Portugal Books

This beautifully written and meticulously researched book is the best that I've encountered on the subject in many years of reading. Tone has done a magnificent job of presenting a balanced view of the Spanish-Cuban-American war. Readers interested in Jose Marti, the "Butcher" Weyler, and William McKinley will be equally satisfied by this fresh and thoughtful treatment. In this highly readable and definitive account, Tone addresses several critical historiographical debates: Was American intervention necessary? Did Spain go to war knowing defeat was inevitable? Did America enter the war for altruistic or nefarious purposes? I cannot recommend this book more highly to historians and specialists in the field, as well as general readers. The chapter on reconcentration--the policy of relocating civilians into concentration camps--will shock most readers.

WAR AND GENOCIDE IN CUBA, 1895-1898 is the Society for Military History 2008 Distinguished Book Award winner in Non-United States History for 2008.

Tone, John Lawrence 2006 War and Genocide in Cuba, 1895-1898 The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. ISBN-10 0807830062 ISBN-13: 978-0807830062


This is an interesting book, but I find it misleading. In a laudable attempt to present all sides of the circumstance of genocide in during the Cuban Wars of Independence, the author has relied too heavily on data from dubious sources. In addition the author seems to have made those ideological compromises that are the common currency paid to access Cuban government archives. Examples of this follow (page numbers refer to hard copy edition).


Gerardo Machado on page 198 is mentioned as being mainly rustler citing Spanish sources, a matter generally considered alleged but not proven, but there is no mention of Machado's far more prominent career in independent Cuba. Quintín Banderas' "diary" is cited as probable source in the footnotes of Chapter Thirteen (footnote 43 p. 305) without the consideration that Banderas was one of the few Cuban war leaders who was considered illiterate.



Tone's ideological stance is made very apparent when in the very last paragraph of the book (p. 287) he makes is appear that the Spanish military was uniquely criminal in the vicious and cruel Spanish Civil War, ignoring the circumstance that the author's "striking Spanish workers," had also been murderous and indiscriminate in their killings.


Tone tends to label members of the social structures he apparently disapproves of non-neutral terms, for instance he labels owners of sugar plantations and mills as "sugar baron" (e.g. p. 16) evoking a inaccurate medieval image such as the Norman barons at Runnymede. He, as is unfortunately only too common among non-Cuban historians dealing with Cuba, labels rural inhabitants as peasants (e.g. p. 21), ignoring the very real fact that the Güajiros, commonly rode horses, and were usually armed with at least a machete, circumstances usually denied to European peasants.


However, aside from the classist but common use of the term peasant, instead of Güajiro for the rural inhabitants of Cuba, the author does makes a excellent point that the rural inhabitants of eastern Cuba were different, diverse and independent (pp. 21-22 and others).


Tone offers excuses for Spanish government actions in this regard (p. 23 ) citing British action in South Africa (a lesser but sad event), and not documented references to U.S. actions in the Philippines and Vietnam. This is most odd, since the author does not mention the massive horrors of Soviet actions such as in the Ukraine, Mao's actions in China, and the killing fields of Cambodia. The Armenian genocides roughly contemporary to the events described in this book, are also not mentioned.


Thus, in summary one can only accept the author's (see pp. 209-223 and others) constantly cited 170,000 figure for Cuban civilian dead in la Re-concentracion as a minimal figure for this horrible time. None the less this book is useful given its scholarship, but only if one considers it to be a "summary for the defense of the indefensible."

"Wellington Against Massena" is a very worthwhile account of the third French invasion of Portugal 1810-1811. David Buttery's 2007 entry into a crowded field of history provides a fascinating narrative of a campaign that was much closer than is usually portrayed.

Buttery begins with introductions of the Peninsular War and of Wellington and Massena. These opening chapters provide context for the general reader. Massena has received rather less attention than Wellington in most accounts; his short biography reveals him to be a highly experienced field commander.

The core of the book is the invasion itself. Massena was assigned only a barely adequate force for the mission, then faced significant delays reducing the border fortresses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida. His advance into Portugal was further slowed by the harassment of Portuguese militia and the austere conditions of the border region. French failure to perform proper reconnaissance led to a costly defeat in the assault on Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese Army at Busaco. However, Busaco was a minor setback compared to the shock of encountering the formidable Lines of Torres-Vedra blocking the road to Lisbon.

Unable to draw Wellington out of the Lines for a decisive battle, and unable to sustain his Army indefinitely in the wasteland beyond the Lines, Massena finally withdraws to Spain, with Wellington on his heels. Massena would make one final effort to right the balance, attacking Wellington at Fuentes de Onoro to raise the Allied blockade of Almeida. Buttery documents the close-fought Battle of Fuentes de Onoro as perhaps the most dangerous hour of the war, as Massena comes perilously close to flanking Wellington out of his position over three days of combat.

