Spain Books

No sé si el libro que aquí se vende es la primera versión de Por favor, Rebobinar, o la segunda, pero voy a postear un comentario sobre la segunda, porque cuando se empezó a vender el libro en esta página, ya llevaba un par de años en el mercado (la segunda, por si no lo saben, es más completa y tiene más capítulos: son cien páginas más). ¿Qué puedo decir? Es una buena muestra de lo que es Fuguet como escritor, como narrador, de una generación. Las historias se van entrelazando magníficamente, y si quien lo lee ya leyó Mala Onda (es lo más conveniente), también reconoce aspectos que unen de una u otra forma a los personajes. Se parece bastante a la escritura de Ellis, aunque no la copia. Es algo propio, parecido a Ellis por un lado, pero totalmente distinto por otro. Recomiendo también que, después de leer Mala Onda y Por Favor, Rebobinar, lean Tinta Roja, la última de las novelas de Fuguet. Una vez leídos esos tres textos, se puede percibir y apreciar cómo el escritor va madurando en cada uno más. Tinta Roja, por ejemplo, presenta técnicas nuevas, que antes no había usado Fuguet, pero que ejecuta a la perfección. Si dije que de alguna manera Mala Onda y Por Favor, Rebobinar se parecían a los libros de Ellis, Tinta Roja se parece a los libros de Vargas Llosa. El cambio es extraordinario, gigante, pero al mismo tiempo mantiene un no sé qué que nos permite reconocer al autor. Pero me he ido cambiando de tema. Por Favor Rebobinar. Excelente libro. Leanlo, comprenlo, pero no se queden así como así...

This book is a jewl and I congratulate Amazon for having it among their books. People should learn about wars, dictatorships, and horrors that occurred in other countries that dismembered a number of generations; people that had to leave their home land and create new ones in strange lands. The courrage of these people and their influence in other countries, such as mine: the Dominican Republic, and our family that comes from one of those silent heroes that believed in a better way of life for alls, without the wrongly used label of being "reds".

Whatever you do, don't buy this book or recommend it to others!
It is so beautifully written and so hauntingly tempting that Portugal, one of the best kept secrets of the Culture Smart tourist, might just be over-run by the masses if news of this book leaks out. Sandy Guedes De Queiroz is more than your average travel writer. Besides capturing the sights, sounds, feelings, aromas and flavors of this beguiling country as she goes along, she takes the reader beneath the skin to it's streets, cafes, countryside and beaches in a way that has you aching to go back: even if you've never been there in the first place!
So, whatever you do, don't tell a soul. Keep it to yourself.

This history of Portugal contains a remarkable amount of information for such a small book, small enough to go into your pocket or handbag. It covers the pre-history of Portugal and the founding of the country in the 12th century and its history all the way to the end of the 20th century. I like this book because it is so informative, concise and readable. It also has lots of illustrations including very clear maps. Another aspect I like in this history is that it is very objective, no bias in favour or against the country. This is the best history of Portugal I know and I would recommend to anyone interested in this subject. Great value for money.

This traveller's history takes the visitor to Portugal on a tour of the country exploring historical links everywhere. It digs deep into the history of Portugal, even before Portugal, and Lusitania (the Roman province where most of Portugal is now), and discusses treasures like the recently found cave drawings of the Coa valley in the Douro. It also has other interesting features like a chapter on music and one on birds. There is one on wine too. This is a serious work that also makes good beach or bedtime reading. It is something to be thankful for at a time when a lot is being published on Portugal, but the quality varies. I have read some amateurish books on Portuguese language life and culture and World cultures Portugal. After that experience, it is refreshing to have something you feel is a competent work like Livermore's traveller's history. Thank you!

Published about a decade back, the book represented a much needed contribution (in a book-form) to readers of the Portuguese empire. The last major book on the area appeared roughly three decades back -Diffie & Winius' Foundations of the Portuguese Empire. From the professional historian point of view, it is not that the field is stagnant; articles have continued to appear in specialist journals. Unriddled with footnotes (though references were included where merited), this work is ideal for the layman who wishes to gain an insight into the early modern world of which the Portuguese empire was spawned. Of great help in this sense is also the glossary at the end of the book.

