Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through Spain and Its Secret Past

Book Description

The appearance, more than sixty years after the Spanish Civil War ended, of mass graves containing victims of Francisco Franco’s death squads finally broke what Spaniards call “the pact of forgetting”—the unwritten understanding that their recent, painful past was best left unexplored. At this charged moment, Giles Tremlett embarked on a journey around the country and through its history to discover why some of Europe’s most voluble people have kept silent so long.

Ghosts of Spain is the fascinating result of that journey. In elegant and passionate prose, Tremlett unveils the tinderbox of disagreements that mark the country today. Delving into such emotional questions as who caused the Civil War, why Basque terrorists kill, why Catalans hate Madrid, and whether the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people in 2004 dreamed of a return to Spain’s Moorish past, Tremlett finds the ghosts of the past everywhere. At the same time, he offers trenchant observations on more quotidian aspects of Spanish life today: the reasons, for example, Spaniards dislike authority figures, but are cowed by a doctor’s white coat, and how women have embraced feminism without men noticing.

Drawing on the author’s twenty years of experience living in Spain, Ghosts of Spain is a revelatory book about one of Europe’s most exciting countries.

Customer Reviews:

An outsider's insight.......2007-05-28

A British journalist who has lived 20 years in Spain, married and raising his 2 children in Madrid, the author investigates, reveals and muses upon Spanish culture, history and the forces of the "two Spains" as they come together, or rub against each other, in forming the modern Spanish world. A fascinating look at Spain, its subcultures from the Basques to the Catalans to flamenco to the Galicians, to drug culture to tourism and the very difficult and delicate process of choosing to forget the differences of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's regime in order to move forward in a country that was once the most powerful on earth.
I like Spain and its history. This is one of the very best insights into modern Spain. Highly recommended.

A Pale Secret.......2007-05-22

A liberal British newspaper reporter's hit and miss attempt at a book explaining Spain (his nearly adopted country) to us outsiders. Some hits (like how modern Spain handles the dark legacy of Franco) are offset by a number of misses.

Historical facts, or guesses as to historical facts, get thrown in as space fillers; events that catch Mr. Tremlett's fancy are highlighted, whether reflective of the whole Spanish society or not; the level of writing is often barely above that of a talented reporter on deadline. The final meandering chapter entitled "Moderns and Ruins", especially, cries out for editing.

Great book about a fascinating country.......2007-05-19

This is a great journalistic account of the social and political changes that have transformed Spain up to the present day. Tremlett discusses the country's past and present in fairly equal measure. He begins by looking at the legacies of the Spanish Civil War, discussing how only in the past decade has the full scale of the atrocities that took place come to light. He discusses how Spaniards whose relatives were killed by the Francoists have pushed in recent years for their relatives to be given decent burials. He also writes an interesting chapter on Franco's overall legacy, arguing that after his death and the country's transition to democracy he has been largely purged from public discourse. Despite this collective amnesia that he identifies, Tremlett points out that the same left-right cleavage that drove the war still lurks below the surface of Spanish society. The book also contains chapters on the Basque, Catalan, and Galician regions. Tremlett provides very insightful analysis of the origins of and main forces behind Basque and Catalan nationalism, while his chapter on Galicia details that region's emergence as a conduit for Columbian cocaine. One of my favorite chapters looked at gender relations in Spain, in which Tremlett provides some very amusing anecdotes that reveal contrasts between Spain and his native Britain. This chapter also discusses Tremlett's quest to understand the paradox of how a country can be so awash in brothels (which, he reports, 1/4 of Spanish men visited) yet relatively conservative in terms of the sexual mores of its people.

Other subjects covered here include Spain's emergence as a global tourism magnet (and the corruption that has often emerged alongside it) and the 2004 Madrid train bombing, which indirectly led to the defeat of the ruling party in the elections several days later. This was an interesting chapter, in which Tramlett looked at the ways in which the main parties tried to capitalize on this tragedy for political gain. Overall, I found Tremlett to be a very keen analyst of social and political relations, and there weren't really any weak chapters. For instance, I considered skipping a chapter on flamenco music, not being particularly interested in the musical form itself, but the chapter ended up including a fascinating discussion of the social history of Spain's gypsies.

Overall, I would heartily recommend this book to anybody interested in Spanish history, culture, and/or politics. I would NOT recommend it to those expecting more of a travel guide type of book; although Tremlett does visit and write evocatively about numerous regions, such descriptions are not the main substance of this book. If I had to make one minor criticism, it is that the chapters themselves were often not tightly organized. For example, the chapter on the Basques jumps from past to present and does not really follow any sort of structure. This wasn't really a problem for me, because Tremlett writes well and never bored me, but it might be a problem to some. Another minor complaint is that the book doesn't include a map, which might have been useful for readers like me who aren't intimately familiar with Spain's geography. Overall, though, I think that this is social and political journalism at its finest, and anybody wishing to learn more about this fascinating country could do worse than to start here!

Spain's a Fun Country to Visit.......2007-04-29

The first time tht I went to Spain the country was still under Franco. When getting off the plane, every arriving passenger was photographed. This set a tone that made you never forget where you were. Now going to Spain is like going to any other country. There is no problem going from one city to another. The people are friendly to Americans. The food, trains, hotels, highways are all good.

This book looks underneath these obvious outward trappings to the held over anguish from the Franco time. He also looks further backwards to the regional conflicts with Basque seperatists, and more recently to the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people using bomb attacks in 2004.

Spain remains a little bit different than the rest of Western Europe. Mr. Tremlett has lived in Spain for twenty years and has done an excellent job of bringing together the history and the current situation to explain the current country that is Spain.

The Real Spain.......2007-04-15

Giles Tremlett has written a highly readable, incisive portrait of Spain today--its problems and its pleasures. His presentation of the manner in which Spain has chosen to deal with the aftermath of Francisco Franco's death is particularly well written and revealing. He examines how the decades of dictatorship and brutal repression have been swept under the rug of collective consciousness by Spaniards choosing not to confront it or attempt to reconcile themselves with this difficult episode in their nation's history. The author's years of closely observing Spain, and reporting on its politics and culture for Britain's most respected newspaper, The Guardian, have given him a wonderful sense of both the large picture and the quotidian details, which do so much to bring this book to life.
Anyone wanting a sense of what today's Spain is all about will find it in these pages.

Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day® (10 Minutes a Day Series)

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Best Help and Fast Review
Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day
A good Start
Wonderful Product
Good for a traveler, Not for a class

Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day® (10 Minutes a Day Series)
Kristine K. Kershul
Manufacturer: Bilingual Books (WA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0944502598

Book Description

A fun, engaging, 132-page complete language learning workbook. Includes 150 sticky labels, flash cards, a cut out menu, a crossword puzzle and more. Original art and an open format are just two of the many reasons why this is one of the bestselling language series in print.

Customer Reviews:

Best Help and Fast Review.......2007-09-24

I first checked this book out from the library. It is so good , I purchased a copy from Amazon. This book has the normal words used everyday. It is easy to follow and you do it at you own pace. You are learning how to speak in easy short sentences. It has flash cards that speed up the learning process. Of all the reference books I have, this is the one I pick up first. This book will be great if you are going on vacation and only need to know certain things :)

Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day.......2006-08-15

This text is either for the very beginning beginner or a good review for the person who has been away from Spanish for a time.
It is done in a logical manner and in workbook form. It has stickers for nouns and cutouts for flashcards of the important beginning vocabulary in the book. It is fun to do and quick to finish.

A good Start .......2006-04-07

I have read almost all of the book. Along with the CDs I think the set would be very good for a beginner but not enough for adequate conversation. No conjugation rules mentioned. You have to be enrolled in a spanish teaching class to fill in the defecits that this set have. Overall I think my spanish improved alot from 0% spanish to 50% now,which is not bad to a beginner....

Wonderful Product.......2006-02-24

We are a homeschooling family and we were looking for a good beginning Spanish program. This program was recommended to me by several people so I thought we would give it a try. My daughter and I are learning together and we are finding this program easy to use and alot of fun. I think it would be a great program for older elementary (my daughter is 14) - adult. The CDs are a must because they teach you the correct pronouncation for each word. The stickers are a great way to incorporate Spanish into your everyday life. Excellent program. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to learning Spanish for educational purposes and for those who are planning a trip to a Spanish speaking country.

Good for a traveler, Not for a class.......2005-08-12

I began using this as text for a class of mine, but quickly only used it as a supplement. You are to simply copy the words and say them in 10 minutes each day. It's a great theory, but very difficult to absorb any language through this method. The vocabulary is bent toward the traveler - what to pack, where's the restaurant, I'd like to order, that type of phrasing.

The color pictures make it seem like it might be aimed at a younger crowd, but the exercises were a bit stale for anyone under high school age.

Overall, this is a good crash course if you're about to leave for a week's vacation in a Spanish-speaking country. To learn how to truly communicate in Spanish, you need something more thorough on grammar points and practice. The fact that no CD comes with it also makes pronunciation a concern for the novice learner.

For the much younger child, Flip Flop Spanish is a great tool which comes with a CD.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Authoritative edition
A highly entertaining, unforgettable masterpiece
An Antti Keisala Comment: Introspective Quijote.
A Great, Grand, Wonderful Book
Hilarious!

Don Quijote de la Mancha
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra , and Francisco Rico
Manufacturer: Alfaguara
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 8420467286

Book Description

Launched simultaneously in Spain and the Americas, this work aims to divulge the great novel of Spanish Literature by means of a high quality, well-taken care of edition at a very reduced price. The book contains a prologue by Mario Vargas Llosa, an introductory text and complementary analysis by other academics, along with an extensive glossary of terms that will help readers get to know Cervantes' language. This beautiful hardbound edition is 5 x 8 inches, 1360 pages of fine biblical Italian paper, and will be sewn at the spine with fine vegetable thread. This work constitutes, without a doubt, the most complete, serious, high quality commemorative edition.

Having an immediate success when first published 400 years ago, and with its experimental form and literary playfulness, Don Quixote has been recognized as the world's first modern novel. Don Quixote tells the story of a middle-aged Spanish gentleman who, obsessed with the chivalrous ideals found in romantic books, decides to take up his lance and sword to defend the helpless, destroy the wicked, and win the heart of his beloved Dulcinea. Seated upon his ever so lean horse, and accompanied by the pragmatic and faithful squire Sancho Panza, Don Quixote rides the roads of Spain seeking glory and grand adventure. Along the way the duo meet a dazzling assortment of characters whose diverse beliefs and perspectives reveal how reality and imagination are frequently indistinguishable.

Customer Reviews:

Authoritative edition.......2007-10-05

This is a wonderful edition (in Spanish) of this classic. It's surprisingly modern and entertaining in the original Spanish. The footnotes are very helpful. The book is compact and easy to transport. Essays about the text round out the novel. If you want to read Don Quijote in the original language, this is the book to get. The price is right. The binding is excellent. My only complaint is the small print which is a little hard on the eyes, but probably only for older readers (like me).

A highly entertaining, unforgettable masterpiece.......2007-08-21

I read Don Quijote in Spanish (my native language) and actually started the book as a sort of challenge. I am not daunted by long books or by the classics, but I was afraid I would not care much for the story of the madman who fancies himself a knight after reading too many chivalry novels.

I started out with a lot of dread - the language is old-fashioned and it needs a little getting used to. I had to look up words frequently and I thought the whole 1100 pages would be a chore. But I was in for a big surprise: not only did I get used to the language right away (the notes to this edition are very helpful in that regard), I also started to enjoy its beauty. Cervantes has a way with words that is a delight to Spanish speakers of any time or age. And it is so funny! I found myself laughing out loud many times, especially at Cervantes' turns of phrase or at the sheer ridiculousness of the situations Don Quijote and Sancho get themselves into... what a delight! I had certainly not expected this book to be FUNNY - but it IS!

Also: Don Quijote and Sancho Panza are two of the most endearing characters I have found in literature, absolutely lovable. I had a hard time saying goodbye to them at the end of the book. And as Jorge Luis Borges said, it seems Cervantes had a hard time letting go of Alonso Quijano, too: the death of Don Quijote is told in a sentence that gets me every time in its simplicity and its love for the subject.

