The Burning

Soldevila, Carles, 1891-1967Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 138K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.L'Abrandament by Carles SoldevilaAuthor: Soldevila, Carles, 1891-1967,Language: Catalan, Class: PC: Language and Literatures: Romance languages: Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: May 26, 2011

Editor's review

This work is a novel by the Catalan writer Carles Soldevila and an important achievement of twentieth-century Catalan literature. Soldevila is known for keen observation and a gently satirical tone; this work revolves around a character's loosening and yielding in the face of real circumstances, and the "relaxation" and "giving up" named in the title are both the driving force of the plot and a scrutiny of an attitude toward life. The narrative does not rely on strong dramatic conflict but advances through everyday details, dialogue, and psychological shifts; the pace is unhurried, and it is suited to careful reading in a quiet setting. For Chinese readers, it offers a window into modern Catalan literature and regional culture; for scholars of Iberian literature, it can be used to observe the style of early twentieth-century Catalan narrative language. Public-domain electronic editions are convenient for searching and comparative reading, and it is advisable to read them alongside material on the author's life and the historical background.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Catalan literature and Iberian Peninsula culture
Students and researchers studying twentieth-century European regional literature
Literary readers who enjoy gentle satire, everyday narrative, and psychological description

Not a good fit for

Readers who read only Chinese and are unwilling to use tools to understand the original Catalan text
Readers of popular fiction who expect strong plots, fast pacing, or suspenseful twists
Beginning readers of foreign literature who need systematic annotations and an introduction

Reading tips

Read the preface or a short author biography first to understand the context of twentieth-century Catalan literature before entering the main text.
Proceed chapter by chapter, paying attention to the satirical tone in dialogue and the subtle shifts in the characters' attitudes.
If language is an obstacle, consult a Spanish or English translation, mark key passages, and then return to the original.
After finishing, sort out how the title's "relaxation/giving up" is embodied in the characters' choices, and take reading notes.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What language is this book written in, and can Chinese readers read it?

The original is in Catalan. Readers with a foundation in Spanish or French can read it with reference works; readers with no knowledge of it are advised first to find a translation or bilingual resources, then return to the original, focusing on the tone and the rhythm of dialogue.

What does Soldevila mainly write about in this novel?

The novel revolves around a character's yielding and self-adjustment under real pressure, presenting psychological shifts through everyday scenes and dialogue. It does not depend on intense conflict but advances through details and a satirical tone, and it is suited to slow reading.

Is the public-domain electronic edition suitable for academic citation?

It can be used for general reading and textual comparison, but academic citation should be checked against an authoritative edition and page numbers. Public-domain electronic editions may differ in typesetting, so verify against a paper or critical edition before citing.

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About the author

Soldevila, Carles, 1891-1967 Author · Spanish · 1891–1967

Carles Soldevila (1891–1967) was a Spanish Catalan writer and playwright, known for his fiction and dramatic works. His output spanned narrative literature and stage plays, leaving a mark of his own within Catalan-language letters. His representative work, L'Abrandament, reflects his attention to human situations and emotional tension, combining narrative and dramatic techniques with a personal touch. Because public information is limited, the full picture of his life, education, and creative career is difficult to set out in detail; the available sources are nonetheless enough to show that he was a writer who worked in both fiction and drama. For readers studying twentieth-century Catalan literature, his works can serve as a point of reference for understanding the literary landscape of the period.