Barcia, José F. [Fernandez] — Sonatina Gijonesa

Madrid, [Talleres Espasa-Calpe], 1929. First edition. Paper wrappers. 300 pp. Sm. 8vo. Warmly inscribed by the author to Enrique Naranjo. 'Sonatina Gijonesa,' the second work by the Asturian author, José Barcia, created an uproar because of its caustic portrayal of the social parasitism of the wealthy classes. Though the novel is somewhat autobiographical, and many of the characters were easily identifiable (which no doubt intensified the uproar), the work is marked by an early experimentalism and break with more traditional storytelling. José Fernández Barcia (1887-1948) born in Gijón, emigrated to Argentina, knocked around in dead end jobs, served in the Uruguay National guard and as a trade Unionist in France, but returned to Gijon to write his first work, Andanzas (Gijón, 1924), an autobiography. He again left, traveled to Germany where he taught Spanish, and finally returned to Oviedo to write this novel. (See Alvaro Ruiz de la Peña, Introducción a la literatura asturiana, pp. 193-196). We could locate only two copies: BN Spain and B. Univ. Oviedo. Provenance: Copy of Enrique Naranjo Martinez, Colombian Consul in Boston. Suares: Escritores y artistas asturianos III, pp.188-191. Wrappers worn, small chips to edges, some minor sunning, spine cocked, still a very good copy of this very scarce title.