Issue date: 08 Oct, 2010
Three important characters feature in this series reflecting through postage stamps their human and literary values.
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester (El Ferrol, 1910 - Salamanca, 1999) studied Law and Philosophy and Arts and became a teacher in various secondary schools of Galicia, Madrid and Salamanca and at the University of Albany (USA). He worked for several newspapers, magazines and radio stations. In 1943 he published his first novel, Javier Mariño. He was a very prolific author and although in 1949 he interrupted his narrative work, he made a come back with the trilogy Los gozos y las sombras, considered a masterpiece of 20th century Spanish literature. This trilogy is made up of El señor llega, Donde da la vuelta al aire and La Pascua Triste. He was a member of the Royal Spanish Language Academy (RAE) and received all major awards, including the National Book Award, Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts and the Cervantes Prize, amongst others.
Francisco Ayala (Granada, 1906 - Madrid, 2009) belongs to the group of writers known as Generation del '27. Professor of constitutional law at the University of Madrid, he collaborated in the Revista de Occidente and La Gaceta Literaria. After the Civil War he went on exile to Buenos Aires where he taught at university. Later on he moved to Puerto Rico and several U.S. cities where he also became a university professor there. In his life’s work there are two stages: the first one, before the war, with a traditional style, and a second post-war, which pays attention to moral issues. Close to a critical realism, he cultivated short stories, novels and essays. Amongst his numerous awards are the membership of the Real Academia Española, the Cervantes Prize and Doctor Honoris Causa of several universities.
Vicente Ferrer died in June 2009 in Anantapur, one of the poorest regions of India. He was born in Barcelona in 1920 and became a Jesuit aiming at "helping others." In 1952 he was posted to India as a missionary and began working with the poor and needy. In 1970 he left the Jesuits and created the Fundación Vicente Ferrer. With the help of aid workers he set up schools, hospitals, wells, reservoirs, seed banks and thousands of micro-credit programs and aid for farmers, promoting equality between men and women. In acknowledgement for his work he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Laureate for Concord. His projects are still alive thanks to the support and the team of collaborators who follow in his footsteps.
Rate A - €0.75. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, up to 20 g.
Rate A2 - €0.85. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, between 20 g and 50 g.
Rate B - €1.65. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to Europe (including Greenland), up to 20 g.
Rate C - €1.75. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the rest of the world (except USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), up to 20 g.
Rate D - €2.10. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, up to 20 g.