Written in nine chapters separated into three blocks, Narcís Oller’s The Madness is one of the first literary pieces of work to aim to truly analyze the social and genetic causes and results of mental illness. Told through the eyes of an anonymous “narrator” character, The Madness tells the story of a young revolutionary called Daniel Serrallonga and his gradual deterioration into madness and delusion. Set against the backdrop of the political crisis that ripped Spain apart in the mid to late 19th century and laid the foundations of the Spanish Civil War, The Madness is a fascinating study of mental health within both rural and urban Catalan society.

As relevant and entertaining now as it was when it was first published, this lively translation brings this fantastic piece of literature to new, modern audiences while drawing parallels with some of the 19th century’s greatest English language writers such as Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy.

Narcís Oller (1846-1930) is widely considered to be one of the founding fathers of the Catalan literary renaissance. Through his use of realism and naturalism styles, he brought to life rural and urban Catalan life and society from the 19th and 20th centuries, incorporating many of the sweeping political and social changes from the time in his works.

His ability to create rich characters, beautiful landscapes and storylines that deal with the human psyche at its most extreme mean that he is still just as relevant as he was 100 years ago.