It’s perhaps no surprise that Spain, the home country of Miguel de Cervantes, arguably the godfather of the modern novel, has such an impressive literary culture and thriving repertoire of contemporary authors.Here, we look back at some of the most influential Spanish authors of the modern era who came to define the nation’s relationship with the written word.

Miguel de Cervantes

Let’s start at the beginning, in this case, the beginning of modern literature. Widely regarded as the greatest Spanish-language writer of all time, Miguel de Cervantes is claimed to have pioneered the modern novel with his masterpiece Don Quixote, published in 1605. The story tells the tale of a disenchanted Spanish nobleman who sets off to revive chivalry and bring justice to the world. While the novel is now considered one of the greatest of all times, Cervantes enjoyed little popularity during his lifetime and was even imprisoned at one point for bankruptcy. If only they knew…

Federico García Lorca

A founding member of Spain’s Generation of ’27 – an avant-garde movement from the mid-1920s – Federico García Lorca is one of the country’s most celebrated playwrights and poets of all times. In his early life, he wrote about flamenco, gypsies and rural life, with Andalucian culture occupying an important part in his work throughout his life. Famously, the author was killed by fascist nationalist forces when he was just 38 and his body has never been recovered.

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