I won't go into the metafiction aspect of the novel - I mostly read for pleasure and I'm not a literary critic, but I enjoyed the essays that accompany this edition. In particular, that of Mario Vargas Llosa really opened my eyes to the fiction-within-fiction and the construction of the novel, as well as to other aspects of Don Quijote that enriched my experience of the novel.

In sum - this book works at all levels and for almost anyone, old or young. It delivers entertainment, two memorable and thoroughly lovable characters and food for thought, all in one package. Quite an accomplishment. No wonder Cervantes is among the literature greats!

An Antti Keisala Comment: Introspective Quijote........2007-02-19

I haven't yet gained the courage to give any special comment to any of the Shakespeares. But I'm now going to embark on the second hardest path: to say anything meaningful of Cervantes.

Cervantes is the creator of much, and if I tell you that I believe he has, alongisde to the Bible and Shakespeare, created the Western consciousness (here confess being heavily influenced by Bloom) I think you might get an idea of how much I respect the man and his work. And then I'm interested in something I call narrative introspection, which is basically a personal transmogrification of other theories of self-consciousness and self-reference in storytelling. If nothing else, I'm going to shed some light on this subject.

It feels daunting to write anything about Don Quijote, because like Hamlet, he seems to have usurped our culture in such a way that they're simply larger than the limits we know. They've been shaping our literary culture in such a profound way it's almost impossible to either approach them or given any new insight into them. That is, this comment doesn't pretend to be important in any way. And because in every instance I make clear that Bloom is an important influence in my ways of reading, I'll paraphrase him as he talks about the paradigm of how poets can't be Adams in the early morning; that there've been too many Adams that have already named everything. We simply approach wisdom and wit greater than ours, whatever we do. This is, in fact, a nicely and healthily humble way of approach Cervantes. He is one of the few Adams I can tell who have been naming everything for us.

The Introspective Narrative. So let's begin by talking about the introspective narrative. This is a term that simply refers to the self-conscious nature of narrative. If you know your Quijote, you already know exactly the things I refer to. Tristram Shandy is like this. Bulgakov, Joyce, Proust, Borges, Saramago, all of them and many more. This happens when a book is openly a book, and many times a book about books. Quijote is to me the epitome of this approach to literature, as in here the whole structure is astonishingly complicated. So complicated, in fact, that not many modern books can match this.

First, we have a book that Cervantes, the narrator, claims to have in his possession. This book is arguably written in Arabic, of which the humble narrator merely makes a translation. An interesting detail is that in Islamic countries any translation of the Qu'ran is treated only as an interpretation. If we select an approach like this it already adds another layer to the story: that what we get is not only a translation, it's an interpretation of the original. Then we have the story itself, that of an elderly man living in the villa of La Mancha, interested in romances of chivalry. What happens is like from a dream come true: the reality of this elderly man mixes with the reality (or should we say 'fiction') of the romances in a way that creates a character called Don Quijote (I rather use this spelling over Quixote) who starts to live this chivarly fiction. What happens is something unique in works that were to come: a shift of reality, where we can view both realities, occurs not mechanically but organically through the most genius device: Quijote starts to enchant Sancho Panza, who starts believing his master's fiction. Sancho is the centre of all the different kind of shifts, as there are some obvious things he recongizes as fiction, yet some he believes. And then there are stories told throughout and some of these mesh with the 'reality' we're attached to, that of Quijote/Pancha.

The latter volume takes this further. If you don't already know, there was an imitation-Cervantes publishing an alleged second part to Don Quijote. Cervantes himself addresses this in the preface, but takes it further by inserting that book into the reality of Don Quijote: Quijote, who of course is a 'fictional' character in his own world, finds out that there is a book of a hidalgo named Don Quijote that has been published and getting some widespread attention. Characters move from layer to layer, and characters that are fictional to our Sancho and company suddenly emerge in the same layer as do our heroes.

It shouldn't be that surprising that such introspection is natural and extremely organically handled in Spanish-language (or Portuguese) literature, and now cinema. Borges, an Argentine, is a literary giant who dedicated much of writings to ideas like this; Saramago, perhaps the greatest living writer alongside Harold Pinter, does the same yet with a synthesis that's highly unpredictable and shrouded into the wafflings of the narrator, as in "The Gospel According to Jesus Christ" and "Stone Raft". Gabriel García Marquez helped to create a re-emerging literary genre with his magical realism, a sort of an anti-thesis to the `artificial', that is, provocative self-reference of the works like Tristram Shandy. In cinema Julio Medem and others (Almodóvar, Cuarón, Iñárritu) are rewriting the ways in which you show narrative visually.

The Style of Cervantes: Irony & Self-Reference. The gamut of Cervantes' ironic flare is distinguishably excessive, erratic in a sophisticated way that's comparable to only that of Shakespeare or Chaucer. This is the funniest book, especially if you're into the whole self-reference thing. There is constant punning and sublime irony. Only Bulgakov is as radically and deliciously grotesque with his irony, making him the decendant of Cervantes, just as Douglas Adams could be the descendant of Lewis Carroll. The second part is more unified, but it lacks the fervent humour. But there the irony becomes organically a part of the shifting layers, and this is the birth of a kind of layered irony, where the layers themselves comment on each in an ironic way.

I haven't read Cervantes in English so I can't comment on the translation. I know it in the original Spanish and Finnish, my native language, in which we have an excellently ironic translation available. Yet if you're looking for an edition in the original Spanish, this is worthy; this is the 400th anniversary Real Academia edition I'm talking about. It has editorial insight, yet what it preserves is the beauty of Cervantes' language. Modern Spanish meanings of difficult words to comprehend are given in annotation. I've been reading this with the Finnish translation, then by itself, and it's a profound experience. And I'm really not the right person to brag about his Spanish. But this is a great edition to strengthen both your Spanish and read the great genius in his own, familiar language.

The edition itself is a hefty book, almost 1,400 pages. The paper's thin, yet the text remains readable. Of all the introducing writings, Mario Vargas Llosa's "Una novela para el siglo XXI' is the most vividly written. Also included are Francisco Ayala's "La Invención del `Quijote'" and Martín de Riquer's "Cervantes y el `Quijote'". Notes on the text are provided in summary by Francisco Rico. A glossary of words is also provided in the end of the book. Very useful, very well thought out.

