What books can I read to learn more about Spain?
Inspired by a recent forum thread, I decided to compile some information for those looking for books to help gain an insight into Spanish history or either set in Spain with a Spanish atmosphere. Too many of us have spent years either living in Spain or visiting Spain, with very little knowledge of its past, customs and how modern day Spain was developed.
Should you wish to begin in the distant past then “Imperial Spain 1469-1716” by J.H. Elliott is a famous book charting the rise and fall of Hapsburg Spain. It tells of the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, the expulsion of the Muslims, the discovery of America; when Spain was unstoppable and became really the world´s first superpower. Despite the book´s age, it is still a very good introduction to Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is quite academic, but a good background to Spain and clearly showing the reader how Spain is really a country of kingdoms loosely glued together.
Two excellent general books are “Ghosts of Spain” by Giles Tremlett, a highly informative and well-written introduction to post-Franco Spain, which transports the reader back and forth from the tragic days of the mid-20th century to modern day Spain. The other is “The Story of Spain” by Mark Williams, a dramatic history book from the beginning of civilisation in Europe to the reign of King Juan Carlos.
The Spanish Civil War is of course covered in many books and some suggestions are, “¡Guerra!” by Jason Webster, which contains fascinating true stories of the Civil War retold as Webster travels around the country. When he and his Spanish wife moved to an old farmhouse north of Valencia, he found an unmarked mass grave from the Spanish Civil War and this led to him investigating further and this excellent book. Another one is Gerald Brenan´s “The Spanish Labyrinth”, which has become the classic account of the background to the Spanish Civil War, written during and immediately after it. Something much lighter and fiction, but extremely enjoyable is “The Return” by Victoria Hislop, telling the story of a family in Granada during the Civil War.
Bullfighting and Spanish Society
Two books on the subject of bullfighting are Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre´s “Or I’ll dress you in mourning”, the autobiography of El Cordobles, the matador who became famous in the early 1960’s, said to be an excellent read even if you deplore bull-fighting. The other is “Or the Bull Kills You” by Jason Webster, a crime novel set in Valencia with a brilliantly authentic setting and including a great detective who loves brandy and flamenco. It is the first in a series of books. Jason Webster’s highly acclaimed novel “Duende” is also perhaps the best introduction to the art of flamenco ever written in English.
A very popular book and providing a real insight into Spanish society during the period of social change, which took place before and after the Civil War is “Winter in Madrid” by C.J.Sansom. This is a spy novel capturing perfectly the atmosphere of Madrid just after the Civil War. It is actually one of our Book Club reads this year.
Straying onto fiction, and not necessarily historical, I have been told that “Bay of Secrets” by Rosanna Ley, a more recently released fictional novel is very enjoyable; light reading about abortions in the 1940´s set in Barcelona. “The Muse” by an author I very much like; Jessie Burton, is set in rural Spain and alternates between Spain during the Civil War and London. Many people like to read about people moving to a new life in Spain and “Fiestas and Siestas Miles Apart” is the humorous but true story of what happens when the Cuthbertson family decides to sell everything (including the family business), load the family car, and move from England to Spain. (See http://www.alancuthbertson.com).
One of the best Spanish writers, in my opinion, is Carlos Ruiz Zafón, the author of six novels. His skill in artistic writing is incredible and his books are full of amazing quotes, such as “Books are mirrors – you only see in them what you already have inside you”. “The Shadow of the Wind” is set in Barcelona in 1945 in the aftermath of the Spanish civil war and is good fiction, particularly if you like an atmospheric style.
There are also many books telling the story of the Moorish Occupation and “Reconquista” or reconquest. Peter Pierson´s “The History of Spain” moves quickly through ancient history, dwelling mostly on the Moorish occupation, Reconquista and the modern era. It has a lot of political detail but will appeal to some. One on my reading list is “The Hand of Fatima” by Ildefonso Falcones set in 1564 in Granada. Young Hernando is the son of an Arab woman and a Christian priest who raped her. Fired with love for the beautiful Fatima, Hernando plans to unite the two warring faiths.
I have not really mentioned the classics and that must be remedied, as there are many. “Tales of the Alhambra” by Washington Irving is a series of tales and sketches of the Moors and Spaniards published in 1832. “Red Sky at Sunrise” is the well-known trilogy of Laurie Lee – the first book is the famous “Cider with Rosie”, then the sequel is “As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning”, which tells of the author leaving Gloucestershire to start a new life in Spain, walking from Vigo in the North to the South where he is trapped by the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The third book in the trilogy is “A Moment of War”.