The Spanish Inquisition
by Cecil Roth
This documents the events leading up to the Inquisition, the torment that spread from Spain to Portugal and the New World -- a fascinating exploration of the roots of the Inquisition and its effects on the country.
A Small Death in Lisbon
by Robert Wilson
Set in Lisbon in 1941 and 1999, this award-winning mystery intertwines a present day murder, some unsavory arms production, and smuggling in Nazi Germany. Please note, there are some graphic passages dealing with the horrors of war and concentration camps.
Culture Smart! Portugal
by Sandy Guedes de Queiroz
A concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture.
Lisbon, A Cultural and Literary Companion
by Paul Buck
One in the excellent series, both a walking guide and history of the city.
Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe
by Laurence Bergreen
A chronicle of Ferdinand Magellan's sixteenth-century voyage around the world draws on candid first-person accounts and describes his crew's experiences with mutiny, navigation, death, unusual sexual practices, and Magellan's ruthless leadership tactics.
Eyewitness Guide London
by Eyewitness Guides
This superb guide to London features color photography, dozens of excellent neighborhood maps and a district-by-district synopsis of the city's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry.
The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis
by Jose Saramago
This nuanced novel, written in Saramago's smooth style, follows Ricardo Reis, one of the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa's invented characters, around the rainy streets of Lisbon. Pessoa has just died, and Saramago builds his plot around the premise that characters live on nine months after their author's demise
The Book of Disquiet
by Fernando Pessoa
When the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa died in 1935, he left behind a trunk full of unpublished writings. Culled from those unclassifiable papers, this book is a unique collection of short, aphoristic paragraphs comprising the "autobiography" of Bernardo Soares, one of Pessoa's many alternate selves (he called them "heteronyms"). Part intimate diary, part prose poetry, part descriptive narrative, this melancholic masterpiece is captivatingly translated by Richard Zenith.
A Traveller's History of Portugal
by Ian Robertson
A lively, admirably concise survey from prehistory to the present, great for travelers to Portugal who would like an overview of the country's history and culture.
Journey to Portugal, In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture
by Jose Saramago
Jose Saramago's richly detailed account of his journey across Portugal in 1979. He combines his vivid impressions of the Portuguese landscape and people with a dose of history, fiction and meditations.
DK Eyewitness Top Ten Lisbon
by Tomas Tranaeus
A compact illustrated guide in the popular series, featuring favorite attractions.
Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empirer
by Roger Crowley
This epic narrative history by bestselling author Roger Crowley (City of Fortune, MED185) chronicles the rise of Portugal as the small nation forged a dominant share in the global spice trade. His cast of characters (the ambitious King Manuel I, marauding governors and intrepid seamen) built a trade monopoly with the ferocity of a holy crusade, forever shifting Europe's center of power from the Mediterranean to Western Europe.
Londoners
by Craig Taylor
Drawing on the unforgettable stories of nearly 100 Londoners, Taylor provides a rich and vivid kaleidoscopic view of modern-day London through the diverse voices of those who, regardless of whether they love or hate it, capture the heart and soul of one of the world's greatest cities.
Spain, A History
by Raymond Carr
An authoritative overview of Spain through the ages by one of the world's leading scholars on the history of Spain, Sir Raymond Carr.
The Story of England
by Christopher Hibbert
Beautifully illustrated with color pictures, chronological charts, royal genealogies and maps, this popular history of English politics, economics and culture from the Neolithic Age to the 1990s is an excellent travel companion.
Baltasar and Blimunda
by Jose Saramago
This tale of two unlikely lovers in Inquisition-era Portugal is arguably Saramago's masterwork: a philosophically charged, intellectually rigorous historical drama which is also a captivating read.
London, A Literary Anthology
by British Library
Ranging from the 15th century to the present day, the British Library’s generous selection of poems and novel excerpts evokes the spirit of London through the ages. Full-color works of art from the library's collection are interspersed throughout.
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 interviews, anecdotes and observation.
London, A History
by A.N. Wilson
A brief, evocative meditation on the rich and varied history of England's capital city by the prolific British writer, critic and historian. Wilson examines London through several lenses, using humor and insight to discuss art, architecture, politics and culture.
A Traveller's History of London
by Richard Tames
The story of London, from the Romans to Tony Blair, tailored to the traveler.
Alentejo Blue
by Monica Ali
These short stories set in the Alentejo province of Portugal star a range of colorful expats and locals, including Teresa, a beautiful young girl from the village engaged to a suitable man, who yearns to see the world, and Vasco, a cafe owner losing business to the new Internet cafe down the road.
Lisbon: War in the Shadows of the City of Light, 1939-1945
by Neill Lochery
Despite Portugal's neutrality during WWII, the city of Lisbon endured untold amounts of pressure, propaganda and espionage from both the Allies and the Axis powers. Lochery's well-researched chronicle is sheathed in a cloak-and-dagger atmosphere as he uncovers sordid and fascinating accounts of the backstage role the Portuguese capital played in the conflict that raged on all sides.