As popular history, Buttery's book is superb. The general reader without prior knowledge of the Peninsular War will find this account clear and easy to follow. The narrative is much enhanced by a series of detailed map graphics and a nice selection of illustrations.

For the student of the Peninsular War, Buttery's account is notable in its evenhanded coverage of the two principal commanders and the difficulties they faced. Both are revealed to be tough-minded opponents in a contest decided by very narrow margins. Massena may well have been physically past his prime by 1810; his inability to impose his will on his own army was not quite balanced by Wellington's comparative lack of experience.

This book is highly recommended to the general reader and to the student of the Peninsular Wars.

This is an excellent little book primarily about the 3rd French invasion of Portugal in 1810-11, and built around Marshal Massena as its central character. I would have given it five stars if it had contained maps showing the routes of the armies in Massena's campaigns and if there had been more fleshing out of each army's composition, strengths and weaknesses, and in particular subordinate commanders and their capabilities.

Andrea Messena is usually portrayed in English-language books as avaricious -- almost the chief looter in his army -- and lacking morals. This book tends to support the first allegation, but also presents Messena as a much more complex character than is normally described. Wellington is described as very much a man of his class, but a good general and an individual capable of obtaining the maximum efforts from his personnel.

Author Buttery gives a very even-handed presentation, entirely useful as an introductory volume to the Peninsula Campaigns, and his chronological listing of events during Napoleonic times is valuable to put his story into context. The chapter on "Touring The Peninsula" was hardly appropriate, however, particularly for American readers who will never travel to Portugal. The maps are static, and could have been improved by showing directions of movements by the various divisions, both in attack and retreat.

The "fog of war" is much in evidence here, particularly on the French side due to their consistently inadequate intelligence on the terrain and their opponents. It was clearly due to Messena's tactical talents and the bravery of the French soldier that Messena stood a chance of taking Lisbon at all. Generals made mistakes on both sides, but the hostility of the Spanish and Portugese populations and their irregular activities increased the difficulties of the French beyond Napoleon's comprehension. In addition, the constant friction between the French marshals in Spain and Portugal was a severe impediment and did none of them much honor.

In short, this is a pleasant read, both to a specialist on the Napoleonic Wars and the casual reader wishing to learn something of the conflicts of that time. There are villains and heroes, but mostly just men with talents and flaws trying to do their duty as they saw it.

For additional reading I recommend James Marshall-Cornwall's "Massena" (Oxford University Press, 1965), Don Howard's "Napoleon and Iberia" (Gainesville, FL, 1984) and also his "Pelet Papers" (Gainesville, FL, 1975.) There is much to consider here that is applicable to contemporary times.

I am a big believer in traveling light and I hate to carry around a huge travel book, so this book perfectly suited my purposes. I read up on the history before hand and I just wanted a small book that would fit easily into my purse (and not weigh me down) that would remind me of all the essential places and facts. It does an excellent job at hilighting all the most important aspects of Andalucia. This book suited my purposes very well.

It is surprisingly thorough for its size. I thought it was very well organized and easy to read. There is clever use of symbols and color coding that helps to conserve space yet are easy to understand. It covers all the essential facts about each major city: what to see, where to eat, what to do, local customs and festivals, how to get around, a little background, etc. It mentions minor cities/areas of interest with their claims to fame. The last few pages offer some practical travel and safety information and some common Spanish words. Scattered throughout the pages are various random factoids of interest.

I would not advise this as the only book to read before traveling. One definitely needs to supplement with other information and is not adequate for planning the trip. For instance, for each major city, there are only five or six hotels mentioned. It is not helpful in figuring out where to stay or where to eat or shop in the smaller towns and it is not helpful in finding hostels. The maps of the major cities are very small and are of limited help in navigating the streets (more helpful in getting on overview and general orientation). But then I've always been the type to befriend locals and get the information first-hand about what to see, where to go, how to get around, where to eat and shop, etc. I tend to wander randomly instead of strictly following a map. I focus on fully experiencing a place instead of having my nose buried in a book. This definitely is not the book if you want to understand the significance and history of every statue and carving you see.

I'd say that the biggest advantage of the book is its size. For a few more dollars though, you can probably get a book with a lot more information. Whether you will like this book really depends on your style of traveling and what you want from a travel book.

