Spain Books

I have read four novels by Marías so far, all of them are great, but this one is the best by far. I wouldn't call it a "mystery/thriller", it is a novel about decisions one's takes and it's implications, about unevitable things and about death. The technique is impressive, recurring phrases that seem trivial at first and make more sense every time they are mentioned. Shakespeare's quotes applied to the situations. If you would read only one book by Marías, read this one.

The book is a magnificent piece of literature, an outstanding sample of the combination of styles and rhythms that makes of Marias one of the best current Spanish writers. Although frequently criticised in Spanish literary cliques, the very particular sense of humour and recurring style of Marias is captivating. Having a kind of film noir story background, Marias creates a set of curiously charming characters that develop through a catching story line. Special mention to a superb scene that features the king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, unfortunately not at the reach of non-Spaniard readers. Do not miss it, especially if you can read the original Spanish prose.

Al principio, este libro me pareció difícil de seguir, y hasta un poco aburrido. Mi primera impresión es que el autor se iba por la tangente que daba gusto. Pero seguí leyendo y al poco me di cuenta de que de tangentes nada. Este libro es como un gran concierto de pensamientos, los cuales todos se centran en un punto común. Esas tangencias o periferias están diseñadas con tal habilidad que complementan la historia sin parecer superfluas: Ruibérriz, Celia/Victoria, el Único, todos caracteres bien perfilados, con mucho color, y las citas entremezcladas en el texto, las escenas de películas, todos contribuyendo a realzar una trama ya de por sí apasionante. El protagonista se debate entre decisiones tomadas y asumidas, y sus diálogos consigo mismo son de lo mejor que he leido en la literatura española en mucho tiempo.

El final es imprevisible. Cuando ya pensaba que sabía por dónde iban los tiros, en el último momento me llevé una sorpresa. Qué irónica puede ser la vida, qué carcajadas se pega a nuestra costa (o en este caso a costa de Deán).

Las notas adicionales (otra sorpresa que no descubrí hasta el final) son muy interesantes, y si ya por entonces me cabía alguna duda del pedazo de escritor que es Javier Marías, ahí se me borraron por completo. Esta novela es para no perdérsela.

Well-organized and easy to use. If you do not speak Spanish, you MUST have this. This small book is worth its weight in gold. Translates dozens of variations of foods in short, descriptive terms. I got what I ordered EVERY time, thanks to this book.

I bought this handy little book for a 3 week trip to Spain and was very glad that I did. While I had friends and family tell me it wouldn't be worth it, as we would only be in the country for a short time, I felt it I received value for it. And I have already been able to pass it along to others.

This little guide is small enough to fit into a purse, pocket, or backpack. It is organized clearly, but it does help to familarize onself with the various categories before actually using it. I found it to be accurate and was able to find everything on a typical Spanish menu within this guide - and we were in some "off the beaten path" places! While we are a bit adventurous in our dining experiences, it is always nice to know what it is that will be arriving on one's plate, and this truly helped. As well as guided our decisions, especially for food allergies.

If unsure about Spanish restaurants and menus, even in the short term, I would buy this guide and use it. It truly does help.

When my husband and I were transferred to Spain we knew some Spanish, but the names of dishes and how they were prepared alluded us. Without this book we would have been completely lost that first year. We ended up trying more new things because this book had such trustworthy translations, more often than not a rarity in many travel guides. We highly recommend this book to everyone travelling to Spain.

Whether you are a dedicated medieval scholar or merely have a layman's interest in the area, there is much insight to be gleaned from this highly expository and very readable treatise.
Ever wonder what all that symbolism meant in thousand year old Christian art? Or how it related to those who created and heard the oral histories of the time? This fascinating book ties together explorations of language, medieval history, religious mythology and physical as well as spiritual pilgrimage, and their impact on modern understanding of this turbulent period.

Tom Spaccarelli was one of my professors at the University of the South (Sewanee TN). He was a major influence as a teacher -- fanning the flames of my passion for Medieval and Renaissance literature -- and has remained a major influence as a friend. I hear his voice on every page of this book. But for those who don't know him, I'll let him introduce the work himself (from Chapter I, INTRODUCTORY REMARKS). "The codex traditionally known as Ms. h.I.13 of El Escorial, which I have named the *Libro de los huespedes,* has generally been edited by medievalists as nine separate works ... "This now traditional fragmentation of the codex has resulted in our failure to perceive that the book was compiled and comprehended in its own time as a unified work. Modern editions of the separate chapters, produced in the tradition of scholarly concepts such as source texts, regularization of language, literary genres, the primacy of the relationship author/work, etc., have diminished our ability to comprehend the unique and unified nature of the LH, thereby distorting our knowledge and appreciation of the canon of medieval Spanish literature. I intend to show in this study that the LH is a text intimately related to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and to various religious, literary, and artistic traditions associated with it. To restore the integrity of this text, I believe, is also to provide a more historically accurate view of medieval Spanish culture and of the concerns and issues that fired the enthusiasm of medieval people."

