The Story of Spain: The Dramatic History of Europe's Most Fascinating Country

Book Description

The book is a popular history of Spain and the Spanish Empire from prehistoric times to the present day. It provides description and analysis of political, social, economic and cultural events over the centuries, which together shaped the history of this distinctive country. The book offers 60 illustrations and maps, including 16 pages of color photographs, as well as lists of historic places to visit at the end of each chapter. There is a dynastic chart, suggested readings, and index.

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction to Spain.......2006-01-24

While visiting Spain with my wife we bought this book in Seville. I enjoyed every part of it especially the end of each chapter which holds a list of the monuments relevant to the history of that chapter. I took it on a trip to Spain with my wife and it made the trip magical.

This book reviews the history of Spain from the Romans to nowadays. In his witty account, the author goes on to reveal the love, and bed affairs of kings that you wouldn't see in your censored Spanish history textbook.
For once I discovered that the world Spain comes from the Phoenician world Hispalis, 'the land of the rabbits' and that the soccer fervor that lives through Spain has its origins in the likes of Franco.
I am Spanish and learned from this book more than from all my Spanish history classes. I finally got to read about the Spanish Civil war, which was always in the last chapter of the history book and, mysteriously we never had time to cover during class (I went to a catholic school)

Many ides on this book reminded me of the 'Da Vince Code', I wonder if Dan Brown also bought the book in the cathedral of Seville while visiting there?

Trust the negative reviews and save your time.......2005-03-03

Is there substance? Yes, not a lot, but there is a brief overview of history here.

Is there fluff? Oh hell yes and way too much of it. There are just way too many asides and way too much focus on kings rather than conditions. For example, he explains that Caesar may have had a homosexual escapade in Spain. NOT PERTINENT and a little offensive to boot. Remove such things and you have about 50 pages of worthy reading and I have to question some of his findings in those 50.

He goes to great lengths to brush over Spanish atrocities in the New World and at Home, claiming they are basically English racism towards the Spanish designed as a PR campaign against. I have no doubt that such existed as the two countries have long had problems, but that doesn't mean the Spanish Conquistadors weren't brutal (and downright evil at times). And the Inquisition should never have detractors. The most telling moment of the book happens, after detailing this "racism", he then goes on another aside to tell how the Irish sold out the Spanish for a bottle of whisky. Holy crap is that the pot calling the kettle black and how any editor would let that slip through, calls into question the entire book. So I learned a little from it, but it's not worth your effort. Seek other books.

Hollywood Movie .......2005-02-21

No wonder this book has not been translated into Spanish. It would be an absolute fiasco. "The Story of Spain" was so obviously designed to be a good seller among American tourists, that it would make an excellent Hollywood movie -such is the distortion of history!

The author did very little research or none at all, and never submitted the manuscript to the scrutiny of a Spaniard scholar. To prove what I am saying I need only to state that he committed the two most capital of the sins: first, to be wrong about Spain's Saint Patron; and second, to mix up the most precious symbol of hispanidad.

In page 44 you can read: "Popular legend says that Saint James the Elder (Santiago), believed to be half-brother of Jesus, brought Christianity to the peninsula around AD 40."

Some confusion has arisen over the identity of James, the Lord's brother, who was not one of the original twelve apostles, and St. James, son of Alpheus, also known as James the Less. Neither of them is Spain's Patron Saint. In about AD 44 King Herod Agrippa I beheaded the Apostle St. James, James the Great, son of Zebedee and St. John's the Evangelist's brother. This is the one we venerate. Every Spanish man, every Spanish woman, knows the difference. Ask them.

As for the symbol of hispanidad, there is one Virgin of Guadalupe whose statue lays in a monastery near Caceres, Spain. There is another Virgin of Guadalupe, with no relation whatsoever to the first one, whose picture was, according to tradition, miraculously imprinted on an Indian's cape, that of san Juan Diego. This picture (not a statue) can be seen at a Basilica in Mexico City. The latter was declared "Queen of the Americas" by the Catholic Church. Most Latin Americans don't even know that the first one exists, let alone that She is "the symbol of hispanidad".

