Antonio Ángel Custodio Gala y Velasco was born on 2 October 1930[1][2] in Brazatortas, Ciudad Real (Castile-La Mancha), although he moved very soon to Córdoba[3] and is widely considered an Andalusian.

[4][5][6][7] A graduate in law, philosophy, politics, and economics, he wrote in a wide variety of genres, including journalism,[3] short stories, essays and television scripts.

[8] Gala's work is more appreciated by his readership than by the critics, who find it hard to classify due to its particular blend of lyricism and epic.

[9][10][7] Among his most successful plays are Los verdes campos del Edén (The Green Fields of Eden, National Theatre Prize "Calderón de la Barca" 1963), Anillos para una dama (Rings for a Lady, 1973), ¿Por qué corres, Ulises?

[8][3][15] Gala started to write novels late in life, but he obtained an overwhelming success with El manuscrito carmesí (The Crimson Manuscript, Planeta Prize 1990), La regla de tres (The Rule of Three, 1996) and La pasión turca (Turkish Passion, 1993), adapted for the cinema by Spanish director Vicente Aranda and Más allá del Jardín (Beyond the Garden, 1995),[15][3] adapted by Pedro Olea.