The Kings of the East arrive at homes laden with colored papers, gifts, and toys, ready to make the wishes of young and old come true. But Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar do not only distribute material objects: above all, they spread light, hope, and illusion. A light in the midst of darkness that, this year more than ever, has also traversed and seduced the Nadal and Josep Pla awards, usually held on the night of Kings and consecrated as the first major literary event on the cultural calendar. During the evening held at the Hotel Palace, the 58th Josep Pla Award distinguished the essay Anatomia de l'esperança, by philosopher and theologian Francesc Torralba, while the 82nd Nadal Award went to the historical novel La ciudad de las luces muertas, by David Uclés.
Uclés's historical novel (Úbeda, 1990) begins precisely in full darkness. In a post-war Barcelona that, suddenly, is forced to live without light due to an accident apparently caused by a young Carmen Laforet —an author who, precisely, was the winner of the first Nadal Award in history, in 1944, with her work Nada—. It will be at that moment, in a gloomy city not only because of the power outage (which recalls the one experienced last April 28), but also because of the shadow of the Civil War, with wounds that still persist, when a group of intellectuals and artists will decide to meet to restore light to the Catalan capital.
However, this group not only includes characters from that era, but Uclés resorts to imagination to describe Antoni Gaudí alongside Freddie Mercury, accompanied by authors such as Mercè Rodoreda, Ana María Matute, or Roberto Bolaño, who, as Uclés himself acknowledges, have influenced his literary career. A literary career that, although still brief, is beginning to consolidate the writer as one of the great literary voices of the moment, after the sales success of his work La península de las casas vacías (Siruela).
With more than 80 editions, the Nadal Prize, promoted by the Destino publishing house, is considered the oldest literary award in Spain. Endowed with 30,000 euros, this year it has broken participation records, with more than 1,200 manuscripts, 400 more than last year, from all over Spain and even from other countries. Finally, the jury —formed by Víctor del Árbol, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Inés Martín Rodrigo, Care Santos and Emili Rosales— has awarded the symbolism of light proposed by Uclés in his novel. In its pages, word, painting and music are presented as artistic expressions with great power: to awaken emotions and jointly restore light to a dark and wounded society.
If light is the destiny that must bring Barcelona out of darkness, hope must be the compass that guides the vital journey of individuals. This is defended by the writer, philosopher and theologian Francesc Torralba (Barcelona, 1967), winner of the 58th Josep Pla Prize with the essay Anatomia de l'esperança. With this choice, the literary award granted by Destino and endowed with 10,000 euros repeats genre, opting for the essay, after recognizing in its previous edition David Bueno and his work L'art de ser humans.
Anatomia de l'esperança is, above all, a map to orient oneself when all seems lost, with hope as a lighthouse and compass. Especially in an uncertain world, where despair seems to prevail in every corner. In this context, moving forward and not throwing in the towel is an act of bravery. And Torralba knows well what he is talking about: his world collapsed after the loss of his son during a mountain crossing they were both undertaking.
A shocking life experience that has inspired his last two books: No hi ha paraules and La paraula que em sosté —which add to a prolific literary career with more than a hundred published books—, and in which Torralba explores how the deepest pain can be transformed into learning and, even, into light. A path towards hope that culminates in this new essay, which has consecrated him as the winner of the Pla Prize, after the jury —composed of Montse Barderi, David Bueno, Jaume Clotet, Manuel Forcano and Glòria Gasch— chose him from among the 42 manuscripts submitted.