Avoid This Pamphlet.......2005-02-15

Mark R. Williams could have written a wonderful book, especially for vacationers whose main interest is not traveling for the sheer joy of it, but mainly in order to improve their conversational skills. People who want to sprinkle their coffee with trivia would find a lot to say about the "Spanish Character" in this little treatise on prejudice and racism. Unfortunately, there is a lot of factual error. Those trying to impress their friends with quotes taken out of this book will be the laughing stock of their listeners. For instance, the author says that Cortes married the Cuban governor's daughter, which never happened.
Mr. Williams wasted his time studying history. He never understood the lessons of this wonderful discipline. To beguine with, he lacks the most elementary attitude any social scientist has to have -the quest for objectivity. He chooses to believe every myth that suits his purposes and discard those that don't. I am aware that a judgment so harsh has to be backed up. There is plenty of evidence to show but it would consume more space than I have at my disposal. As a mere example let me quote some of the sensational material included. Felipe II -He assures us- "had several statues of himself made, some with moveable limbs. These would be hauled out whenever a crowd or foreign delegation was deemed unworthy of his attentions and propped up at a safe distance from the throngs, who never suspected that they were cheering a dummy." Mr. Williams entertains a very low concept of his readers indeed! Racism is abundant as well. He manages to offend not only the Spaniards, but the whole of Latin America. According to his unlimited arrogance, "Spaniards found Indian Civilizations that they considered backward and inferior. It was the same "superiority complex" of every colonial power throughout history and NOT COMPLETELY UNFOUNDED." Can a "scholar" fail to understand the effects of geographical isolation? I could go on and on. If you are a serious reader avoid this cheap pamphlet.

Go for Carr's "Spain: A History" Instead.......2005-01-22

This book is a cursory view of Spain's history. It is very easy to read, but I was a little put off when I found a historical inaccuracy in the very first Chapter. Williams suggests that the ancient Iberians "probably" crossed from North Africa, when the most accurate and current research (analyzing the metallurgical, agricultural, and linguistic customs of the Iberians) points conclusively to the fact that the Iberians had immigrated from the EAST VIA THE DANUBE VALLEY IN EUROPE. I admire Williams' love of Spain, a country that I adore as well; regardless, historical anomalies get on my nerves. I recommend Raymond Carr's book, Spain: A History instead.

Town and Country in Pre-industrial Spain: Cuenca 15401870 (Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time)

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Town and Country in Pre-industrial Spain: Cuenca 15401870 (Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time)
David Reher
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521352924

Book Description

This is an in-depth study of Cuenca, a hilltop town on the Castilian Meseta, from the middle of the 16th to the end of the 19th centuries. Dr Reher analyzes its socio-economic structures in the context of the urbanization of rural Spain, and shows how the history of the town is paradigmatic of the social, economic and demographic changes in urban areas of the Mediterranean basin.Based on many hitherto unpublished Spanish sources, this book is the first of its kind to come from the Iberian Peninsular. It aims to be relevent to any scholar interested in the general experience of urban development and relations with the countryside in early modern Europe.Specialists in social, economic and democraphic history, historians of Spain, historical geographers will be interested in this book.

Portuguese Empire, 1415-1808: A world on the Move

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An illuminating record of global exploration
Portuguese worldwide impact
Fascinating!
Fascinating and informative reading
Another Great Introduction

Portuguese Empire, 1415-1808: A world on the Move
RUSSELL-WOOD
Manufacturer: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0801859557

Book Description

"[Russell-Wood] enumerates Portuguese contributions to other peoples' pasts and presents, especially in the contexts of the 'ebb and flow of commodities,' the 'dissemination of flora and fauna' and the 'transmission of styles, theories and ideas.' The original feature is the author's concentration on people and transport as vectors of cultural exchange... He evokes a lively picture of the highly mobile merchants, missionaries and administrators who hurried back and forth across oceans and continents to keep the enterprise going."--Times Literary Supplement

This is the story of the first and one of the greatest colonial empires: its birth, apotheosis, and decline. By approaching the history of the Portuguese empire thematically, A. J. R. Russell-Wood is able to pursue ideas and make connections that previously have been constrained by strict chronological approaches. Using the study of movement as a focus, Russell-Wood gains unique insight into the diversity, breadth, and balance between the competing interests and priorities that characterized the Portuguese culture and its expansion spanning four centuries' events on four different continents.

