sevillian manual transmission Nogales (1897-1944) was one of the greatest Spanish journalists of all time. But his time was particularly dangerous, eventful, and brutal. World Wars. Civil war. The history of truth is a time full of events. He held up a mirror to them. Walking, looking, asking. To benefit from the technical developments of its age, such as aviation, and to work tremendously. He shows his great command that all journalists will have to save us in the fire: walk, see and tell.
Francisco Cánovas Sánchez presents us in this entertaining and meticulously sourced work the deep ties between Chaves Nogales and the pivotal moments of the last century. This is not a simple biography; it’s a carefully structured examination. The hero’s life adventures unfold in the first chapter, spanning about one hundred pages, and then the study moves through the Russian Revolution, the Second Republic, the Civil War, Nazism, and more, organized into focused sections. Each part lays out the facts and offers a thoughtful analysis of how Chaves Nogales reported on them.
The author generously references María Isabel Cintas, a leading Spanish scholar on Chaves Nogales, whose canonical biography on the journalist’s career is well regarded. The narrative also notes the perspectives of critics, publishers, and fellow writers who have weighed in over the years. Chaves Nogales grew up in a journalistic lineage: his father, uncles, and mentors shaped a vocation that he pursued with precision. He wrote about Seville with a keen eye and documented its changing face, generating pieces that still resonate for their clarity and prudence.
His second phase moved from La Voz de Córdoba to Madrid, first at Heraldo and then at the major project of his era in 1930. He rented a modest space, choosing a newsroom that came with a view and a purpose: to turn headlines into modern, readable, illustrated journalism that spoke to a democratic and republican audience, yet remained financially solid. When the Civil War erupted, Cánovas Sánchez explains that fear for his safety drove him to France, where he helped launch Sprint, a newspaper that carried his values into exile. The later years found him directing a news agency in London during the height of World War II, a period marked by difficult choices and dangerous times. In those years he crossed paths with notable colleagues, and his experiences formed the basis for later works and reflections on journalism under pressure. The era’s harsh judgments were part of his story, including the absurdity of prison sentences handed down by Franco’s regime, which could not erase the truth he sought to document.
Chaves Nogales confronted the indelible challenges of his era without flinching. He described reality with unvarnished prose, even when it exposed the absurdities of figures like Goebbels or the moral ambiguities of debates within the Republic’s courts, and the contradictions observed in France as German forces neared. His writings include powerful fictionalized pieces inspired by real events, among them A sangre y fuego, a collection that compiles vivid Civil War narratives with a compelling preface for students.
Despite a tragically short life, Chaves Nogales left a prolific body of work, much of it serialized in newspapers and later collected in books. The author notes that political factions and academic conservatism largely obscured Nogales for decades, but the 1990s brought renewed attention from leading intellectuals who recognized his independence of judgment. Researchers place him alongside revered figures such as Joseph Roth and George Orwell for his steadfast commitment to reporting with integrity. In a 1928 presentation, Nogales urged reaching the broad audience rather than chasing expert circles, and he fought to resist any personal commentary that could compromise his objectivity. His contribution endures as a monument to principled journalism, and this book highlights that enduring impact.
Manuel Chaves Nogales: Barbarism and Civilization in the 20th Century
Writer: Francisco Canovas Sanchez
editorial: Editorial Alliance
Price: €21