Swindler and Lazarillo de Tormes

Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645), author of The Swindler, was a prolific writer of poetry and prose and closely involved in Spanish and Italian politics. After killing an opponent in a duel in 1611, he moved to Italy where he spent some time as a prison governer, and some time imprisoned in a monastery as a result of his writings. The authorship of Lazarillo is unknown. Michael Alpert is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wesminster and has published widely on Spanish history.

• Chronology; further reading; translator's note; a note on currency; map - Spain with the journeys of Lazaro and Pablos; "Lazarillo de Tormes"; "The Swindler (El Buscon)".