn. Sales pivots from formal Catholic religion to true faith and back again, over and over. Both can be true and noble, or perverse and destructive. Sales is hardest on the persecution of church and priests by the anarchists, but he also acknowledges deforming and joy-killing effects on pre-war life by a traditional church and many of its believers.
The Gospel teaches us to accept the Cross when its time comes, but doesn’t it also say we should accept happiness? Isn’t that the greatest crime of all, to reject love, happiness and poetry, and nail them all to the cross? Hallowed is happiness: it is the end the Almighty wants for man and it is terrible to reject that. [Cruells]
He examines faith that is assumed or thrown off at various stages of life, and how one can understand whether one’s faith is true and honest. Here the dance among the triad of Trini with her half-hearted conversion, Cruells the innocent with his childhood vocation, and Solerás with his tortuous recognition that he believes in spite of himself, is riveting. Even Lluis asks himself in a respite from battle:
If God exists, he must have become man. Why would he not have done such a thing?How could he have left us so alone with that horrible thing they call intellect--lucidity in the face of the nothingness, a meaningless glimmer lost in the eternal and endless darkness around us.
Then there are the multiple ways we use one another, and whether such use is ever justified. We start with the seemingly simple case of the lady in the castle who wants her natural children made legitimate. Gradually the cases multiply and become more intimate, with higher stakes. They merge with other themes, with patriotism and betrayal. Eventually the characters makes accusations of using other people that aren’t true, but the atmosphere has become poisoned by repeated transgressions.
And what does ‘Uncertain Glory’ mean? It is connected with the most fundamental question: what is the point? Why are we here? Soleras asks over and over how to make anything noble of the mess between ‘the obscene and the macabre’--between birth and death. Early on we come to a truly obscene and macabre scene that combines attacks on Catholics, faith, using people, and nature to yield an image that shimmers underneath the surface for the rest of the novel. Can there be any glory? The term, sometimes in combination with ‘uncertain' and sometimes alone, keeps recurring.
We live in the hope that [the Easter candle] will be lit again come glorious Holy Saturday, that is, at the beginning of spring. But there will be a year when it won’t happen. A year when spring won’t return. Have you never thought how April, that month of uncertain glory, escapes our grasp? And uncertain or not, it is the only glory. So, back to our Easter candles...’ [in a rant by the seemingly mad Soleras, early on]
I returned to old Olegaria’s really late. She can’t go to bed until I’m back even though she’s not cooking my supper anymore. She sat in a low chair by the fire, for it gets cold at night; poor summer, your glory is uncertain too...[Lluis]
You won’t live twice, your seconds are ticking on towards the void like the saffron petals the Parral is sweeping away...and those seconds could be wonderful’” I would give anything for a moment of glory. [Lluis]
A dark instinct stirred inside me. perhaps more vegetable than animal, spurring the spread of powerful and dominating life, like one of those walnut trees on the banks of the River Parral with fantastic roots, to spread a race of gods: Eritis sicut dii, our most secret desire, the uncertain glory for which Adam exchanged the quiet, certain glory of Paradise. [Lluis]
“So what is ‘real' glory?” [Lluis]
“Love and war, killing and its opposite!..[Solerás]
“What drives them [the soldiers, as a rout drives the Republicans in ever-diminishing numbers back towards the Pyrenees]? Not the cause--nobody knows what that is--but glory, which is something everyone feels. But what glory, O my God, what kind of glory, if nobody will every know the names of so many soldiers who have fallen in so many battles? Posterity? How foolish! If posterity had to remember all those who have died in one battle out of the many, all those whose names are written on sand... [Cruells]
At bottom, I think Sales asks what we should do as political animals. What is the moral action in war? Trini’s father is a lifelong anarchist, but also a complete pacifist, even when it comes to facing the fascist threat. He says:
“My love, if we don’t intend to be pacifists all the time, we might as well never be. In peacetime we should prepare ourselves for war: war is something you don’t do, or you do properly. What was the point of all the years of pacifist, anti-miltary propaganda if at the moment of truth we’ve allowed ourselves to be dragged into fighting a war? The only point in fact was to ensure that in the end our poor soldiers at the front would fight in inferior conditions: everything has to be improvised...If we aren’t pacifists to the end, accepting all the consequences, it is a crime to be pacifist: all we every prepared was the bloody disasters that our fighters, who nobody ever trained for war, are experiencing now...so the militarist and the Falange would have won straightaway? So what? It would have made more sense to let them win without offering resistance and as they’re going to win anyway--let’s not fool ourselves--at least we’d have been spared the bloodshed, arson and looting that only bring dishonor upon us.”
And yet the novel is so much more than this. There is wonderful nature writing, about the Spanish landscape, weather, the heavens. Wonderful secondary characters, especially Lluis’s uncle, a capitalist who watches the anarchists take over and ineptly ruin his noodle factory. Incredible writing when Solerás rants into the night in feverish wandering explorations and evasions. I am reading now about equivocation in the period of the Gunpowder Plot, and it seems apt here as well. While the novel is set during the Civil War, and much of it occurs near the front, there are very few battle scenes. There is instead investigation of lives lived in such intensity: love, sex, drink, memory, faith, betrayal, and confession.
Obviously, highly recommended.
July 8, 2020
"Bárki győzzön is, mi vesztettünk..."
Nagy tervekkel megírt regény, ám a sallangmentes megvalósítás bizonyos sutaságok következtében elmaradt. Pedig látszik, Sales nagyon akart, nagyon rákészült, fejben bizonyára jól is mutatott ez a grandiózus tabló a spanyol polgárháborúról, de az írás során elburjánzott benne a gaz, és elszívta a vizet a haszonnövényektől.
Tulajdonképpen három nagy részegységből áll a kötet:
1.) Az elsőben Lluís levelein keresztül kapunk képet a köztársasági hadsereg hétköznapjairól. A helyszín egy puruttya falu, ahol az ételek ehetetlenek, tejet az igyon, aki beteg, és aki mosdik, az bizony csak prostituált lehet. Egyéb központi szereplők: a.) Maria, a rejtélyes özvegy, aki egyszer mosdott, ezért kitagadták, de azóta felvitte a dolgát az Isten: ma ő a kastély úrnője, mert sikeresen szült fattyakat a helyi földbirtokosnak. b.) Juli Solerás, ez a sztavrogini figura, aki végeérhetetlen monológokkal terheli az elbeszélőt éppúgy, mint az olvasót, de ettől függetlenül tagadhatatlanul eredeti figura. Ők bonyolítják a cselekményt, ami jobbára a háborús cselekmények közti törékeny szünetek idején zajlik, ám azért időnként behúz minket az erőszakspirál.
2.) Aztán jönnek Trini levelei, a feleségé, akit Lluís hagyott ott csúful Barcelonában. Most Julival írogatnak egymásnak, aki ebben az etapban kezd el diverzifikáltabb figura lenni: a nagy dumás nihilista megmutatja nekünk a felelősségteljesebb oldalát. Ha az első rész komótos is volt, sosem vált igazán vontatottá - ám itt már néha kezdtem feszengeni az unalomtól. Mértékkel persze érdekesek lettek volna Trini vívódásai, valamint a hátországi miújságok ábrázolása, de soknak tűnik az inadekvát szócséplés, a töltelék.
3.) A harmadik részben aztán jön Cruell, aki több évtized távolából egy harmadik látószöget is behoz a regénybe. No most eleve ügyetlenségnek éreztem, hogy Sales az első fejezetek egyik statisztáját teszi meg elbeszélőnek - mintha csak jobb híján keveredne ide szegény, akár Pilátus a Krédóba. Látszik, hogy az író le akarja zárni a szálakat, és bizonyos új megközelítésekkel tenné még összetettebbé a szereplők viszonyát, ám ezt (akárcsak a második rész esetében) sok mellékes fejtegetés kíséretében teszi.