Tom Spaccarelli was one of my professors at the University of the South (Sewanee TN). He was a major influence as a teacher -- fanning the flames of my passion for Medieval and Renaissance literature -- and has remained a major influence as a friend. I hear his voice on every page of this book. But for those who don't know him, I'll let him introduce the work himself (from Chapter I, INTRODUCTORY REMARKS). "The codex traditionally known as Ms. h.I.13 of El Escorial, which I have named the *Libro de los huespedes,* has generally been edited by medievalists as nine separate works ... "This now traditional fragmentation of the codex has resulted in our failure to perceive that the book was compiled and comprehended in its own time as a unified work. Modern editions of the separate chapters, produced in the tradition of scholarly concepts such as source texts, regularization of language, literary genres, the primacy of the relationship author/work, etc., have diminished our ability to comprehend the unique and unified nature of the LH, thereby distorting our knowledge and appreciation of the canon of medieval Spanish literature. I intend to show in this study that the LH is a text intimately related to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and to various religious, literary, and artistic traditions associated with it. To restore the integrity of this text, I believe, is also to provide a more historically accurate view of medieval Spanish culture and of the concerns and issues that fired the enthusiasm of medieval people."

A mucho good book; filled with a sharp, sensitive, wisdom that is constantly searching for the light on the surface, through the depths of the forgotten and ignored....rare like all great things.

The great Spanish philosopher Ortega y Gasset left many followers, some of them also important thinkers, like Julian Marias. But most are common people who became much more educated and civilized persons by reading his wonderful books. Ortega was one of the rare species of philosophers who expresse his ideas in a very clear prose. Others in this line are Plato and Augustine, or Bertrand Russell, an Ortega contemporary. Meditations on Quixote is a small book where the master strives to give a synthesis of his thought. A synthesis of this synthesis could be given by two of his phrases: "Yo soy yo y mi circunstancia" (I am myself and my circumstance) and " I only offer a way of considering things" (modus res considerandi). A great philosopher and a great writer. His was my main intellectual influence.

Meditations on Quixote is the first major work Jose Ortega y Gasset published in Spain; as such, the reader will stumble across several infant notions that were later subjected to major philosophical treatments by Ortega. Naturally, therefore, this book is often passed over and dismissed. However, I believe it holds within its pages a very mature, coherent argument. It should be noted that Don Quixote is not actually the central focus of these meditations. Rather, Ortega only delves into Cervantes's great novel during the second half of the book (the "first" meditation), using that knight of rueful countenance to clarify his analysis. I will not attempt to explain the philosophy presented in this book, as I feel there is a reason it takes hundreds of pages to express these concepts. It is such with all philosophy; think of it as a food - I can compress all the contents of a five-star dinner into a dense pill and give that to you, but it would not serve justice to the original pieces. Having said that, I can certainly relay (as another reviewer has) the famous expression "I am myself and my circumstance." Ortega puts significance into what this "circumstance" is composed of, mentally dividing the material things in life and their deeper meaning, explaining that this deeper meaning is just as real as the material surface. He then leads into the concept of man as a hero via his own will ("the will to be oneself is heroism"), focusing on Don Quixote, and modern literature in general (as opposed the ideal epics of old), as examples. Julián Marías makes interesting notes throughout. Recommended!

if you believe that travelling trough time is possible, then you should read this book. the author describes the extraordinary environmentt in the xvii century in Portugal. the literary style is one of the most original contributions ever made to the postmodern languange.

If you enjoyed baroque stories like RESTAURATION you will be dazzled by this Jewel. Nobel Prize of Literature 1998 José Saramago, writes with a neverending, unponctuated paragraph style, that reminds the ancient royal chroniclers. It is a sort of oral text, almost meant to be read aloud. Please, PLEASE don't let this draw you back from the book. Make an effort to go through the first two chapters and you'll get used to it. More: you'll be hooked.

