Issue date: 02 Jun, 2008
This year’s Popular Characters issue is devoted to biochemist Joan Oró and writers Carmen Martín Gaite, Maria Lejárraga and Zenobia Camprubí. Joan Oró (Lleida 1923-Barcelona 2004) graduated in Chemistry in the University of Barcelona and later did a doctorate in Biochemistry at Houston Medical School where he became a professor and run the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. He discovered the synthesis of adenine, one of the essential molecules for life and studied the organic components found in meteorites, fossils and lunar rocks participating in various NASA programmes. He received worldwide recognition and at his retirement returned to Catalonia where he continued to work in the science field.
Carmen Martín Gaite (Salamanca 1925-Madrid 2000) had a doctorate in Philosophy and Literature and published her first bestseller “El Balneario” (The Spa) when she was awarded the Café Gijón award. In 1957 she received the Nadal award for Entre Visillos with a straightforward and agile prose on the unexciting world of a provincial youth. She married writer Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio and wrote a large number of essays, poetry, press articles and literary critic. In 1988 she won the prestigious Principe de Asturias award and became the first woman to win the Premio Nacional de Las Letras in 1994.
Maria Lejárraga (San Millán de la Cogolla, La Rioja 1874-Buenos Aires 1974) is also known by her pseudonymous Maria Martinez Sierra, since she took her husband, writer Gregorio Martínez Sierra’s surname. She was a prolific writer of over more than hundred novels, plays, essays, poetry and film scripts although all her work was published under her husband’s name who was compelled over the years to publicly recognise his wife as the true author. She was a primary school teacher and in 1933 was elected a member of the Parliament of the Republic representing Granada. Whilst in exile she wrote under her own name various books and literary projects.
Zenobia Camprubí (Malgrat, Barcelona 1887 – San Juan de Puerto Rico 1956) was a cultivated and intelligent woman who at an early age showed her literary talent publishing children’s books. With a perfect command of English, she translated many English texts into Spanish, including the works of Rabindranath Tagore. She married poet Juan Ramón Jiménez whom she supported throughout his career, giving up her own literary aspirations. During her exile, she taught in the United States and at the University of Puerto Rico.
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