A vibrant collection of classic Spanish short stories and hidden gems alike, compiled by celebrated translator Margaret Jull Costa A Penguin Classic This exciting collection celebrates the Spanish short story, from its modern origins in the nineteenth century to the remarkable work being written today. Featuring over fifty stories selected by revered translator Margaret Jull Costa, it blends hidden gems and old favorites, surprising new voices and giants of Spain's literary culture, from Emilia Pardo Bazán and Leopoldo Alas, through Mercè Rodoreda and Manuel Rivas, to Javier Marías. Brimming with romance, horror, history, farce, strangeness and beauty, and showcasing alluring hairdressers, war defectors, vampiric mothers, and talismanic mandrake roots, the daring and entertaining assortment of tales in The Penguin Book of Spanish Short Stories will be a treasure trove for readers.
Margaret Jull Costa Book order
Margaret Jull Costa is a celebrated translator, bringing literary treasures from Spanish and Portuguese authors to English-speaking audiences. Her translation style is distinguished by its ability to capture the subtle nuances and poetic beauty of the original works. Costa's renderings allow readers to discover and appreciate the diversity and richness of Iberian literature. Her work is instrumental in the international recognition of these literary traditions.






- 2021
- 2015
Love : selected quotations
- 128 pages
- 5 hours of reading
"Love contains inspirational quotes from such beloved Coelho titles as Eleven Minutes, The Valkyries, The Zahir, and, The Alchemist" --
- 2014
The thought-provoking new novel from the international bestselling author whose words change lives. Linda knows she's lucky. Yet every morning when she opens her eyes to a so-called new day, she feels like closing them again. Her friends recommend medication. But Linda wants to feel more, not less. And so she embarks on an adventure as unexpected as it is daring, and which reawakens a side of her that she - respectable wife, loving mother, ambitious journalist - thought had disappeared. Even she can't predict what will happen next...
- 2012
After killing his brother Abel, Cain must wander for ever. He witnesses Noah's ark, the destruction of the Tower of Babel, Moses and the golden calf. He is there in time to save Abraham from sacrificing Isaac when God's angel arrives late after a wing malfunction. Written in the last years of Saramago's life, Cainwittily tackles many of the moral and logical non sequiturs created by a wilful, authoritarain God, forming part of Saramago's long argument with God and recalling his provocative novel The Gospel According to Jesus Christ.
- 2011
The new novel by the author of The Alchemist.
- 2010
The Elephant's Journey
- 205 pages
- 8 hours of reading
In 1551, King João III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. The elephant's journey from Lisbon to Vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people. Out of this material, José Saramago has spun a novel already heralded as a triumph of language, imagination, and humor. Solomon and his keeper, Subhro, begin in dismal conditions, forgotten in a corner of the palace grounds. When it occurs to the king and queen that an elephant would be an appropriate wedding gift, everyone rushes to get them ready: Subhro is given two new suits of clothes and Solomon a long overdue scrub. Accompanied by the Archduke, his new wife, and the royal guard, our unlikely heroes traverse a continent riven by the Reformation and civil wars. They make their way through the storied cities of northern Italy: Genoa, Piacenza, Mantua, Verona, Venice, and Trento, where the Council of Trent is in session. They brave the Alps and the terrifying Isarco and Brenner Passes; they sail across the Mediterranean Sea and up the Inn River (elephants, it turns out, are natural sailors). At last they make their grand entry into the imperial city. The Elephant's Journey is a delightful, witty tale of friendship and adventure.
- 2009
The Winner Stands Alone
- 400 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Taking place over the course of 24 hours during the Cannes Film Festival, this is the story of Igor, a successful, driven Russian entrepreneur who will go to the darkest lengths to reclaim a lost love--his ex-wife.
- 2009
Brida
- 280 pages
- 10 hours of reading
Korean edition of BRIDA by Paulo Coelho, the author of international bestseller The Alchemist, is another mystical tale about a journey of a young Irish girl, Brida OFern, who takes to discover herself, the destiny of her soul mate and love. Translated by Geon Mi Seon. In Korean. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.
- 2008
Death at Intervals
- 196 pages
- 7 hours of reading
In an unnamed country on the first day of the new year, people stop dying. For several months undertakers face bankruptcy, the church is forced to reinvent its doctrine, and local 'maphia' smuggle those on the brink of death over the border where they can expire naturally.
- 2007
The witch of Portobello
- 288 pages
- 11 hours of reading
How do we find the courage to always be true to ourselves—even if we are unsure of who we are? That is the central question of international bestselling author Paulo Coelho’s profound new work, The Witch of Portobello. It is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, told by the many who knew her well—or hardly at all. Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy, and sacrifice.