I would like to question Mr Saramago in regard to his views on Cinema. He has alowed adaptations of this book for Theatre (November premiere in Portugal)and Opera (BLIMUNDA, premiered 1990 LA SCALLA - Milan). So why his persistent refusal to allow a Cinema adaptation? Is Cinema necessarily a minor art for him in comparison to Opera and Theatre? Has he heard of Welles? Preminger? Lang? Ford? Hawks? Casavetes? Truffaut? Visconti? Fellini? Pasolini? Tarkowski? And if you argue these are all dead, what about the active ones: Bergman? Goddard? Proyas? Konchalovski? Mikhalkhov? Cameron -- Picture Leo DiCaprio as Baltazar? :-) Sure Hollywood produces Godzilla and such, but that's not all there is to cinema.

Personally I believe directors like Mike Figgis (leaving las Vegas, One Night Stand)or Jean Paul Rapenneau (Cyrano de Bergerac, Horseman on the Roof) or even Bille August (Pelle the Conqueror, Les Miserables) would do a good work with this Novel. (In terms of Spectacle this would be Spielberg Material --I'm suspicious of him though after AMISTAD where among many other historical inacuracies the Portuguese spoke Spanish?? - although he partially redeemed himself with Priv. Ryan. Richard Zimler's THE LAST KHABALIST OF LISBON --Search AMAZON for this one-- would be a great Spielberg Film, too)

Not too long ago I saw Mr. Saramago in a talk show (Falatório)on Portuguese Pubcaster RTP2 admiting to host Clara Ferreira Alves that he never quite grasped why this novel had such a mammouth success while his other subsequent works, while very successfull, never quite measured to it.

Well, it feels very simple to me: First it's a spectacular and epic rendition of history and fantasy. And second, it's a breathtakingly beautiful love story. How much closer to public appeal can you get?

I ordered an out of print American Edition of this book from Amazon to offer a friend. It arrived the day Saramago won the Nobel. I think it was prophetic.

SPOILER: Set in the Portuguese 17th Century, BALTASAR AND BLIMUNDA is one of the most touching love stories I have ever read. Baltasar is a cripled war survivor that lost his left hand and got a hook instead. He has his own views about God, namely that, He, too is a cripled since nowhere is his left hand refferred to (Christ sits at His right hand, etc.) Blimunda is a mysterious Girl whose mother is accused of Witchcraft and burned at the stake in front of her by the Inquisition. At that moment the girl sees Baltasar who is also (like most of the City's people) attending the Act of Faith, and Blimunda's soul is blended to his by legacy of her mother's soul. Blimunda inherited also other of her mother's gifts, most prominent of them, the ability to see inside people... Literally. An uncanny gift against which Blimunda has only one remedy: to eat bread right after waking up. They choose to stay with each other... Unmarried. Together they are hired by Jesuit savant priest Bartholomew de Gusmão, who has his own dangerous views about God, Science and Faith in this time of fierce Inquisition. They are to help him with his very secret, very daring project: a flying machine... The Baroque Age is at its greatest splendour. The Horrors of the Inquisition are at their most terrible and the King of Portugal does not have a heir. He makes a promise to God that he'll have built the biggest convent that Portugal has ever seen if he's blessed with a Son. The Queen gives birth. And the Convent will be built! If you enjoyed baroque stories like RESTAURATION you will be dazzled by this Jewell. The author, Saramago writes with a neverinding, unponctuated paragraph style, that reminds the ancient royal chroniclers. Please, PLEASE don't let this draw you back from the book. Make an effort to go through the first two chapters and you'll get used to it. More: you'll be hooked.

For those (like me) who thought that Gaudi was the penultimate Spanish architect (I placed Calatrava a close second), this book is an eye-opener. The work here is amazing and hopefully will lead to more being written about these somewhat unsung heroes, especially Lluis Doménech i Montaner.

unbelievably beautiful! the impact of the Art Nouveau movement known in spain as Modernismo, had great bearing on the look of barcelona as a modernizing city in the early 20th century. the book is also a sharp tour guide of some of the great architectural works of a city that is brimming with incredible examples of the decorative arts. if youve been/youre going to barcelona or love nouveau/deco design-this is a must have!

I've always been interested in Gaudi, but was not aware of the variety and breadth of work done by other Catalonian architects around the same time. I don't know why this work is not better known, but should be studied by all who are interested in the arts--sculptors, painters, designers, musicians, and of course architects.

