The interest created by love as a literary topic produced a whole novelistic tendency marked by The Celestine. However, the best-known novel of the XVI century was The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and of His Fortunes and Adversities, published anonymously; three different first editions (Burgos, Alcalá and Amberes) from 1554 are still stocked. The first edition could be from 1552 or 1553 so, when was the Lazarillo written? Marques Villanueva proposes a late date, very close to 1554; M. J Asensio, on the contrary, proposes an earlier date. The author is still unknown; there have been many attributions throughout history (some unfounded, others with a stronger foundation) but for the time being, with the data recollected by now, it seems to be impossible to uncover this secret. Some people think it could be Fray Juan de Ortega, others say is Diego Hurtado de Mendoza or one of the Valdés brothers, even Sebastian de Horozco has been named too. The enigma is still unsolved.
The Lazarillo is a comedy, sometimes brutal, and one of the funniest books in Spanish literature because it was written with a clever and sharp style.
