Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
111th out of 766 books
—
1,210 voters
Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through Spain and Its Silent Past
The appearance, more than sixty years after the Spanish Civil War ended, of mass graves containing victims of Francisco Franco’s death squads finally broke what Spaniards call “the pact of forgetting”—the unwritten understanding that their recent, painful past was best left unexplored. At this charged moment, Giles Tremlett embarked on a journey around the country and thro...more
Hardcover, 386 pages
Published
February 6th 2007
by Walker & Company
(first published January 1st 2006)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,366)
I admittedly haven't finished this book. When I first started it, I was very impressed with the author's understanding of Spanish history (in particular, the continuing trauma of the Spanish Civil War). I enthusiastically read the book up until about Chapter 6, when I became aware of the fact that the author's observations were dissolving into gross generalizations and blatant hyperbole -- which isn't to say that there isn't truth there. But the blanket characterizations of "the Spanish people"...more
If, like me, the conundrums of modern spain by turn frustrate and delight you, then you must read this book. Why are the spanish so noisy? Why do they chose to live on top of each other in high rise blocks depsite boundless empty spaces surrounding their overcrowded cities? Why are spainsh kids so spoilt? How can a country wth so much history be rushing headlong into the future?
I read it in 2 sittings, I've lived in Spain for 2 years and laughed out loud at the familiar situations described, and...more
I read it in 2 sittings, I've lived in Spain for 2 years and laughed out loud at the familiar situations described, and...more
Jun 03, 2012
Kunle
added it
If you have ever wondered why the Spanish civil war rarely get's scrutinized to the same extent as others, then this book explains it by examining Spanish society from the recent past to the present; the Franco years to the explosion of repressed social and cultural development after his death that affected everything in the country, from its central government to the emergence of terrorist group ETA.
Tremlett talks about the establishment of a left - right compromise not look to closely at the b...more
Tremlett talks about the establishment of a left - right compromise not look to closely at the b...more
Tremlett is a journalist who lives in Spain. That is a good thing. He is in touch with real people and this gives his writing an immediacy and directness that goes beyond the common judgemental Briton abroad. He also has some great chapter titles, such as "How the bikini saved Spain".
The premise of the book is that there is a story to be told around the secret histories of people who have simply refused to talk about their experiences under Franco. I know someone whose uncle was denounced then t...more
The premise of the book is that there is a story to be told around the secret histories of people who have simply refused to talk about their experiences under Franco. I know someone whose uncle was denounced then t...more
How did Spain become a 'normal' country in Western Europe? In 1970 it was isolated (along with Portugal), a decaying fascist state. Yet, somehow, within Spain there existed enough independent life and thought that after Franco's death, the country quickly and relatively painlessly (one nearly tragic but ultimately comic coup attempt aside) became part of Western Europe. The author provides vivid details on small matters of life, especially the distinctions (not just Basque and Catalan) that make...more
An impulse buy in the FNAC in Barcelona, galloped through in a couple of days, this was a good book for me to read at this point. Every time I go to Spain I am more intrigued and curious about its recent past. This book, by the Madrid correspondent of the Guardian, gives a journalistic overview of a vast range of topics. If you already knew a lot about Spain, you'd probably find it irritatingly superficial. But when you don't, it's interesting and diverting, opening up all sorts of avenues for f...more
On a trip to Spain a few years ago, I needed to make a change to my train ticket from Madrid to Malaga. The ticket agent, a man in his 50s or 60s, barely listened to my request, looked at his watch, and without ever looking up growled, "No". Just the one word, without explanation and never looked at me. Sort of expecting that, I looked to see if another agent could help me. This time, the agent was a vibrant 20-ish girl, who took my question and made the change in about 45 seconds, smiling and c...more
I've lived in Spain for 5 years now. I found this book highly enjoyable, mainly because Tremlett is very well informed about the country -- this is by no means an outsider's take on Spain, but rather a person who is obviously well immersed in the language and culture of Spain. I found myself marveling at his observations about the idiosyncrasies of Spanish culture, mainly because I've had those same observations over the years. But what makes the book great is his ability to weave a lot of histo...more
I thought this book might be Spain's version of "The Oracle Bones" - a well-written account of the experiences of a correspondent's long sojourn in the exotic abroad. Rather, this book is a systematic description of more than a dozen important trends in modern Spain's identity.
The best part of the book is its long, careful treatment of Spain's relationship with its past, in particular that of the Civil War and the Francoist years. I found the telling was balanced, empathetic, but not completely...more
The best part of the book is its long, careful treatment of Spain's relationship with its past, in particular that of the Civil War and the Francoist years. I found the telling was balanced, empathetic, but not completely...more
There was a lot to enjoy about this cultured journey around Spain. It's good at reporting the facts and incidents from Spain's past and present and in relaying the anecdotes and quotes of writers, thinkers, travellers, politicians and ordinary Spanish folk. Even if it is very general in its approach the author has an obvious love for the place that shines through.
