Leaving the Atocha Station
by Ben Lerner
Lerner's novel chronicles the highs, lows, and existential dilemmas of Adam Gordon, a smart, if highly unreliable, young American poet on a prestigious fellowship in Madrid
The Hive
by Camilo José Cela
A daringly irreverent depiction of decadence and decay in Franco's Spain written by the 1989 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Camilo José Cela.
The Time of the Doves
by Mercè Rodoreda
Powerfully written story set during the Spanish Civil War and beyond.
This is a rare and moving portrait of a woman confronting and surviving a convulsive period in Spanish history
The Shadow of the Wind
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Set in the brooding atmosphere of post-WW II Barcelona, this gripping story-within-a-story has it all: murder, doomed love and a mysterious book which draws the young hero, Daniel Sempere, into the city’s dangerous underworld.
Victus: The Fall of Barcelona
by Albert Sanchez Pinol
A sweeping historical novel set in the early 1700s in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain. Pinol's main character is Marti Zuviria, a treacherous, young military engineer who holds the fate of the War of Spanish Succession in his hands. Dark, witty and profound, the novel culminates in a great betrayal and the fall of Barcelona and Catalonia.
Ghosts of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interview, anecdote and observation.
Cathedral of the Sea
by Ildefonso Falcones
Set in fourteenth-century Barcelona, Cathedral of the Sea is a thrilling historical novel of friendship and revenge, plague and hope, love and war.
The Arts in Spain: From Prehistory to Postmodernism
by John F. Moffit
A representative anthology of examples of painting, architecture and sculpture providing a critical overview of Spain. From Iberian and Roman beginnings, the book traces the development of the arts in Spain, examining the magnificent Islamic and Christian foundations at Cordoba and the Escorial, the idiosyncratic masterworks of El Greco, the Golden Age of Zurbaran and Velazquez, the art of Goya, and the innovative works of Picasso, Dali and Miro, and revealing that many of the most characteristic Spanish artistic currents had their origins at the dawn of history.
Winter in Madrid
by C.J. Sansom
A vivid and haunting depiction of wartime Spain, Winter in Madrid offers an intimate and riveting tale and a remarkable sense of history unfolding
The Truth about Franco - Spain's forgotten Dictatorship
by Documentary
This documentary delves into the past and attempts to examine the almost forty-year rule of Spain's Generalisimo - Francisco Franco.
Barcelona Map
by Borch Maps
A detailed city map, laminated and folded for easy reference.
A life of Picasso
by John Richardson
Richardson draws on his close friendship with Picasso, his own diaries, the collaboration of Picasso's widow Jacqueline, and unprecedented access to Picasso's studio and papers to arrive at a profound understanding of the artist and his work. (4 volumes)
España - A Brief History of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Bestselling author and journalist, Giles Tremlett delves into the rich and varied history of Spain, from prehistoric times to today, in a brief, accessible and enjoyable account.
Made in Spain
by Chef José Andrés
Spanish Chef and philanthropist Jose Andres introduces the cuisine of Spain in this 13 episode series available on Prime.
Cadogan Guide Barcelona & Catalonia
by Dana Facaros
This savvy guide combines practical details and maps with illuminating background on history, culture and sightseeing.
Antonio Gaudi, Master Architect
by Juan Bassegoda Nonell
This lavish little collection of Gaudi's work captures the evolution, imagination and exuberance of one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.
Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret
by Colman Andrews
An introduction and a guide to the food, wine, and customs of Catalonia featuring recipes and cooking techniques
Love and Revolutionary Greetings: An Ohio Boy in the Spanish Civil War
by Laurie E. Levinger
Follow the story of a boy name Sam Levinger who travels to Spain in 1937 to join the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Based off of letters home to his mother, this story will captivate and educate it's readers of the American involvement during the Spanish Civil War.
Madrid: the History
by Jules Stewart
Jules Stewart provides an insider's account of Madrid and unveils the history and culture of one of Europe's most fascinating, but least-understood cities.
