Pedro Almodóvar's most personal book: a self-portrait articulated in twelve stories that reveal his secret passion for writing.

"This book is the closest thing to a fragmented autobiography. [...] The reader will end up getting the maximum information about me as a filmmaker, as a storyteller, and how my life makes one thing and the other all blend together."

This is how the author defines this volume, in a brilliant introduction that also serves as a framework: the twelve stories that comprise it span several periods, from the late 1960s to the present day, and reflect some of his most intimate obsessions, as well as his evolution as an artist. The dark school years, the influence of fiction on life, the unexpected effects of chance, the sophistication of humor, the drawbacks of fame, the fascination with books, and experimentation with narrative genres are some of the themes that populate this essential book, which contains multiple layers of meaning.