It also has a fairly pedestrian, 'middle of the road' feel to it, with bland descriptions and unanimated writing about fairly typical...more
It also has a fairly pedestrian, 'middle of the road' feel to it, with bland descriptions and unanimated writing about fairly typical...more
An interesting balanced look at modern Spanish history and culture with occasional reflections on it's ancient past and development. It also gives a brief comparison of culture in the various regions and the impact of Franco's regime on modern Spain. My only criticism which admittedly is hard to avoid in all sociological works is the tendancy to assume all Spaniards are politically involved of slot in into on the two Spains which is a running theme of this book. Due to the vast time frame and th...more
4.5 stars actually. I can’t give it 5 because couple of chapters were quite difficult to wade through. I finished the book in several takes, first two being botched by these unfortunate chapters. I mean I’m not interested in flamenco or construction boom and ensuing machinations. However even in these cases I learned something curious, for example about larger than life cult singer I’ve never heard of - Camarón de la Isla. I persevered and was ultimately rewarded with excellent insights which on...more
This feels like an Iberian equivalent to Tobias Jones' The Dark Heart of Italy; a British journalist describes the often traumatic events of a country's recent history (in this case the Civil War and Franco's reign) and then goes on a bit of a road trip, analysing regional differences, cultural quirks and the national psyche. There are chapters on the development of the Costa del Sol, flamenco, Pedro Almodovar, and the Basque country.
Like Jones, Tremlett doesn't shy away from the horrors of the...more
Like Jones, Tremlett doesn't shy away from the horrors of the...more
A densely detailed and insightful retrospective examining social, political, and religious themes that weave through the history of Spain and give meaning to happenings in the 20th and 21st centuries. Here we come to understand better what it means to be a Spaniard today. Topics include the effects of the Spanish Civil War, the legacy of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, the effect of the explosion of the tourist industry with development of the Cost del Sol, the continued political struggle...more
Very interesting reporting on several key political issues in Spain today: the silence regarding the Franco years, Basque & Catalan separatism, the development (destruction) of the coasts, the March 2004 terrorist attacks, the role of women, drugs, gypsies, flamenco, etc. The author is the Spain correspondent for The Guardian; he knows his material. As he tells his topic-based stories (each chapter could - for the most part - stand alone as a summary of a particular piece of history/culture)...more
Usually I am suspicious of books written about other countries by foreigners. Paul Theroux and Jan Morris being a couple of exceptions to the rule. Ghosts of Spain is excellent. The author clearly has a love and affection for the country that he has decided to make his own. He also has a curiosity that allows him to dig deeper and do more than just scratch the surface of Spain's past. I was looking for a book to help explain some of the contradictions of Spain. How did a country go from a fascis...more
I love the title of this book which seems really appropriate both for what the author is describing and also for some of my experience recently in and around Madrid. I will make this the pre-visit reading for students because it is based on field work - interviews and visits and contains extremely vivid descriptions of people, places and happenings. This 'thick' description brings alive the particularities Tremlett has experienced, and makes it possible to make connections with wider issues and...more
Excellent description of Spain's main traits, of its quandaries and duplicities, of its complexity and simplicity, of its extensive beauty and why it is so attractive to visit or live in today. The main thread naturally is the Civil War, itself the result of a sui generis previous history. Then the long and cold dark years endured by all until 1975, followed by the surfacing of a rich and complex society right after. It does not skim but plunges deep into each of the subjects analyzed. Highly re...more
aka "Everything You Wanted to Know About Life Under El Caudillo, But Were Afraid to Ask Until Recently Because of the Animosity It Stirs Up". Slow moving at times, and irritatingly unfocused in others, Tremlett's book is less of a travelogue and more of a psychological study of the damage done to individuals, communities and ethnic groups after living under the rule of a right-wing dictator for four decades. It's definitely not for those who like their ex-pat memoirs on the light, humorous A Lif...more
The appearance, more than sixty years after the Spanish Civil War ended, of mass graves containing victims of Francisco Franco’s death squads finally broke what Spaniards call “the pact of forgetting”—the unwritten understanding that their recent, painful past was best left unexplored. At this charged moment, Giles Tremlett embarked on a journey around the country and through its history to discover why some of Europe’s most voluble people have kept silent so long.
Ghosts of Spain is the fascinat...more
Ghosts of Spain is the fascinat...more
Whether you know nothing about Spain and its history or you have travelled the country widely and studied its background, this book will still inform and entertain you. I fit somewhere in between those categories- I've now been to Spain twice and have studied the Civil War and surrounding events in some depth.
