Free Pages and Hard Times Anarchist Musings

• ISBN13: 9780195116878
• ISBN10: 0195116879
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-03-13
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Manuel González Prada was a powerful Peruvian writer and political reformer whose essays and speeches influenced generations of young radicals. He founded the Party of National Unity in 1891, was linked to the anarchist movement, and served as Director of the National Library from 1912-1914. His writings have had enormous impact on the literary and political life of Peru: taking up the defense of exploited indigenous people, broadsiding the landowning oligarchy, and denouncing the social and political errors of the country. In fact, the radical politics Prada advocated then are still alive and relevant today: Modernization (secularization) of Peru, transformation of a nation through its people, promotion of internationalism (universalism) versus overt patriotism (communitarianism), and condemnation of war. This translation is based on the Obras of González Prada , edited by Luis Alberto Sánchez. It includes essays, speeches and polemical writings drawn from two of Prada's only books of prose published during his lifetime, Paginas Libres and Horas de Lucha , in addition to unpublished manuscripts and works previously printed in newspapers and magazines. His writings are gathered thematically under the subheadings "Peruvian Problems," "Anarchy," and "Philosophical, Literary, and Linguistic Problems."

Author Biography

David Sobrevilla is Professor of Philosophy at the National University of Saint Marcos of Lima and of Philosophy of Law at the University of Lima. He has published numerous works on philosophy, philosophy of law and of culture, German and Latin American aesthetics, and theory of aesthetics. Frederick Fornoff is Professor of Spanish, Comparative Literature, and Creative Writing at The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He is the recipient of many awards including the NEA, NEH, and Fulbright.

Table of Contents

Series Editors' General Introduction	vii
Criteria for This Edition	xi
Biographical Note on Manuel Gonzalez Prada	xiv
Chronology of Manuel Gonzalez Prada	xv
Introduction	xxiii
David Sobrevilla
Selected Bibliography	lviii
About the Editor and Translator	lxiii
Free Pages and Other Essays: Anarchist Musings	1