Nada: A Novel (Modern Library)

Carmen Laforet s Nada ranks among the most important literary works of post-Civil War Spain. Loosely based on the author s own life, it is the story of an orphaned young woman who leaves her small town to attend university in war-ravaged Barcelona.

Residing amid genteel poverty in a mysterious house on Calle de Aribau, young Andrea falls in with a wealthy band of schoolmates who provide a rich counterpoint to the squalor of her home life. As experience overtakes innocence, Andrea gradually learns the disquieting truth about the people she shares her life with: her overbearing and superstitious aunt Angustias; her nihilistic yet artistically gifted uncle Rom n and his violent brother Juan; and Juan s disturbingly beautiful wife, Gloria, who secretly supports the clan with her gambling. From existential crisis to a growing maturity and resolve, Andrea s passionate inner journey leaves her wiser, stronger, and filled with hope for the future.

The incomparable Edith Grossman s vital new translation captures the feverish energy of Laforet s magnificent story, showcasing its dark, powerful imagery, and its subtle humor. And Mario Vargas Llosa s Introduction illuminates Laforet s brilliant depiction of life during the early days of the Franco regime. With crystalline insight into the human condition, Carmen Laforet s classic novel stands poised to reclaim its place as one of the great novels of twentieth-century Europe.