Sails & winds : a cultural history of Valencia by 
Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country's Hidden Past by
Spaniards are reputed to be amongst Europe's most forthright people. So why have they kept silent about the terrors of their Civil War and the rule of General Franco? This apparent 'pact of forgetting' inspired writer Giles Tremlett to embark on a journey around Spain and its history. He found the ghosts of Spain everywhere, almost always arguing. Who caused the Civil War? Why do Basque terrorists kill? Why do Catalans hate Madrid? Did the Islamist bombers who killed 190 people in 2004 dream of a return to Spain's Moorish past? Tremlett's curiosity led him down some strange and colourful byroads, and brought him unexpected insights into the Spanish character
South From Granada by
Gerald Brenan is generally regarded as the greatest of English writers about Spain. "South from Granada" describes the essence of a remote rural area before the Civil War with vivid sympathy. Here, brought back to life, are the festivals and folk-lore of the Sierra Nevada, the rivalries, romances and courtship rituals, the village customs, superstitions and characters. Equally compelling are chapters on Granada in the twenties, food and the Phoenicians, the cheap brothels and archaeological remains of Almeria, the stark but haunting mountain scenery and even a visit from Virginia Woolf.
The Story of Spain by
"The Story of Spain" by Mark R. Williams is an ideal introduction to one special nation's history and culture. After many years in print in Europe, the second American edition (2009) has been published by Golden Era Books. It features a chapter covering contemporary Spain through 2008, 16 pages of color photos, and listings of top historical "sights and sites" for travelers. "The Story of Spain" is a highly readable one-volume treatment of Hispanic culture and Spain's mercurial history through the centuries. Yet this "popular history" is based on years of scholarly research and is used in many university courses. Professor Emeritus Paul Smith of U.C.L.A. called it: "By far the best introduction for students in English to Spain¿s history and culture, from its origins to the present day."
Williams earned an M.A. in History from the University of California and did further studies at the University of Madrid. He lived in Spain, working as a teacher and journalist, and his articles appeared in the "International Herald Tribune" and many other publications.
Made in Spain by
Made in Spain: Studies in Popular Music will serve as a comprehensive and rigorous introduction to the history, sociology and musicology of 20th century Spanish popular music. The volume will consist of 16 essays by leading scholars of Spanish music and will cover the major figures, styles and social contexts of pop music in Spain. Although all the contributors are Spanish, the essays will be expressly written for an international English-speaking audience. No knowledge of Spanish music or culture will be assumed. Each section will feature a brief introduction by the volume editors, while each essay will provide adequate context so readers understand why the figure or genre under discussion is of lasting significance to Spanish popular music. The book first presents a general description of the history and background of popular music, followed by essays organized into thematic sections.
For Whom the Bell Tolls by
In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight," For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan's love for the beautiful Maria and his superb account of El Sordo's last stand, in his brilliant travesty of La Pasionaria and his unwillingness to believe in blind faith, Hemingway surpasses his achievement in The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms to create a work at once rare and beautiful, strong and brutal, compassionate, moving, and wise.
Poet in New York by
A newly revised edition of the insightful poetic cycle by one of the key figures of modern literature Written while Federico García Lorca was a student at Columbia University in 1929-30,Poet in New York is one of the most important books he produced, and certainly one of the most important books ever published about New York City.
The Sun Also Rises by
The quintessential novel of the Lost Generation,The Sun Also Rises is one of Ernest Hemingway's masterpieces and a classic example of his spare but powerful writing style. A poignant look at the disillusionment and angst of the post-World War I generation, the novel introduces two of Hemingway's most unforgettable characters: Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. The story follows the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain with a motley group of expatriates. First published in 1926, The Sun Also Rises helped establish Hemingway as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.
Don Quixote by
This is the story that a Nobel Prize Committee survey of one hundred of the world's best writers named "the greatest book of all time." DON QUIXOTE is the biggest-selling book of fiction ever written. It has sold more than 500 million copies.
"Gerald J. Davis's DON QUIXOTE is a translation for our time that is also mindful of times gone by. Davis's ear is attuned to clarity and meaning while honoring the tradition and language of the past. An engaging and compelling version of the great classic work of Cervantes."