Almudena Grandes: Los besos en el pan (2015)
Tertulia, vol. 72
Hola. This is Barbara, your guide to the latest cultural news from the Spanish-speaking world. To continue this year's literary anniversaries, I have chosen a novel celebrating only its 10th anniversary. This is a big leap in time: Last time, I presented Quevedo’s novel El Buscón (perhaps published in 1625), and now we’re almost in the present: In 2015, precisely, Almudena Grandes published her novel Los besos en el pan. Let’s find out together what it is about.
A bittersweet portrait of urban life in crisis
Los besos en el pan by Almudena Grandes explores the lives of ordinary people in a Madrid neighbourhood during the aftermath of Spain's financial crisis. The title refers to the traditional gesture of kissing the bread before a meal to show gratitude:
Cuando se caÃa un trozo de pan al suelo, los adultos obligaban a los niños a recogerlo y a darle un beso antes de devolverlo a la panera, tanta hambre habÃan pasado sus familias en aquellos años en los que murieron todas esas personas queridas cuyas historias nadie quiso contarles. (A. Grandes, Los besos en el pan, 2015, p. 16).
Translation: "When a piece of bread fell on the ground, the adults forced the children to pick it up and kiss it before returning it to the breadbasket, so hungry had their families been in those years when all those loved ones whose stories nobody wanted to tell them died. (done with DeepL)
The story unfolds over a year, weaving together multiple narratives that capture the struggles and triumphs of diverse characters—families, neighbours, children, the elderly, and immigrants—who face economic and social challenges. Each character's story reflects different facets of life in today’s Spain, from unemployment and financial instability to generational tensions and the search for dignity amidst adversity. This blog post dives into some of the lead characters.
Central to the novel is the idea of collective endurance. Some characters find solace in unexpected acts of kindness from acquaintances, while others create new opportunities through sheer determination. The neighbourhood is depicted as a microcosm of resilience, where individuals strive to maintain their identity and humanity despite the crisis, and politicians only seem to help those who caused the crisis in the first place.
Placement in the author’s overall work
Los besos en el pan stands a bit apart from much of Almudena Grandes's oeuvre, which is known for its complex historical narratives, such as those in her Episodios de una Guerra Interminable series (I presented the film version of her novel Los pacientes del doctor GarcÃa from 2018 in an earlier post). These novels explore the themes of resistance and collective memory through richly developed characters and intricate plots. In contrast, Los besos en el pan is a work that focuses on the immediate social realities of post-crisis Spain rather than historical events. Despite these differences, her well-known humanist attitude is present on every page of this novel. Her generous humanism comes to life in her empathy for those forgotten by history, the possibilities to create solidarity and her advocacy for women’s causes.
Hence, one may conclude that this novel is a good start to get to know her work on a thematic basis. Almudena Grandes was never just a literary novelist but also a cherished social activist. At times, the book struck me as excessively didactic. The introductory chapter («Antes») gives away most of the analysis. Her characters often seem to be mere social stereotypes, which makes the novel less representative of her literary strengths. To put it in a nutshell: In literary terms, Almudena Grandes (1960-2021) could do much better, but in her moral message, she is as clear as a writer may get. That’s why I recommend the novel. It’s a testimony of how people cope in an economic crisis.
Which of her novels do you like best? Let me know.
This is all for this week. Next time, in this series of significant anniversaries, I will present a non-fictional text that aims to strengthen the relationships between the Habsburg Empire and post-Habsburg Spain.