My first experience with the AAA spiral series was the one on Florence. It was such a handy book to have with me at all times, so when we began plannning our trip to Barcelona - I purchased the one on it and I am equally as pleased. This gives a very concise, informative and colorful view of the cities. Easy to carry with you and offers up all the important information as you are exploring. I wish they published books on more major travel destinations. A definite "thumbs up"!

Many people pick up a AAA guide expecting to find only directions, hotel locations, and a towing number. Nothing could be further from the truth! AAA's Spiral Guide: Andalucia is filled with not only excellent maps, but manages to give a respectable account of many of the riveting sights each sub-region has to offer.

The book itself is in fact broken down by these sub-regions; for example, Seville has it's own section, as does Granada and it's surrounding area. This, along with each section's illustrated map, help turn wherever you find yourself in Andalucia into a more familiar place.

The guide is not just for motorists, either. The list of attractions may be easily used by cyclist, bus, or train passenger with equal ease. However, I reccomend backpackers go with Rough Guide or Lonely Planet, which will go into more detail regarding items of importance to you.

While not as all-encompassing as the Rough Guide or Lonely Planet, AAA's Spiral Guide: Andalucia rates as a solid buy.

The many colored photographs in this book give a wonderful view of Spain's diverse landscape and cultural events. I use it in my high school Spanish classes to show the students what the Plaza Mayor and post office in Madrid look like, what a Semana Santa procession is, and much more. If you are looking for photographs of Spain, this book would be a good choice.

This is a bilingual book - Spanish on one page and the English equivalent on the facing page. It's a great way to work on your Spanish if you already know a bit of grammar and vocabulary. If you are a complete beginner you might want to start with something easier, but if you have been studying for about a year this is a great book to continue with. The story is engaging and well-written. Mr. Sagel has several other bilingual books that are a bit quirkier but still a lot of fun to read.

This book should have been written pre-1960's so that the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations could have pulled out of Vietnam before history had a chance to repeat itself. The Spanish-American War and the Philippines War are two glowing examples of how politicians, businessmen, and other characters with hidden agendas can convince and cajole a nation into conducting a costly, unnecessary war. While reading this book I was continually amazed and ashamed of the actions of our military and goverment. Started by Randolph Hearst and a host of other jounalists the war cries were spurred on by the idea of "Manifest Destiny" and American colonialism. The sinking of the Maine supplied the final straw. Off went the soldiers with bands and parades to cheer them on. But in war, although people sometimes forget, men die and soon they did. A bumbling, criminally inept military, and a host of jungle diseases nearly wiped out these unfortunate troops. But wait, there is the "Heroic" Teddy Roosevelt to pull our stones out of the fire(What a crock we have been fed). The Philippines War, an extension and forgotten episode of the Spanish-American War, illustrates how sometimes a David can slay a Goliath. Fighting with outdated guns, knives, rocks, and sticks, An "uncivilized" army nearly overcame superior firepower to gain their long sought after freedom. Sound familiar? This was a prelude to Vietnam. The book was well written. Mr. Tebbel writes as if the events are taking place as you read, a sort of "you are there" feeling. He introduces a long cast of characters and includes background info on the more important people. The first part of the book deals with our war in Cuba which saw alot of coverage by jounalists. Some of the adventures of these newspaper men (Stephen Crane et. al.) would make a great movie. The second part deals with the Philippine War which is really why I bought the book. I was disapointed more pages were not devoted to this area(About 100 pages of a 300 page book for a time period that was 5 times longer). I was also disapointed that there were no maps. Not a one. I would recommend this to any reader with an interest in American history. Mr. Tebbel did not load the book down with military jargon so the casual reader will enjoy. I think this book is a good intro into a forgotten time period, for a more in depth military account other books have to be supplemented.

I read this a year ago, but since Amazon still has no review of it, I'll give it a basic shot from memory.

This is an in depth history of the anarchist movement in Spain from the late 1800's up to and through the Spanish Civil war, written by an anarchist who lived through the war (it is a history however, not a first hand account). Some of the discussion of the inner politics of the movement will probably go over the unnatentive reader's head, and a basic idea of the history of the civil war and it's main protagonists--before reading the book--will probably help one get more out of it. There are clear biases, some of the history can get tedious (but it's history, what are you going to do?), but overrall I highly reccommend it to anyone looking to get an in depth understanding of the period from an anarchist perspective.

That's all I can remember. Enjoy.

I took this book with me and found it very useful, and a good travel companion. I was travelling by car, which made it easier to transport than in a backpack or suitcase. It is nicely illustrated. The best aspect is the informative descriptions of places. I even used a couple of the hotel recommendations.

This book is a little bit coffee table, little bit guide book. If you can;t take it with you, it's a good one to read when you get back.