About the Book
"Fireflies," although set in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, could readily take place in a bellicose situation anywhere in the world. It contains an expose of the chasm between generations, between rich and poor, between materialism and idealism. This novel has a socioeconomic/psychological relevance that leaves the reader pondering the consequences of war and the nugatory effects of imposing status quo values on adolescents who are in search of their own truth, their raison d'etre. The story centers on the lives of two adolescents from opposite levels of society whose redemption lies in their short-lived mutual love, which ends tragically."
About the Author: The Author: Ana Maria Matute is a prolific and outstanding post-Civil War Spanish writer. She has received an array of the most coveted and prestigious literary prizes in Spain. On June 27, 1996, she was inducted into "La Real Academia Espanola." Only four women have ever been admitted into that reputable institution since its inception in 1713, and currently she is its sole female member. Born in 1925, she has written 28 books, including eight for children. Many of her novels and short stories have been translated into more than 23 languages.
The Translator: Glafyra Ennis, translator (A.B., Barnard College, Columbia University; Ph.D., The University of Michigan), taught Spanish language and literature at Oakland University, The University of Michigan, and was assistant professor at Smith College and associate professor at Vassar College, from which she retired in 1987. She established the Ennis Translation and Interpretation Service in 1987 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Her translations include Carmen Laforet's "Nada" (Lang, 1993) and "English and Spanish: Medical Words and Phrases" (1994). She is a member of AAUP, MLA, ALTA, and ATA."
