The Spanish literature of New York City

"The city disconcerts me enormously. It shifts from an enormous lyricism of raw material to a harshness of raw material... New York seems to me: it chugs along with bursts, with shocks."

"Violence, everything is violent. And of course, alongside violence, its indispensable opposite: tranquility, stillness... My impression is confirmed, Marg. New York is [uncivilized] and violent does everything have to mean something?"

"It seems that writing about the five boroughs... is almost a reflex for any author who walks its streets. The city's literary popularity is overwhelming."

"The legend and myth that surrounds the metropolis: all at once, it's photogenic, egocentric, neurotic, absorbing... But the list of Spaniards who have written about New York... is very long."

The article reflects on the duality of New York City, portraying it as both violent and tranquil. The sentiment, echoed in a letter from poet Pedro Salinas, emphasizes the city's chaotic bursts resembling a combustion engine. Despite its apparent harshness, New York serves as a cultural hub, especially for Spanish literature, with many authors chronicling their experiences in the city. The overwhelming literary output surrounding New York reinforces its status as a vibrant, contradictory metropolis that inspires both admiration and contemplation.

Read at english.elpais.com