Ami tetszett: érdekesnek tartom, ahogy Sales ábrázolja a spanyol polgárháborút. Nem érdekli, kinek van igaza: bár hősei köztársaságiak (ez már eleve valamilyen állásfoglalás, gondolom), de nem nagyon foglalkoznak ezzel*. Ellenfeleikről, a "fasisztákról" nem is esik sok szó, motivációik csak érintőlegesen jelennek meg, a köztársaságiak megosztottsága és ügyetlensége viszont állandó téma**, valószínűleg ez jobban megizzasztja hőseinket, mint az ellenséges hadmozdulatok. Sales egyik központi állítása (amit így kívülállóként nem merek megítélni), hogy alapvetően eseteges, ki melyik oldalra kerül, egyik szereplője ironikusan meg is jegyzi, hogy ha elég ideig tartana a konfliktus, megélnénk, hogy az összes köztársasági átáll Francóhoz, és az összes "fasiszta" átáll a köztársasághoz. Nem tudom, ez a megállapítás mennyire hitelesen jeleníti meg a felek közötti ideológiai szakadék rugalmasságát, de rámutat arra, hogy minden polgárháború lényegi szinten testvérháború: azonos nyelvű, azonos kultúrájú*** lények egymást gyilkolása.
Ami nem tetszett: hát röviden, velősen mondva - uncsi. Kicsit bővebben kifejtve - bár legalább annyira izgalmas emberekre osztotta volna az elbeszélői feladatokat Sales, mint amilyen izgalmas egy-két mellékszereplője. És bár nem uralkodott volna el rajta a vágy, hogy figurái minden gondolatukat kifejtsék. Bár feszesebbre vágta volna, hogy a cselekmény ne tűnjön el minduntalan a meddő problémázás alatt. Voltak periódusok, amikor a felvetett (izgalmas) kérdések miatt biztosra vettem, sima négyesre fogom értékelni a könyvet, ám aztán megint jött egy mocsarasabb rész, ami rendre lehűtötte a lelkesedésemet. Mert nem kaphat négy csillagot az a regény, ami helyett szívesebben olvasnék mást, még akkor sem, ha a maga módján fontos.
* Persze a kötet a Franco-rezsim alatt jelent meg, ez, feltételezem, eleve korlátozta az író eszköztárát.
** Kifejezetten sok szó esik az anarchistákról, akik a köteten belül sokkal inkább tűnnek rosszfiúnak, mint Franco hívei.
*** Persze ez ennél egészen biztosan diverzifikáltabb. Katalánnak lenni, katalánul beszélni például eleve egyfajta politikai állásfoglalás volt a köztársaság mellett - hogy miért, annak messze visszanyúló okai vannak. És hát azt se felejtsük el, hogy minkét oldalon külföldiek is részt vettek a harci cselekményekben, de róluk Salesnek nincs mondanivalója.
Nagy tervekkel megírt regény, ám a sallangmentes megvalósítás bizonyos sutaságok következtében elmaradt. Pedig látszik, Sales nagyon akart, nagyon rákészült, fejben bizonyára jól is mutatott ez a grandiózus tabló a spanyol polgárháborúról, de az írás során elburjánzott benne a gaz, és elszívta a vizet a haszonnövényektől.
Tulajdonképpen három nagy részegységből áll a kötet:
1.) Az elsőben Lluís levelein keresztül kapunk képet a köztársasági hadsereg hétköznapjairól. A helyszín egy puruttya falu, ahol az ételek ehetetlenek, tejet az igyon, aki beteg, és aki mosdik, az bizony csak prostituált lehet. Egyéb központi szereplők: a.) Maria, a rejtélyes özvegy, aki egyszer mosdott, ezért kitagadták, de azóta felvitte a dolgát az Isten: ma ő a kastély úrnője, mert sikeresen szült fattyakat a helyi földbirtokosnak. b.) Juli Solerás, ez a sztavrogini figura, aki végeérhetetlen monológokkal terheli az elbeszélőt éppúgy, mint az olvasót, de ettől függetlenül tagadhatatlanul eredeti figura. Ők bonyolítják a cselekményt, ami jobbára a háborús cselekmények közti törékeny szünetek idején zajlik, ám azért időnként behúz minket az erőszakspirál.
2.) Aztán jönnek Trini levelei, a feleségé, akit Lluís hagyott ott csúful Barcelonában. Most Julival írogatnak egymásnak, aki ebben az etapban kezd el diverzifikáltabb figura lenni: a nagy dumás nihilista megmutatja nekünk a felelősségteljesebb oldalát. Ha az első rész komótos is volt, sosem vált igazán vontatottá - ám itt már néha kezdtem feszengeni az unalomtól. Mértékkel persze érdekesek lettek volna Trini vívódásai, valamint a hátországi miújságok ábrázolása, de soknak tűnik az inadekvát szócséplés, a töltelék.
3.) A harmadik részben aztán jön Cruell, aki több évtized távolából egy harmadik látószöget is behoz a regénybe. No most eleve ügyetlenségnek éreztem, hogy Sales az első fejezetek egyik statisztáját teszi meg elbeszélőnek - mintha csak jobb híján keveredne ide szegény, akár Pilátus a Krédóba. Látszik, hogy az író le akarja zárni a szálakat, és bizonyos új megközelítésekkel tenné még összetettebbé a szereplők viszonyát, ám ezt (akárcsak a második rész esetében) sok mellékes fejtegetés kíséretében teszi.
Ami tetszett: érdekesnek tartom, ahogy Sales ábrázolja a spanyol polgárháborút. Nem érdekli, kinek van igaza: bár hősei köztársaságiak (ez már eleve valamilyen állásfoglalás, gondolom), de nem nagyon foglalkoznak ezzel*. Ellenfeleikről, a "fasisztákról" nem is esik sok szó, motivációik csak érintőlegesen jelennek meg, a köztársaságiak megosztottsága és ügyetlensége viszont állandó téma**, valószínűleg ez jobban megizzasztja hőseinket, mint az ellenséges hadmozdulatok. Sales egyik központi állítása (amit így kívülállóként nem merek megítélni), hogy alapvetően eseteges, ki melyik oldalra kerül, egyik szereplője ironikusan meg is jegyzi, hogy ha elég ideig tartana a konfliktus, megélnénk, hogy az összes köztársasági átáll Francóhoz, és az összes "fasiszta" átáll a köztársasághoz. Nem tudom, ez a megállapítás mennyire hitelesen jeleníti meg a felek közötti ideológiai szakadék rugalmasságát, de rámutat arra, hogy minden polgárháború lényegi szinten testvérháború: azonos nyelvű, azonos kultúrájú*** lények egymást gyilkolása.
Ami nem tetszett: hát röviden, velősen mondva - uncsi. Kicsit bővebben kifejtve - bár legalább annyira izgalmas emberekre osztotta volna az elbeszélői feladatokat Sales, mint amilyen izgalmas egy-két mellékszereplője. És bár nem uralkodott volna el rajta a vágy, hogy figurái minden gondolatukat kifejtsék. Bár feszesebbre vágta volna, hogy a cselekmény ne tűnjön el minduntalan a meddő problémázás alatt. Voltak periódusok, amikor a felvetett (izgalmas) kérdések miatt biztosra vettem, sima négyesre fogom értékelni a könyvet, ám aztán megint jött egy mocsarasabb rész, ami rendre lehűtötte a lelkesedésemet. Mert nem kaphat négy csillagot az a regény, ami helyett szívesebben olvasnék mást, még akkor sem, ha a maga módján fontos.
