Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy – La Biblioteca | Bibliobús en Aranda de Duero: Javier Fernández de Castro, Juan Casamayor y 'Hansel y Gretel' de Stephen King

Date: October 17, 2025
Host: Àngels Barceló (SER Podcast)
Guests: Antonio Martínez Asensio (bibliotecario), Juan Casamayor (editor, Páginas de Espuma)

Overview

This episode of "Hoy por Hoy" takes listeners to Aranda de Duero, exploring the power and vibrancy of contemporary Spanish and Latin American short stories. Through engaging conversations with literary guests and lively readings, the program highlights the significance of the Bibliobús (mobile library), the literary legacy of Javier Fernández de Castro, and the influence of the Premio Ribera del Duero for short story collections. The episode celebrates literary inspiration in the land of wine and underscores short fiction's integral role in Spanish literature, both past and present.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Literary Roots in Aranda de Duero: Javier Fernández de Castro

• Antonio Martínez Asensio (01:34):
  • Introduces Javier Fernández de Castro, calling him “uno de mis autores favoritos,” born in Aranda de Duero, 1942.
  • De Castro was an admired literary critic, translator (Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Henry Miller), professor, and disciple of Bennett and Sánchez Ferlosio.
  • His major works: La tierra prometida and Crónica de la mucha muerte form a duology depicting a young man disenchanted with Catalan bourgeois society.
    • La tierra prometida centers on an intense, transformative night after the protagonist gets lost in the mountains ([02:20]).
    • Crónica de la mucha muerte follows the protagonist years later, living in a hunting estate with his autistic daughter—her refrain “mucha muerte, mucha muerte” colors the atmosphere ([03:00]).
  • Martínez highlights de Castro’s narrative as “un encuentro alucinante… que va a marcar el argumento de esa novela” ([02:35]).

2. The Premio Ribera del Duero and the Renaissance of the Short Story

• The Prestige of the Prize (04:50):
  • Juan Casamayor describes the Premio Ribera del Duero as the world’s most important Spanish-language short story prize, curated by prestigious juries and drawing top talent.
  • The prize is not just national but international, aiming to “hacer una radiografía de la mejor literatura breve en español del mundo” ([05:28]).
  • Winners are published by Páginas de Espuma, now a reference in short story publishing.

3. Literary Quality Above All

• Commercial vs. Literary Prizes:
  • Host and Casamayor contrast the Ribera del Duero prize’s focus on literary excellence versus more commercial prizes, especially amid recent prize controversies ([07:25]).
  • Casamayor: "La calidad ante todo y hagamos de esa calidad una aventura que ya lleva casi dos décadas." ([07:41])
  • Notable recent winners, such as Magalí Echevarne with La vida por delante, have achieved critical and commercial success, with multiple editions and international translations ([08:26]).

4. The Place of the Short Story in Spain and Latin America

• Cultural & Industry Trends (09:42, 10:40):
  • There’s a persistent perception that short stories have thrived more in Latin America than in Spain. In truth, Spain has a rich tradition, from early 20th-century serial publication to authors like Carmen Martín Gaite and Sánchez Ferlosio.
  • Casamayor argues the industry, not readers or writers, neglected the genre until recently: “La industria editorial sí que había dado la espalda en lo comercial, pero ahí hemos ganado.”
  • Modern lifestyles — rapid information, brief attention — are making short stories more relevant again: "la información pasa casi por lo breve. Y el cuento ahí empieza a ganar un hábito de lectura." ([10:40])

5. The Art of the Short Story: Subtext and Elipsis

• Cuentos: Lo que no se cuenta (12:52, 13:11):
  • Discussion on how the power of short stories often lies in their subtext, echoing Hemingway’s iceberg theory.
  • Casamayor: "El cuento realmente es un diálogo con el silencio, con la elipsis, con lo no contado... Samantha [Schweblin] es una maestra." ([13:11])
  • The best stories don’t provide closure, but rather invite the reader to fill in gaps: “La complicidad y casi el deber se lo pasa quien lo ha leído. Y debe rellenar esos huecos y debe rellenar ese silencio.” ([13:43])

6. Female Voices in Short Fiction

• Women Writers and Readers (15:05):
  • The recent surge in award-winning women short story writers is not a fad but the culmination of longstanding, previously unrecognized literary activity.
  • Casamayor: "No hay un boom de las escritoras, ojo, las escritoras escribieron siempre. Otra cosa es que fueran silenciadas o invisibilizadas." ([15:05])
  • The decisive shift is in readership: women constitute the majority of fiction readers and are promoting new sensibilities in storytelling.