A treasure of a book.

A Great, Grand, Wonderful Book.......2007-02-13

A middle-aged Spanish gentleman with too much time on his hands devotes himself to romantic novels of knighthood and chivalry. As he loses himself in this literature his mind begins to snap. He decides to become a latter-day knight-errant, a man who rides through the world in an old suit of armor, righting wrongs and protecting the helpless, just like the heroes of his books. His journey through the countryside leads to one disaster after another, one catastrophic misunderstanding after another. Funny--yes, but also touching and moving.

Later Don Quijote is joined by his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, who is supposedly of sound mind--at least sounder than his master--a simple, earthy man given to spewing cliches and trying to correct his master's misconceptions. Sancho also has his fantasy--that he will be rewarded with an island to rule, and riches.

Of course you know what happens--or, do you? The book is packed with diversions, digressions, conversations, poems. pastoral entertainments, dramas of unrequited love, and the growing fame of the characters even as they ride--so that by the end of Part II they are running into people who have read part I. The book is written simply, in conversational style, but packed and layered with meaning.

I think a person should be over fifty to really appreciate Don Quijote, but if you can't wait, well, I won't stop you. You'll just have to read it again later. It's the greatest story of a midlife crisis ever written, but it's also much, much more. A story about mankind and its vanities and its willingness to pursue fantasy and its need for freedom. Don Quijote and Sancho seem to fail at every turn, yet in fact, they have changed the world. And are changing it still. Somewhere, somewhere they're riding still. I recommend this one with total enthusiasm. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Hilarious!.......2007-01-06

If you liked Don Quixote in English, you will LOVE it in Spanish.

Nothing like reading something in its original language. The only problem you could have is not understanding some of the words, and tenses because of the "Old Spanish" but don't worry, this book has footnotes for that.

Nothing gets lost in time.

Buy it, and read it. This version is great!

Average customer rating:

Classic
Overrated Drivel
an excruciatingly painful read - only do so if you must
Racist Garbage
Borderlands/La Frontera's Philosophical import

La frontera / Borderlands
Gloria Anzaldua
Manufacturer: Aunt Lute Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1879960567

Book Description

Experimental, inventive, provocative and above all visionary, Gloria Anzaldua's work is widely recognized among scholars of Chicano/Latino, Gay and Lesbian, Women's, Postcolonial, Ethnic and Cultural Studies as a foundational elaboration of the politics and poetics of cultural hybridity. Both Borderlands/La Frontera and Making Face/Making Soul: Haciendo Caras are all about understanding the complex and competing social, political and cultural forces that shape-sometimes quite brutally-the experiences of women of color in the U.S., and they are all about taking that understanding and mobilizing it toward creative and revisionary efforts for making social change.

"One of the 100 Best Books of the Twentieth Century"-Hungry Mind Review (Spring 1999)

"Anzaldua's voyage of discovery, focused on the border and the new mestiza, is a preparation for the future. The border is a bundle of contradictions and ambiguities... This hybrid crossroads is just the right kind of training ground. It is fertile area for mutations and transformations. In Borderlands/ La Frontera, Gloria Anzaldua is our guide with an all-encompassing vision to charge the border with meaning."-The Americas Review

"[She] explores in prose and poetry the murky, precarious existence of those living on the frontier between cultures and languages. . . .she meditates on the conditions of Chicanos in Anglo culture, women in Hispanic culture, and lesbians in the straight world. ...a powerful document."-Library Journal

A "Best of 1987" Library Journal selection.

"Anzaldua's vision encompasses spiritual and experiential aspects of female power, as well as the day-to-day courage and struggle that has characterized Chicano survival."-The San Francisco Chronicle

Customer Reviews:

Classic.......2007-06-28

Not much can be said to some of the postings I see here--to those that suggest the third tier prose, those that call this work "racist," those that implore statements like "I hated it." These are the same people that vote for their own oppression, these are the very people that fancy their success on some sense of entitlement. Relax, you do not have to agree, but hear me out.

Classic. Classic.

With the colorful enagement of gender, consciousness, and subconscious indeterminacy, the creation of a new utopia (racial, linguistic, gender, cultural, etc) is suggested by the prose of self actualization. This book is about all of us--it is about the exchanges we have with domination, be it familial or societal. It's loose diction is its very strength, it does not confide to the subordination of patriachal, hegemonic forces of tradition. The reflexive allegorical stories and unpacking of our human complexity give it a breathing body and a compelling face.

Anzaldua suffered greatly for not writing like "the male pimps," those that claim a fanatical space in some high art and legitimacy canon. It was her filter of difference, it was her cries for something else, that connects with everyone at a spiritual level. I do not know how this can be connected to some mundane powerpoint presentation at a university; this piece involves the full of enagement of mind, body, and soul. To contextualize it--one needs to read consistently. In order to feel out her domain, one must be willing go beyond what "our mom said" or "what our 6th grade teacher" told us about this and that. This about the struggle for agency; this about search for Thoreau's Walden amidst sociohistorical forces that still "do not see."

Welcome it. This classic work of literature, philosophy, education...remains one of the most unrecognized treatises on being and becoming.

Overrated Drivel.......2007-01-16

I find it interesting that such a supposedly important and relevant contemporary work has only been reviewed by 11 people at the time of this writing. That alone tells you all you need to know since this is a book that is classed under both Latino and Women's Studies, and is part of many university literary programs.

The book is pretentious claptrap of the worst kind. If this book were judged on its merits rather than by popular, politically correct notions, it wouldn't come close to making the cut.

Alas, academia has embraced the book as a great work, and so it is required reading for an English M.A. program at a major university that I was accepted into. An English M.A.! Once I saw that this book was part of the program, I didn't even bother registering.

