Spain Books

Quite useful as a refference for writing papers of post-graduate level. Compact book, but amount of information contained is enough to surprise you. Easy to read, especially if you have some background of knowledge related to this field.

This memoir of a young English man who volunteers to fight on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War describes in detail much of the squalor of that war. He departs from France and crosses into the Republican areas of Spain illegally with no preparation and no plan. He just walks across the border with a violin in his backpack and his actual passport. Once he arrives, the Republican forces assume that he is a spy, as his passport stamps prove that he was in Spanish Morocco shortly before the insurrection began.
He barely escapes from being shot and he becomes one more motley man in a motley crew of international volunteers. They have come from England, Belgium, Sweden, Russia and France, thinking that the Republican cause was a great crusade against fascism. However, disillusionment sets in very quickly as his adventure can be summed up with the phrase, `cold, ragged, dirty and hungry."
Lee captures the despair and pathetic destruction of the Spanish countryside during the war. The war has transformed the Spanish people into a ragged bad, on the brink of starvation and subject to death from artillery or aerial bombardment at any time. Eventually, he is put into battle and kills at least one member of the Franco forces. It gives him no joy and it is clear to all that he is such a poor soldier that not even the Republican forces, so desperate for fighting men, has a use for him. In a conclusion typical of this man's try for glory, he is arrested when he tries to go back to France, only to be rescued from prison by another British man.
The Republican forces in the Spanish Civil war accepted many idealistic young men and turned them into cynical men struggling to survive or a pile of rotting flesh. Lee captures many aspects of the conflict and unlike other authors such as Hemingway, who portrayed it as a great cause, describes it as a simple destroyer of men.

I thought the metro guide was really easy to use- I love the fact that all the city maps are right there, easy to unfold. I hate carrying around a separate map or getting confused when a street name doesn't appear on a regular (tiny) guidebook map. I also liked the writing style- I even read about places I didn't plan to go because it was so entertaining!

This book will intensify your need for more documentation of the actual expulsion, murder and rape of the Golden Era of European civilization. Complete with documented proofs and refrences, this is a perfect aid to those who are in need of a clear and stimulating read in any Political Science class ect..

Seperated into chapters, by helpful subtitles. It is not by any means an "easy, entertaining read", it is intellectual, but very stimulating to the cause and effects of the onslought of a once GREAT civilization.

i especially enjoyed this book because of it's great historical background. If you didn't even know that it was once Muslim Spain, the Golden Age of Euroupe, then PLEASE read! You will NEVER think the same of Christopher Columbus, or the Catholic church again! ( I am not saying anything bad about either folks)

It is not an entertaining book mind you! It is filled with refrences and facts! Come on people don't stay in the dark any longer!

If you like guts and glory, it is filled with chapters of detailed descriptions of hangings, mutilations, forced converstions, as well as a list of names of people "burned at the stake".If you are Muslim, get the book, if you are a Muslim latino, get the book pronto, if you are thirsty for the truth..You havent put it into your shopping basket yet?

Anne & Keith McLachlan have covered just every possible track and hamlet with the wide open eyes of the first world tourist. If there is a bus or lorry going from one remote place to another, they mention it, plus the condition of the track, the lodging, the food and what have you. They not only give thourough info on history, geology, politics and social structure, but also on how to handle harassing 'guides'and others. This book is in my opinion the best so far. I've been in Morocco twice now and this book beats the guide by The Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and the French: Maroc, edition Gallimard. However, if you prefer beautiful photo's, this book is not the one. In that case the French guide beats them all.

This book is a well - researched account of the end of Muslim rule in Spain and the subsequent attempts at the conversion and expulsion of Jews and Muslims from the Catholic Empire of Spain.

It describes the harrassment and forcible expulsion of the jews in 1492 and goes into great detail about the subsequent forcible conversion of the Muslims left behind. The motivations, workings and consequences of the forcible baptisms and subsequent inquisition are also discussed.

Although the author has an obviously christian bent in his opinion of Islam and muslim customs (he even goes as far as giving alternative methods of conversion), he uses primary sources for his research and has provided extensive quotes of the correspondence of the major players involved in this saga until the final expulsion of the Muslims in the early 1600s. He also addresses the economic and social implications of the expulsion although that section has probably recieved more attention from other historians.

I gave this book 5 stars because even though the author is biased in his treatment of muslim customs and passes on a little inquisition propaganda without checking the facts, there is a wealth of "straight from the horses' mouth" information in this book and he is sufficiently critical of the violent methods of the inquisition even if medieval church propaganda about Islam has gotten to him a bit. That and his examination of how the inquisition's finances were tied to the fate of their victims and how the various institutions (papacy, fuedals, episcopy, royalty etc.) involved jealously guarded and tried to expand their share of the property confiscated from the Muslims is just priceless. It puts into perspective all the reasons for this intense violence among people who for eight centuries before catholic rule had lived together peacefully, achieving a standard of living and level of tolerance unparalleled in the medieval world, except perhaps in some cities of the early and middle periods of the Ottoman Empire.

This book has breathtaking photographs of lovely exotic Spain. A true delight and pleasurable experience. A wonderful addition to your coffee table for everyone to enjoy. I have received many compliments on this inspiring magnificent book. It would make a great gift.

This is of course a master work, as are all of Wolfert's books. I am only writing here to spell out what the book blurb above fails to make clear: This is a REPRINT of Wolfert's WORLD OF FOOD book, first published in 1988, given a new, ostensibly more sexy, marketable name. So if you already have WORLD OF FOOD, don't buy this -- but do treat yourself to any other of her books -- they're all winners.

This deceptively small book has taken me from how to choose a mountain bike, to developing riding skills, and even to bike repair.

If you are a beginner and need to know HOW to choose and HOW to ride, this book is for you.

It has answered all my questions and I'm ready for my first mountain bike.

What amazed me about this book was a wonderfully written chapter on Cape Verdeans in Spain. Real insightful. It is the only source I've come across that specifically deals with this community in Spain. Bravo.