* Persze a kötet a Franco-rezsim alatt jelent meg, ez, feltételezem, eleve korlátozta az író eszköztárát.
** Kifejezetten sok szó esik az anarchistákról, akik a köteten belül sokkal inkább tűnnek rosszfiúnak, mint Franco hívei.
*** Persze ez ennél egészen biztosan diverzifikáltabb. Katalánnak lenni, katalánul beszélni például eleve egyfajta politikai állásfoglalás volt a köztársaság mellett - hogy miért, annak messze visszanyúló okai vannak. És hát azt se felejtsük el, hogy minkét oldalon külföldiek is részt vettek a harci cselekményekben, de róluk Salesnek nincs mondanivalója.
February 4, 2016
Torn on the rating. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could, but I rounded up for the number of amazing passages I felt myself underlining. If it drags too long on certain sections, especially the first, it absolutely makes up for that with the rest.
Ultimately, though, what's great about this novel is truly great. While set in the Spanish Civil War, it tells the story from a perspective that is uncommon in novels on the subject or war novels in general. Written by a former Republican officer, Uncertain Glory refuses to glorify any lost causes. It gives clear description of the absurdity of the conflict, but not in the simple, tried means of body counts. It takes on the issue from several angles, looking at it from the perspective of traitors, apolitical victims, true believers, opportunists, priests fighting for anti-clerical governments, anarchists fighting for democracy.
It also has a great deal to say about faith and distress. Sales' ruminations on sacrament and religion are utterly unique, and he refuses to give simple answers. More than anything, Uncertain Glory takes you into a state of mind that is unfamiliar for most of us. It takes us into a sense deprivation where the absurd and macabre are possible and immediate. It hints at something bigger than itself, but it won't take you all the way there.
This is the kind of book that has every right to be a classic in the same vein as Dostoevsky but lacks the exposure. Fully worth the time spent reading it.
Ultimately, though, what's great about this novel is truly great. While set in the Spanish Civil War, it tells the story from a perspective that is uncommon in novels on the subject or war novels in general. Written by a former Republican officer, Uncertain Glory refuses to glorify any lost causes. It gives clear description of the absurdity of the conflict, but not in the simple, tried means of body counts. It takes on the issue from several angles, looking at it from the perspective of traitors, apolitical victims, true believers, opportunists, priests fighting for anti-clerical governments, anarchists fighting for democracy.
It also has a great deal to say about faith and distress. Sales' ruminations on sacrament and religion are utterly unique, and he refuses to give simple answers. More than anything, Uncertain Glory takes you into a state of mind that is unfamiliar for most of us. It takes us into a sense deprivation where the absurd and macabre are possible and immediate. It hints at something bigger than itself, but it won't take you all the way there.
This is the kind of book that has every right to be a classic in the same vein as Dostoevsky but lacks the exposure. Fully worth the time spent reading it.
July 28, 2025
L'he llegit enfebrada i ara tinc la imperiosa necessitat que tothom se'l llegeixi. Hauria de ser de lectura obligatòria a totes les cases i escoles. Hi condensa tot el que comprèn de la vida a la mort d'una manera tan punyent com sublim. És una obra mestra de cap a peus; he hagut de fer punta al llapis.
«la memòria dels homes sembla haver-los oblidats com si no haguessin existit mai»
«la memòria dels homes sembla haver-los oblidats com si no haguessin existit mai»
August 8, 2023
Κορυφαίο! Αριστούργημα!
June 8, 2017
Una obra monumental sobre l'amor, l'amistat i sobre el sentit de la vida i el pas del temps. Tot amb el rerefons de la guerra civil espanyola vista des del bàndol republicà, els perdedors. Una obra imprescindible per entendre algunes de les raons per les quals la República va perdre aquella guerra i també per copsar com pot ser de terrible i estúpida una guerra entre germans que ni tan sols saben perquè es maten. Magnífic l'estudi psicològic dels personatges, especialment el d'en Juli Soleràs com a consciència perversa que assetja els altres personatges amb veritats de les que molts cops preferirien no ser-ne conscients. Incerta Glòria es basteix sobre la base d'un llenguatge senzill, que no planer, ple d'una gran riquesa: bell i precís, així es el català amb que escriu Joan Sales.
September 19, 2025
La millor obra de la literatura catalana, o, com a mínim, té arguments per ser-ho. Apassionant, original, escrita amb un bon gust admirable, et fa entrar de ple en les vides dels protagonistes i veure com les seves vides es van omplint d'una glòria tan incerta com el nom indica. Llibre per rellegir tants cops com calgui, llàstima que el goodreads no em deixa posar més de 5 estrelles.
August 12, 2025
uf, tan ben escrita i tan tot 🤧🌟
December 28, 2023
Βαθιά φιλοσοφημένο και ονειρικό, συχνά κουραστικό στις ομφαλοσκοπικές περιπλανήσεις του, το "Αβέβαιη δόξα" είναι μια διαφορετική ματιά στον Ισπανικό Εμφύλιο.
Σε δεύτερο συνήθως πλάνο είναι πάντα ο πόλεμος, τα κανόνια, οι χειροβομβίδες, οι έφοδοι, τα μουλάρια που κουβαλάνε πολυβόλα και εφόδια, τα αεροπλάνα που είτε εκτελούν αναγνωριστικές πτήσεις, είτε βομβαρδίζουν, οι θάνατοι και τα παρακάλια των λαβωνένων.
Σε πρώτο πλάνο, με τον πόλεμο κάπως "ανετάριστο" και σε άλλο βάθος πεδίου είναι οι άνθρωποι. Ο νεαρός Λιουίς, στρατιώτης Δημοκρατικών, η αναρχική σύντροφός του Τρίνι που έχει μείνει στη Βαρκελώνη με το παιδί τους, ο μοναδικός Σολεράς που είναι πέρα και πάνω από τον πόλεμο (κι ας είναι μέσα σε αυτόν όσο και κάθε άλλος) και ο ιεροσπουδαστής Κρουέλς στον οποίο οι συμπολεμιστές του εκβάλλουν τα δράμτα, τις ανησυχίες, τις ελπίδες και τις διαψεδύσεις τους, τις εσωτερικές του μάχες.
Από κοντά μαρκήσιοι και σπιτωμένες, πουτάνες και αλλαντοποιοί, καμμένοι από το αλκοόλ γιατροί, αξιωματικοί του δημοκρατικού στρατού και κάθε καρυδιάς καρύδι σε ένα μοναδικό μωσαϊκό ανθρώπων καταμεσής του εμφυλίου.
Ο Λόγος του Sales είναι πανέμορφος, κάθε φράση σμιλεμένη με υπομονή και επιμονή, σε σημείο που ακόμη και στα πιο "αργά" και "φευγάτα" κομμάτια, το μάτι να μη νιώθει την ανάγκη να ξεφύγει προς τα μπρος, αλλά συνεχίζει την ανάγνωση για να μη χάσει την ομορφιά του. Και μιλάμε για μετάφραση...
