MADRID, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Spanish writer Rafael Sanchez Ferlosio passed away on Monday at the age of 91, his publishers confirmed to Xinhua.
Sanchez Ferlosio, who was born in Rome on Dec. 4, 1927, is known for his novels and essays as well as his work studying the Spanish language. He based his work on the use of realistic narrative, which reflected everyday life.
His formative years were spent as the son of a foreign correspondent living in Rome, where he learned Italian neo-realism, and was influenced by the style when he returned to live in Spain in the post Spanish Civil War era.
Much of his writing reflected the difficult times in the 1940s and 50s on themes such as war, poverty, austerity and morality.
Perhaps his most famous work is the novel 'El Jarama' which was published in 1955 and won him the prestigious 'Premio Nadal' of that same year.
The book tells the story of a group of youngsters from Madrid, who spend a day in the country and highlights the contrast between urban and rural Spain. 'El Jarama' is considered to be one of the most important Spanish novels of the 20th century, thanks in part to the quality of the dialogue between its main characters.
Sanchez Ferlosio's career was further recognized in 2004 when he won the Cervantes Prize (Premio Cervantes), the most important award for Spanish literature.
