The Reading Club at Museo L’Iber meets again to dive into one of the great classics of the Spanish historical novel: Prim, by Benito Pérez Galdós. Join us on Wednesday, 28 October at 7:30pm, in the Sala de los Tapices.
Summary: Reading Club session at Museo L’Iber devoted to Prim, by Benito Pérez Galdós, the ninth title in the fourth series of the National Episodes. Wednesday 28 October, 7:30pm, Sala de los Tapices. Hosted by Toni Zarza Sepúlveda.
Synopsis: General Prim’s turbulent Spain
The great narrative fresco of the National Episodes was Benito Pérez Galdós’s (1843-1920) vehicle for recreating the whole of Spanish life. It wove together wars, politics, everyday life and popular reactions throughout the turbulent 19th century, into a single novel.
Built around the figure of General Prim, this instalment covers the final years of the reign of Isabella II. However, it also interweaves the adventures of Galdós’s own fictional characters. These were years marked by constant intrigue and conspiracy, as well as tragic events such as the “Night of San Daniel” and the uprising of the San Gil sergeants, who were ruthlessly punished. Prim is the ninth title in the fourth series of the National Episodes.
Benito Pérez Galdós, chronicler of a century
Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920) is, by the sheer volume and quality of his work, the most important writer of 19th-century Spain. His novels portray the history and society of Spain and offer an unmatched showcase of the virtues and flaws of human nature.
Reading Galdós at the Museo L’Iber Reading Club is, in a way, reading the history of Spain itself. His fictional characters walk alongside Prim, Isabella II and the sergeants of San Gil. Through them, readers travel through an age that laid the foundations of modern Spain.
When and where
- 🗓️ Date: Wednesday 28 October
- 🕢 Time: 7:30pm
- 📍 Venue: Sala de los Tapices, Museo L’Iber
- 🎙️ Hosted by: Toni Zarza Sepúlveda
Toni Zarza, the driving force of the Reading Club
The driving force behind our Reading Club and a firm believer in bringing the great classics to every kind of reader, Antonio Luis “Toni” Zarza Sepúlveda is a lifelong reader with a busy life who is always found with a good book in hand.
His love of literature was born in his teenage years, when his uncle introduced him to both classic and contemporary works and planted the first seed. Years later, that seed fully blossomed thanks to his daughter: seeing her growing interest in reading, Toni decided to join her and enrol her in one of our courses to show her the more creative side of literature.
That step marked a turning point. Since then, Toni has kept adding books, people and experiences to his journey, and has turned our museum into what many of us now proudly and fondly call “the cathedral”.
Are you passionate about historical fiction? Join us on 28 October to discuss Prim and discover, together with the rest of the club’s members, how Galdós portrayed a Spain in the midst of transformation. Free admission until the room is full.
