kevdoy

I would love to hear any thoughts about books (fiction) or movies to read/watch in preparation for a trip to Spain. I recently caught a film by Ken Loach called "Land and Freedom", about the Spanish Civil War. Also recently read "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carl Luis Zafon...really made me want to go to Barcelona. Any thoughts?

WTnow

Travelers Tales, Iberia,Tales of the Alhambra, Death in the Afternoon by Hemingway,that funny famous one about Lemons in the road by a Brit are some that come to mind quickly that we enjoyed.

We have some other great ones with us, but they are packed away at the moment with our friends in Malaga, and I can not think of them right now.

It will enrich your trip so much with the reading. I like Penelope Casas book as well tho not quite what you asked for.

Rastaguytoday

This is much more mundane, but my wife does zero preparation before we go on holiday.

I've taken to getting Rudy Maxa's DVDs on the places we're visiting. This helps her in deciding what she might want to do, that is, besides buy things.

Rick Steeves is a bit trite for my purposes.

ekscrunchy

Pan's Labyrinth would be one film. There is also a film named Barcelona. And there are a few books by an Englishman who bought a house in Mallorca and fixed it up..I think one of them is entitled Driving OVer Lemons or some similar title. Michener's Iberia is essential!

The new book, Ghosts of Spain is on my list at the library. Non-fiction and well reviewed.

Ozarksbill

I would recommend "The New Spaniards" by John Hooper which gives historical background to the present day nation. You can find a paperback version.

ozarksbill

amyb

I agree Michener's Iberia is indeed essential. Don't be daunted by the size of the book (huge) or the size of the print (tiny). I read only those chapters of the book I'd be visiting and ended up going back and reading the rest, it was just wonderful!

Pegontheroad

If you're going to Granada, I'd definitely read "Tales of the Alhambra" by Washington Irving.

I also enjoyed a couple of books by Rebecca Pawel about the time after the Civil War. They're mysteries, but they capture the enmity between the republicans and the nationalists. The first one, "The Nationalist," was especially good.

pat

Mitchener`s Iberia is the best. I don`t remember it being that long. We took the book with us, and read what he had to say as we went. It isn`t a fiction, like so many of his other books.

weber6560

Try communion in Seville by Arturo Peres-Revetz. A current day mysteria set in Sevilla with real streets and restaurants. If going to the Basque country, try A Basque History of the World. Great insights into the pride and fervor of the Basques. Not dry as the name would imply, but very readable and entertaining. It will be of immense bvalue should you go to htat part of the country. Probably equally valuable to anyone who seeks to understand the tension between the Basques and the rest of Spain.

Nikki

L'Auberge Espagnole, a French film with lots of shots all over Barcelona.

amsdon

Hi Kevdoy:

Are you guys into flamenco dance & music? If so I recommend these DVDs/videos 1. Los Tarantos with the flamenco icon, Carmen Amaya is great re a gypsy version of Romeo & Juliette. 1964 ish but classic.
Any of the Saura dance films (no understanding of Spanish is really needed) especially Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding)& El Amor Brujo ("Love", the Magician) casts Cristina Hoyos and is terrific. Great imagery & music. ams

Vttraveler

For fiction, all the mysteries by Arturo Pérez-Reverte are good if you try the Seville Communion as recommended earlier.

More Hemingway on Spain: For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Sun Also Rises

Others have added memoirs in response to your request for fiction so I will, too:

Orwell's Homage to CAtalonia

As I walked out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee (walking through spain in 1935)

Voices of the Old Sea by Norman Lewis (about the Costa Brava before it was overrun with tourists)

The Fabled Shore by Rose Macaulay. (I think some of her novels may also be set in Spain)

kevdoy

Lots of great ideas, I will look for Blood Wedding, some of the memoirs sound good too. I am curious to read Orwell on Spain and I have enjoyed Arturo Perez-Reverte. Thanks for all the suggestions.

amsdon

One more thing...
I neglected to mention that Blood wedding (Bodas de Sangre) was originally a play written by Federico Garcia Lorca. His life story alone would make for very interesting reading.

As for Amor Brujo if you can't get the movie you might buy the cd as the music by Manuel De Falla. It will really help get you in the Spanish mood.

By the way thanks for thinking of this post I needed to get some new reading material as well for the plane.

ams

amsdon

Ok I resurrected this from 2007 because I am looking for <B>movies about Spain or talking place in Spain </B> (that we can rent) that will appeal to a couple of friends who are not big readers. This is for entertainment mostly I realize the Greco movie may have taken alot of liberties...

I remember the 60s versio of the El Geco story w/ Mel Ferrer
but it looks like the newer version is not out?

More suggestions specifically on movies?

Cowboy1968

I can't believe Almodóvar hasn't been mentioned yet.

If you like Woody Allen, you should like "Vicky Cristina Barcelona".

Nikki

The thing that bugged me about Vicky Cristina Barcelona was that one of the main characters is in Barcelona to study Catalan culture but that nothing about the movie was Catalan. The actors speak Spanish and there is no suggestion that the Catalan language is primary in Barcelona. I found this very distracting.

Cowboy1968

Very true.
But, unfortunately, most visitors think anyway that Catalan is more a folksy dialect than the official language.

ribeirasacra

Everything but the Squeal, by John Barlow. Is a funny and informative read.

amsdon

Thanks guys...I will check those.

I was also looking for this but looks to be unavailable.
http://www.elgrecothemovie.com/