I don't mind rants against social, cultural and economic injustices. I've read many. But Ms. Anzaldua is no James Baldwin, that's for sure.

an excruciatingly painful read - only do so if you must.......2006-09-18

This book is a tormented stream of consciousness from a lady who was obviously fighting major demons. It is exactly the type of book that you would expect an amateur academic to "wow" and "gush" over, as it nicely fits into the dogmatic radicalism of Chicano Studies. The discerning reader, on the other hand, sees page after page of outdated cliches, sob-stories, and anger-filled tantrums. Anzaldua would like you to believe her suffering and self-searching is all the fault of the "white" culture encroaching upon the enlightened cosmic race of the mestiza. She'd like you to think that her mestiza/chicana/lesbian/female identity is the sole cause of her misfortune and hardship. What becomes overwhelmingly evident upon reading her unabashed torrent of decadent self-pity is the learned and self-enforced quality of her "opression". Anzaldua helplessly wallows in her romantic fatalism dreaming of the great mestiza revolution that will fix all of the world's problems by turning the middle class value system upside down.

If you like romantic literature, and enjoy the hopeless and sorrowful ramblings of society's self-marginalized, I might suggest "The Sorrows of the Young Werther" by Goethe or some poems by Lord Byron - at least then you get some literary value.

Racist Garbage.......2006-08-08

While most reviewers seem to be bent on lauding Gloria Anzaldúa's "insightful and progressive" writings, I can't help but take a different viewpoint. The vast majority of her essays, while cloaked in a sense of righteous equality, are quite simply racist drivel. She speaks of acceptance and tolerance for foreign cultures in America, and harps on the evils of correcting students when they use improper English, yet instills her writing with a blatant and offensive racism.

I make specific reference to the article "How to Tame A Wild Tongue". In her conclusion, she praises the perseverance and endurance of the mestizo race/culture, making reference to walking by "the crumbling ashes" of American civilization. An eagerness is felt to see the day that "white laws and commerce will rot in the desert". One would be hard pressed to come up with a more hypocritical conclusion. Here is an author preaching tolerance and acceptance of different languages and cultures throughout her entire article. She whines about the troubles she had fitting in with English speaking people. She goes in depth to explain the numerous bastardizations of Spanish that are spoken in various Hispanic cultures and tries to convince us of how each is a viable language, even so-called "Spanglish", just a blend of English and Spanish that you might hear in a high school Spanish I class ("el chairo = chair,la ceilingo = ceiling, etc.) . And after all that talk of acceptance, she ends by completely blasting American culture and expressing her wish to see it crumble to dust, while at the same time presenting the mestizo as the dominant race which will endure this fall. Talk about racist. I understand pride of your country and people, but this goes far beyond simple nationalism, especially in light of the overall message of the article. Tolerance is right out the window here.

Don't be fooled by Anzaldúa's overly wordy diction and pseudo-intellectualism. She is a flat out racist that for some reason is tolerated (forget that, praised to the roof!) in many academic circles. Her educational philosophy is naive, irresponsible, and fundamentally flawed. Hopefully her writings will soon fall out of the limelight.

Borderlands/La Frontera's Philosophical import.......2006-05-02

Other reviewers have covered many of the qualities of the work, so I want to dwell on just one point - don't be fooled into thinking that this work is useful only as a personal study on Anzaldua's cultural/gender/queer theory.

Anzaldua is of high importance to any philosophy of the social; within her writing you can find the key insights of figures such as Derrida and Nietzsche, as they relate to personal identity crafted out of a fractured heritage. Her point is that we are ALL borderlanders given that the human condition involves being stretched across a chasm of self-alterity. Only through a full recognition of this can a critical inventory of the self be undertaken, which is a prerequisite to responsibility and genuine care of the self.

The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

Average customer rating:

España: An economic miracle in today's Europe!
Just the Facts
Detailed examination of the Spanish Civil War
Dress Rehearsal
Good-but the Bias shows through

The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939
Antony Beevor
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 014303765X

Book Description

A fresh and acclaimed account of the Spanish Civil War by the bestselling author of Stalingrad and The Fall Of Berlin 1945

To mark the 70th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War's outbreak, Antony Beevor has written a completely updated and revised account of one of the most bitter and hard-fought wars of the twentieth century. With new material gleaned from the Russian archives and numerous other sources, this brisk and accessible book (Spain's #1 bestseller for twelve weeks), provides a balanced and penetrating perspective, explaining the tensions that led to this terrible overture to World War II and affording new insights into the war—its causes, course, and consequences.

Customer Reviews:

España: An economic miracle in today's Europe!.......2007-10-01

Interested in understanding today's western world? this might be the book to start the quest... A miracle in Europe, no doubt, España didn't turn around its economy by just watching, but by huge ammounts of work and sacrifice. El Generalisimo Francisco Franco might have been the smartest leader in those days in Europe... perhaps he knew how to wait...

Just the Facts.......2007-09-13

I bought this book because I felt the need to learn something about the background to Rebecca Pawel's novels. Now I understand something of the genesis of brutal hatred between the two halves of the Spanish population of 1940. Truly in this war everyone's ideals were betrayed.

One complaint. A map of the historic regions of Spain would have made sense of the constant references to Aragon, Estremadura, etc.

Detailed examination of the Spanish Civil War.......2007-07-08

Antony Beevor again undertakes a highly researched, detailed and thorough examination of the highly complex Spanish Civil War. Worth buying for anyone with an interest or for those students of history.

Dress Rehearsal.......2007-06-04

This is a fine, well-balanced study of the Spanish Civil War; its origins, the military course of the conflict, the developments on both the Nationalist and Republican sides, and the War's immediate aftermath.

Whatever the outcome of the War might have been, it would have been (and was) a disaster for the country, and it is fundamental to an understanding of Spain's place in modern Europe.

I do not think that the author takes side or neglects either: he is critical of both, adopting a realist approach about the character of Republican Spain rather than a romantic one. This book contains no rose-tinted view of the type of Spain that might have emerged in the event of a Republican victory.

The Spanish Civil War was important as it cast a reflection on wider European politics of the time: the rise of fascist power, the caution and fear of the USSR, and the cynicism of the British. No country shines brightly in this. Indeed, one can understand Churchill's concerns about how readily the British ruling classes might have cooperated with German invaders after studying their reactions to events in Spain.

