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Montserrat Palau i Vergés was born in Tarragona in 1958. She teaches Catalan literature at Rovira i Virgili University (URV) and also teaches at the Interuniversity Institute of Women and Gender Studies. As for her literary career, she stands out for the diversity of genres she has cultivated. She has published the poems Just a dream (1989), the novels Interferències (1989), Suspíria (1994), Sapore di sale (1996) and En nom del pare (1999) and the short story collection Cadires confortables (1990).
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En nom del pare (1999) is the author's coming-of-age novel, a novel in which the return to the city as a result of the death of the absent father serves its purpose for the protagonist to carry out a personal and generational search with the city of Tarragona as a central space.
When Alicia has to return to her hometown following the death of her father, the city of Tarragona becomes the bridge of dialogue with her childhood, adolescence and youth while allowing the author to express some reflections on urban changes and social problems that the city has experienced since the nineties.
The narrative voice is intense and innovative, and the rhythm of the narration overlaps with the rhythm of the songs that accompany Genia on her journey of reunion with the city.
In 2009, Montserrat Palau received the Maria Antònia Ferrer Distinction, a recognition given by the URV for her work in defense of women's rights and their visibility. She has collaborated in various media, with both written and audiovisual contributions. In 2015, she was presented as number two on the list of Junts pel Sí in Tarragona in the elections to the Parliament of Catalonia, and was elected as a deputy.
IN THE FATHER'S NAME (I)
IN THE FATHER'S NAME (I)
IN THE FATHER'S NAME (I)
IN THE FATHER'S NAME (I)
Yes, I'm from here. Look, I was born there, in that house, next to where the Nacional Tobacconist had been, on the corner with Carrer Apodaca. They say that before the war there had been another statue, but I can't remember it, only the usual one, that of Mercury, who was a Greek god. Of course, now he’s neither the Greeks’ God nor ours. Since Tecla got married, we have always been neighbors. La Fini is also from the neighbourhood, on Carrer Rebolledo, where the Moors’ shop is now.
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Not Pepita, no. Pepita is an outsider and lives near the sisters, right there , where the cheap houses are, but she is here because of solidarity with us, we always stick together. With Pepita, we used to go out to walk around the square with our kids and the prams. In summer, we would go to La Comandància beach and, at night, we went to meet up with her husband, who was fishing at the lighthouse.
In the name of the father, 1999
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (II)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (II)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (II)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (II)
I needed air. I went outside to breathe. I could hear rockets from afar. On the Rambla, everything was full of smoke and gunpowder, the devils and beasts had lit it up with an assortment of fireworks. The dancing fire and deafening thunder excited me too. Like a powerful shot from the blunderbuss of the Serrallongues, my will was crushed. Then I made up my mind. Head home, take the keys, go to the car park behind the walls and drive the car to the rocks next to the Miracle fortress. They had wanted to end their days there, and there they would rest forever.
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and there were cars parked there, and you could hear the hustle and bustle from the nearby restaurant. I sped by , to the tip of the rock where I let myself be engulfed by the welcoming silence of the beach, which was like a large amphitheatre without a horizon on the stage. I opened the urns. There was a gentle breeze and the ashes flew from my hand and scattered in swirls, rising and falling in the moonlight.
In the name of the father, 1999
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (III)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (III)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (III)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER (III)
It was time for those reflections that I had read so many times. It wasn't about saying what I thought, but having a hard time thinking about what I said. But instead of drowning myself in it, I decided to eat something. I walked around aimlessly. Some people from the Maghrib were chatting on a corner.
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I found that the scenarios of childhood and adolescence had half-changed, both different or the same. Tiled streets, pedestrian areas, shabby shops and restored buildings were the sides of a coin with crosses left by the hand of God, the lower-classes and dirt. Design lighting and clothes hanging out to dry and butane cylinders on balconies that blared out the voice of the TV at full volume or where a man born in an undershirt smoked a local cigar. I went down Main Street to the Town Hall Square, all decked out in festivities.
The urban landscape had partially changed . Like restaurants and bars. I noticed it while I was looking for somewhere that would appeal to me because I had time and decided to sit for a while. I still remembered the novelty of the first frankfurt bar which set up in the city. And then the first pizzeria. Exotic icons in the midst of uniformity without many frills, without excesses.
In the name of the father, 1999
EN NOM DEL PARE (IV)
EN NOM DEL PARE (IV)
EN NOM DEL PARE (IV)
EN NOM DEL PARE (IV)
Caminàvem cap a la Rambla sota un sol intens, sota una calda feixuga en què el quitrà semblava desfer-se en tolls d’aigua, una calitja que feia confondre i afigurar palmeres al mig del desert, miratges d’oasis com els miratges d’una Gènia d’altres temps.
En nom del pare, 1999
EN NOM DEL PARE (V)
EN NOM DEL PARE (V)
EN NOM DEL PARE (V)
EN NOM DEL PARE (V)
La Gènia es va sorprendre de la trucada. Es va esverar. Havia llegit als diaris locals la nota de l’accident i havia reconegut el nom. M’anava a fer un serial, però la vaig aturar, donant-li, com la Bet havia fet amb mi, hora i lloc del restaurant. La cita li va fer molta il·lusió. Però em va enredar d’anar-la a buscar. Em va donar el nom d’un carrer que no em sonava, i un seguit d’explicacions detallades per situar-me’l. Era sota el club de natació, vora les muralles. I vaig anar fins a casa seva sense reconèixer aquella zona. Tota la part de llevant de la muntanya, on abans hi havia hagut camps i horts, ara estava completament urbanitzada.
En nom del pare, 1999
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