En un tiempo en que el gusto por la literatura se dividía entre la novela caballeresca y la pastoral, se publicó a mediados del siglo XVI el Lazarillo de Tormes. Narra en primera persona la cruda vida de un antihéroe que con afán de subsistir a los brutales castigos de sus amos, un ciego, un clérigo, un escudero, un fraile.., emplea una buena dosis de burla y astucia para poder comer y beber algo más de lo que le permiten. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION The unlikely heroes of the Spanish picaresque novels make their way - by whatever means they can - through a colourful and seamy underworld populated by unsavoury beggars, corrupt priests, eccentrics, whores and criminals. Both Lazarillo de Tormesand Pablos and the swindler are determined to attain the trappings of the gentleman, but have little time for the gentlemanly ideals of religion, justice, honour and nobility. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.