The sudden death of writer Chesi (José María Pérez Álvarez) shook Spain’s literary community. It turned out that behind his modest fame lay a trove of unpublished works. For Spaniards, this is not just the loss of an author—it’s a chance to rethink the role of ‘literature for the chosen few’ and to discover new facets of national culture.
When Chesi’s archives began to be sorted at his home in Ourense, it was revealed that he left behind not only his recognized novels but also a whole array of unpublished texts. Among them were completed works such as “Sha Mat,” “Nunca,” “La palabra,” and “Proceso de demolición.” Some were forgotten in drawers, while others awaited a bold publisher willing to bring them to light. Now, family and close friends must decide how to manage this literary legacy.
A literary phenomenon
Chesi always kept away from commercial success, preferring to work quietly, never seeking widespread fame. His novel “Nembrot” became a real discovery for critics and lovers of sophisticated prose. The book, initially printed in only 500 copies, quickly gained cult status. Critics saw something unique in it—a work unlike anything else in contemporary Spanish literature.
Renowned writers such as Juan Goytisolo have praised Chesi’s work, contrasting it with mass-market literature. Goytisolo noted that Chesi writes not to sell, but for genuine reading, and this is where his strength lies. At the same time, the author himself did not seek to make things easier for the reader, crafting texts that demand thoughtful and attentive engagement.
Family archives
After the writer’s death, his family—his wife Pilar Rodriguez and daughters Beatriz and Elena—began organizing his manuscripts. In their possession were not only novels, but also poems, short stories, letters, and drafts that Chesi had carefully preserved. One of the most notable finds is the novel “Proceso de demolición,” which the author intentionally reserved “for the end of the cycle” and did not rush to publish. In one of his letters, Goytisolo warned Chesi about the radical nature of this text, noting that it could puzzle even experienced readers.
The writer’s friends, including former schoolmates Jorge Velasco and Antonio Meilan, are also helping systematize his legacy. They recall that Chesi always wrote by hand first, then transferred the text to a computer, endlessly editing until he achieved the desired result. The archives contain works written back in the ’80s and ’90s, some of which are as long as 400 pages.
Influence and recognition
Although Chesi never sought recognition, his work was highly regarded in select circles. Critics praised his ability to imitate the styles of great writers such as Borges, Lorca, and Cernuda, but by the early 1980s he had developed a distinctive and easily recognizable voice of his own. His approach to literature was unconventional: he wrote for himself, without the reader in mind, which allowed him to maintain creative freedom and independence.
In his later years, Chesi continued to write even after retiring. He spent up to eight hours a day reading and composing, creating fairy tales for his granddaughter and working tirelessly on new texts. Following his passing, a major commemorative cultural evening is being organized in Ourense, where excerpts from his unpublished works will be presented.
In Spain, there have been several instances when previously unknown manuscripts were discovered after an author’s death. In recent years, unreleased works by Manuel Chaves Nogales and Carmen Laforet were published, sparking renewed interest in their writing. Such discoveries often become sensations, reshaping views on the country’s literary heritage and introducing new names to a wider audience. With Chesi, attention to his archives may lead to a rethinking of an entire layer of contemporary Spanish prose.
