Benito Perez Galdes (May 10, 1843 - January 4, 1920) was a Spanish realist novelist. Considered second only to Cervantes in stature, he was the greatest Spanish realist novelist. He was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, and, when nineteen years old, he moved to Madrid, where he spent most of his adult life. In Spain, most popular are the early works: the Episodios nacionales (46 volumes), outside Spain his Novelas espaeolas contemporeneas are more popular
