The ridiculous idea of ​​not seeing you again: Rosa Montero

The ridiculous idea not to see you again

The ridiculous idea not to see you again

The ridiculous idea not to see you again is a novel written by the award-winning Spanish journalist, chronicler, essayist and author Rosa Montero. The work was published on February 28, 2013 by the publishing house Seix Barral, owned by Planeta. After its release, the book has received mostly positive reviews from critics and readers.

In his book, Rosa Montero addresses one of the most sensitive topics in the history of the West: mourningTo do so, she combines her own feelings and experiences regarding the loss of her husband, and frames them within the life of Marie Curie, a woman who changed history and who, even today, remains an inspiration for thousands of girls around the world.

Synopsis of The ridiculous idea not to see you again

A book about the good life and the beautiful death

It would be an understatement to say that Rosa Montero uses her knowledge of literary chronicles to tell two stories: her own and Marie Curie's. No, the author does much more than that. Taking death as an excuse —which is a terrible section and one that no one should experience at a young age like the respective husbands of these ladies—, talks about the opportunity to be alive.

There are people who are capable of overcoming difficulties, whose resilience breaks all rules. That is what this novel is about. It all began when Montero read the diaries that Marie Curie had written after the premature death of her husband Pierre. Shocked, the Spaniard decided to create a volume halfway between personal memory and collective recollection.

The ideas of a woman who faced her time

With the amazing contributions of Marie Curie as a backdrop, Montero builds a plot that addresses how to deal with pain of loss in an unequal context, as well as of the relationships between men and women, the benefits of sex, the beautiful life and the good death, those passionate about science, the ignorant who question them, and the saving power of Literature.

It also deals with how some people have the wisdom to learn to enjoy life fully and lightly, no matter how dark the circumstances may be. The ridiculous idea not to see you again It is a reading about strength, but also about creation and how it becomes a springboard towards freedom, harmony and mental expansion.

Structure of The ridiculous idea not to see you again

This work of Rosa Montero It is divided into sixteen chapters and a final section dedicated to acknowledgements and conclusions. At the same time, includes an appendix where the diary that Marie Curie wrote between April 1906 and April 1907 is revealed, a period during which she mourned the death of her spouse. The various biographies referenced are also attached there.

In this sense, the author draws on different materials, such as the book written in 1937 by Marie and Pierre Curie's youngest daughter, Éve Curie, the biography written by Bárbara Goldsmith in 2005, that of Sarah Dry in 2006, the scientific book published by José Manuel Sánchez Ron in 2009 and that of Belén Yuste in 2011. The bibliography helped to understand Curie's social context and her personal challenges.

The figure of Marie Curie

One of the aspects worth highlighting in the book is how Montero intertwines the life of Marie Curie, a woman ahead of her time, with her own experiences. The Frenchwoman was a pioneer in the field of science, and her life was marked by extraordinary achievements., such as being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to obtain it in two different disciplines (Physics and Chemistry).

However, despite these successes, her life was also full of challenges and tragedies, most notably the death of Pierre, a devastating blow from which she never fully recovered. With reference to this particular topic, Montero highlights Curie's strength and vulnerability., who not only had to face mourning, but also fight against society's prejudices.

This is because most people did not look favourably on women in the scientific field. Through this analysis, Montero highlights the constant struggle of women to be recognized in male-dominated fields, a topic that remains relevant today.

Reflections on feminism and life

The book is not just a biography or an essay on grief. In fact, the author uses the figure of Curie as a starting point to reflect on universal themes such as feminism, motherhood, love, death and survival. The experiences of both women —Curie and Montero—, although separated by centuries and contexts, touch on each other in their most human essence.

The writer questions the roles of women in history, the expectations and limitations that society has imposed and continues to impose, as well as the ways in which they make their way in those spaces. Through her reflections, the book takes on a broader dimension, addressing the female condition and the constant struggle for equality.

Style: between intimacy and universality

The ridiculous idea not to see you again It has a hybrid style. Montero harmonizes autobiographical narration with the essay, making the reading feel both personal and universal.. His tone is intimate, as if he were speaking directly to the reader, allowing for a deep emotional connection.Through her writing, the Spaniard shows how literature can be a refuge and a tool to process pain.

