Graham Greene’s Narrative in Spain: Criticism, Translations and Censorship (1939-1975)

This volume provides a detailed description of the literary contact between Graham Greene and Franco’s Spain. Part I describes the most significant political events that affected the Spanish book industry under this regime, with the first chapter offering an account of the methods of control created to exercise authoritative influence over the cultural scene. Part II explores critical studies of Greene’s artistic output in Franco’s Spain, and the second chapter investigates literary critics’ evaluations of the author as published in the national press, magazines and journals, as well as in the prologues, introductions and prefaces to his books. Parts III and IV study the role played by the book industry in the reception of the writer in Spain, as well as the obstacles it faced at the censorship office. Accordingly, chapters three to six provide the names of the publishers and booksellers who attempted to disseminate his work throughout the country. Using the censorship files, these chapters measure with great precision publishers’ interest in Greene’s works, and establish the power Franco’s censorship wielded over the reception of his literature in Spain. The final section of the book brings together a number of significant conclusions developed throughout this study. As such, Graham Greene’s Narrative in Spain provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of the roles played by national literary criticism and the book industry in the reception of the author’s works in Franco’s Spain, as well as of the influence exerted by the regime throughout the whole publishing process.