Πέρα όμως από τις αρετές του λόγου, το έργο έχει ένα βάθος και μια ποιότητα στοχασμού πού δύσκολα συνατά κανείς σε συγγραφείς επόμενων γενεών (και όσο πλησιάζουμε στις μέρες μας, τόσο λιγοστεύουν). Η "εικόνα" και το συναίσθημα δεν έχουν σταθερή τοποθέτηση, δεν εξαντλείται σε τοποθετήσεις νικητών ή ηττημένων, τα πρόσωπα αλλάζουν, οι απόψεις που παρατίθενται παρελαύνουν η καθεμία με τη δική της συνοχή και συνέπεια, κόσμος που αλλάζει στρατόπεδο καταμεσής του πολέμου (προδότες; αλλαξοπιστήσαντες; νεοφώτιστοι; αποδράσαντες βίαιης στρατολόγησης;), θύματα με άγνοια της πολιτικής και των σκοπιμοτήτων που απλώς βρέθηκαν τη λάθος στιγμή στο λάθος μέρος, φλογισμένοι πιστοί των δύο πλευρών, διωκόμενοι ιερωμένοι, αναρχικοί στο κίνημα των οποίων δίνεται πρακτικά μια τελευταία ευκαιρία να λάμψει ("καλά πήγε αυτό...")
Ωστόσο, όσα κι αν είναι τα πρόσωπα και όσο γρήγορα κι αν στροβιλίζονται γύρω από την πλοκή, ο λόγος, οι αιτιάσεις και οι τοποθετήσεις τους, δεν είναι ποτέ βιαστικές και χωρίς μια εσωτερική συνέπεια και συνοχή, ακόμη και οι (αντικρουόμενες συχνά) τοποθετήσεις πάνω στην πίστη και τον κληρικαλισμό, όπου δίνει ίσως μερικά από τα πιο σκοτεινά και βαθύτερα κομμάτια του έργου (προσωπική άποψη).
Λιγότερο εστιασμένο πολιτικά από το "Πεθαίνοντας στην Καταλωνία" του Όργουελ και το "Για ποιον χτυπά η καμπάνα" του Χέμινγουέι, έχει την άνεση να γίνει πολύ πιο βαθύ και περίπλοκο, γι' αυτό και οι χαρακτήρες του κινούνται σε πιο γκρίζες (φιλοσοφικά μιλώντας) ζώνες και δεν έχουν τη μανιχαϊστικές καθηλώσεις, ούτε την προσήλωση άλλων ηρώων της λογοτεχνίας του ισπανικού εμφυλίου. Άλλωστε, οι περισσότεροι είναι άνθρωποι γεμάτι αγάπη. Για τους ανθρώπους, για τους ανθρώπους τους, για ιδέες, για απολαύσεις, ή ακόμη και για τον εαυτό τους. Έτσι λοιπόν, στο το Μέτωπο της Αραγονίας που ξεκινά το καλοκαίρι του 1937 και συνεχίζεται μέχρι την άνοιξη του 1938 (εκεί και τότε, υπηρέτησε εθελοντικά και ο Eric Arthur Blair), αυτό που κρατάει τη φλόγα του βιβλίου δυνατή είναι οι σχέσεις και οι αλληλεπιδράσεις των ανθρώπων, η αγάπη και όχι τα κανόνια. Είναι εκεί που παρά τη φρίκη των ανωτέρων, στρατιώτες από τις αντίθετες πλευρές των "συρμάτων" αδελφοποιούνται. Είναι εκεί που τα πράγματα είναι ρευστά πολεμικά και ακόμη πιο ρευστά από συναισθηματικής πλευράς, εκεί είναι το όνειρο, η χώρα του κανενός μεταξύ ζωής και θανάτου, ανάμεσα στο άσεμνο και το μακάβριο.
Σε δεύτερο συνήθως πλάνο είναι πάντα ο πόλεμος, τα κανόνια, οι χειροβομβίδες, οι έφοδοι, τα μουλάρια που κουβαλάνε πολυβόλα και εφόδια, τα αεροπλάνα που είτε εκτελούν αναγνωριστικές πτήσεις, είτε βομβαρδίζουν, οι θάνατοι και τα παρακάλια των λαβωνένων.
Σε πρώτο πλάνο, με τον πόλεμο κάπως "ανετάριστο" και σε άλλο βάθος πεδίου είναι οι άνθρωποι. Ο νεαρός Λιουίς, στρατιώτης Δημοκρατικών, η αναρχική σύντροφός του Τρίνι που έχει μείνει στη Βαρκελώνη με το παιδί τους, ο μοναδικός Σολεράς που είναι πέρα και πάνω από τον πόλεμο (κι ας είναι μέσα σε αυτόν όσο και κάθε άλλος) και ο ιεροσπουδαστής Κρουέλς στον οποίο οι συμπολεμιστές του εκβάλλουν τα δράμτα, τις ανησυχίες, τις ελπίδες και τις διαψεδύσεις τους, τις εσωτερικές του μάχες.
Από κοντά μαρκήσιοι και σπιτωμένες, πουτάνες και αλλαντοποιοί, καμμένοι από το αλκοόλ γιατροί, αξιωματικοί του δημοκρατικού στρατού και κάθε καρυδιάς καρύδι σε ένα μοναδικό μωσαϊκό ανθρώπων καταμεσής του εμφυλίου.
Ο Λόγος του Sales είναι πανέμορφος, κάθε φράση σμιλεμένη με υπομονή και επιμονή, σε σημείο που ακόμη και στα πιο "αργά" και "φευγάτα" κομμάτια, το μάτι να μη νιώθει την ανάγκη να ξεφύγει προς τα μπρος, αλλά συνεχίζει την ανάγνωση για να μη χάσει την ομορφιά του. Και μιλάμε για μετάφραση...
Πέρα όμως από τις αρετές του λόγου, το έργο έχει ένα βάθος και μια ποιότητα στοχασμού πού δύσκολα συνατά κανείς σε συγγραφείς επόμενων γενεών (και όσο πλησιάζουμε στις μέρες μας, τόσο λιγοστεύουν). Η "εικόνα" και το συναίσθημα δεν έχουν σταθερή τοποθέτηση, δεν εξαντλείται σε τοποθετήσεις νικητών ή ηττημένων, τα πρόσωπα αλλάζουν, οι απόψεις που παρατίθενται παρελαύνουν η καθεμία με τη δική της συνοχή και συνέπεια, κόσμος που αλλάζει στρατόπεδο καταμεσής του πολέμου (προδότες; αλλαξοπιστήσαντες; νεοφώτιστοι; αποδράσαντες βίαιης στρατολόγησης;), θύματα με άγνοια της πολιτικής και των σκοπιμοτήτων που απλώς βρέθηκαν τη λάθος στιγμή στο λάθος μέρος, φλογισμένοι πιστοί των δύο πλευρών, διωκόμενοι ιερωμένοι, αναρχικοί στο κίνημα των οποίων δίνεται πρακτικά μια τελευταία ευκαιρία να λάμψει ("καλά πήγε αυτό...")
Ωστόσο, όσα κι αν είναι τα πρόσωπα και όσο γρήγορα κι αν στροβιλίζονται γύρω από την πλοκή, ο λόγος, οι αιτιάσεις και οι τοποθετήσεις τους, δεν είναι ποτέ βιαστικές και χωρίς μια εσωτερική συνέπεια και συνοχή, ακόμη και οι (αντικρουόμενες συχνά) τοποθετήσεις πάνω στην πίστη και τον κληρικαλισμό, όπου δίνει ίσως μερικά από τα πιο σκοτεινά και βαθύτερα κομμάτια του έργου (προσωπική άποψη).
