Xenophobe's Guide to the Spanish [Paperback]

Drew Launay (Author)

Book Description

Series: Xenophobe's Guide | Publication Date: December 1, 2009

Extracts from the book
Fun in the sun: Anyone attempting to understand the Spanish must first of all recognize the fact that they do not consider anything important except total enjoyment. If it is not enjoyable it will be ignored.
You can't buy happiness: The happiness of the individual is considered to be much more important than money. The goatherd who strolls the countryside with his animals breathing in the fresh air and loving his problem-less life is much more admired than the wealthy industrialist who hasn't time to enjoy life and spends quite a lot of his earnings on medicines to calm his peptic ulcers.
Sexplicit: In Spain lust is ever in the air. There is nothing about the Spanish appreciation of sex that is inhibited or restrained. It is accepted that both men and women love making love, which is why there are very few sexual crimes in the country.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Highly informative and amusing."
--The Entertainer (Spain)

"Xenophobe's Guide to the Spanish, might not have the most politically correct title but it has a reputation for being one of the most sympathetic and incisive takes by a foreigner on the habits, outlook and foibles of Spaniards. "
--Spain Magazine

"Each book is an entertaining essay on the failings, foibles and good points of their subjects. Their humour is relaxed and gentle and it would be a sour, churlish native of a subject country who would object seriously."
--Lancashire Evening Telegraph

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

'Anyone attempting to understand the Spanish must first of all recognize the fact that they do not consider anything important except total enjoyment. If it is not enjoyable it will be ignored.'
Xenophobia is an irrational fear of foreigners, probably justified, always understandable.
Xenophobe's Guides - an irreverent look at the beliefs and foibles of nations, almost guaranteed to cure Xenophobia.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 92 pages
• Publisher: Oval Books; New edition (December 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1906042489
• ISBN-13: 978-1906042486
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,225,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Customs & Traditions

More About the Author

Drew Launay was born of French parents in England. Lives in Nerja, Southern Spain. After early years in the family meat business he escaped to the Windmill Theatre in London's West End to write the screen play for 'Yes we have no Pajamas'. Over 50 books have since been published under pseudonyms André Launay (General Fiction), Andrew Laurance (Psychic Thrillers) and some of the popular Xenophobe and Bluffer's Guides. New books coming shortly.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book is just fantastic and everything it says is true, March 15, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Xenophobe's Guide to the Spanish (Paperback)

I'm a Spanish and I enjoyed this book very much because everything it says is true. All the topics are treated with lots of humour and that makes the book really enjoiable. Furthermore, while you are having fun reading the book you learn of the Spanish way of life...

4.0 out of 5 stars So "on-target" I laughed in fond rememberance!, December 15, 1999

By 

Rebecca Lair (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Xenophobe's Guide to the Spanish (Xenophobe's Guides - Oval Books) (Paperback)

This book is a witty and very clever look at Spanish society. I found most of what I read to be so incredibly true that I was laughing out loud. There are some parts which I found to be less than accurate, in my experience at least, and for that I give it four stars instead of five. Other than that, I highly recommend it. Do take it with a grain of sand however.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book., September 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Xenophobe's Guide to the Spanish (Xenophobe's Guides - Oval Books) (Paperback)

good coverage of all spanish quirks. my friends in spain loved it