7. Celebrating Variety: Veterans and Newcomers

• Multi-Generational Recognition (16:23):
  • The prize has gone to both established names (e.g. Guadalupe Nettel, Antonio Ortuño) and rising stars (e.g. Magalí Echevarne, Irene Reyes Noberol).
  • Casamayor likens this to “vinos de reserva y vinos jóvenes,” reinforcing the matriarchal connection between wine and literature in the region.

8. The Power of the Everyday

• Everyday Life as Inspiration (18:08):
  • Many short stories use the mundane—like a bottle of water or a mother’s foot fungus—as a springboard for storytelling.
  • Casamayor: “El cuento se fija mucho en ese lado cotidiano, porque se refleja muchas veces en una pequeña imagen, en un pequeño recuerdo, en un pequeño objeto.” ([18:08])
  • Writing workshops often start with an everyday photograph, showing how daily life contains the seeds of big stories.

9. The Legacy of the Short Story Form

• Short Stories vs. Novels (19:36):
  • Not all great storytellers are great novelists.
  • Casamayor: “Es muy difícil encontrar autores o autoras que son grandes y habilidosos escritores en muchos géneros a la vez... pensamos en una línea que puede ir de Antón Chéjov hasta Julio Cortázar, esos autores exclusivamente su obra reposa en torno a su narrativa breve.” ([19:41])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Antonio Martínez Asensio on Javier Fernández de Castro:
  • “Es uno de mis autores favoritos... Y es uno de esos autores a los que recomiendo siempre.” ([01:34])
• Juan Casamayor on literary quality:
  • “La calidad ante todo y hagamos de esa calidad una aventura que ya lleva casi dos décadas.” ([07:41])
• Juan Casamayor on the short story’s power:
  • “¿Qué es el cuento? El cuento realmente es un diálogo con el silencio, con la elipsis, con lo no contado.” ([13:11])
• Juan Casamayor on women in short stories:
  • “No hay un boom de las escritoras, ojo, las escritoras escribieron siempre. Otra cosa es que fueran silenciadas o invisibilizadas.” ([15:05])

Key Timestamps

• 01:34–03:22 – Antonio Martínez Asensio on Javier Fernández de Castro and posthumous literary recommendations.
• 03:48–05:47 – The significance and prestige of the Premio Ribera del Duero and its editorial legacy.
• 06:13–07:41 – Reading from Magalí Echevarne and Casamayor on literary prizes and the value of quality.
• 09:42–10:40 – The short story in Spain vs. Latin America; industry trends.
• 11:28–12:13 – Reading Samantha Schweblin; impact of the prize on new writers.
• 12:52–13:43 – Casamayor and Martínez Asensio debate the subtextual strength of the short story format.
• 15:05–16:23 – Female authors: representation, readership, and generational variety.
• 18:08 – Everyday life as literary material.
• 19:36 – The unique skill set of the short story writer.
• 20:37–21:50 – Donation of Ray Bradbury’s Crónicas Marcianas to the Hoy por Hoy library.
• 22:03 – Quick mention of literary podcast “Un libro, una hora” and sign-off.

Final Literary Recommendations

• Hoy por Hoy Library Additions:

  • La tierra prometida and Crónica de la mucha muerte – Javier Fernández de Castro
  • Classic Donation: Crónicas Marcianas – Ray Bradbury, new edition by Páginas de Espuma ([20:37])
    • “Un escritor fundamental para entender cómo ciencia ficción y poesía se dan la mano.” – Juan Casamayor

• Podcast “Un libro, una hora”:

  • La Virgen y el Gitano – D. H. Lawrence ([22:03])

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation blends warmth, humor, and deep literary insight. There’s a sense of shared passion—between a bibliophile host, a dedicated editor, and listeners—for stories, books, and the everyday magic of reading. The tone remains playful and conversational, with light teasing around topics like parking fines and the portable Bibliobús, but is consistently anchored by an earnest reverence for literary craft and readership.

This summary captures the richness of the episode, providing a thorough, timestamped guide for those who missed the broadcast or wish to revisit its literary highlights.