Λιγότερο εστιασμένο πολιτικά από το "Πεθαίνοντας στην Καταλωνία" του Όργουελ και το "Για ποιον χτυπά η καμπάνα" του Χέμινγουέι, έχει την άνεση να γίνει πολύ πιο βαθύ και περίπλοκο, γι' αυτό και οι χαρακτήρες του κινούνται σε πιο γκρίζες (φιλοσοφικά μιλώντας) ζώνες και δεν έχουν τη μανιχαϊστικές καθηλώσεις, ούτε την προσήλωση άλλων ηρώων της λογοτεχνίας του ισπανικού εμφυλίου. Άλλωστε, οι περισσότεροι είναι άνθρωποι γεμάτι αγάπη. Για τους ανθρώπους, για τους ανθρώπους τους, για ιδέες, για απολαύσεις, ή ακόμη και για τον εαυτό τους. Έτσι λοιπόν, στο το Μέτωπο της Αραγονίας που ξεκινά το καλοκαίρι του 1937 και συνεχίζεται μέχρι την άνοιξη του 1938 (εκεί και τότε, υπηρέτησε εθελοντικά και ο Eric Arthur Blair), αυτό που κρατάει τη φλόγα του βιβλίου δυνατή είναι οι σχέσεις και οι αλληλεπιδράσεις των ανθρώπων, η αγάπη και όχι τα κανόνια. Είναι εκεί που παρά τη φρίκη των ανωτέρων, στρατιώτες από τις αντίθετες πλευρές των "συρμάτων" αδελφοποιούνται. Είναι εκεί που τα πράγματα είναι ρευστά πολεμικά και ακόμη πιο ρευστά από συναισθηματικής πλευράς, εκεί είναι το όνειρο, η χώρα του κανενός μεταξύ ζωής και θανάτου, ανάμεσα στο άσεμνο και το μακάβριο.
August 15, 2018
Mi opinión acerca de este libro es ambigua. No me ha gustado, pero puedo comprender por qué a otros podría gustarles. No es un mal libro, en absoluto. Está bien escrito, la intención narrativa se alcanza, la narración transmite lo que quería transmitir el autor y los personajes tienen mucha profundidad. Es un libro para todos aquellos que son lectores de personajes, que no les preocupa tanto la trama como el desarrollo interior de los personajes. El interés de esta novela no era dar a conocer unos hechos históricos, no era crear una montaña rusa de sentimientos, no era hacer una historia de ritmo trepidante, sino dar a conocer unos personajes, y por eso a mí no me ha gustado, porque no era para mí. Pero quizás sí es para vosotros, así que no os desanimo a leerlo.
Reseña completa: http://paseandoentrepaginas.blogspot....
Reseña completa: http://paseandoentrepaginas.blogspot....
October 2, 2022
Another one of those very rare NYRB fails, I got about 100 pages into this one--touted as Dostoevskyian by the moronic back-cover blurb--and did find it more punishment than crime, so I gave up. The Spanish Civil War is always a great theme for a novel, as evinced by other writers, and Sales as actually there, so one would expect it to be engaging and at least worth reading. However, it was so ubiquitously dull that I, despite trying and trying, could find little to engage me in this time of a guy in a village, walking around, wanting to sleep with a beautiful widow, talking, walking around some more, and sometimes riding. Right. That's right, he sometimes rides a horse around.
Quite the yawner!
Quite the yawner!
November 6, 2014
Spanish Civil War novel set in Barcelona
We have just read the book published by Maclehose Press in the UK... Autumn 2014
Uncertain Glory is a major (if occasionally hard to follow…) novel set in and around Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. It is highly unusual in that it is written from the point of view of the losing socialist / anarchist side in the War. The book was written by Joan Sales who fought in the war on the side of the Barcelona socialists. It was first published – in an abbreviated and highly censored version under the Franco regime - in 1956… the much fuller uncensored version was published in 1971. But it has taken until now, 21 years after Sales died, for the book to be translated from the Catalan original into English by Peter Bush - and it is a quite excellent translation.
The book is in three parts. The first describes how young lawyer Lluίs joins up and goes to war on the Aragonese front. Yes there are plenty of bloody battles, but also times of relaxation and quiet in the village of Olivel where Lluίs ignore much of the traditional soldier’s R&R routine and becomes infatuated with the widowed carlana of the village. The second part features Trini, ‘the girl that Lluίs left behind in Barcelona…’ (with Ramon, his baby son). The device used in this part is the letters she writes to Juli – a mysterious and devious friend of both hers and of Lluίs from their early student days. She explains her frustrations with Lluίs’ letter writing (or sometimes lack of it), and talks about her everyday life in besieged Barcelona. Juli confesses his love for Trini…(not a major surprise). He is on the Aragonese front with Lluίs, and eventually – as we hear later in the book - switches to the fascist side in the war. The final part features Cruells, the third man preoccupied with his feelings for Trini… Cruells is an assistant to Dr Puig, the brigade doctor – he is dispatched back to Barcelona to bring out Trini and Ramon and others to the quiet part of the front where the brigade is recuperating between battles – a part of the front where there is much more food and tranquillity than back in the city.
So this is the story of a bloody and confused civil War told through the eyes and ears of three actual and wished for lovers of one lady. At that level it works perfectly well, but – for me – the great merit of Uncertain Glory is the way it describes how communities and individuals came to be on one side or the other. It seemed to be very much a murky matter of chance, and exactly where you lived, rather than any more profound political input.
I have no doubt that Uncertain Glory is a major and significant work. But it is very much a Catalan / Spanish work. I confess I struggled a little with the history of this part of the Spanish Civil War until I took time out to visit Wikipedia – and I would urge anyone about to pick the book up to do the same unless they are familiar with the facts. It will make the story a lot more meaningful.
This is absolutely not a book for everyone, but I ended up finding it very thought provoking and worthwhile. You may well do so as well…
We have just read the book published by Maclehose Press in the UK... Autumn 2014
Uncertain Glory is a major (if occasionally hard to follow…) novel set in and around Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. It is highly unusual in that it is written from the point of view of the losing socialist / anarchist side in the War. The book was written by Joan Sales who fought in the war on the side of the Barcelona socialists. It was first published – in an abbreviated and highly censored version under the Franco regime - in 1956… the much fuller uncensored version was published in 1971. But it has taken until now, 21 years after Sales died, for the book to be translated from the Catalan original into English by Peter Bush - and it is a quite excellent translation.
The book is in three parts. The first describes how young lawyer Lluίs joins up and goes to war on the Aragonese front. Yes there are plenty of bloody battles, but also times of relaxation and quiet in the village of Olivel where Lluίs ignore much of the traditional soldier’s R&R routine and becomes infatuated with the widowed carlana of the village. The second part features Trini, ‘the girl that Lluίs left behind in Barcelona…’ (with Ramon, his baby son). The device used in this part is the letters she writes to Juli – a mysterious and devious friend of both hers and of Lluίs from their early student days. She explains her frustrations with Lluίs’ letter writing (or sometimes lack of it), and talks about her everyday life in besieged Barcelona. Juli confesses his love for Trini…(not a major surprise). He is on the Aragonese front with Lluίs, and eventually – as we hear later in the book - switches to the fascist side in the war. The final part features Cruells, the third man preoccupied with his feelings for Trini… Cruells is an assistant to Dr Puig, the brigade doctor – he is dispatched back to Barcelona to bring out Trini and Ramon and others to the quiet part of the front where the brigade is recuperating between battles – a part of the front where there is much more food and tranquillity than back in the city.
So this is the story of a bloody and confused civil War told through the eyes and ears of three actual and wished for lovers of one lady. At that level it works perfectly well, but – for me – the great merit of Uncertain Glory is the way it describes how communities and individuals came to be on one side or the other. It seemed to be very much a murky matter of chance, and exactly where you lived, rather than any more profound political input.
I have no doubt that Uncertain Glory is a major and significant work. But it is very much a Catalan / Spanish work. I confess I struggled a little with the history of this part of the Spanish Civil War until I took time out to visit Wikipedia – and I would urge anyone about to pick the book up to do the same unless they are familiar with the facts. It will make the story a lot more meaningful.
