TodoLiteratura interviews David Botello: “Un pueblo que no conoce su historia es un pueblo sin identidad,”

(A nation who knows not its history has no identity), says the author of “Follones” (Disray). David Botello is one of the most prominent literary media writers of the day.

His program, “El punto sobre la historia,” (The point of history) ran for three seasons in Telemadrid and was one of the most watched programs in regional television.  In the few moments that we were out in the street, a lady who was strolling in the Gran Vía recognized him.  Although when we agreed to meet in one of the bars along the popular thoroughfare in Madrid she was incapable of recognizing him without his cycling attire.  

Sitting in a cozy corner of a popular cafeteria, we wasted no time to get into the theme of his latest book, “Follones, amoríos, sinrazones, enredos, trapicheos y otros tejemanejes del siglo XIX.” (Disray, love affairs, unreasonable situations, mayhem and other nonsense of the XIX Century), a title as long as the century was for the Spaniards who deemed it the most catastrophic in our history. “A nation who knows not its history has no identity,” the author spits out loud and clear as soon as our historical discussion begins.  “We Spaniards speak about history but we do not know it well,” he continues, “We are satisfied with the stories told, but we have yet to hear a story that includes all of us,” strongly affirms the author.

Read the entire interview here: TodoLiteratura

 

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