Simultaneously, The book is sprinkled with photographs and quotes, elements that provide a visual character and emotional to read. Montero introduces a touch of humor and irony, which balances the melancholic tone of the work, making the reader move between sadness and reflection with a certain lightness.

Fragment The ridiculous idea not to see you again

“At the origin of creativity is suffering, our own and that of others. True pain is ineffable, it leaves us deaf and mute, it is beyond all description and all consolation. True pain is a whale too big to be harpooned. And yet, despite this, we writers insist on putting words into nothingness. We throw words like someone throwing pebbles into a radioactive well until it is blocked.”

About the author

Rosa Montero Gayo was born on January 3, 1951, in Madrid, Spain. She studied at the Complutense University. In 1989, he began a degree at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters with the intention of specialising in Psychology and, later, Journalism. However, in 1970, when he was barely nineteen, he began working in various media outlets.

The author eventually dropped out of her psychology studies and, four years later, graduated from the Madrid School of Journalism. In the journalistic field, her role as an interviewer has been legendary, and his technique has been studied in various educational institutions. His literature has also been praised by critics and translated into more than twenty languages.

Awards and distinctions

  • World Interview Award (1978);
  • National Journalism Award (1981);
  • Spring Award (1997);
  • Chilean Critics Circle Award (1998);
  • Chilean Critics Circle Award (1999);
  • What to Read Award (2003);
  • Rodriguez Santamaria Award (2004);
  • Grinzane Cavour Award (2005);
  • Madrid Press Association Award (2005);
  • What to Read Award (2005);
  • Roman Primeur Prize (2006);
  • Mandarache Award (2007);
  • Doctor honoris causa from the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo Campus (2010);
  • Readers' Prize at the Cognac Festival of European Literature (2011);
  • International Columnists of the World Award (2014);
  • Madrid Critics Award (2014);
  • José Luis Sampedro Award (2016);
  • International Press Club Career Achievement Award (2017);
  • Manuel Alcántara International Journalism Award from the University of Malaga (2017);
  • National Prize for Spanish Literature (2017);
  • International Journalism Award City of Cáceres (2019);
  • Picanya Lig Award (2019);
  • City of Alcalá Award for Arts and Letters (2019);
  • Legend Award (2019);
  • Time Traveler Award (2020);
  • “Juan Antonio González Caraballo” Solidarity Award (2020);
  • CEDRO Award (2020);
  • Black Violet Award at the Toulouse Polars du Sud Festival (2020);
  • ASICOM-University of Oviedo Ibero-American Award (2022);
  • Eñe Festival Award (2022).

Other books by Rosa Montero

Novels

  • Chronicle of heartbreak (1979);
  • The Delta function (1981);
  • I will treat you like a queen (1983);
  • Beloved master (1988);
  • Tremor (1990);
  • Beautiful and dark (1993);
  • The cannibal's daughter (1997);
  • The heart of Tartar (2001);
  • The madwoman of the house (2003);
  • History of the Transparent King (2005);
  • Instructions to save the world (2008);
  • Tears in the rain (2011);
  • The weight of the heart (2015);
  • The meat (2016);
  • The times of hate (2018);
  • Good luck (2020);
  • The danger of being sane (2022);
  • The unknown woman (2023)

Children's and youth literature

  • The nest of dreams (1991);
  • Barbara's barbarities (1996);
  • Barbara's fantastic journey (1997);
  • Barbara vs. Dr. Fangs (1998)

stories

  • Lovers and enemies. Tales of couples (1998)

Non-fiction

  • journalism and literature (1973);
  • Spain for you forever (1976);
  • Five years of country (1982);
  • Naked life (1994);
  • Stories of women (1995);
  • Interviews (1996);
  • Passions (1999);
  • Boston prints and other trips (2002);
  • The best of Rosa Montero (2005);
  • the love of my life (2011);
  • Maneras de vivir (2014);
  • Us: Women's stories and more (2018);
  • The art of the interview. 40 years of questions and answers (2019);
  • True stories (2024)

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