Karl May (1842-1912) is one of the most read authors in Germany.
His adventure novels, intended for the young people, come being
published in a way continued would give of the fact that they
were publisheded for the first time in life of the author. We
could say that May represents for the german people what Verne
is for the French or Salgari for the Italians.
In Spain the novels of Karl May began to be published in 1927,
in an issue of Gustavo Gili. Thereinafter, in the years
30, Editorial Molino, specialized in adventure novels, acquired
the rights of the Spanish issue and began to publish the first
titles, some of those which appeared in full civil war. Part of
the Molino family, owner of the editorial, is exile community'
in the Argentina, where appeared new May
titles.
Already of return to Spain, the issues of the
years forty reached a notable success, as those of the years
fifty. The collection appeared during the years 60, on the
other hand, began to show the declivity that the May readings
will will have among the youths, as compared to other authors,
of the style of Enid Blyton.
Currently May is an author practically unknown among the Spanish
and catalans youths. Therefore it is referred to the thematic,
the books of Karl May, written all in first person, are located
primarily in two geographical stages: the American West and the
next East.
The novels of the American series have as protagonist to Old Shatterhand
and his friend the Indian Apache Winnetou. Those which are located
in Orient have as protagonist Kara ben Nemsi and his friend Alef
Omar.
Biography
Was born in Hoheusteis-Ernstthal (Germany). Was the five fifth
children of a weavers family. Remained blind to the little of
born, and it did not recover the vision until the five years,
after be operated. During these blindness years was formed in
the child a deep and impressive interior world fed by the statements
of his godfather and of his grandfather.
In 1861 procured the teacher title, but exercised the profession
during little time. Accused of have robbed a clock, it went
to stop to the jail and was withdrawn to him the license to
teach.
During some years were happened the offenses against the property
and the punishments in prison where discovered the redeeming
possibilities of the writing.
In 1875 May began to collaborate in some daily and four years
afterwards, it happened to work as fixed collaborator in a magazine.
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Among 1872 i 1877 appeared five novels by deliveries.
Thereinafter it wrote seven juvenile books for the magazine
"The good comrade" that obtained a great success.
The May novels elapse mainly in the American West and
in the next East. The written, it seduced by his own dreams,
makes to believe to the readers that the hero of his novels,
Old Shatterhand or Kara Ben Nemsi, was he same. |
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Most of the May works were compiled as of written previous
publisheded in daily and magazines. A test of his success is
the foundation in 1969 of the society "Karl May" with
headquarters in Hamburg, and the existence in Radebeul, near
Leipzig, of a museum in the one which was his last house.
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