Maria Barbal i Farré (

Tremp Tremp () is a municipality in Catalonia, Spain, the capital of the ''comarca'' of the Pallars Jussà. It is the largest municipality in Catalonia in terms of area (), accounting for nearly a quarter of the total area of the ''comarca''. The mun ...

Pallars Jussà Pallars Jussà () is a comarca (county) in Alt Pirineu, Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a ''comarca'' in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name is an archaism meaning "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains i ...

, 17 September 1949) is a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

writer. She spent her childhood in rural

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, which profoundly influenced her literary work. In 1964, at the age of 14, she moved to

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

to pursue her education, eventually earning a degree in

Hispanic Studies Hispanism (sometimes referred to as Hispanic studies or Spanish studies) is the study of the literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking world, principally that of Spain and Hispanic America. It may also entail studying Spanish language an ...

from the University of Barcelona in 1971.

Career

Even though she has lived in Barcelona from the 1960s onward, the literary world of her early work as an author concentrates on the

Pallars Pallars is a historical region, historical and natural region of Catalonia. Located in the Pre-Pyrenees and Pyrenees area, most of its territory is mountainous. The Noguera Pallaresa river is named after this region. Geography The physiography o ...

county of her childhood and adolescence, a rural surrounding observed by a critical eye. Her first novel, ''Pedra de tartera'' ��Stone from a boulder’ fully set in that space, was praised by the public and critics alike. Her first novel has been translated into English as ''Stone in a Landslide''. Later works take up more urban environments. She also is the author of short stories, juvenile novels, and a theatre play. Barbal's work has been translated into Asturian, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch. Throughout her career, Barbal has received numerous accolades, including the

Creu de Sant Jordi The Creu de Sant Jordi (, in English language, English 'St George's Cross') is one of the highest civil distinctions awarded in Catalonia (Spain), surpassed only in protocol by the Gold Medal of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Gold Medal of the G ...

in 2001, one of Catalonia's highest honors. In 2021, she was awarded the

Premi d'Honor de les Lletres Catalanes The Premi d'Honor de les Lletres Catalanes (Catalan Literary Lifetime Achievement Award) is an award instituted by Omnium Cultural since 1969 to recognize a person by their scientific or literary work, written in Catalan language, the importance of ...

in recognition of her significant contributions to Catalan literature.

Literary work

Novels

*1985 ''Pedra de tartera'' *1990 ''Mel i metzines'' *1992 ''Càmfora'' *1996 ''Escrivia cartes al cel'' *1999 ''Carrer Bolívia'' *2002 ''Cicle de Pallars'' *2003 ''Bella edat'' *2005 ''País íntim''

Prose

*2001 ''Camins de quietud: Un recorergut literari per pobles abandonats del Pirineu''

Short narrative

*1986 ''La mort de Teresa'' *1994 ''Ulleres de sol'' *1998 ''Bari''

Child and juvenile narrative

*1991 ''Pampallugues'' *1992 ''Des de la gàbia'' *1995 ''Espaguetti Miu''

Theatre

*2000 ''L'helicòpter''

References

External links

*
Author’s website at the Associació d'Escriptors en Llengua Catalana (Catalan Writers’ Association)
in Catalan.
Biblioteca Virtual - Diputació de Barcelona: Maria BarbalThe author at the Qui és qui de les lletres catalanes (Who is who in Catalan literature)
in Catalan. Writers from Catalonia Catalan-language writers 1949 births Living people Spanish women novelists Spanish women short story writers Spanish women children's writers Spanish women dramatists and playwrights Short story writers from Catalonia Spanish children's writers 20th-century Spanish women writers 21st-century Spanish women writers 20th-century Spanish novelists 21st-century Spanish novelists 20th-century Spanish dramatists and playwrights People from Pallars Jussà 20th-century Spanish short story writers 21st-century Spanish short story writers Premi d'Honor de les Lletres Catalanes winners Teachers of Catalan {{Spain-writer-stub