The main thrust of the book approached the history of the Portuguese empire from a serious attempt to understand the Asian world in its context and transformation. Hitherto, similar histories were more eurocentric and still is in certain quarters. Nor does it look at the empire in isolation from developments at home, a chapter was devoted to the Portuguese state and society (chapter 2) in which Subramanyam humbly asked for forgiveness for its presumptousness (being written by a non-native). The book was also holistic in the sense that it not only provides a flowing chronological narrative and analysis; but includes a static examination of the Portuguese colonial society in Asia

Creating an Empire -Chapter 3
The Crisis -Chapter 4
Reorientations -Chapter 5
Empire in Retreat -Chapter 6
Staying On -Chapter 7

The Portuguese Asian Society -Official Realm Chapter 8
The Portuguese Asian Society -The Frontier Chapter 9

In the end, as Subramanyam's concluding chapter illustrates, history is about perspectives and far from dead. Seen from the Portuguese viewpoint, the empire might be "trapped" into decline, explained traditionally by corruption etc (undeniably though). Viewed from a background of transformation and geopolitics, the Portuguese empire was actually evolving whilst interacting with its surrounding. Whether the Europeans were bandits or nascent capitalists, this remains for the readers to discern themselves

Lonely planet never fails to provide the best travel books. This tiny book provides a wealth of useful information. What I like about this book is that it focuses specifically on communicating in Portugal, rather than Brazil. It is well organized into several handy cagetories such as directions, shopping, lodging, etc. The front contains standard info such as numbers, days of the week, and survival phrases, while the back contains a mini-dictionary.

The best part about this book is the fact that it not only gives the Portuguese phrase with its English equivalent, it also provides a spelled-out phonetic pronunciation. Out of all the study material I have, these simple phonetic spell-outs have been the greatest help in my pronunciation, and I now have nearly perfected my portuguese accent.
I've seen similar Portuguese pocket books, and they just don't compare to this one.

This perceptive volume (1992) is one of the finest all-round books about the Portuguese people, and a first-rate travel-companion. Ranging knowledgeably from literature to the Church, from agriculture to emigrantes, its sympathetic feminine perspective seems appropriate for a country whose men so often seem to be abroad. Usefully updated in 1998.

In 1354 medieval Spain, Bishop Berengeur de Cruilles trusts Isaac the blind Jewish physician so when he falls ill, he summons the man to care for him. Isaac's daughter Rachel, as his assistant also comes to help. An herbalist arrives, desperate to see the bishop to give him a warning but the poison in his bloodstream kills him before he can tell his excellency about the threat.

In Girona, two young men each claims that they are heir to a large inheritance. One of them Jacob disappears during a pirate attack. The other claimant Luca an herbalist attempts to set up a practice. When two of his patients are murdered by poison that he had a messenger deliver, the townsfolk's want him tried and executed. Isaac implores the Bishop to wait before convening the court because he believes it was not Luca who delivered the poison. He also believes that these events are somehow related to the dead herbalist who tried to warn the bishop. In his own intuitive yet practical way Isaac tries to expose the guilty party.

Medieval Spain comes vividly to life in the reader's mind after reading A POULTICE FOR A HEAVEN. It feels as if the author is chronicling events that she witnessed. The characters are well developed and it is fascinating to see the relationship between Christians and Jews during a period of religious strife. The people of Girona peacefully coexist with only minor troubles breaking out between the two religions. The protagonist might be blind but he sees more clearly than most people. Fans of historical fiction centered on a good mystery will want to read this novel.

Harriet Klausner

This scholarly work by Ross Brann is well-researched look into the relations between Jews and Muslims in Muslim ruled al-Andalus (Spain) in the Middle Ages. He looks at and tries to reconcile a Muslim ruled world in which Jews were both persecuted and rose to the greatest heights of government, literature, and philosophy, such as Samuel the Nagrid (Isma'il ibn Naghrila). This book is highly recommened for research or those very interested in the field, but while it is with out doubt well-written, it is not a light read for someone who is not familiar with at least Jewish History or Muslim Spain to a small degree.