Wrote in Spanish · 1851–1921
Emilia Pardo Bazán
One book in Spanish, with the English translation beside it.
Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851–1921) was born into a wealthy noble family in A Coruña, Galicia, and died in Madrid. Her father believed in the intellectual equality of men and women, and she grew up reading widely, becoming fluent in French, English and German. Though she was not permitted to attend college, she taught herself science and philosophy through books and conversation.
A novelist, journalist, critic, essayist and salonnière, she became one of the best-known Spanish writers of her time. Her first novel appeared in 1879, and La tribuna (1883) is widely considered the first Spanish naturalist novel. She defended the new approach in La cuestión palpitante (1884), which caused a scandal. Her most admired novel is probably The House of Ulloa (1886), the story of an aristocratic family's decline, set against vividly drawn Galician country life. She was also a prominent voice for women's right to education, which is why she still matters today.
Reading Emilia Pardo Bazán to learn Spanish
Pardo Bazán belongs to the age of literary realism and naturalism, so expect a nineteenth-century literary Spanish that is rich in description, with an elaborate, colourful style when she paints scenery and social detail. That means a wider vocabulary than everyday speech, and some older or formal wording that may slow you down. Paralelo aligns the Spanish and English aligned phrase by phrase, which helps when a long passage gets tangled. Start with Cuentos de amor (Tales of Love), the only book here: about 289 minutes of reading in total, and stories are easy to take in short sittings.
Profile written with AI from Wikipedia and Wikidata · Biography: Wikipedia · Portrait: Wikimedia Commons
- Born
- 1851A Coruña
- Died
- 1921Madrid
- Wrote in
- Spanish
- On Paralelo
- 1 title
- Shortest read
- 289 minTales of Love
Where to start with Emilia Pardo Bazán
- 01
Tales of Love
Cuentos de amor
"Cuentos de amor" by condesa de Emilia Pardo Bazán is a collection of short stories likely written in the late 19th century.
Read a passage free →ES · PASSAGEExcuso decir que empezamos á mirar y registrar por todas partes, recorriendo la alfombra, sacudiendo las cortinas, alzando los muebles, escudriñando hasta cajones que Lucila afirmaba no haber abierto desde un mes antes.
ENNeedless to say, we began to look and search everywhere, going over the carpet, shaking the curtains, lifting the furniture, even rummaging through drawers that Lucila swore she had not opened for a month.
Reading Emilia Pardo Bazán in Spanish
Which Emilia Pardo Bazán book should I read first?
Tales of Love, the one Emilia Pardo Bazán title on Paralelo: about 289 minutes of reading.
Can I read Emilia Pardo Bazán in Spanish with the English translation beside it for free?
Yes. A passage from every title is free to read without an account, and a free account opens the whole book, with the English translation aligned to the original phrase by phrase.
Are the books by Emilia Pardo Bazán in the public domain?
Yes. Emilia Pardo Bazán died in 1921, and the texts on Paralelo come from Project Gutenberg’s public-domain editions.