Travelers' Tales: Spain (.) [Paperback]

Lucy McCauley (Editor)

Book Description

Series: . | Publication Date: November 1995

A travel anthology on Spain, which includes pieces by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Barbara Kingsolver, Robert Elms, George Orwell and Ernest Hemingway.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is the sixth in the "Traveler's Tales" series, whose unifying theme is the presentation of the character of a country by a compilation of nonfiction essays. For Spain, we have selections on, among other things, bullfighting, food, tourism, Don Quixote, flamenco, and King Juan Carlos by unknown as well as familiar authors. The editors' stated goal is to give insight into Spain through anecdote rather than information. The book is for the reader who has already been to Spain as well as the new visitor. Each selection has interesting sidebars from other authors. Some illustrations are included, and a map of the country will be printed in the published version. Very well organized and selected, this is highly recommended for travel collections.
Mary Ann Parker, Dept. of Water Resources Law Lib., Sacramento, Cal.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Twenty years have passed since the death of General Francisco Franco, and Spain's emergence from that decades-long dictatorship has been nothing less than dramatic. The year 1992 marked a kind of debut for Spain, with the Olympics in Barcelona, the World Expo in Seville, the dubbing of Madrid as the "European City of Culture," and countless celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Columbus's journey. The New Spain is a country that has learned to live a little, displaying a sophistication that is truly European while retaining the exotic sensibility of a heritage rooted in almost 800 years of Moorish rule. Indeed, Spain is an enigma. It is not one but many lands, with a history of conquest and reconquest that still resonates throughout the country, a place where Catholic cathedrals tower beside Moorish minarets. Its surprising diversity of languages and landscapes has always intrigued travelers and writers, from Washington Irving to George Orwell to Ernest Hemingway. This is the country of the flamenco and the bullfight: it understands sensuality and it understands death. It is also the land of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, of both idealistic quests and earthy practicality. Spaniards have a spirit that is warm and rich, and a contagious ability to linger in a moment as it unfolds. The traveler's sensibilities, too, are heightened there: the light is different, hotter; the music, soul stirring and, well, hotter too. It is a banquet of bougainvillea blossoming fuchsia and orange, and air pungent with sizzling olive oil. It is both intoxicating Moorish musk and contemplative Catholic frankincense. When in Spain, one does not doubt that one is alive. This anthology includes musings on all of these aspects of Spain and more. Just a few of the many stories and notable authors you'll find in the book: "Watching the Rain in Galicia," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; "Abigail y Yo," by Calvin Trillin; "Where the Map Stopped," by Barbara Kingsolver; "Demons and Dragons," by Colm Toibin; and "Agreeing to Forget," by Robert Elms.

Product Details

• Paperback: 452 pages
• Publisher: Travelers' Tales Inc (November 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885211074
• ISBN-13: 978-1885211071
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #475,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than a visit, February 12, 2000

By 

Randy P. Kendrick (Paradise Valley, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travelers' Tales: Spain (.) (Paperback)

Having lived in Spain many years ago and visited several times since, I found this book to be the best thing anyone can read about the country without reading all of Iberia, Hemingway, etc. More important than a guide book, this is a guide to the soul of the country.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I really enjoyed this book, it was a great read!, August 24, 2001

By 

Rosella Ann Myles - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travelers' Tales: Spain (.) (Paperback)

I highly recommend this book. You learn a lot about Spain, and it's people from it. It's a great read! makes you want to visit Spain.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars should have been better, February 10, 2001

By 

Stephen McHenry (Olney, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Travelers' Tales: Spain (.) (Paperback)

The book consists of 47 essays by different authors, each essay an average of 9 pages long, where the author gives their anecdotal story or insight. And then there is another 20 pages at the end of the "what to know when you travel there" stuff.

It is a great idea for a book, and a you should read it if going to Spain, but I just wish they had used better authors. Nothing from Hemingway, Washington Irving, nothing from the Spaniards themselves like Cervantes and Lorca. The writing seems too modern, not deep, nor funny, nor penetrating enough: Not up to the task at hand. Although the writing is OK, there must be better insights written than these. This could have been a better book, considering the subject is Spain, it could have been a much much better book.