On 20 July 1749, under Ferdinand the 6^th rule and by the Marquis of Ensenada orders, a mass arrest of Spanish gypsy population occurred as a failed attempt of extermination: the Great Raid. “Martinete del rey sombra”, by Raúl Quinto, recreates this forgotten page of history along with the experiencies of gypsies from the night of the arrest until their amnesty 18 years later. Improvised prisons, slavery, shipwrecks, uprising and flee attempts mark their journey. It simultaneously delves into the Court of the first Spanish Borbons, with political intrigue, luxury scandal and tragedies based on deeply documented and greatly inspired biographies. Raúl Quinto reflects on how history and oblivion are built and he breaks through literary genre to bring to the pages what’s never been written.

Raúl Quinto (Cartagena, Murcia, 1978) poet, essay and narrative writer and literature critic. Author to several books of poems, such as “La piel del vigilante” (DVD, 2005), “La flor de la tortura” (Renacimiento, 2008), “Ruido blanco” (2012), “La lengua rota” (2019) and “Sola” (2020) under editorial firm “La Bella Varsovia”. Author to hybrid narratives, such as “Idioteca” (El Gaviero, 2010), “Yosotros” (Caballo de Troya, 2015) and “Hijo” (La Bella Varsovia, 2017). Author to narratives, such as “La canción de NOF4” (Jekyll&Jill, 2021) and his last work “Martinete del rey sombra” (Jekyll&Jill, 2023), which earned him the National Narrative Award of 2024, the National Critique Award of 2024 and the Cálamo Otra Mirada Award of 2023. He is also coordinator of the José Ángel Valente Faculty of Poetry linked to University of Granada and has collaborated as critic in the “Quimera” magazine.

On Tuesday 17 December, Valencial writer Rafa Lahuerta wil hold a meeting for his last work “La promesa dels divendres”. The colloquium will be presented by Cristina García Pascual Literature Society responsible and will have historians and editors Vicent Baydal and Toni Sabater. The novel takes us to the València of the late 80s in the eyes of a teenager battling the aguish of his father’s grave disease and his age’s carnal call. A casual encounter with a young girls and love at first sight will become key to his view of the present and the past, and the city as a presence defining him yet an unescapable one. This young man, Rafa Lahuerta, will put these unearthed secrets into the pages of an outstandingly successful novel years later.

“La promesa dels divendres” is the last part of his triology, in which he highlights “Noruega”, famous work that won the Lletraferit Award of 2020. Generalitat Valenciana awarded Lahuerta with the Medal for Cultural Merit in 2022 on 9 October, Day of the Valencian Community.

Universitat de València Literature Society schedule for the 2024-2025 academic year took off on September with the presentation of writer and jorunalist Paco Cerdà’s latest novel of historical memory “Presentes”. La Nau Cultural Centre has become the stage for the official presentation of one of the most anticipated works of the season. During Autumn, La Nau Cultural Centre has held literary meetings with Elvira Lindo, Juanjo Braulio, Máximo Huerta and Martí Domínguez.