"A. J. R. Russell-Wood realized that human and geographical factors contributed much to Portuguese success. Some practices were responses to the colonial experience itself. He therefore culled this historical literature, largely modern works in English including his own, to explore a rich variety of aspects of the Portuguese colonial empire... If geography is defined as mankind's relationship with its planet, this book is the essence of historical geography. Informative and entertaining, it is important for its new approach and insights, and because it confirms the amazing global perspective of Portugal's colonial rulers."--Journal of Historical Geography

"This is a book where every page bears witness to the author's fascination with the Portuguese colonial world and his deep love of his subject. It is the kind of book which results from a scholar's decision to open to the world the files he has accumulated in a lifetime's reading. As a result it is a sort of encyclopaedia of strange and recondite information, colourful detail, anecdotes and quotations. It is certainly a book that any student of Portuguese colonial activity would want to read and, indeed, to own."--Mariner's Mirror

Customer Reviews:

An illuminating record of global exploration.......2007-08-06

Well written and researched. From the preface to the last chapter the learner in you will be rejoicing. A great account of one of histories great exploration eras and the impact on the exploring nation and those they came in contact with. Great job.

Portuguese worldwide impact.......2007-06-27

What an empire, the first truly global empire! The Portuguese impact and acheivements in the world deserve greater recognition and this book will detail them. Before the British, the Dutch and the Spanish the Portuguese had achieved so much. Even today the past can be seen all over the world.

Fascinating!.......2004-03-22

This is a lively account of the Portuguese sea discoveries in the 15th and 16th century, arriving at new lands and meeting new people, the trade and other exchanges that followed, all presented in a most interesting manner. Movement, colour, adventure make this book engaging reading. I also have Hermano Saraiva' s "Portugal a Companion History", another excellent book. I think they go very well together, one for the overseas history the other for Portugal itself. These are two books that bring history to life.

Fascinating and informative reading.......2004-02-12

This book on the Portuguese history overseas is not a boring record of past events but a lively account of the intense movement of the Portuguese in the so-called Age of Discoveries, from Madeira to Brazil, to Japan and to Korea. It is a fascinating and well-documented record of the constant flow of people and commodities between Portugal and Africa, Asia and America. The superb illustrations help bring to life this constant flux and reflux. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am very happy to recommend it to anyone interested in Portugal and its people,of today and yesterday.

Another Great Introduction.......2003-10-12

In terms of scope of work, Russell-Wood's Portuguese Empire -World on the Move is a welcome addition to the "holistic" study of Portuguese overseas enterprise. To be sure, Portuguese scholarship has "caught up" with developments in Western historiography in the last two decades or so; there is also no shortage of area studies. Yet coverage remains uneven and this is especially so where English works on the subject is concerned

In terms of Western historiography, global history remains a nascent field. The diversely and globally located formal and informal enclaves does not mean that the overseas experiences belong to the Portuguese people alone, they were not to be claimed exclusively by Asians, Africans or Brazilians either; but as one scholar remarked -it was a shared memory

Like its more "matured" British counterpart, Portuguese history is increasingly interacting with indigenous and primary sources. Russell-Wood's Portuguese Empire is built on largely secondary sources, as expected; including afew Portuguese primary materials. Mastering the languages and the necessary paleography remains a daunting task for any historian. Eventhough the perspective might be Portuguese, the issues dealt with are global in nature; qualifying it in the category of world history. Russell-Wood also clarified from the beginning that he will not be probing too much into the political-administrative-military aspect but with explore the technologies, geography, demography, economics, ideas and dynamics of ecology (ie flora, fauna and disease)

In terms of perspective, the Portuguese Empire does indeed take on a "new history" approach, looking not only at the business of "the high class" in society (ie administrators and clergy) but also at the individuals and the voiceless

