Juan Madrid
Encyclopedia
Juan Madrid is a Spanish
writer, journalist and script writer.
and gained a degree in Contemporary History from the University of Salamanca
. He has written for Cambio 16
since 1974, and this is where he currently works as an investigative reporter. He has written novels, chronicles, tales, short stories, youth novels and scripts for comics, films and TV. Ironically, he admits having started writing whilst preparing propaganda leaflets for the Spanish Communist Party, an activity that was illegal at the time.
He became recognised as a noir novelist after the publication of the collection Círculo del Crimen (SEDEMAY Editions), and became finalist of this collection's prize in 1980. In the same year he also published his first novel, Un beso de amigo (A Friend's Kiss), featuring the fictional character Toni Romano for the first time. Romano is the main character, a skeptical former policeman, boxer and debt collector, archetypchal of the Chandlerian
detective in the Madrid of the Transition
.
Madrid faithfully follows the rules of the traditional noir novel, mainly focusing on the social aspects of the time he describes, not always peaceful, with its flagrant contradictions and characters sometimes bordering marginality. The crumbling of values, power corruption and greed, and the circles of influence are commonplace in his novels.
Some of his works have been made into films (Días Contados, Tánger).
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
writer, journalist and script writer.
Biography
He studied in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and gained a degree in Contemporary History from the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. He has written for Cambio 16
Cambio 16
Cambio 16 is a general Spanish language magazine published in Spain by "Group 16". It was established on 22 September 1971 and played an important media role during the Spanish political transition from the Francisco Franco dictatorship to democracy....
since 1974, and this is where he currently works as an investigative reporter. He has written novels, chronicles, tales, short stories, youth novels and scripts for comics, films and TV. Ironically, he admits having started writing whilst preparing propaganda leaflets for the Spanish Communist Party, an activity that was illegal at the time.
He became recognised as a noir novelist after the publication of the collection Círculo del Crimen (SEDEMAY Editions), and became finalist of this collection's prize in 1980. In the same year he also published his first novel, Un beso de amigo (A Friend's Kiss), featuring the fictional character Toni Romano for the first time. Romano is the main character, a skeptical former policeman, boxer and debt collector, archetypchal of the Chandlerian
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
detective in the Madrid of the Transition
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
.
Madrid faithfully follows the rules of the traditional noir novel, mainly focusing on the social aspects of the time he describes, not always peaceful, with its flagrant contradictions and characters sometimes bordering marginality. The crumbling of values, power corruption and greed, and the circles of influence are commonplace in his novels.
Some of his works have been made into films (Días Contados, Tánger).
Novels
- Un beso de amigo (1980)
- Las apariencias no engañan (1982)
- Nada que hacer (1984)
- Regalo de la casa (1986)
- Un trabajo fácil (1985)
- Días contados (1993)
- Brigada Central, (13 novels)
- Cuentas pendientes (1995)
- Malos tiempos (1995)
- Tánger (1997)
- Restos de carmín (1999)
- Gente bastante extraña (2001)
- Grupo de noche (2003)
- Pájaro en mano (2007)
- Adios, princesa (2008)
Tales
- Hotel Paraíso (1987)
- Jungla (1988)
- Oídos sordos (1990)
- La mirada
- Crónicas del Madrid oscuro (1994)
Youth Literature
- Cuartos oscuros (1993)
- Los cañones de Durango (1996)
- Los piratas del Ranghum (1996)
- En el mar de China (1997)
- El fugitivo de Borneo (1998)
Other
- Mujeres & mujeres (1996, short story)
- La mano negra (1998, essay)
- Viaje por el Amazonas (documentary)