Spanish literary critics and poets of the stature of Juan Ram?n Jim?nez, Gerardo Diego, Rafael Alberti and Pedro Salinas, have noted repeatedly the importance of Fernando Villal?n's work, and the originality and significance of his poetry. The present book is the first in-depth study of Villal?n's literary production. It examines how the extraordinary popularity Villal?n enjoyed as a person has to a great extent overshadowed his work, and separates, finally, the myth relative to Villal?n's personality and life-style from historical reality.