Whether in terms of human experience or traffic of goods, Russell-Wood has woven the international nature of the Portuguese empire well into the book. In an illustration of the former, there was a father and son team who were given appointments from Brazil to Africa to Goa and Macao and even returning briefly to Portugal to participate in the War of Spanish Succession (p 70-1). In the terms of trade, cloves from Ternate were carried to Malacca, to Cochim, then to Lisbon, reloaded there for Morocco and exchanged for wheat which became a further part of the exchange system of the South Atlantic (p 134). Excellent maps and tables were also interspersed in the book to explain the flow and traffic of commodities exchanged between the Portuguese and their hosts or that of the complicated wind system of the Atlantic or Indian Ocean

In some ways, the largely non new primary resource based and reinterpretative nature of the book meant it will still resonates afew outdated ideas. For example, the book continues to portray a planned approach by which the Portuguese were undertaking their overseas enterprise (p 21). Even the historians of the more "successful" British are conceiting that the formation of its First Empire might be more haphazard that what have been previously believed. Granted, the Portuguese venture had seen more of the state/crown intervention in the beginning than the private enterprise approach of the British; logistical and technological challenges of the time forbid a more coordinated effort

Customer Reviews:

A snapshot of the oldest continuous civilization in Europe.......2006-07-28

The Basque people are certainly an interesting race; it is believed that theirs is one of the oldest languages in Europe. Where they came from and how they ended up in northern Spain has been a point of contention between anthropologists for some time. They suffered terribly during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's; the famous painting by Picasso represents some of the suffering in the Basque city of Guernica. The people of that city had the dubious distinction of being the first in history to have been the victims of the deliberate terror bombing of civilians. The Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or ETA has been engaged in a decade's long struggle to create an independent homeland for the Basque people out of the Basque areas in Spain and France.
This book is a collection of photos taken in the Basque regions in Spain and France. It is a rugged, yet beautiful land; most of the buildings are very old. While there are some modern devices displayed in the pictures, the majority could have been taken decades ago and some perhaps over a century ago. People are meeting over drinks, coffee and traditional food. Some of the beautiful pictures of the villages in the valleys could have been taken at the turn of the century.
When people appear in the photo, one thing is clear. The Basques are a very proud people, they have lived on and worked their land for centuries and will continue to do so. Rugged mountains and terrain breeds rugged, hardy people and that certainly describes the Basques. No small set of photographs with associated explanations in a book can truly describe any culture, especially one this old. However, it can both literally and figuratively give you a snapshot and that is done very well in this book.

"The time between dogs and wolves".......2001-05-12

"A Time We Knew: Images of Yesterday in the Basque Homeland" is the product of a fascinating collaboration between photographer William Albert Allard and the dean of Basque-American literature, Robert Laxalt.

In the fall of 1967, Allard spent two months in the Basque country of northeastern Spain and southwestern France, capturing with his camera the everyday life of the people who lived there. Although Allard spoke no Basque and was linked to the Basque country only through his Basque wife, his stunning photos evoke the tremendous power of the Basque landscape and people: the haunting flanks of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques at evening; the gloomy mountains of the northern coast of Spain just at the approach of a storm; a rough-hewn woman with a scythe at Behorleguy, on the frontier between youth and age, in whose face is reflected the painful past of the ancient Basque people. From a technical point-of-view, these incredible photographs are so good that they could truly be "images of yesterday": the color is brilliant. Alas, though, "yesterday" in the Basque country is no more. The years since 1967 have seen the heavy industrialization of both the French and Spanish sectors of the Basque homeland and the gradual passing of the ancient ways Allard captures here.

Laxalt's contribution to this book is his prose vignettes, some of the best of his characteristically exquisite prose-poetry. A second-generation Basque-American whose father grew up in the French Basque country, Laxalt knows the region as well as probably anyone in the United States. While one cannot miss the heavy dose of romanticism in his prose ("Girls slender as reeds walking hand in hand down the lane, singing an ode to spring in soprano voices pure and light as air") and even pastoralism (exacerbated by the fact that the Basques are some of the world's greatest shepherds), it is obvious that Laxalt is a remarkable writer.

