Spain - help me find the right book
Dec 11, 2020, 6:46 pm
#1
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,734
Spain - help me find the right book
I'm looking for a book that will help me understand contemporary Spain - a little politics, a little culture, maybe some history, too. This is prep for potentially a long (3 to 6 months) stay in Spain while working on a project there. I speak rudimentary Spanish, not enough to read a complex volume, so need something in English.
Dec 12, 2020, 1:14 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
Posts: 2,108
To understand contemporary Spain? This recent one by Paul Preston: "A People Betrayed". But I am not sure if personally I would want to know about this (not so nice) side of the country when going there for only 3-6 months...
And if your destination happens to be Barcelona: "Barcelona" by Robert Hughes.
And if your destination happens to be Barcelona: "Barcelona" by Robert Hughes.
Dec 18, 2020, 9:02 pm
#3
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,734
To understand contemporary Spain? This recent one by Paul Preston: "A People Betrayed". But I am not sure if personally I would want to know about this (not so nice) side of the country when going there for only 3-6 months...
And if your destination happens to be Barcelona: "Barcelona" by Robert Hughes.
And if your destination happens to be Barcelona: "Barcelona" by Robert Hughes.
Would probably be more in the Madrid area than Barcelona.
Dec 26, 2020, 2:11 pm
#4
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Location: London
Posts: 18,398
Aleix Saló will get you there quicker, and more enjoyably, than anyone else.
You might even be able to manage Espańistan in Castellano, the humour is very contemporary so if you can figure it out from reading it you’ll be in a great position to recognise it once you arrive.
(Simiocracia is a little more in depth, perhaps a little better for what you’re saying you want)
You might even be able to manage Espańistan in Castellano, the humour is very contemporary so if you can figure it out from reading it you’ll be in a great position to recognise it once you arrive.
(Simiocracia is a little more in depth, perhaps a little better for what you’re saying you want)
Last edited by LapLap; Dec 26, 2020 at 2:17 pm
Jan 3, 2021, 4:59 pm
#5
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,734
Aleix Saló will get you there quicker, and more enjoyably, than anyone else.
You might even be able to manage Espańistan in Castellano, the humour is very contemporary so if you can figure it out from reading it you’ll be in a great position to recognise it once you arrive.
(Simiocracia is a little more in depth, perhaps a little better for what you’re saying you want)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aleix-Saló/...t_pop_ebooks_1
You might even be able to manage Espańistan in Castellano, the humour is very contemporary so if you can figure it out from reading it you’ll be in a great position to recognise it once you arrive.
(Simiocracia is a little more in depth, perhaps a little better for what you’re saying you want)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aleix-Saló/...t_pop_ebooks_1
Jan 3, 2021, 5:17 pm
#6
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But, if you have 6 minutes to invest you can find an English subtitled summary of Simiocracia here:
Jan 3, 2021, 6:49 pm
#7
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,734
I have no idea where you’re based, but the COVID story is not playing out well in any of “my” countries (England, Spain or Japan), I wouldn’t be particularly optimistic about the next six months.
But, if you have 6 minutes to invest you can find an English subtitled summary of Simiocracia here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2C1vBh-Is8
But, if you have 6 minutes to invest you can find an English subtitled summary of Simiocracia here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2C1vBh-Is8
Will look at the video, thanks.
Jan 5, 2021, 3:36 pm
#8
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Jan 11, 2021, 8:04 pm
#9
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Jan 20, 2021, 10:06 am
#10
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You might have a look at John Hooper, The New Spaniards. Covers the areas you mention: politics, culture, history. He's knowledgeable and a good writer. Buen viaje!