The most famous work on the Spanish Civil War is perhaps Hugh Thomas's huge tome. Beevor's book is about half as long and has been updated recently. So, although Thomas's work is still well worth a read, Beevor's book might be more manageable.

G Rodgers

Good-but the Bias shows through.......2007-05-22

While this is a generally commendable book, and pulls a great amount of information from 1st hand accounts, scrutinized histories, and analysis of new archival information, Beevor lets slip an occasional anti-Traditionalist bias. He seems to accept that digging up corpses and desecrating graves was an acceptable practice, and that much of what the left did was necessary to "modernize" devotional Catholics.

I am not convinced that devotional religious people are backwards, nor do they need modernizing. Much of the Carlist response to the blasphemies of the left, and eventually Franco's taking up traditional Catholicism seems to be a logical and justified response to a violent assault on religion.

Still the book is very good, needs another edit if it goes into another publication, and could use better maps. Completely useful, if one takes note of the slight bias of the author.

Average customer rating:

Tapas:
Great source for tapas recipes for your next tapas party
A wonderful book
ESPERABA MAS DEL LIBRO, IT'S OK BUT...
los fogones de jose andres

Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America
Jose Andres , and Richard Wolffe
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400053595
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Amazon.com

In Tapas, a collection of 100-plus recipes for Spain's savory small dishes, chef José Andrés writes of journeying during his military service to Cádiz, in southern Spain, where he was "able to see the wonders of frying first hand." The passion that would lead an on-leave soldier to investigate a cooking technique infuses the book, which is something new under the sun. In chapters based on characteristic ingredients, such as fish, rice, and eggs, readers are introduced to authentic yet reproducible tapas of great and flavorful immediacy; these simple dishes, which include the likes of Tomato Toast with Spanish Ham, Pan-Fried Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp, Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Cabrales Cheese, and Spring Leeks with Mushrooms, are instantly inviting. They'll also fit into a wide range of menu slots, as hors d'oeuvres, brunch and supper fare, or as side dishes. In well-written notes, Andrés provides context and something more--a sense of a living culinary tradition, which he loves, deftly presented to best advantage. Writing, for example, of the poor quality of most stuffed olives, a favorite tapa, he exhorts readers to make their own. "Simple ingredients prepared in a simple way--that's the best way to take your everyday cooking to a higher level," he says. Amen, and an invitation to cook--and understand--wonderful food. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

The first major Spanish cookbook in two decades, from José Andrés, recently named America’s Chef of the Year by Bon Appétit.

Tapas are Spain's gift to the world of great cooking: a fresh and fun way to eat with friends and family—and easy to make at home. Using simple Mediterranean ingredients, a tapas feast is a perfect combination of little dishes packed with big flavors. Tapas by José Andrés is the first major book in a generation to celebrate this world-renowned way of eating, from a man who is the best possible authority: an award-winning Spanish chef in America, with seven highly acclaimed restaurants to his name. Recently named Bon Appétit's Chef of the Year, José is a new star in American cooking, as well as the nation's leading expert on Spanish cuisine. Having worked as a chef in the United States for two decades, he's also a thoroughly American cook who draws on American ingredients for his inspiration, and is a master at translating his native Spanish cooking for this country's kitchens. His simple and delicious recipes include:

• Fish such as American Red Snapper Baked in Salt; Monkfish with Romesco Sauce; and Basque-Style Stuffed Maryland Blue Crabs

• Chicken including Catalan-Style Chicken Stew; Chicken Sautéed with Garlic; and Chicken with Lobster

• Pork such as Chorizo Stewed in Hard Cider; Figs with Spanish Ham; and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples

• Rice dishes including Lobster Paella; Black Rice with Squid and Shrimp; and Traditional Rice with Clams

All these recipes are full of tremendous flavor and creativity, as well as in-depth ingredient notes and a rich atmosphere that will transport you to the lush countryside, hip cafés, and sun-drenched coasts of Spain—and back again to dinner at home.

This is a breakthrough cookbook from an extraordinary chef.

Customer Reviews:

Tapas:.......2007-09-16

When we traveled in Spain we discovered many different Tappas that everyone liked! I felt that these recipes required ingredients that we cannot buy in Indiana. Big cities on each coast might have squid and octapus ready to go but we do not. Not very many recipes appealed to us. Thank you. C.S.

Great source for tapas recipes for your next tapas party.......2007-07-04

José Andrés is a wonderful chef and teacher in this book devoted to the tapas of Spain. His recipes range from simple to fairly complicated but the flavors are amazing. His recipes are easy to understand and follow. The hardest part may be in finding some ingredients in local markets, but there are many recipes with items commonly found in your local grocery store. The book is nicely illustrated with pictures that make one hungry and ready to cook.

A wonderful book.......2007-04-16

I've always liked tapas, but I never knew much about their history and preparation until I came across this book. I have to admit that I've never read a book about food cover-to-cover, but this one was written so beautifully that I was just captivated.

ESPERABA MAS DEL LIBRO, IT'S OK BUT..........2007-03-18

I REALLY WANTED TO RECEIVE A MORE TRADITIONAL CONTENT ABOUT TAPAS, THERE'S A GOOD CONTENT BUT POOR ABOUT TRADITIONAL TAPAS FROM SPAIN, IT'S MORE LIKE A "FUSION CUISINE". THE PICTURES AND MATERIAL OF THE BOOK IS A VERY GOOD QUALITY.

los fogones de jose andres.......2007-02-05

A beautiful, passionate cookbook. My parents (who are my culinary and literary superiors) visit his one restaurant frequently when in DC and have met him a handful of times. The last such time they brought back a signed copy for me and I absolutely love it. The recipes are fantastic, but I will not pretend that they are simple. I love the fried eggs with potatoes and chorizo. I definitely need to get to his restaurant!

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain

Average customer rating:

Wow
A good book, but . . .
Another Excellent Book by Casas!
Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain
Perfect cook book if you love casual entertaining.

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain
Penelope Casas
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307265528
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Tapas are more than savory appetizers. "They represent a style of eating and way of life," says Penelope Casas, whose Tapas: the Little Dishes of Spain presents more than 300 recipes for the mouth-watering morsels. "So very Spanish, yet adaptable to America," she says, "they cross the line into what we think of as first course or main course dishes."