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On-the-go Instrction Because your time is valuable... All Audio All on the go! Beginning level instruction is presented in an all-audio format on 4 digitally-recorded CDs. You have the opportunity to learn on the go, taking advantage of time normally wasted. Study in your car, while exercising, doing yard work anywhere you can safely listen to a CD player. No accompanying books are needed to help you complete the lesson activities. Why can t learning be fun? It can! Linguaphone has chosen to present the allTalk series in an entertaining, soap-opera format. No dry old teacher with a monotone voice putting you to sleep, you follow the adventures of a visitor to a Spanish-speaking country as she interacts with individuals in a variety of interesting situations, learning the language and beginning to understand the culture. Actually learn the language Tired of spending money on language courses that don t work? Did you ever think the problem could be with the course and not you? With Linguaphone s unique learning sequence: Listen, Understand, Speak, you will find yourself actually using the language in no time at all! You are presented with a unit of the language, it is then broken down and explained to you, then you put it back together with greater understanding than just repeating what you may not have understood in the first place. . . . and learn it well! The all Talk methodology not only teaches well, but will have you speaking and understanding basic spoken Spanish in no time at all. Other popular all-audio courses require four times the cds, four times the money and four times the time to do what Linguaphone s allTalk Basic does with 4-one hour CDs.

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Sephardic Studies in the University

Manufacturer: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0838635423

Albucasis Aka Al-zahrawi: Renowned Surgeon of the Arab World (Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages)

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Albucasis Aka Al-zahrawi: Renowned Surgeon of the Arab World (Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages)
Fred Ramen
Manufacturer: Rosen Central
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 1404205101

The Moors: The Islamic West 7th-15th Centuries AD (Men-at-Arms)

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Typical Osprey book

The Moors: The Islamic West 7th-15th Centuries AD (Men-at-Arms)
David Nicolle
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1855329646
Release Date: 2001-01-25

Book Description

The high point of medieval Islamic expansion was the 700-year presence of the 'Moors' in Spain and Portugal. The Arab and Berber conquest was followed by the establishment of a richly distinct culture in Andalusia, where for a while Muslim and Christian co-operated as often as they fought. The rise and fall of successive Islamic dynasties brought new invaders, fragmentation and disunity; and the growing Christian kingdoms to the north eventually doomed the amirate of Granada, the last Moorish bastion, which fell to the Castilians in 1492. The colourful armies of Western Islam are described and illustrated here in fascinating detail.

Customer Reviews:

Typical Osprey book.......2007-03-29

How could you go wrong with a men-at-arms book like this one, with the concise but comprehensive text by David Nicolle with the addition of Angus McBride's excellent artwork? I appreciate how Nicolle portrays the Moors as not a bunch of almost naked barbarians, but as materially scarcely different from their foes. The early Arabs and north Africans have often suffered from the 'barbarian' and 'noble savage' stereotypes as much as the Gauls, Germans, and Spaniards in Roman days.

The Alhambra: Plans, Elevations, Sections & Drawings (Vol 1)

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The Alhambra: Plans, Elevations, Sections & Drawings (Vol 1)

Manufacturer: Saqi Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0863564666

Book Description

Based on many years of painstaking research and covering eleven centuries of medieval, modern and contemporary history, The Alhambra represents a major contribution to world scholarship.

During his research for the book, the author has made some very exciting discoveries. He has, for example, resolved one of the great enigmas of Nasrid art by discovering the geometric proportional system on which the entire Alhambra architecture and decoration are based. The designs are at times so intricate that they baffle even professional mathematicians: Professor Fernández-Puertas has cracked the geometric code and discovered that the marvels of the Alhambra are built on a proportional system that is essentially incommensurable and not based on fixed units like metres or inches. This has involved making hundreds of analytical figures, many of which will be included in the book.

Professor Fernández-Puertas is also the first to discover the chronological order in which the Alhambra palaces were built. He has collated much fragmentary information in order to reconstruct a picture of court life within the Alhambra and the personalities of its sultans and poet-viziers. The book thus contains the heart of three centuries of Nasrid art, as well as providing a history of the palatine city from the ninth century to the present day: the pre-Nasrid Alhambra, the Nasrid Alhambra and the Christian Alhambra.

Based on many years of painstaking research and covering eleven centuries of medieval, modern and contemporary history, The Alhambra will be the most comprehensive scientific work yet issued on the subject--a work of this order is unlikely to be published again within our lifetime.

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