August 3, 2004

Spanish Author Delibes Subject of Book By Boise State Prof

A book of literary criticism by Boise State University professor Teresa Boucher examines the work of contemporary Spanish novelist Miguel Delibes. “Existential Authenticity in Three Novels by Spanish Author Miguel Delibes” (Mellen Press, 210 pages, hardcover, $109.95) offers a philosophical interpretation of three of his works: “Five Hours With Mario,” “Lady in Red on a Gray Background” and “Love Letters from a Voluptuous Sexagenarian.” The book takes a philosophical approach to literature, exploring the texts from the perspective of the German philosopher Martin Heidegger’s notion of authenticity and inauthenticity. Authenticity refers to the awareness of one's own personality and of one's purpose in life, whereas inauthenticity refers to the awareness of the self as others see it. Delibes has explored in his novels and essays personal identity, communication and the social and political situation of Spaniards — both men and women — during the Franco dictatorship. A newspaper editor and professor as well as an author, he has penned 20 novels and in 1994 was awarded the Cervantes Prize, Spain’s highest literary honor. Boucher is an associate professor of Spanish and chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Boise State. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Dartmouth College and two master’s degrees, in Spanish and in French, from Middlebury College. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in romance languages and literatures from Princeton University. -30- Contact Teresa Boucher Department of Modern Languages and Literatures 208 426-3796 Media Contact Kathleen Craven communications and marketing 208 426-3275