Miguel Delibes Spanish prose writer, member of the Royal Spanish Academy. Date of Birth: 17.10.1920 Country: Spain

1. Early Life and Education
2. Journalistic Career and Literary Beginnings
3. Censorship and Political Conflict
4. Literary Success and Recognition
5. Awards and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Miguel Delibes was born on October 17, 1920, in Valladolid, Spain. The third of eight children, he grew up in a family of educators. He attended art school, but as the Spanish Civil War loomed in 1938, he enlisted in the navy to avoid forced conscription.

Journalistic Career and Literary Beginnings

After the war, Delibes studied commerce and law, but found little interest in either field. In 1941, he joined the local newspaper "El Norte de Castilla" as a cartoonist, before transitioning to journalism. In 1946, he took up a teaching position in commercial law at a business school in Valladolid.

In 1948, Delibes published his first novel, "The Long Shadow of the Cypress," which won the prestigious Nadal Prize. His 1950 novella "The Road" and other works celebrated the traditions and values of rural Castilian life.

Censorship and Political Conflict

Delibes' commitment to traditionalism often clashed with the realities of the Francoist regime and its censorship. This led to his dismissal as editor of a newspaper. However, he found an outlet for his dissent in his writing.

His 1962 novel "The Rats" exposed the tragic plight of a Castilian village, while his 1966 novel "Five Hours with Mario" explored the psychological effects of political tyranny on individuals.

Literary Success and Recognition

Throughout his career, Delibes excelled in the genre of "hunting prose," with works such as "The Book of Small Game Hunting." In 1973, he was elected to the Royal Spanish Academy of Language.

Other notable works include "The Red Leaf" (1959), "War of Our Fathers" (1975), "Whom Shall the Señor Elect?" (1978), "The Heresy" (1998), for which he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Awards and Legacy

Delibes received numerous literary awards, including the prestigious Cervantes Prize for Literature in 1993. The Miguel Delibes Library at the Cervantes Institute in Moscow bears his name.

Miguel Delibes passed away on March 12, 2010, at the age of 89, after battling colorectal cancer. His legacy as a chronicler of Spanish rural life and a defender of tradition continues to inspire generations of readers.