Brett Hetherington's Blog: "First thought:" My Substack page, page 2

6 years ago today: Video: My latest interview with ABC TV (Australia)...

6 years ago today I spoke to ABCTV (Australia) about the Barcelona terror attacks. Driven by fanatical religious extremists, a white van zig-zagged down Las Ramblas. Fourteen people were killed and more than 100 injured.
Standing in a Spanish Doorway: Video: My latest interview with ABC TV (Australia)...I talked via Skype to host Fauziah Ibrahim about the Barcelona terror attacks of 17 August 2017....

Standing in a Spanish Doorway: "You Hated Spain" (Reposted)

Standing in a Spanish Doorway: "You Hated Spain": (Ted Hughes, below) [A poem by Ted Hughes, which I dedicate to my twin-brother Matt (a poet)

Yet another ⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review of my latest book

 

Thanks for your very complimentary words, Andrew M...

"I found Brett's very personal account of his travels through Spain a moving and very rewarding read. 

His affection for the country and its peoples shines through and his encounters with the people he meets on his travels avoid caricature and shallow conclusions. 

He is clearly still discovering aspects of the country he loves and enjoying the opportunity to complete the picture."

[Read the full Amazon reader review here.]

"Salvador Dalí’s Rare 1969 Illustrations for “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Rediscovered and Resurrected"

 

       "Two masters of the fanciful and philosophical, together..."

"For more than half a century, this unusual yet organic cross-pollination of genius remained an almost mythic artifact, reserved for collectors and scholars...

Random House commissioned surrealist kingpin Salvador Dalí (May 11, 1904–January 23, 1989) to illustrate the Carroll classic for a small, exclusive edition of their book-of-the-month series. Dalí created twelve heliogravures — a frontispiece, which he signed in every copy from the edition, and one illustration for each chapter of the book."

Read more and see more of the wonderful illustrations at source here.

"Constructed Views: Stone Cut"

A captivating short documentary on Etsuro Sotoo, the Japanese immigrant stone cutter who ended up being a chief supervisor at the Sagrada Familia cathedral (still under construction) in Barcelona.

https://www.nowness.com/series/constructed-views/stone-cut-la-sagrada-familia

Video: Launching my book "Slow Travels in Unsung Spain" in Barcelona

Reading two short extracts and doing a Q and A session with an audience at Fahrenheit 451, an independent bookshop in Barcelona.Gary Gibson from Blanquerna Ramon Llull University kindly introduced me.

20 Ways to Divide Europe according to overly simplistic stereotypes...

 

Spain smuggling rubbish into Morocco

[ABDELHAK SENNA/AFP via Getty Images][ABDELHAK SENNA/AFP via Getty Images][Pic: ABDELHAK SENNA/AFP via Getty Images]
Moroccan politicians are discussing how to stop their country being a dumping ground for Spain and Global North rubbish. This follows revelations that eight people in Spain are being investigated for trafficking 5,700 tons of plastic waste to Morocco.
Read more from source here.

Launch of my latest book (in Barcelona)

I'm happy to say I'll be launching my non-fiction book,

"Slow Travels in Unsung Spain" at this unique independent bookshop:
Fahrenheit 451

(C/- de la Ribera, 8, [El Born] BARCELONA 

[Metro: Barceloneta] 

Friday, 3Oth June, 7.00-8.00PM.

We'd love to see you there!

A coincidence?

On the same day that the neighbouring region's new ultra right culture Minister is installed,...at a cafe in a coastal town in Catalonia a Black man is refused service by a waiter who racially insults him.