There are novels that not only tell a story but also bring us closer to the private lives of cgreat people we thought we knew. ‘Tell Them My Life Was Wonderful’ (Original title: Digue’ls que la meva vida va ser meravellosa), published by Navona and written by Miquel Esteve, is one of those works that manage to combine the weight of History with the most human emotions.
The action takes place In Bretton Woods, 1944. While at the Mount Washington Hotel the future of the international financial system is being negotiated. Meanwhile, John Maynard Keynes, one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, wrestles with his own past. During those twenty-two days of intense political tensions, his memories carry him back to Cambridge, to the secret society of the Apostles, to the vibrant Bloomsbury group, and above all, to his relationship with Ludwig Wittgenstein, the young philosopher who left a profound mark on his life.
The novel invites us to discover the man behind the public figure: someone vulnerable, brilliant, contradictory, and deeply human. And it does so with an immersive prose that blends historical rigor with intimate, literary storytelling.
Its author, Miquel Esteve, returns to the publishing scene with this new novel: An established author, Esteve’s career as a writer features awards and memorable titles, such as ‘Heydrich i les agents del saló KittY’, ‘El juego de Sade’, or his previous novel ‘Amor sin mundo’, which introducied this new genre created by Esteve and Navona. A genre that fictionalizes real people and events to make them accessible to all kinds of readers. In ‘Tell Them My Life Was Wonderful’, he confirms his ability to offer us a different portrait of great figures and to make us reflect on how memories and passions influence our decisions.
If you enjoy novels that allow you to travel through key moments of the 20th century while also bringing you close to the fragility and greatness of those who lived through it, this book is for you. ‘Tell Them My Life Was Wonderful’ is already available in bookstores, waiting for you to discover why Keynes’s life, despite its contradictions, can also be remembered as wonderful.
