Camilo José Cela

In 1944, Camilo José Cela married María del Rosario Conde Picavea and the couple had a son named Camilo José Cela Conde. However, the relationship ended in a divorce in 1990.

In 1991, he married Marina Concepción Castaño López.

He died from heart disease on 17 January 2002, in Madrid, at the age of 85.

Camilo José Cela was born on 11 May 1916 at Padrón, Galicia in Spain. His father’s name was Camilo Crisanto Cela y Fernánde and mother’s name was Camila Emanuela Trulock y Bertorini.

Between 1921 and 1925, Camilo José Cela lived in Viga after which his family moved to Madrid. Here, he was enrolled in the Piarist School.

In 1931, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had to spend the next year in a sanatorium at Guadarrama. While at the sanatorium, he spent his time reading and, subsequently, began work on his novel titled ‘Pabellón de reposo’.

He enrolled into the Medicine Faculty of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, in 1934, but soon dropped out and began attending classes at the Arts department of the same university.

At the university, he was tutored by Spanish poet Pedro Salinas with whom he shared his first poems and works. Pedro Salinas was known to have influenced him greatly to pursue a career in writing.

In 1936, with the onset of the Spanish Civil War, Camilo José Cela enlisted as a soldier and served for Francisco Franco's army. He was wounded in the war and had to be hospitalized in Logroño.

The Civil War ended in 1939. During this period, he completed his work on a collection of poems titled ‘Pisando la dudosa luz del dia’; the poems were published in 1945.

After the end of the war, Camilo José Cela went on to pursue studies in Law for a while. It was during this phase that he commenced work on his debut novel, ‘La familia de Pascual Duarte’, a story set in rural Extremadura. The novel was written in a unique style of narration termed as ‘tremendismo’; a style that highlights violence. The novel was published in 1942 and became a huge success.

After the publication of the novel Camilo José Cela had to face issues from the Church as the content of his novel was considered rough and therefore the second volume of his novel was put through censorship.

The second installment was released in Buenos Aires, and with the success of this book he discontinued his studies at the Law School in order to pursue a career in writing.

Camilo José Cela was a renowned author known for his innovation and style of writing. His best known works include his novel’ La colmena’ (1951) and ‘San Camilo, 1936’ (1969). Some critics also credit him for the birth of the narrative style of writing termed as ‘tremendismo’.