In chapters such as Tapas in Sauce; Marinades, Patés, Salads, and Other Cold Tapas; and Tapas with Bread or Pastry, Casas provides a definitive selection of the traditional Spanish bar food--dishes to pass out at a gathering, to serve on a buffet, or to make a party of. Readers wishing an introduction to this versatile food, and the culinary culture in which it thrives, will want this bestselling book.

The recipe array is vast. Sauce or ragout-like tapas include Shrimp and Mushrooms in Almond Sauce, Scallops with Cured Ham and Saffron, and Veal Meatballs in Spicy Chorizo Sauce. Endives Filled with Salmon and Shrimp Melon and Apple Salad are two examples of the many tantalizing cold tapas. Prawns Grilled with Garlic Mayonnaise, Lamb Brochettes, and the Three-Layer Omelet, a mixed-egg and vegetable tortilla, are hot-from-the-stove, show-stopping tapas. Including eight pages of color photos, a glossary of ingredients, menus, and a list of recommended Spanish tapas bars, the book is a complete tapas tour. Cooks at all skill levels will find dozens of these tasty little morsels to make and enjoy. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

Penelope Casas, who introduced the classic little dishes of Spain to American cooks more than twenty years ago, now gives us a splendid updated edition of that seminal book—with fifty exciting new recipes and eight full pages of new color photographs showing tapas in all their glory.

Here are all the appetizer dishes that have long been a tradition in Spanish cuisine—mélanges of seafood in aromatic sauces; little ragouts of meat, sausages, beans; colorful salads and marinades; the omelets called tortillas that enclose a variety of tasty tidbits; banderillas, zesty combinations on skewers; and empanadas, savory delights encased in pastry. The new recipes Casas includes reflect the influence of the innovative cooking in Spain today—dishes seasoned with soy sauce or balsamic vinegar; ingredients wrapped in flaky phyllo pastry; accents of goat cheese and arugula; foie gras in elegant presentations.

With Spanish cooking at the forefront of today’s cuisine, this “exceptional book by the leading American authority on the foods of Spain” (as Craig Claiborne dubbed it in 1985) is a must for every adventurous cook in America today.

Customer Reviews:

Wow.......2007-02-03

This book is great, it has all the recipes I was looking for, except one, Baked Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce. I had tapas party at my house and all of the food was gone. I made 7 dishes, there were 4 of us and polished everything of. Plus three pitchers of Sangria. We are skinny too and normally do not eat like that, it just the food was so good.

A good book, but . . ........2007-01-10

This is a very good cookbook, with many recipes ranging from very easy to more complicated. If you are entertaining and want to add a bit of style to your appetizers, get this book. I only wish it would have had more pictures. There are only a few photos in the middle, and the vast majority of dishes have no accompanying picture. I like to see ahead of time what the dish should look like. But, don't let that stop you. This is a very good cookbook and is a standard reference in my kitchen.

Another Excellent Book by Casas!.......2006-10-23

Along with Foods and Wines of Spain, this book is one of a handful I keep as my culinary bibles! If you have ever had a fantasy of a perfect cocktail party -- of those cinematically perfect affairs with people in their Sunday best and fancy drinks. But instead of the usual dip and chips, you have dozens of little dishes making the rounds and people moaning in ecstasy every time they put morsel to mouth. Well, this is the book you need to make all those sensually satisfying tapas. Trust me.

Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain.......2006-08-03

This cook book is well done, has interesting recipes with good little anecdotes. I have already tried some of the recipes and they were well received at a recent party at our home. The stuffed mushrooms and other recipes are really good and received many compliments.

Perfect cook book if you love casual entertaining........2006-01-19

I bought this book when first published and really need to buy a new one as mine is so dog-eared and stained from overuse. When I was single I often entertained friends and family and they were always impressed with these dishes. Tapas are the perfect party food. Many of the recipes can be prepared a day or two ahead and then reheated when guests arrive. I have prepared almost 70% of the recipes in this book and have yet to find a bad one. One of my favorites, gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) is a sure pleaser. There are many recipes that call for Spanish paprika. Be sure to buy the "smoked" sweet paprika if you want authentic flavor.

Average customer rating:

My gosh, it is NON-Fiction
Trained Brain Explains Spain without Strain
Best travel writing ever
A truly great book
An overlong and somewhat dated love- letter to Spain

Iberia
James A. Michener
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0449207331
Release Date: 1984-10-12

Book Description

"Massive, beautiful...Unquestionably some of the best writing on Spain...The best that Mr. Michener has ever done on any subject...Stunning...Memorable."
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Here, in the fresh, vivid prose that is James Michener's trademark, is the real Spain as he experiences it. He not only reveals the celebrated Spain of bullfights and warror kings, painters and processions, cathedrals and olive orchards; he also shares the intimate, often hidden Spain he has come to know, where toiling peasants and their honest food, the salt of the shores and the oranges of the inland fields, the congeniality of living souls and the dark weight of history conspire to create a wild, contradictory, passionately beautiful land, the mystery called Iberia.

Customer Reviews:

My gosh, it is NON-Fiction.......2006-10-19

As a James Michener fan I thought this would be his usual excellent book. It may be good for others, but it wasn't for me. Well duh, it is NON-Fiction. I'm sorry but it didn't have the usual Michener way of grabbing you. This is probably a great book for a studious reader, someone interest in the details of Spain (Iberia). Unless that's you maybe you should skip this one.

Trained Brain Explains Spain without Strain.......2006-05-25

I've never been to Spain, but after reading Michener's mammoth work on the country, I wish I had gone long ago. I have this sneaking feeling that the place has changed out of all recognition since he published this 795 page tome in 1968. Perhaps it has become more like the rest of Europe or even more like the rest of the world than it was during the latter part of Franco's long rule. Is it still "Spanish", whatever that may mean ? Maybe, but not the same way. I'm sure I've missed that old Spain of Franco's time and maybe (also) that's not such a bad thing. What role bullfighting and flamenco play in contemporary Spain is probably open to question. Does the Catholic church have the same power that it did ? Does it still have power over the schools ? Certainly censorship has disappeared and we see any number of modern films, full of sex, from the once "protected" society. Prices have increased, poverty diminished, the cities have grown and the countryside been drained of people. Spain is now indubitably a land to which immigrants come, not one from which they go. All big changes in the last 40 years. So, you might ask, why should I bother to read an out-of-date book like this ?