While it is hard not to just look at the pictures, the text is interesting (although at times dense). But I found that if I didn't get too mired down most of the essays were worthwhile, especially the one that related to art and painting. As a former art history student I was surprised by how impressed I was with many of the paintings in the book--from artists I hadn't heard of.

All in all this is a very high quality book and would be a great gift for anyone you know with an interest in art, architecture, modernism, or Spanish culture. Highly recommended.

This is a remarkable book. Whereas it took Jimmy Burns of the Financial Times a whole book to wax about Barcelona, Phil Ball does it beautifully in a few pages. Morbo is a superb exploration of Spanish politics, Spanish geography, and the one thing that unites all of Spain-football. Spain is, it seems, a poor advertisement for the sort of national unity that dominated 19th. century Europe-Germany, Scotland, and Italy and later, India and China. Phil Ball's book exhibits a child-like happiness when he visits soccer stadiums in the forgotten corners of Spain. He exposes the hypocrisy of Basque politics, the long shadow of Francisco Franco in Spain and, finally, the exuberance of that Catalan city: Barcelona. This is a must-read for people who are interested not only in the cuisine of a particular peoples-Basque and Catalan- but in their vibrant history beyond the kitchen, beyond the football pitch as well.

American audiences exposed to the EPL, La Liga or any other league for that matter, often times only get to see 2 dimensions of the game. First, the emphasis on the bigger team names, and second, the game itself. What they often fail to see is the intracacy of the game behind the game - that is, the cultural elements that make soccer overseas so unique, so passionate, and often times, so beyond the grasp of comprehension to the audience that is watching on Fox Soccer Channel.

In Morbo, Phil Ball does a wonderful job of illustrating the cultural background to spanish soccer. And true to form, he effectively illustrates that La Liga is not only about Barcelona and Real Madrid. There is much history between these two clubs but fortunately, Ball doesn't spend all his effort on them. Instead he dives into the history of spanish soccer, starting with English miners, to the history of clubs that no one has heard of outside of Spain, like Recreativo de Huelva.

This is far more a cultural study, than it is a history of spanish soccer. Balls successfully discusses how the two paths combine, and how club support was defined more by class/politics/ and culture, than by a jersey's color. It certainly goes a long way in helping outsiders understand the level of support and the long ties people have to clubs. It is especially interesting in light of how the modern world is shaping the game.

Finally, like many sports leagues, there is history and their is myth. Ball does a service to the spanish game by not buying into the myth of some of the rivalries (Betis-Sevilla, RM-Barcelona, Athletic-everyone else). In doing so, he provides a complete and true picture of how the game has evolved on the Iberian peninsula.

For people interested in understanding how events actually shaped the game in Spain, this is a must read. There are plenty of books out there about Real Madrid and Barcelona, but there are few books that look at Spanish soccer with this depth and refreshing candor.

Morbo is fantastic. Phil Ball, as he always seems to do in his regular columns on Spanish football, manages to capture the essence of Spanish society through the culture of the game. This is a story not only of the greats - di Stefano, Barcelona, Real Madrid, etc - but of the cab driving Betis supporter of Seville and the forgotten cities and clubs of Huelva and Irun. For the American reader possessing a passion for the game with sources unknown, this opens up a culture for further exploration. It is not a complete history, nor was that ever its intent. Rather, as the title suggests, it is an eploration of morbo - the passion and rivalry of the game set against a backdrop of franco, poverty, wealth, isolation, regional pride, and most other issues that form the very foundation of Spain during the past century-plus.

Morbo is a brilliant place to start for the un-initiated and a delightful treat for those who already know the culture of the game.

This is a wonderful book for the intermediate guitarists and the determined advanced beginner. The songs not only sound great, but are arranged to be easily accessible on the guitar. If you are looking to strengthen your reading abilities, this book works very well. You see, musical notation is contained in the first half of the book, and tab. in the second. So this gives you the oppurtunity to check yourself when you are not sure if you are reading the notes properly. I suppose it is a way to test your site reading abilities. This book also contains 23 songs which should keep you busy for some time. All of these songs are a joy to play. No fillers here.

I'm impressed with these compositions/arrangments. The music is compelling and it's easy to play. I consider myself an intermediate player, and I was able sightread most of the book. Looks like about a one month project to get it all polished. It's a good and easy way to build some nice repertoire.

About the CD: I'm guessing it's included here to make it easier to learn the pices (especially if you have to use tab) but the tempos are, for the most part, too slow. I found many of the pieces much more enjyable at more moderate tempos.