This is absolutely not a book for everyone, but I ended up finding it very thought provoking and worthwhile. You may well do so as well…
January 23, 2019
This is a particularly good novel, I think. On the cover the book's blurb says it stands in counterpart to the politically-focused Homage to Catalonia of George Orwell and Hemingway's death-extolling For Whom the Bell Tolls. I think Uncertain Glory more complex that either. The characters are neither fiercely motivated--no matter the slogan spouting--by the Republican ideas for which they serve nor surrendered to the futility of those ideas.
I finally formed the impression that the big engine driving the novel is love. At its heart is a love triangle, and the triplet structure is contained in the triptych of voices telling the story in journal entries, letters, and 1st person narrative. I began to think it primarily a love story when I read what's perhaps the most powerful image of the novel, a female mantis devouring a male immediately after mating. (It's a novel much more beautiful than that shuddering vision.) And finally maybe it can be thought to be primarily a love novel because though taking place during the Spanish Civil War there's little fighting until the end. This is the Aragon Front beginning in the summer of 1937 and continuing into the spring of 1938, also the place and time of Orwell's volunteer service. In this high, dry environment plays out the dense weave of relationships.
The Aragon Front is a quiet zone most occupied by the constant scouring for supplies, regrouping of units, and even some fraternization between the 2 sides. These are characters driven by desperation, too. They're young, the world's blowing up around them, and they cling to what order they can salvage. They know they'll never again love as deeply or have opportunities to turn commitments into reality. This inspiration supports another descriptor of the novel--epic. Not in the landscape or the ideologies of the war so much, though, because in this novel the characters are bigger than the war. When the triptych folds in on Lluis and Soleras and Trini and Pico and the rest we don't think of the bull in the ring which suggests the tragedy of Spain or the fatalism of the mantis but the continued determination of individuals to endure, to overcome and triumph.
I finally formed the impression that the big engine driving the novel is love. At its heart is a love triangle, and the triplet structure is contained in the triptych of voices telling the story in journal entries, letters, and 1st person narrative. I began to think it primarily a love story when I read what's perhaps the most powerful image of the novel, a female mantis devouring a male immediately after mating. (It's a novel much more beautiful than that shuddering vision.) And finally maybe it can be thought to be primarily a love novel because though taking place during the Spanish Civil War there's little fighting until the end. This is the Aragon Front beginning in the summer of 1937 and continuing into the spring of 1938, also the place and time of Orwell's volunteer service. In this high, dry environment plays out the dense weave of relationships.
The Aragon Front is a quiet zone most occupied by the constant scouring for supplies, regrouping of units, and even some fraternization between the 2 sides. These are characters driven by desperation, too. They're young, the world's blowing up around them, and they cling to what order they can salvage. They know they'll never again love as deeply or have opportunities to turn commitments into reality. This inspiration supports another descriptor of the novel--epic. Not in the landscape or the ideologies of the war so much, though, because in this novel the characters are bigger than the war. When the triptych folds in on Lluis and Soleras and Trini and Pico and the rest we don't think of the bull in the ring which suggests the tragedy of Spain or the fatalism of the mantis but the continued determination of individuals to endure, to overcome and triumph.
October 4, 2025
I feel like I took a beating working through this at certain stages. Last 40% definitely makes up for it. Not my favorite book that NYRB Classics has republished, but may never have read it if not for it.
April 24, 2018
Quin patir! I per fi s'ha acabat després de vuit mesos. Una decepció.
El llibre són, en realitat, tres llibres molt diferents, que només tenen en comú els personatges, bé que cada llibre se centra en uns personatges, que no són més que nomenats en els altres llibres, amb l'excepció de les darreres pàgines del llibre, on tot es barreja un xic. La puntuació final intenta reflectir una mitjana entre parts molt desiguals.
La primera part és la història d'en Lluís, un avocat llibertari al front d'Aragó. La història és interessant i l'estil d'en Sales és clar i agradable, bé que ja dóna senyals del seu gust per les disquisicions constants. En Lluís té algunes contradiccions bastant fortes, però res comparat amb en Soleràs, que pren un rol secundari, ans important, al llarg del llibre. Aquest darrer és un personatge detestable per molts conceptes, si bé em sembla que plau a l'autor. Aquest llibre em va semblar bo i em va donar forces per continuar llegint.
La segona part és fatal. Tracta de la Trini, la mare del fill d'en Lluís. La Trini és una anarquista, filla d'anarquista, però en veritat és una carca conservadora, una clerical figa tova, una bleda assolellada, una senyorassa de Sarrià amb torre i minyona. El personatge no és creïble i les seves reflexions són de consiliari episcopal. Només el malparit del seu germà és un personatge realista, tràgic, criminal, com cal. Aquest llibre em va frenar moltíssim perquè el llegia a desgrat, com qui llegeix un disbarat. A més, en Sales crea poca història i molta disquisició religioso-filosòfica de pa sucat amb oli. Puaf!
La tercera part intenta redreçar l'entort tornant al front, aquest cop un front glaçat, estancat enmig de la neu. Llàstima que el personatge sigui un aprenent de capellà. I desprès diran que en Sales no era un meapilas! Però la història guanya en força i en qualitat dramàtica fins les darreres pàgines en què esdevé un bocí de gran literatura.
En Sales té un punt positiu en el seu escriure: va decidir autopublicar-se. Com els de ca Amazon, però sense intermediaris que es quedin amb els teus calers. Això li va permetre fugir de la tradicional dictadura dels correctors d'estil, que tant han fet per impedir que els autors s'expressin com volen i facin avançar la llengua. Així es permet dir "donar la lata" i altres mots i expressions que no es van poder publicar a Catalunya per molts anys. En Sales demostra poder escriure amb qualitat, però la seva religiositat combativa no el deixa arrodonir els eu treball. Podria haver escrit sobre el drama dels catòlics a la Catalunya revolucionària i, tot i que moltes reflexions m'haurien sonat buides de contingut, hagués apreciat, però fer que els llibertaris siguin, sia equiparables a noies guies amb pretensions de convent de clausura, sigui bons vivants sense creences ni conviccions, sigui desertors que es passen als franquistes sense ni una reflexió, i tots ells sense la més mínima consideració política, fa d'ells personatges inversemblants, improbables, falsos (i en algun dels casos, repugnants).
El llibre són, en realitat, tres llibres molt diferents, que només tenen en comú els personatges, bé que cada llibre se centra en uns personatges, que no són més que nomenats en els altres llibres, amb l'excepció de les darreres pàgines del llibre, on tot es barreja un xic. La puntuació final intenta reflectir una mitjana entre parts molt desiguals.
La primera part és la història d'en Lluís, un avocat llibertari al front d'Aragó. La història és interessant i l'estil d'en Sales és clar i agradable, bé que ja dóna senyals del seu gust per les disquisicions constants. En Lluís té algunes contradiccions bastant fortes, però res comparat amb en Soleràs, que pren un rol secundari, ans important, al llarg del llibre. Aquest darrer és un personatge detestable per molts conceptes, si bé em sembla que plau a l'autor. Aquest llibre em va semblar bo i em va donar forces per continuar llegint.
La segona part és fatal. Tracta de la Trini, la mare del fill d'en Lluís. La Trini és una anarquista, filla d'anarquista, però en veritat és una carca conservadora, una clerical figa tova, una bleda assolellada, una senyorassa de Sarrià amb torre i minyona. El personatge no és creïble i les seves reflexions són de consiliari episcopal. Només el malparit del seu germà és un personatge realista, tràgic, criminal, com cal. Aquest llibre em va frenar moltíssim perquè el llegia a desgrat, com qui llegeix un disbarat. A més, en Sales crea poca història i molta disquisició religioso-filosòfica de pa sucat amb oli. Puaf!
