Book: Ghosts of Spain

I've been reading Ghosts of Spain, by Giles Tremlett. Found many of his insights to be accurate, interesting, and informative. Was wondering if anyone out there has read the book or anything else by Tremlett. He is a reporter for The Guardian.

can you tell me a bit more of the book and tremlett,please.

without given away the story of course.
Thanks

I don't know much about Tremlett. However, the book is an examination and commentary on Spanish culture. It talks much about the recent interest in the civil war, as well as the different cultural distinctions that make Spain "Spanish."

ok thanks. i will look into it from here.

Pedmar, or anyone, are there any other books about Spain that you would consider very good? I have read H.V. Morton's books about London, Italy, and am currently waiting for his about Spain. These were written many years ago but are very useful for historical info. At the same time Morton doesn't bog down despite all the detail because his style (in English) is very readable.

Okay for now.

One history book I might recommend is "The Basque History of the World" by Mark Kurlansky. I read it several years ago, and I really liked it because it was really interesting and rather easy to read (not very highbrow, yet well-written). Here is a description from the back of the book:

"Straddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradiction -- they are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques' language, Euskera -- the most ancient in Europe -- is related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence.

Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine through this fascinating book. The Basque History of the World blends human stories and economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale."

I don't know if that sounds like something you'd like to read, but I enjoyed it.

Another book, which is more of a travelogue and a bit lighter, is "It's Not About the Tapas: A Spanish Adventure on Two Wheels" by Polly Evans. It's the story of an English woman who quits her job in Hong Kong so that she can travel by bicycle around Spain for six weeks and 1000 miles. Polly Evans writes about some of her funny experiences while in Spain, and she includes anecdotes about dining experiences and beautiful vistas as well as some of the history of the country.

You can read more about that book at: www.pollyevans.com/pages/books.htm I wish I would have seen the web site while I reading the book since she has photos on the site from her trip!

well eskimo joe recommended A load of Bull by Tim Parfitt and it was fantastic i bought the book and finish it quickly :
the Ghosts of Spain sound more historical but relevant (I lived the period before the movida in Madrid) but unfortunately is out of print in FNAC or Alapage sites in France.

pedmar, I just checked Amazon here in the US and it looks as though "Ghosts of Spain" was just published last month. Then I looked at Amazon France and it is on their web site. Go to www.amazon.fr and do a search for it and you will find the title there. ¡Buena suerte!

Thanks all for the recommendations. Another one that I read was Roads to Santiago, which was about the history and more modern reflections on the pilgrimage.

I'll post anything else I come up with that may be of interest.

thanks la historiadora.
i have bad history with amazon and recently El corte ingles could not find my address in France with DHL!!! waited 21 days and the cd came in badly damage. I am sticking with FNAC.com or Alapage.com

will have to wait for it come out there. thanks anyway.

Thanks for the comments here about my book, A LOAD OF BULL. Glad you enjoyed it - and thanks for recommending it. A new paperback edition is out on 4th May (available for pre-order at the UK Amazon site!) ...

Another good book that I assign in my Modern Spain history course is John Hooper's THE NEW SPANIARDS (Penguin). It's a good journalistic account of Spain after the death of Franco.

RE: Books about Spain.

I'm in the middle of H.V. Morton's "A Stranger In Spain. While this book was written in the 1950's, many of it's observations are brilliant. Certainly they are scene through an Englishman's lense but Morton is so thorough without being tedius that he remains one of the great travel writers of the past century. Worth a look for the links that Morton shows between Spain and the world, particularly England.

El Almirante

I finally started reading A Load of Bull by Tim Parfitt last night - huge mistake! I was laughing so hard that sleep was not about to happen. The first few chapters (at which point I finally forced myself to close the book and get a bit of sleep before coming to work) are brilliantly hysterical. Anyone who remembers the Spain of 10+ years ago will laugh until you hurt!

For those that don't go that far back - Parfitt will let you see Madrid - and all that goes into why we have this ongoing love affair with the country - from a delightful perspective.

Can't wait to get out of here and back to the book.

Well done!

I just finished reading "Ghosts of Spain" a few days ago and I really enjoyed it. I often read Spanish news online, but without a lot of previous knowledge of recent Spanish history it's hard to understand the "big picture." I thought the book was very well written and it clarified many issues about Spanish politics for me.