I like this collection so much I may buy his flamenco collection...

My second favorite of his books (the collection of Ancient Music for Flute and Guitar is my favorite), this collection is worth the price just for the CD alone. Even though only an intermediate guitarist (who started guitar way too late in life), I am still able to play most of the pieces with some determination.

Among the surprises which I found in this collection and particularly liked are Buenos Reyes, and Ay,Ay,Ay and O Cantiga das Sombras (I particularly appreciate his courage in attempting and succeeding in arranging one of these ancient Iberian hymns to Mary - which are wonderful). Brazilian Lullaby, a relatively easy song to play, may stick in your mind (as it did mine) a long time. I find myself coming back to this book (and the CD) very often.

As in my (rave) review for Ms. Kerper's PARIS book, I cannot say too much how much I love this series, and this title, in particular, is spectacular, in that it makes a region that is off-the-beaten-path so entirely enticing. I am planning an upcoming trip to Northern Spain, and unlike other the other (standard) travel guides for this area that I've seen, this book has TRULY helped shape how I wish to spend my time, all the while introducing me to a culture and history I am unfamiliar with (e.g. the long history of pilgrimage in Santiago di Compostela, and the endless seafood offerings of La Coruna and culinary indulgences to be found in San Sebastian). This is not the Spain of arid plains and bullfight arenas. Its a whole new world...to me!

I feel this book is the PERFECT starting point for travellers, ESPECIALLY those who enjoy planning, for it leads one in so many interesting directions. The different voices of the varied collected authors (along with Ms. Kerper's insights) offer a much richer perspective than most typical travel books, by virtue of the diversity (and careful choosing). The excellent bibliography will have you running to the library or bookstore to explore more, all in a much more focussed way.

Thia book is truly a resource (as titled) and a guide and companion in the fullests sense of these words. You are the beneficiary of insider knowledge from an avid traveller, and it all seems so personalized.

Without hesitation I say BUY THIS BOOK, and while you're at it check out the others in this series...honestly PARIS was indispensible to my last trip, and I can't wait to get my hands on VENICE!

This isn't a travel guide, per se, but an excellent descriptive collection of the regions, landscape, and culture of Northern Spain. While it does include some good practical info and some (limited) lodging and restaurant recommendations, what it does best is paint a picture of the region that isn't overly promotional. Just tells it like it is....you feel like you get a good idea of what it would like to be there. And the picture it paints will make you want to travel to Northern Spain -- it worked for us!

I loved this book!!! Having travelled to Spain several times and being interested in learning as much as I about this wonderful country, I found this book to be an extremely valuable resource. I loved the format, it was easy to pick up and put down with the short story format. I found the nature of the stories to be so personal that I felt I was actually travelling with the authors. A highly recommended travel guide!

This book is realy the mingle of several diferent short stories related to the lives of diferent woman. The character I liked more was Isabel.

NOSOTRAS QUE NOS QUEREMOS TANTO. POR: Marcela Serrano

Las mujeres de los noventas, las mujeres de siempre, asediadas por sus traumas y sus problemas internos, enfrentándose a un mundo de hombres que cada vez es mas de ellas, es cada vez mas abierto, pero a que precio? Cuantas mujeres tuvieron que perecer para que las mujeres de este siglo tuviesen libertad y derechos. Marcela Serrano se gana el corazón de los hombres sensibles con esta obra. Una verdadera disección de la mujer latina de clase media alta de los noventa, con sus neurosis y sus inquietudes, odiando y amando a los hombres a la vez, recreándolos a cada paso de su vida, inventadolos de la manera que ella quisiera que fueran, odiándolos cuando lo intentan y amándolos cuando son desdeñosos con ellas. Esas mujeres son las waiting to exhale de Latinoamérica, claro a nuestro modo de ver la vida desde la óptica subdesarrollada de nuestros países... Ella recrea a las cuatro amigas pero solo una de ellas es la que narra y no se narra, la que cuenta y no es contada, la que plantea LOS problemas de las otras y no deja ver los suyos. Sospecho que esa Ana tan impersonal en la novela, con tan poca historia sea la voz de la autora, pero la novela le quedo regia Mis felicitaciones a la autora....

Luis Mendez Un hombre sensible a pesar de ser varón, jajajjaja.

This book is excellent. It is the story of a group of friends and how their lives have changes due to men, politics and ways of life. It captures womanhood, friendship and the many faces of women. An wonderful book. Very well written.