Most of the books I read about the region, while not necessarily pro-independence, are sympathetic to the Catalan cause and her people. This book is not. This would not be an issue had the book provided more context but it's a superficial little thing with many obvious and egregious details missing. A good example describes when the king is greeted by protesters. The author, consciously or not, implies that this is bad form. He does not however say anything about the corruption that is tied to him nor the fact that he is widely (and justifiably) considered Franco's king and a war criminal by many. The history of Catalonia is inextricably tied to the present but this is not at all clear in thr book.