An Englishman in Madrid
by Eduardo Mendoza
Anthony Whitelands, an English art historian, is invited to Madrid to value an aristocrat's collection. At a welcome lunch he encounters Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, founder and leader of the Falange, a nationalist party whose antics are bringing the country ever closer to civil war.....
Picasso: Creator and Destroyer
by Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington
Through numerous interviews with Picasso's intimates, the author offers a comprehensive biography of Picasso's life.
Food and Wines of Spain
by Penelope Casas
This classic collection of 400 recipes, interwoven with cultural commentary and culinary history, is a pleasure to read, but prepare to become hungry.
Two Catalonias
by (Documentary)
A must see documentary on the divisions in Catalan Politics and the independence movement
Duende
by Jason Webster
Duende is Webster’s captivating memoir of the years he spent in Spain pursuing his obsession. Studying flamenco guitar until his fingers bleed, he becomes involved in a passionate yet doomed affair with Lola, a flamenco dancer....
Gaudi: The Life of a Visionary
by J. Castellar-Gassol
A chronological journey covering the life and works of Gaudi
Barcelona
by Robert Hughes
This big, thoroughly enjoyable cultural history of the city touches on architecture, art, religion and literature from Roman outpost to the present.
Hotel Florida
by Amanda Vaill
Madrid, 1936. In a city blasted by civil war, six people meet and find their lives changed forever...
The Illustrated biography of Antoni Gaudí
by Carlos Giordano, Nicolas Palmisano
This book describes in detail the life of a man whose pursuit of perfection was his driving force.
Catalonia: A Cultural History
by Michael Eaude
Michael Eaude traces the checkered history and unique monuments of Catalonia through the ages
Culinaria Spain
by Marion Trutter (Editor)
Organized by region, this profusely illustrated guide to virtually all aspects of Spanish cuisine is full of recipes, tips and cultural information.
Soldiers of Salamis
by Javier Cercas
Cerca's novel follows a gripping investigation into a historical mystery rooted in Spain's tumultuous past. The story revolves around Rafael Sánchez Mazas, a key founder of the Spanish Falange and a minister in Franco's regime after the Spanish Civil War. Before his rise to prominence, Sánchez Mazas narrowly escaped execution by Republican forces, fleeing into the woods. Despite being spotted by a Republican soldier, he was spared—a moment that became a focal point of myth and storytelling, much of it propagated by Sánchez Mazas himself.
Decades later, author Javier Cercas delves into this account, uncovering deeper, often unsettling truths beneath the legend. His exploration is less about glorifying the miraculous escape and more about examining its human and moral complexities. While the narrative is reflective and occasionally speculative, it offers thought-provoking insights into historical memory and its modern implications. Despite sparse dialogue and a slower pace, the novel's powerful themes and emotional depth make it a compelling read for those interested in Spain's history and the legacy of its civil conflict. The novel was also made into a film "Soldiers of Salamina", released in 2003
The Struggle for Catalonia: Rebel Politics in Spain
by Raphael Minder
Minder, a journalist for The New York Times, provides a nuanced view of the independence movement. He explores both Catalonia's aspirations and the challenges of achieving independence, while also considering Madrid's perspective. An excellent resource for understanding the movement without partisan bias.
Gaudi, A Biography
by Gijs van Hensbergen
A vivid account of the architect and his work.
The History of Spain - Land on a Crossroad
by Great Courses Documentary series
Professor Emerita Joyce E. Salisbury of the University of Wisconsin unfurls a broad and fascinating panorama of Spanish history, spanning the centuries from the first Neolithic settlement of the peninsula to Spain’s 20th century Civil War in this documentary series.
The Shadow of the Wind
by By Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals from its war wounds, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. ...
Goya
by Robert Hughes
Hughes brings us the story of an artist whose life and work bridged the transition from the eighteenth-century reign of the old masters to the early days of the nineteenth-century moderns.
Homage to Catalonia
by George Orwell
Orwell's portrait of the Barcelona uprising and the spirit of a city at war is a classic, an observant and heartfelt report from the streets.
The New Spaniards
by John Hooper
John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 21st century
