Puerto Pollensa Travel Guide
Before You Go
Flights
Package Holidays
Latest Special Offers!
All-Inclusive Hotels
Hotels & Aparthotels
Private Villas/Apts to Rent
Villa Companies
Local Rental Agents
Cruises
Car Hire
Airport Transfers & Taxis
Travel Insurance
Late Deals!
Currency
Holiday Shopping
Background Info
Language
Books
Events & Fiestas
Climate & Weather
Art & Culture
Flora & Fauna
Links
Discussion Forum
Once You're There
Maps
Airport Directions
Tourist Information
Eating Out
Buses & Trains
Music & Entertainment
Excursions & Days Out
Shopping & Markets
Kids
Beaches
Walking, Cycling
Boat Charters
Sailing/Watersports
Market Place
Boats & Yachts
Property For Sale
Businesses For Sale
Property Services
Local Services
MouseMats & T-shirts
Computers
Internet Services
Virus Protection
PuertoPollensa.com discussion forums

Go Back   Pollensa Forum > BACKGROUND INFORMATION > Books, Guides and Maps

Books, Guides and Maps Read any good books lately? Did you manage to finish Captain Corelli's ...? Recommend your favourite travel guides and maps. Suggest holiday reads for kids.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-06-2010, 09:26
*****
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Out on a limb
Posts: 180
Default The Battle for Spain by Antony Beevor

I have just bought The Battle for Spain by Antony Beevor to take with me next week. Not exactly light poolside reading, but hopefully right up my street. Has any one read this, or have any other recommendations for anything else on the Spanish Civil War?

Last edited by PaulB; 10-06-2010 at 10:12.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2  
Old 10-06-2010, 11:11
pollensa's Avatar
Founder
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Colchester, UK
Posts: 3,824
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulB View Post
have any other recommendations for anything else on the Spanish Civil War?
Homage to Calalonia (G. Orwell)...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-06-2010, 13:23
smg smg is offline
*****
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Somewhere sunny
Posts: 416
Default

got it, but only dipped in....bones of victims surfaced on mallorca beaches, I recall
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-06-2010, 14:18
RobnAnna's Avatar
****
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Błonie, Evesham & Gotmar
Posts: 95
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulB View Post
I have just bought The Battle for Spain by Antony Beevor to take with me next week. Not exactly light poolside reading, but hopefully right up my street. Has any one read this, or have any other recommendations for anything else on the Spanish Civil War?
Hope this helps,when I was a student I recall having to read a huge book called The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas .Wonderful reading for a history student and very detailed.It might not be that easy to find a copy now,I got mine around 30 years ago.It would take more than a two week stay to plough through it.George Orwells Homage to Catalonia is short and a really good read,especially regarding the infighting etc amongst the republicans during the war.This is still widely available.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-06-2010, 17:39
roig cat's Avatar
*****
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 546
Default

I highly recommend "Winter in Madrid" by CJ Sansom

Winter in Madrid: Amazon.co.uk: C. J. Sansom: Books
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-06-2010, 18:01
Gommar Goffer's Avatar
*****
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PP permanently
Posts: 1,825
Default

Guernica by Dave Boling - haven't read it but have heard that it is very good. It is fictional but apparently factualy accurate.
__________________
GG
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-06-2010, 20:52
***
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: St.Helens M/side
Posts: 25
Default

I will also recommend "Winter in Madrid" absolutely great read as are all CJ Samson's books
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 13-06-2010, 17:33
*****
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 412
Default

GG mentions Guernica by Dave Bolling - an excellent an somewhat moving read, a novel based very much on truth.
Guerra by Jason Webster - accurate vivid and perceptive, considerable power and beauty (reviews).
Ghosts of Spain by Giles Tremblett - essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Spain (BBC History review). Can be hard going in places but once into it it makes very, very good reading. Nothing hidden regarding this part of spains difficult past.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 14-06-2010, 14:06
*****
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Puerto Pollensa
Posts: 2,200
Default

Anna Nicholas's Donkey on my Doorstep looks at how the Spanish Civil War affected Mallorca I believe.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 14-06-2010, 14:14
allanglens's Avatar
*****
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Bishopbriggs, Glasgow
Posts: 165
Default

Definately agree with 'pescador' re Giles Tremblett's "Ghosts of Spain". A very up to date (2004/5) book on modern Spain and Spanish attitudes. I found it quite well written, although not quite in the same league as the two noted below.

Somewhat more dated, but a good read for the style and flavour of the county in the Franco era is H.V. Morton's "A Stranger in Spain". Similarly, Jan Morris's "Spain" has been slighty updated, but you read Morris for the style and prose, not necessarily the factual content.

Must see if I can find any others for my forthcoming trip.

allanglens
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 15-06-2010, 17:40
roig cat's Avatar
*****
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 546
Thumbs up

I know I'm risking stating the obvious here, but there may be some readers who are new to "Spanish civil war" so I'm recommending:

"For Whom the Bell Tolls" Ernest Hemingway (1941)

Great book!

PS I've never see the film.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 15-06-2010, 17:55
roig cat's Avatar
*****
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 546
Smile

One of my favourite books detailing life during civil war is "Eleni" by Nicholas Gage.

I knooow, I knoooow it's not Spanish civil war!! It's about Greece, BUT it is a fantastice read. It reads like a fictional book but it is all fact, very gruesome and very moving. Nicholas Gage (AKA Nikola Gatzoyiannis) tells the story of his mothers bravery to ensure her children escape the terror of the communists in Northern Greece. It's a long book and as is usually the case can take some getting in to, but once the "story" starts you'll be hooked!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 26-06-2010, 18:44
volp's Avatar
Newbie
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sweden and in winter Porreres, Mallorca
Posts: 9
Default

I have read The Battle for Spain by Antony Beevor and I think it is the best book on the Spanish civil war. It is definitely not one sided and covers the atrocities committed by both sides. There is no romanticism (is that the right word?) in his writing. His thoughts about the results of another outcome of the war are also interesting.
More than thirty years after Franko’s death the war is still much under a blanket officially. But if you talk to your Spanish friend you might hear more about it. Our neighbour’s parents (from mainland Spain) were fighting on different sides on the same front. They really did not have a choice. It was join or die!
As you know Mallorca was supporting Franco during the civil war which makes its history even more repressed here.

Anders

Last edited by volp; 28-06-2010 at 18:12.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vonage voip for Spain clinkham Living & Working in the Pollensa Area 0 16-08-2009 00:24
Do you spain - Record Hannah70 Car Hire, Airport Transfers in Majorca 21 24-07-2009 08:44
Do You Spain advice please? thill Car Hire, Airport Transfers in Majorca 7 13-03-2008 19:34
Is there anywhere in Spain similar to PP?!!!! LouLou Miscellaneous 7 08-10-2007 03:08
The New Spain JH02JLH Wine and More Wine 0 13-03-2005 17:00


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 21:24.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
(c) Copyright Holiday Webs Ltd 2011