The Impostor

A hero - or a liar? Javier Cercas unravels the real Enric Marco and delves into humankind’s deep and conflicting needs for both fiction and truth. Translated by Frank Wynne.The Impostor is a true story packed with fiction - fiction created by its main character, Enric Marco. But who is Enric Marco? A veteran of the Spanish civil war, a fighter against fascism, an impassioned campaigner for justice, and a survivor of the Nazi death camps? Or an old man with delusions of grandeur, a beguiling and compulsive liar who refashioned himself as a defender of liberty and who was unmasked in 2005 at the height of his influence and renown?"The brilliance of The Impostor is how Cercas connects Marco’s desire for reinvention with Spain’s national project of burying its history as it transitioned from dictatorship to democracy ... The language is precise, distinctive and delicious. Is there a more gifted or versatile translator working today than Frank Wynne? ... The voice of this book, the voice of Cercas, with its beautiful grain and restlessness, its swerves from pity to fury, from calm to hysteria, owe much to Wynne’s almost musical modulations." - Paul Seghal, The New York TImesJavier Cercas was born in Ibahernando, Spain, in April 1962. He is a novelist, short-story writer and columnist whose books include Soldiers of Salamis (which sold more than a million copies worldwide, won six literary awards in Spain and was filmed by David Trueba), The Tenant and the Motive, The Speed of Light and The Anatomy of a Moment. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He lives in Barcelona. Longlisted For The Man Booker International 2018 A True Story That Is Packed With Fiction - Fiction Created By Its Main Character, Enric Marco But Who Is Enric Marco? A Veteran Of The Spanish Civil War, A Fighter Against Fascism, An Impassioned Campaigner For Justice, And A Survivor Of The Nazi Death Camps? Or, Is He Simply An Old Man With Delusions Of Grandeur, A Charlatan Who Fabricated His Heroic War Record, Who Was Never A Prisoner In The Third Reich And Never Opposed Franco; A Charming, Beguiling And Compulsive Liar Who Refashioned Himself As A Defender Of Liberty And Who Was Unmasked In 2005 At The Height Of His Influence And Renown? In This Extraordinary Novel - Part Narrative, Part History, Part Essay, Part Biography, Part Autobiography - Javier Cercas Unravels The Enigma Of The Man And Delves With Passion And Honesty Into The Most Ambiguous Aspects Of What Makes Us Human - Our Infinite Capacity For Self-deception, Our Need For Conformity, Our Thirst For Affection And Our Conflicting Needs For Fiction And For Truth. Translated From The Spanish By Frank Wynne