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Books set in Spain

19 replies

pillowcase · 01/03/2013 23:32

Hi,
Just saw the Paris thread Grin Could anyone give any good recommendations for novels set in Spain. Have read Shadow of the Wind, but would love to read a few more before hols in summer
thanks

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BikeRunSki · 01/03/2013 23:34

Driving Over Lemons - Chris Stewart
As I Stepped Out One Midsummer Morning - Laurie Lee

Although both autobiographical rather than fiction.

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bluebump · 01/03/2013 23:36

The Return by Victoria Hislop is set in Spain. I think she gets mixed reviews on here but I enjoyed it.

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pillowcase · 01/03/2013 23:36

Oh I read Driving over lemons too, forgot about that!
will look up the Laurie Lee one; thanks

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BOF · 01/03/2013 23:40

Winter In Madrid is very good, and only 20p at the moment, I think.

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BestIsWest · 01/03/2013 23:42

Guernica by Dave Boling and Winter In Madrid cover similar territory to The Return. All are heartbreaking.

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell (Pillowcase it was my Paris thread Grin, I haven't read this but it's in the same collection as Down and out in London and Paris.)

I read a great book about modern Spain a few years ago by a British journalist called Giles Something. I will have to google.

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BestIsWest · 01/03/2013 23:44

Ah it was Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country's Hidden Past by Giles Tremlett.

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pollywollydoodle · 01/03/2013 23:45

for whom the bell tolls
winter in Madrid(cj sansom)
Guernica..can't remember the author

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pollywollydoodle · 01/03/2013 23:47

any of those 3 are better than the return imo

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BestIsWest · 01/03/2013 23:48

I liked Guernica the best.

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bluebump · 01/03/2013 23:56

Ghosts of Spain is really good, really interesting.

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pillowcase · 01/03/2013 23:56

oh thanks everyone for these, will get ordering something tomorrow when i look up a few reviews.

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fromheretomaternity · 01/03/2013 23:59

try arturo perez-reverte

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pollywollydoodle · 02/03/2013 00:57

and on a lighter note the main character in David lodge's Therapy goes on a pilgrimage through spain

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BestIsWest · 02/03/2013 01:03

Polly I LOVE that David Lodge book. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. He's one of my favourite authors.

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pollywollydoodle · 02/03/2013 02:57

thank you Best... i couldn't pull the name out of my muddled brain...

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tripfiction · 02/03/2013 10:51

Here is a mix of books by location/genre depending where you are going:
A Darker Night by P J Brooke - Grenada
A Death in Valencia by Jason Webster - Valencia
A Parrot in a Pepper Tree by Chris Stewart - Andalucia (author of Driving over Lemons)
From Barcelona, with Love by Elizabeth Adler - Barcelona
The Scent of Lemon Leaves by Clara Sanchez - Javea

A Blogpost too:
tripfiction.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/selected-fiction-set-in-barcelona.html

Have fun choosing!

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AnonymousBird · 02/03/2013 12:20

Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

I have Winter in Madrid, looking forward to reading that.

I have also read the first two Chris Stewart books, they are great - light, but fun and I do actually think they give a good sense of the country.

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AnonymousBird · 02/03/2013 12:21

OH, and I have the Scent of Lemon leaves too!

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pillowcase · 03/03/2013 08:42

Thanks for all that,
Am ordering Guernica, Therapy and For Whom the Bell Tolls hoping it'll be a good mix.
Gracias

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