Giles Tremlett is a British journalist based in Madrid, married to Spanish woman and now with Spanish children. As he says himself, he is neither an insider nor a complete outsider so this...more
Giles Tremlett is a British journalist based in Madrid, married to Spanish woman and now with Spanish children. As he says himself, he is neither an insider nor a complete outsider so this...more
I liked parts of this book more than others, but overall it was an interesting look at a society that has gone from semi-fascist dictatorship to liberal democracy in just a few years. Partly, this is down to the leadership of Franco's chosen heir, King Juan Carlos, who threw his authority behind Spain's new democracy and undercut rightwing attempts to overthrow the government. Also, the transition was made easier (perhaps possible) by a widespread practice of letting the past remain in the past....more
Books about Spain -- #2 : Ghosts of Spain : Travels through Spain and its Silent Past by Giles Tremlett (2006).
[This is the second of several inter-related reviews for the books listed below:
1. The New Spaniards by John Hooper, 2nd edition, 2006.
2. Ghosts of Spain : Travels through Spain and its Silent Past by Giles Tremlett, 2006.
3. The Ornament of the World : How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria Rosa Menocal, 2002.
4. Spain in Mind (an Anth...more
[This is the second of several inter-related reviews for the books listed below:
1. The New Spaniards by John Hooper, 2nd edition, 2006.
2. Ghosts of Spain : Travels through Spain and its Silent Past by Giles Tremlett, 2006.
3. The Ornament of the World : How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria Rosa Menocal, 2002.
4. Spain in Mind (an Anth...more
I bought this book in Barcelona, thinking it was just about the Franco era, and found I had a most excellent set of insights into what made Spain and what makes it tick. Tremlett is still a correspondent for 'The Guardian', but he knows Spain well enough to know what we foreigners will miss.
I travelled from Barcelona in slow stages to Cape Finisterre, walking bits, training bits and bussing in others, with this book as my companion. It's not a tourist guide, but it was a very good friend.
I travelled from Barcelona in slow stages to Cape Finisterre, walking bits, training bits and bussing in others, with this book as my companion. It's not a tourist guide, but it was a very good friend.
If you already know something about Spain, this book is big step toward understanding its self-contradictory present. The book bills itself as "Travels through a country's hidden past," but this is the very recent past, that is, an introduction to what's happening now. In any case, you've got to love a book with a chapter entitled "How the Bikini Saved Spain."
When it first came out, this book was the talk of the English-speaking community in Spain, and deservedly so.
When it first came out, this book was the talk of the English-speaking community in Spain, and deservedly so.
Jul 19, 2007
Jodi
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in modern Spain
Shelves:
nonfiction
The first few chapters are a little slow but this is a comprehensive look at Spain and it's people and the history that shaped who they are today. My personal views after living here in Spain for nine months sometimes contradict Mr. Trimlets views (i.e. he claims Spaniards are almost OCD in their addiction to cleanliness and yet there is dog crap all over every sidewalk, people stop to pee in the street here on a regular basis and if you find a public restroom with SOAP in it - you should win a...more
Since I am moderately obsessed with the city of Barcelona and, to a slightly lesser degree, the country of Spain, I found this book fascinating and nostalgia-inducing. I think it would only be as interesting to others who have lived/traveled extensively in Spain; otherwise, the minutia of the post-Franco transition to democracy, Basque and Catalan separatism, and corrupt coastal development would likely be pretty dull. The author is the Madrid correspondent for The Guardian and his journalistic...more
Giles Tremlett is a British newspaper journalist (The Guardian) and he lives in Madrid as the papers Spanish correspondent. This book is a very good introduction to the country as Giles gives us an insight into day to day life in the towns, cities and countryside through chapters with themes as diverse as politics and dancing. His writing is clear and this is a book I'd recommend to anyone visiting Spain.
Oct 10, 2010
Donna
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
travellers
Recommended to Donna by:
myself
This is a book written by a man who knows his stuff. It's clearly well-researched, as well as being packed wih lots of personal experiences too.
This covers a wide range of subjects from Spain's history and culture: from the Civil War to national seperatists, the sex trade to package holidays - this book is very informative, and very useful for me as someone who has recently moved to Spain and wishing to understand a bit more about the culture and the history of the country I live in.
Quotations...more
This covers a wide range of subjects from Spain's history and culture: from the Civil War to national seperatists, the sex trade to package holidays - this book is very informative, and very useful for me as someone who has recently moved to Spain and wishing to understand a bit more about the culture and the history of the country I live in.
Quotations...more
Jul 25, 2011
Fred Gorrell
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history-geography,
nonfiction
This richly detailed social and political history of Spain provides a great "back story" for key trends and developments across the country. It also brings into focus the unique trajectory of Spain's development as relates to the rest of Western Europe. More than this though, the book is a meditation on the role of nation "membership" in the collective modern sense of identity.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Giles Tremlettis the Guardian’s Madrid correspondent. He has lived in, and written about, Spain for the past twenty years.
More about Giles Tremlett...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Calzada de Calatrava, as Almadovar's brother once put it, 'is the sort of place where people spend their whole life saving for a decent gravestone in the cemetery.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
Nov 23, 2012 01:05am