Matter and Spirit in José Luis Sampedro: From El río que nos lleva (1961) to Real Sitio (1993)
Abstract
José Luis Sampedro (1917–2013) was a prominent Spanish economist, Senator by royal decree, member of the RAE and highly respected novelist. His novelistic output is varied in both matter and narrative style, yet beneath this diversity of approach are recurrent themes that betoken a preoccupation with deeply human issues, a quality also detectable in his economic work. This article compares two very different novels, one early realist, one late post-modernist, and uncovers their commonalities: Sampedro’s meticulous research into the historical, geographical or philosophical context of his stories, the pre-eminence of characterization and the upholding of altruism and humane values.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Spanish Literature and Culture Studies
Comparative Literary Analysis and Criticism
Latin American Literature Analysis
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Bulletin of Spanish Studies
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 65–87
- Publication date
- 2 January 2026
- Language
- EN