In an imagined Suez. Life and work of José de Castro y Serrano.

Abstract

José de Castro y Serrano was a 19th century Spanish novelist and a member of the "cuerda granadina". He was born in Granada in 1829 and died in Madrid in 1896 on February 1st. He was an acute observer and had a prodigious memory. His favourite literary genre was the chronicle, which is best exemplified by La novela del Egipto. He also wrote many other works including Cartas trascendentales, Los cuartetos del conservatorio and Historias vulgares. This article attempts to explore the origin of Las Cartas del Egipto, which were published in the newspaper La Época and which are included in La novela del Egipto. These letters were written by Castro y Serrano himself based on the information he received from Egypt as he said at the time. lt should be pointed out that this book cannot really be considered a novel as it is not based on the author's creative spirit. lt is essentially a travel book and a description of 19th-Century Egypt. From the moment the letters were published the reader could perceive the author's discrete boast employed to make the letters fruitful and entertaining. In sorne moments the reader might even get the impression that this work is the result of a truly archaeological joumey.