Yeah I think "Ghosts of Spain" is an excellent book ! Giles Tremett worked for The Guardian newspaper in the UK ( well respected ) and I believe he lives quite near me here in Madrid ( Barrio Salamanca ) .
I found the book very readable . His observations are spot-on and I liked that he presents Spanish modern history in a very digestable way .
The book is also pretty shocking in parts too .
Recommended for sure .
Steve .

I didn't enjoy Ghosts of Spain as much as I thought I would. Found Tremett a bit judgemental for a journalist. But, just one opinion.

admiral44, I thought it was really good because it gave a good overview of Spanish politics that I didn't know about, but I too was a bit thrown off by just the overall negative tone. It was often hard to find a bright side in the book. I'd still recommend it, though.

I am resurrecting this 2 year old thread to ask if any of you all have read "The New Spaniards"? I am enjoying it and would love to discuss it with anyone who recalls it. I am looking forward to checking out some of the other recommended books on this thread.

teachertraveler8,

I'm re-reading "The New Spaniards" and have completed the first four or five chapters. I find it amusing how the left, under Felipe Gonzales was as corrupt as our present day socialists and used the same political tactics the left uses here against the right. I'm talking about the FILESA incident and on p. 70 Aznar compared with Franco and Hitler. The more thing change, the more they stay the same.

I paraphrase, "those who don't learn from history, are doomed to repeat it."

Gazpacho

Umm. I love to read books focusing on the country I'm visiting. Will be in Spain in Mid June. Do you recommend "The New Spaniards"? or something else? I've picked up "Iberia" (Michener) and some of Perez-Reverte's Captain Alvariste (sp?). What I really like are historical fiction and was hoping "Iberia" would fit that category, but it's really a memoir and not centered in Madrid. Anything focusing in on Madrid would be very interesting.

Thanks for any tips.

Maybe read about, the uprising 2nd May 1808,today in the anniversary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dos_de_Mayo_Uprising

PJ Olander: Iberia is a great book. My Spanish professor in college had us read it and there may be a chapter on Madrid. It is quite old, though.(Franco period) The New Spaniards is pretty good. It is about how Spain has changed in the last 30 years since Franco's death. I am enjoying it, but finding it a little depressing. I love Spain and this book presents a society that is struggling with new freedoms and an emerging political system. I say "emerging" because after Franco, the various leaders have been both left and right. (However, we aren't supposed to discuss politics here) Anyway, I got the book at the library, so it is around. There are some other books mentioned on this particular thread. I have "Ghosts of Spain" ready to go when I finish the New Spaniards. Also, since I am interested in walking the Camino de Santiago one day, I have recently read three books about that. If you are interested, you can respond or send a PM.

One other book that I loved about Spain was "Spain true stories of life on the road" Edited by Lucy McCauley. I felt like these short essays captured some of the aspects I love about Spain.

Happy Reading and Buen Viaje!

P J Olander,

Perez-Reverte's "The Fencing Master" is a historical novel about Spain during the time of Isabel II. There is a good book out there, I can't remember it's name because I gave it to someone, about a recent woman author who follows the life of Miguel Cervantes and, of course, Don Quixote. There are a few posts about it.

Very good synopsis of the "The New Spaniard" teachertraveler8. Although I disagree that the emerging political system is solely due to Franco's political repression. Prior to Franco, Spain didn't have much political freedom. And I thought that "Iberia" is a great read, though I agree, outdated.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho, thanks, but what I meant was that Spain has had both a right and left wing government in the past few years, so it seems that there have been a lot of changes due to that as well as the newer freedoms following the Franco years.

I have read several of the Perez-Reverte books and they are historical fiction, so if you are looking for connections between your reading and Spain, you won't find as many there. (Although they are good books)

The Cervantes book sounds good, too.

Ah, here it is teachertraveler8. It took some searching.

This book was recommended to me by booklady.

Don Quixote's Delusions: Travels in Castilian Spain by Miranda France. A very good read.

Hmmmm. Wish I haven't given it away. Let's see if I can remember who I gave it to.

Gazpacho

teachertraveler8 Spanish steps is a light hearted book about a guy doing the santiago with a donkey .

I will add it to my list. I love humor, too! Thanks, Eskimo Joe

Thanks for all the tips. I saw a Load of Bull mentioned earlier in this thread, so I think I'll try that too....sounds pretty light and fun. I did start reading Don Quixote, but it seems silly, even after 200+ pages and with little time left between now and my visit, I think I'll put that aside.

Any other suggestions about fiction set only in Madrid, contemporary life/mysteries or something like that?

I'll look for The New Spaniards and Ghosts of Spain. Books on the Castilian or Basque areas I'll save for another trip.

thanks again!