La tercera part intenta redreçar l'entort tornant al front, aquest cop un front glaçat, estancat enmig de la neu. Llàstima que el personatge sigui un aprenent de capellà. I desprès diran que en Sales no era un meapilas! Però la història guanya en força i en qualitat dramàtica fins les darreres pàgines en què esdevé un bocí de gran literatura.
En Sales té un punt positiu en el seu escriure: va decidir autopublicar-se. Com els de ca Amazon, però sense intermediaris que es quedin amb els teus calers. Això li va permetre fugir de la tradicional dictadura dels correctors d'estil, que tant han fet per impedir que els autors s'expressin com volen i facin avançar la llengua. Així es permet dir "donar la lata" i altres mots i expressions que no es van poder publicar a Catalunya per molts anys. En Sales demostra poder escriure amb qualitat, però la seva religiositat combativa no el deixa arrodonir els eu treball. Podria haver escrit sobre el drama dels catòlics a la Catalunya revolucionària i, tot i que moltes reflexions m'haurien sonat buides de contingut, hagués apreciat, però fer que els llibertaris siguin, sia equiparables a noies guies amb pretensions de convent de clausura, sigui bons vivants sense creences ni conviccions, sigui desertors que es passen als franquistes sense ni una reflexió, i tots ells sense la més mínima consideració política, fa d'ells personatges inversemblants, improbables, falsos (i en algun dels casos, repugnants).
November 8, 2012
Segurament la millor novel·la sobre la Guerra Civil Espanyola que he llegit. A més, explicada des del bàndol republicà i centrada al que va passar al front català.
A part de ser la millor novel·la sobre la Guerra Civil, a servidor també li sembla que és sense lloc a dubtes una de les Grans Novel·les escrites en català: Trista, dura, colpidora, a trossos fins i tot esfereidora, però per sobre de tot molt ben escrita i una novel·la que ens parla d'una part de la nostra memòria històrica que tothom hauria de conèixer i que, tristament, el noranta per cent de la gent no coneix.
Afegir que la vaig llegir en paral·lel a 'Vida y Destino' de Grossman i que no em va semblar que desmereixés gens.
A part de ser la millor novel·la sobre la Guerra Civil, a servidor també li sembla que és sense lloc a dubtes una de les Grans Novel·les escrites en català: Trista, dura, colpidora, a trossos fins i tot esfereidora, però per sobre de tot molt ben escrita i una novel·la que ens parla d'una part de la nostra memòria històrica que tothom hauria de conèixer i que, tristament, el noranta per cent de la gent no coneix.
Afegir que la vaig llegir en paral·lel a 'Vida y Destino' de Grossman i que no em va semblar que desmereixés gens.
May 28, 2017
Un tresor.
"pobra canícula, també la seva glòria és incerta..."
"pobra canícula, també la seva glòria és incerta..."
January 9, 2021
Una retòrica excel·lent, unes reflexions esplèndides i en Soleràs, un personatge fascinant. Genial.
June 18, 2023
4.5.
“(…) en ciertos momentos de la vida la sed de gloria se hace dolorosamente aguda; tanto más aguda es la sed cuanto más incierta es la gloria de que estamos sedientos; eso es, más enigmática (…)”.
“(…) en ciertos momentos de la vida la sed de gloria se hace dolorosamente aguda; tanto más aguda es la sed cuanto más incierta es la gloria de que estamos sedientos; eso es, más enigmática (…)”.
May 20, 2015
A algun lloc he llegit que és una de les millors novel.les de guerra que s'han escrit. A mi m'ha semblat una gran novel·la sobre la Guerra Civil desde el punt de vista del bàndol republicà, que va molt mes enllà de relat bèl·licista de la primera línia del front. Incerta glòria aprofundeix en la personalitat dels personatges, de les diverses formes d'entendre el món la vida o la política, parla de sentiments, angoixes, creences o ideals i fins hi tot de filosofia i religió. Explica com era la vida a la rereguarda durant la guerra, a Barcelona, i de com es vivia al front d'Aragó durant les llargues temporades de calma -el front mort en deien- o durant els dies de batalla o de retirada. També tracta els anys previs a la guerra, quan tot es covava, i sobretot la postguerra que per molts va ser mes dura i difícil que la mateixa guerra. Al mateix temps és una novel·la d'amor, d'amors frustrats, de dubtes i de traïdories. Un cop llegida queda sobretot la sensació d'haver conegut la guerra des de una òptica molt diferent de la habitual, i d'entendre'n una mica mes la brutal complexitat i la confusió que es vivia al costat republicà. Dona una visió molt realista i del tot desmitificadora del que va ser la Guerra Civil.
La novel·la té quatre parts clarament diferenciades. La primera i segona part, de lectura molt amena, escrites en forma de cartes, és a dir correspondència entre alguns personatges. Els protagonistes son en Lluís, en Soleràs i la Trini. Les cartes son molt agradables de llegir.
La segona meitat del llibre és mes "toston". Està escrita en primera persona en forma de memòries més o menys a finals dels anys seixanta. El protagonista és en Cruells, un capellà que va ser soldat a la mateixa brigada que en Lluís i en Soleràs. Pel meu gust, massa diàlegs i monòlegs amb un clar caràcter filosòfic que se'm han fet avorridots.
La novel·la té quatre parts clarament diferenciades. La primera i segona part, de lectura molt amena, escrites en forma de cartes, és a dir correspondència entre alguns personatges. Els protagonistes son en Lluís, en Soleràs i la Trini. Les cartes son molt agradables de llegir.
La segona meitat del llibre és mes "toston". Està escrita en primera persona en forma de memòries més o menys a finals dels anys seixanta. El protagonista és en Cruells, un capellà que va ser soldat a la mateixa brigada que en Lluís i en Soleràs. Pel meu gust, massa diàlegs i monòlegs amb un clar caràcter filosòfic que se'm han fet avorridots.
October 19, 2015
Clàssic imprescindible de la literatura catalana narra la guerra civil, des del bàndol dels vençuts a la zona roja. Amb caràcter epistolar es mostra amb tota la cruesa i veritat possible no amaga els fets més execrables de la rereguarda i explica el dia a dia del front, amb certs tocs d'humor i algun episodi de fulletó. La suma de les parts generan un relat certament emotiu. La segona part el vent de la nit es narra els fets de la postguerra des de l'òptica d'en Cruells i narra la corrupció dels ideals per acabar amb un bri d'esperança. Potser no es tan rodona com la primera part, però no deixa de ser d'obligatoria lectura.
Lluís, Trini, Soleràs, Cruells i Pico esdevenent amb tot dret personatges mítics dins la literatura catalana.
Lluís, Trini, Soleràs, Cruells i Pico esdevenent amb tot dret personatges mítics dins la literatura catalana.
July 23, 2015
A mi particularment no m'ha convençut, però admeto que potser ha estat per manca de bagatge o paciència. El trobo excessivament dens, feixuc i metafòric i en moltes ocasions m'hi perdo. En definitiva, tinc la sensació d'haver navegat per la superfície d'un mar abisal sense haver-ne conegut les fondàries imprescindibles per saber-lo apreciar.
August 5, 2015
Awesome!!!
January 13, 2016
Großartige Literatur, wie der Wahnsinn die Menschen in den Krieg treibt ist seit Anbeginn gleich, die Sinnlosigkeit und dennoch das Bedürfnis der Rechtfertigung auch. Großes Kino, lesenswert.
