Spanish history, Spanish culture, Moorish Andalusia,
The food of Andalusia, Touring Spain, Andalusian poetry
All of the books below are sourced from Amazon.com which offers free postage to USA and Canadian customers. British and other European customers should consult our UK and other European countries bookshops listed in the drop down menu. The shop is for your convenience, to collect relevant products all in one place. If you buy them here, you will pay no more than if you bought them direct from the Amazon store. The following books are our personal choice. Most of them we have bought ourselves, but some are digests of reviews. We'd welcome your feedback!
Maps and Guides
Very little is written about the Axarquia - the eastern part of Andalucia. It is not especially fashionable as a tourist venue yet it is an astonishingly beautiful landscape and has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Hilary Gavilan's "La Axarquia History and traditions" is particularly recommended. It is self published and anecdotal to the point of eccentricity. However, its worth buying with one of the bog standard and predictable guides
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Spanish History
"Ghosts of Spain" is a highly focussed and well written introduction to modern Spain. It is a series of essays that cover the regions and recent historical events. My favourite is the essay on the development of the "Costas" under Franco. "Two middle aged Ladies is the journal of John Betjeman's wife, who toured Andalucía on the back of her middle aged horse in the 1960's. An intimate, anecdotal account of life in the villages.
Anthony Beevor is a celebrated English historian with a reputation for clear and accessible writing. "The Battle for Spain" is your best chance to understand the multitude of factions on the left and right engaged in the Civil War. Preston is the world authority on the Spanish Civil war, though his writing is often dense. This is an introduction both to Preston and to the Civil War. Preston has said that Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia" is about as historically accurate as Spike Milligan's "Hitler, my part in his downfall". But we don't look to Orwell for a dry historical account do we? He has so much more to offer . .
Anthony Beevor is a celebrated English historian with a reputation for clear and accessible writing. "The Battle for Spain" is your best chance to understand the multitude of factions on the left and right engaged in the Civil War. Preston is the world authority on the Spanish Civil war, though his writing is often dense. This is an introduction both to Preston and to the Civil War. Preston has said that Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia" is about as historically accurate as Spike Milligan's "Hitler, my part in his downfall". But we don't look to Orwell for a dry historical account do we? He has so much more to offer . .
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Moorish Spain
Richard Fletcher's book is a standard text - sharp, scholarly and accessible. Menocal's account is more discursive and sometimes rambling. Its an easier read. Andalucian Dawn is eyewitness by an enthusiast with emphasis on Andalucía's Moorish past. Gerber's book is the celebrated and award winning study of Sephardic Jews in Southern Spain. Lastly a two volume "exotic" novel for informative holiday reading!
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Learn Spanish
If you come and stay with us you have to have a go at Spanish. Try Madrigal's well reviewed Magic Key for a fun, creative approach to the chore. Collins in our opinion do the best dictionary. I haven't read Breaking out of Beginners Spanish, but with 123 five star reviews, its doing even better than us! Then a "Learn as a family" book and a childrens' dictionary. Children love to explore Spanish, because Spanish people adore children and address them all as guapo/a (gorgeous)!
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Spanish Cuisine
We have loads of Spanish recipe books and use hardly any of them, but the following have their uses. "Menu Del Dia" is how you ought to eat in our region - from 2.30 till sometime after 4pm. "One pot Spanish" is for self catering rental holidaymakers. "Casa Moro" gives you the real "feel" of Spanish cooking without being particularly authentic. "Mediterranean Harvest" is recommended to vegetarians who will find it difficult to get a gourmet experience in the Axarquia. "The New Spanish Table" is so highly recommended by Amazon reviewers that it gets a place in our list.
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Andalucian Poets
This is an introductory selection and is more or less about Garcia Lorca. The collected poems in English and Spanish is a great primer.
Lorca's "Gypsy Ballads" is one of the greatest collections of poetry ever, and figures for example in "the worlds greatest 100 books". "Still waters" is an introduction - via Lorca - to Machado and Jimenez. Then a DVD of Saura's danced version of Lorca's play "Blood Wedding" Then a primer of Andalusian Arab poetry that influenced Jimenez and Lorc. Enjoy!
Lorca's "Gypsy Ballads" is one of the greatest collections of poetry ever, and figures for example in "the worlds greatest 100 books". "Still waters" is an introduction - via Lorca - to Machado and Jimenez. Then a DVD of Saura's danced version of Lorca's play "Blood Wedding" Then a primer of Andalusian Arab poetry that influenced Jimenez and Lorc. Enjoy!
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