“We often find our destiny on the path we take to avoid it.” With this quote from Jean de la Fontaine begins the latest novel by José María Guelbenzu, A drop of affectionrecently published. The last novel. He already said it when he gave it to us a few months ago: “I think I have already written everything I had to write.” “José Mari, don’t be dramatic,” I said. “Woman, I will not die, I’m not going to write more novels.”
Today he has left us, serene, at peace, as he was, without fuss, without drama, without eagerness of prominence. A true gentleman (if this word today has any meaning for someone), a master of literature, of irony, criticism, common sense and an example of what it is to be an author with capital letters in their relationship with their editors, distributors, readers, booksellers and media.
Editorial life, life too, sometimes gives us privileges that make us feel touched by fortune. Undoubtedly, one of mine has been to be, for more than 25 years, the editor of José María Guelbenzu. Moreover, being able to have been for more than 25 years friend of José Mari. It is curious the relationship of the authors with their editors, and there is everything, of course. Books have been written about it. And few are how the relationship with Guelbenzu. A monumental author, an acute, ironic witness and with an absolutely accurate look of an era, literary, political and social. Critic of the real ones, a professor of those who teach, exemplary editor and, above all, an endearing, affectionate, fun, capable of fighting affectionately for weeks by a cover and of being relentless in a criticism without losing, as he would say, a drop of elegance and, at the same time, advise you as a loving father in matters of “more or less earthly life”.
A few days ago I talked to him, I was happy. “After so many misfortunes they send me home,” he told me. But he knew well that his destiny was already looking for him and was not far away.
Great Ofelia She is Siruela’s editorial director.