November 25, 2017
'En ciertos momentos de la vida la sed de gloria se hace dolorosamente aguda; tanto más aguda es la sed cuanto más incierta es la gloria de la que estamos sedientos'.
Me ha costado pero bien.
Me ha costado pero bien.
December 10, 2017
The middle Barcelona section switches to the epistolary perspective of another character and destroys the momentum of the novel, never fully getting back its early brilliance.
May 5, 2025
Segons Rodoreda: una senyora novel·la. Res més a afegir, només que tinc claríssim que la rellegiré i que visca la literatura catalana.
September 27, 2020
What does being in love mean? I still don’t know and a quarter of a century has gone by! Perhaps my heart has never dared to ask itself. Might it be our desire to share that mystery so we can gain release? The mystery of life and death, of the obscene and the macabre; the haziest of desires, however painfully we may think it pricks, the most obscure of impulses that perhaps only becomes clear deep within our dream but eludes us yet again when we awake.
It would not be saying a great deal if I rate this novel as one of the greatest contemporary experiences of war ever recorded. Probably the best novel set during the Spanish civil war and an acknowledged masterpiece of Catalan literature. No wonder is it then that many key points and plotlines for this work are related to Barcelona.
What drives them? Not the cause – nobody knows what that is – but glory, which is something everyone feels. But what glory, O my God, what kind of glory, if nobody will ever know the names of so many soldiers who have fallen in so many battles? Posterity? How foolish! If posterity had to remember all those who have died in one battle out of the many, all those whose names are written on sand . . . Even their closest comrades forget them after a while, sometimes after a few weeks. There are so many! They are searching for the glory man cannot give; what they want is to be crucified. War has no other meaning, but it is such a profound meaning! Whoever wins, whoever loses, no sacrifice is in vain. Whatever happens, the crucified win and the executioner loses. “Pick up your cross and follow me,” and they picked it up and followed Him, quite unawares, perhaps not even believing in Him, or believing that they don’t believe, and some even blaspheming.
This is, indeed, a great novel, and by that I mean a novel brimming with all the contemporaneous ideals of life- love, family, infidelity, class, war and strife, and above all the things that glorify humanity in general. It does not, in fact, seek to indemnify what is lost and destroyed by the endless caprice of war and its repercussions, but instead it strives to glorify the countless chasms and injuries and fatalities that war engenders with a trait peculiar to itself but enchanting in its limitless assiduity. Indeed it is Lluis, one of the principal characters in the novel, who reflects on these downtrodden masses in all their 'uncertain glory' undiminished by the ravages of war. It is this what drives them onwards in their fateful mission. This is a novel that glorifies war and seeks to find the truth behind this 'path to glory' that drives humans. Is it for posterity's sake or for something else? It is hard to make out which. 'War has no other meaning, but it is such a profound meaning!' This is what drives the men onwards and the novel seeks throughout the course of the novel the true meaning behind this sensational but sanguine appeal.
Somewhere during the course of this great novel Soleràs, one of the characters, states:
“A dream is a no man’s land between life and death, between the obscene and the macabre.”
Yes, it cannot be stated otherwise.
It would not be saying a great deal if I rate this novel as one of the greatest contemporary experiences of war ever recorded. Probably the best novel set during the Spanish civil war and an acknowledged masterpiece of Catalan literature. No wonder is it then that many key points and plotlines for this work are related to Barcelona.
What drives them? Not the cause – nobody knows what that is – but glory, which is something everyone feels. But what glory, O my God, what kind of glory, if nobody will ever know the names of so many soldiers who have fallen in so many battles? Posterity? How foolish! If posterity had to remember all those who have died in one battle out of the many, all those whose names are written on sand . . . Even their closest comrades forget them after a while, sometimes after a few weeks. There are so many! They are searching for the glory man cannot give; what they want is to be crucified. War has no other meaning, but it is such a profound meaning! Whoever wins, whoever loses, no sacrifice is in vain. Whatever happens, the crucified win and the executioner loses. “Pick up your cross and follow me,” and they picked it up and followed Him, quite unawares, perhaps not even believing in Him, or believing that they don’t believe, and some even blaspheming.
This is, indeed, a great novel, and by that I mean a novel brimming with all the contemporaneous ideals of life- love, family, infidelity, class, war and strife, and above all the things that glorify humanity in general. It does not, in fact, seek to indemnify what is lost and destroyed by the endless caprice of war and its repercussions, but instead it strives to glorify the countless chasms and injuries and fatalities that war engenders with a trait peculiar to itself but enchanting in its limitless assiduity. Indeed it is Lluis, one of the principal characters in the novel, who reflects on these downtrodden masses in all their 'uncertain glory' undiminished by the ravages of war. It is this what drives them onwards in their fateful mission. This is a novel that glorifies war and seeks to find the truth behind this 'path to glory' that drives humans. Is it for posterity's sake or for something else? It is hard to make out which. 'War has no other meaning, but it is such a profound meaning!' This is what drives the men onwards and the novel seeks throughout the course of the novel the true meaning behind this sensational but sanguine appeal.
Somewhere during the course of this great novel Soleràs, one of the characters, states:
“A dream is a no man’s land between life and death, between the obscene and the macabre.”
Yes, it cannot be stated otherwise.
August 31, 2023
Les 4 parts podrien funcionar com 4 novel·les independents, especialment les 2 darreres. Les 2 primeres sí que funcionen com a una unitat on cada part ofereix el punt de vista d'un dels personatges i la situació al front i a la reraguarda durant la guerra civil. La tercera part es fixa en el tercer costat del triangle, però des de la perspectiva d'un quart personatge que s'obsessiona amb ell i que a la darrera part continua la seva obsessió fins als anys 70.
M'ha agradat molt, una gran novel·la catalana. Sap captar el teu interés en la trama i en els sentiments dels personatges. A més, tot i desenvolupar-se en un període històric molt concret, crec que ha sabut exposar uns comportaments i una forma d'entendre el món molt catalana i intemporal.
Per les 2 primeres parts ( i fins la tercera) li posaria un 5.
La darrera fa servir la repetició per a mostrar com ha quedat d'afectat el narrador pels fets viscuts durant la guerra. Aconsegueix dibuixaar bé al personatge però no crec que mantingui l'atenció com es anteriors.
Aixi que quedaria entre el 4 i el 5, per a mi, lleugerament per sota del Mestre i Margarita i de Cat's Eye
M'ha agradat molt, una gran novel·la catalana. Sap captar el teu interés en la trama i en els sentiments dels personatges. A més, tot i desenvolupar-se en un període històric molt concret, crec que ha sabut exposar uns comportaments i una forma d'entendre el món molt catalana i intemporal.
Per les 2 primeres parts ( i fins la tercera) li posaria un 5.
La darrera fa servir la repetició per a mostrar com ha quedat d'afectat el narrador pels fets viscuts durant la guerra. Aconsegueix dibuixaar bé al personatge però no crec que mantingui l'atenció com es anteriors.
Aixi que quedaria entre el 4 i el 5, per a mi, lleugerament per sota del Mestre i Margarita i de Cat's Eye
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June 30, 2018The pitch is Dostoevsky meets For Whom the Bell Tolls, but to describe this as being a love triangle during the Spanish Civil War would be to exaggerate the degree of narrative here. Like the great Russian, there are a lot of long, somewhat stilted conversations about morality and the duality of man and so forth, which are…again, tolerable (that’s sort of been this week’s theme) but that’s a high bar to set for yourself genius wise and gun to my head I didn’t quite feel Sales met it. The earthier stuff about getting bread in wartime Barcelona and so forth was more interesting, but there was sadly less of it.
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