You should read this book if you're going to Spain. Sure, it's not about the society you're going to see, but it's about the recent past there. It tells you a thousand things you could still see, you could find, taste, experience. You might be interested to know what things used to be like if you've already been to Spain in the last 20 years. You should read it as an intense portrait---warts and all---of a particular country, a country that has played a major role in world and European history. What you will get from this superb book is a flavor, whether your taste runs to social analysis, history, architecture, bullfighting, people, nature, or just simple travel. It's one of the great travel books of the English language, not, by the way, one of Michener's eventually rather formulaic, boring novels. Even if his political predictions and those of the Spaniards he interviewed were often off base seen in hindsight, he deals with all the issues--the landowners, the church, the Guardia Civil, the economy, Catalan and Basque separatism, the arts, and the general ability to rule and be ruled. The style is extremely readable, the photographs by Robert Vavra, outstanding, the maps satisfying. Read the other reviews of IBERIA. You'll see I'm not just whistling Dixie here. Viva España !

Best travel writing ever.......2006-05-02

I've been reading "Iberia" in preparation for a trip to Spain, and in it I've found some of the best travel writing I've ever read--and I've read a few. Michener focuses on several cities in Spain, but most of the time these are mere settings for his fascinating discourses on the history, culture and politics of a country he obviously has long been attached to. DO NOT make the mistake I did of reading just the parts that coincided with our trip--every chapter is fascinating, and now I find I'm going back and reading the parts I skipped the first time.

To call this book outdated is a bit silly--it was published in 1968 and represents a highly intelligent and well-informed look at Spain at that time, as Franco's power was waning. If he were alive today I think Michener would have been pleased. Things have turned out far better than he thought they would; he was skeptical that a two-party democracy would ever work in Spain.

I've read much of Michener's fiction but now that I've read this, I wonder if he missed his true calling. The fiction is a good way to get a feel for a place, but I know people who advise skipping the first hundred pages, and skimming through the rest. Of course this book is long too, but quite different--I read 600 of the 900 pages in 2 days--it's that good.

I can't recommend this strongly enough--by now the info on tapas bars is long outdated, but for a quirky, personal, well-informed view of Spain on the eve of democracy, I doubt you'll do better.

A truly great book.......2005-11-04

an avid fan of Michener's fiction, I decided to pick this book up to see how Michener dealt with nonfiction. I can without hesitation say that Michener is at his best in this genre. "Iberia" is a stunning achievement of meticulous care and fascinating recounting of events.
His account of Spain, though dated now by thirty years, made me feel as if I were there travelling side by side with Michener. It is wonderfully detailed and always engaging. A note of caution the spain michenor describes is not present day spain,the book is more a passionate history.

An overlong and somewhat dated love- letter to Spain .......2005-09-04

This is not a Michener novel but a Michener personal travel journal about the Spain he traveled in for thirty years and knew very well. It is rich with information about all aspects of Spanish culture and life. Michener was a writer who loved people, and loved talking to them . And this book contains the accounts of hundreds of conversations on all aspects of Spanish life.
It describes in great detail some of the main areas and cities of Spain, Madrid, Cordoba, Salamanca, Sevilla, and the Entremurada region.
It gives a tremendous amount of detail on different kinds of food and places of accomodation.It is often in this regard very critical.
Michener is a very good writer but not a great one. And there are passages of the book which are very interesting but fail to reach a higher level of poetic inspiration.
A number of the set pieces in the book are truly wonderful. I greatly enjoyed his account of the medieval Jewish traveler Binyamin Mitudela and the comparison Michener makes between his travels and times and Mitudelas.
The book is dated in certain ways. It is of course not up - to- date politically. But also in attitude. I think no editor today would allow the passage in which Michener talks about why all young married Spanish women are fat and content. And how they know in the land of no- divorce their husbands will not leave them even though all the husbands definitely take more attractive women as mistresses.
Michener writes a lot about bullfighting a sport he admires. I however found many years ago in the one bullfight I attended a lot of cruelty. I think more people today would share my concern that the cruelty to the animals simply does not justify the glorious spectacle of the bullfight.
On the whole I think it is possible to learn a lot from this book about Spain, and too about James Michener.

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Best in its class
Innovative and exceptional
Should be a "Coffee Table" book
Amazing!
Spanish Cooking Influence Spreading

The New Spanish Table
Anya von Bremzen
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0761135553

Book Description

Amazing things are happening at the new Spanish table. The sweet-hot pequillos of Navarra turn up in a classic potato tortilla (the beloved omelet found in every tapas bar). Purple-veined Cabrales butter melts across a thick grilled T-bone. Honey is drizzled over eggplant "fries." Chocolate meets olive oil, strawberries meet fennel, vanilla meets salmon. Mysteriously delicious savory ice creams—balsamic vinegar, thyme, saffron—garnish soups and seafoods.

Casual, quietly inventive, steeped in regional traditions but unmistakably modern, Spain is the new France and Italy, an ipicenter of contemporary Mediterranean cooking with a wealth of alluring flavors and preparations.

Written by Anya von Bremzen—an award-winning food writer who first fell in love with Spain in the early 1980s, introduced the Catalan genius and three-star chef Ferran Adrià to American readers in 1997, and today spends close to half her year in the country— The New Spanish Table delivers all the pleasures of this exhilarating cuisine.

It's a rustic table: Baked Fish with Romesco Potatoes. It's elegant: Rack of Lamb with Pistacchio Pesto. It's exquisitely simple: Smoky Fried Almonds with sea salt, an addictive marriage of four ingredients. It's for entertaining—dozens of tapas, paellas and cazuelas (named after the Spanish terra-cotta casseroles)—and, with its glorious comfort foods like fried eggs with crackling, crispy whites, and luscious unusual Rice Pudding Ice Cream, perfect for cozying up, alone.

Most of all, The New Spanish Table is an irresist