The Spanish edition adds a new piece to the literary landscape with the appearance of Feltrinelli Editores, a publishing house that starts with an international vocation and will have a presence both in Spain and in several Latin American countries. Its proposal is based on a catalog that blends 20th-century classics with contemporary works and essays that engage with politics and public life.
With headquartered in Barcelona and backed by the Feltrinelli GroupThe new publishing venture seeks to establish itself as a cultural bridge between Europe and the Spanish-speaking world. The project revives the tradition of the historic Italian publishing house and adapts it to the current context, with the aim of ensuring that books continue to be a tool for cultural engagement and social debate.
A new Spanish-language label with Italian roots
Feltrinelli Editores was born within the framework of the alliance with Anagrama, publishing house integrated into the Feltrinelli Group since 2016It joins the Spanish-language publishing circuit with a distinctly literary and global focus. Editorial direction is in the hands of Silvia Sesé, while José Hamad will be responsible for editing the imprint, defining its direction and selecting the titles that will make up the catalog.
The project extends the trajectory of the Spanish-speaking world. Italian publishing house founded by Giangiacomo Feltrinelli in 1955, recognized for its anti-fascist commitment and for understanding publishing as a political and cultural act. That legacy is now being transferred to Barcelona, from where the imprint's expansion into the Spanish and Latin American markets will be coordinated.
According to the press release, the new publishing brand inherits the idea that Publishing books is a way of intervening in the cultural preservation of one's timeHence, their selection of titles aims to balance authors with an already established body of work and new emerging voices, always with international literature as the central focus.
Feltrinelli Editores also presents itself as a natural continuity of the bridges built over decades between Europe and Latin America by the Italian group. The international focus is not limited to the origin of the authors, but also extends to the distribution of the books and the organization of activities to accompany the publications on both sides of the Atlantic.
In this new phase in Spanish, the label aims to bring together titles that stimulate critical thinking and imaginationMaintaining a consistent line with Feltrinelli's historical values, but adapting its bets to the debates and sensibilities of the present.
First releases: classics, contemporary fiction and thought
Feltrinelli Editores' debut in the Spanish-speaking market will arrive on May 6th, the date on which the first titles from the label will be published in Spain and Latin America. The initial selection blends a fundamental work of the 20th century with new literary works and contemporary essays.
One of the most symbolic launches will be "Doctor Zhivago" by Boris PasternakThis novel holds a prominent place in the history of the Feltrinelli publishing house, having been originally released by the Italian publisher during the height of Soviet censorship. Its arrival in this new Spanish edition reinforces the link between the publisher's history and its current commitment.
Along with Pasternak's classic, the label will release "Beginning, Middle, End," the new novel by Valeria LuiselliThis marks the author's return to fiction after several years focused on other projects. The work fits into the international literature line that the publisher aims to promote from the outset.
The inaugural catalogue is completed that same month with "In simple words," by Richard FordThis essay by the American writer analyzes how literature intersects with politics and the tensions of public life. The book was conceived specifically to inaugurate the Feltrinelli Lectures collection.
This new collection, Feltrinelli Lectures, is conceived as a space to bring together reflective texts from some of the most relevant authors of the momentThe aim is to offer readers short but thought-provoking essays. Ford's work will also be accompanied by a public lecture in Barcelona on May 26, further enhancing the project's cultural dimension beyond the simple book launch.
A proposal based in Barcelona with a transatlantic reach
The choice of Barcelona as the venue is not accidental: The city is thus consolidating itself as one of the hubs of the Feltrinelli Group's activity in SpanishThis complements the work that Anagrama has been developing for decades. From there, the publications and actions undertaken by the imprint throughout Spain and in various Latin American countries will be coordinated.
Feltrinelli Editores starts with a clear intention to strengthen ties between Europe and Latin America through the circulation of books and authors. Within this framework is Valeria Luiselli's tour, which will present "Principio, medio, fin" in Spain between May 6 and 13, and later in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile between June 1 and 18.
These activities serve to underline the transatlantic nature of the project, which is not limited to the translation and publication of works, but also seeks to generate encounters, debates and public presence of writers in different cities. The schedule of presentations planned in Spain and Latin America is part of this shared visibility strategy.
The label also relies on the group's previous experience in promoting catalogs with a strong political and cultural identityThe anti-fascist vocation of the Italian parent company and its defense of freedom of expression are integrated into the narrative with which the new Spanish-language brand presents itself to bookstores and readers.
In this context, the combination of narrative, essay, and public reflection aims to create a catalog where Literature is directly related to the social and political concerns of our time, without sacrificing stylistic care and the diversity of genres.
Expanding catalog until 2026: established authors and new voices
Beyond the initial titles for May, Feltrinelli Editores has announced that Its catalog will continue to expand gradually until 2026Featuring books by award-winning authors and emerging names on the international scene, the aim is to incorporate works that strengthen both the literary dimension and the component of critical reflection.
Among the planned releases is "The Flesh," by David SzalayThis novel, winner of the latest Booker Prize, joins the growing trend of high-impact contemporary fiction. Its arrival in Spanish aims to bring one of the most talked-about voices in contemporary fiction to a wider audience.
The label is also preparing the publication of "A Brief Heretical History of Classical Music" by Alessandro BariccoThis volume revisits the musical canon from an unconventional perspective. With this title, Feltrinelli Editores expands its scope to include essays that intersect art, history, and cultural criticism.
In the field of new voices, he stands out “Everyone is still here” by Liadan Ní Chuinn, an Irish author who writes under a pseudonym and whose first work has been well received by critics; her inclusion in the catalogue is part of the growing attention to the Latin American narrative and reinforces the label's intention to open space for innovative perspectives from different literary traditions.
The publishing program also includes works such as "Twist", by Colum McCann; "Last Specimens Before Extinction," by Maria Reva, and "Return to Trieste", by Federica ManzonThese publications aim to diversify the offering, balancing genres, origins, and narrative styles within the same line of literary rigor.
An editorial line marked by cultural intervention
In the presentation of the imprint, it is emphasized that Feltrinelli Editores assumes a conception of publishing as a tool for intervention in the public sphereIt is not just about putting books into circulation, but about defending a certain idea of reading as an act that can influence social debate and shared cultural memory.
This approach aligns with the Italian tradition of the parent company, which from its inception has been characterized by to combine intellectual rigor, popular appeal, and political commitmentThe new Spanish-language imprint picks up that legacy, but updates it with a selection focused on contemporary issues and discussions, from fiction to essays.
The publishing strategy involves accommodating both authors with a consolidated career as well as writers who are beginning to make a name for themselves in their respective countries. The combination aims to offer the reader a recognizable catalog, but one open to surprise and the incorporation of new literary sensibilities.
At the same time, the project is situated within a broader trend in the book world, where Transnational labels are seeking to create shared catalogs between Europe and Latin AmericaThe simultaneous availability of the titles in different Spanish-speaking territories is a central part of Feltrinelli Editores' strategy.
All these decisions shape a proposal that is geared towards to keep alive the historical identity of the Feltrinelli group while developing new lines in Spanish, both in narrative and essay, opening the game to readings that connect contexts, generations and geographies.
With its launch in Barcelona and a publication schedule starting on May 6, Feltrinelli Editores joins the Spanish-language publishing map as a label that combines anti-fascist heritage, international ambition, and a carefully curated selection of titlesThe mix of classics like "Doctor Zhivago", new releases like Valeria Luiselli's latest novel, essays by authors like Richard Ford, and works by emerging writers creates a catalog designed for readers who seek demanding literature that is also attentive to the cultural and political tensions of our time.
