In The Song of Youth, Montserrat Roig boldly presents eight remarkable stories that use language as a weapon against political and social “dismemory.” Her powerful and striking prose allows the important stories of those silenced by the brutal Franco regime to, at last, come to the fore. The Song of Youth is undoubtedly feminist and deeply critical but, as always, Roig’s lyrical writing gives shape, depth, and significance to the human experience.

Montserrat Roig (Barcelona, 1946-1991) was an award-winning writer and journalist, and the recipient of numerous prestigious prizes including the Premi Víctor Català and the Premi Sant Jordi. Her journalistic work focused on forging a creative feminist tradition, and on recovering the country’s political history. Her novels take similar stances, reflecting on the need to liberate women who were silenced by history.

Tiago Miller (London, 1987) is a writer and translator based in Lleida. He has worked on translations of a number of Catalan writers such as Pere Calders and Raül Garrigasait and his articles on language, politics and literature have appeared in Núvol and La República. 

"Montserrat Roig, before her untimely death, was a shining light of Catalan literature. The stories in The Song of Youth show her at her most urgent, energetic and inventive. While most of the stories are clearly set in the Catalonia of the 1970s and 1980s, they also have the quality of timeless fable."— Colm Tóibín, author of Nora Webster

"Montserrat Roig is one of far too many women authors whose work has taken far too long to be translated into English. These stories, in this excellent translation, will introduce readers to a remarkable writer, who, though not always comfortable to read, is always searingly honest."— Margaret Jull Costa, three-time winner of the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize
 
"The Song of Youth represents an array of lagoons in which Montserrat Roig's most extraordinary flowers lay their roots."— Eva Baltasar, author of Permafrost
 
"In two decades of incredible, inspirational writing, Montserrat Roig left an indelible mark on Catalan literature that is finally being brought to the international community."—Jordi Nopca, author of Come On Up
 — -