mkdiebold

Pretty sure our next European adventure will be to Spain and Portugal. Can anyone recommend historical fiction novels situated in either country? Thanks a bunch!

iowamom

The Last Jew by Noah Gordon

Set in Spain under the Inquisition, this historical novel follows the adventures of young Yonah Helkias as he stays true to his Jewish faith, escapes from misadventures and finds love.

Very interesting and tough to put down.

ElendilPickle

I've enjoyed a couple of Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste novels, set in Spain around the time of the Inquisition.

I don't know if Carlos Ruiz Zafon's The Shadow of the Wind qualifies as historical fiction, exactly, but it's very good.

Lee Ann

ElendilPickle

Hit "post" too soon - it's nonfiction, but Mark Kurlansky's The Basque History of the World is really interesting.

Lee Ann

yk

IF you're going to visit the Alhambra, be sure you read Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra!

mkdiebold

Thanks for the suggestions! I've made my list and will head to the library!!

Underhill

For Spain, I would strongly recommend the Isaac the Physician chronicles by Caroline Roe. The books are excellent, informed by her research on medieval Spain and are set in and around Girona.

laurie_ann

Not fiction exactly as it is based on his many years of travel to Spain, but James Michner's Iberia is excellent. (It's not like his other books, not that those aren't good too.)

semiramis

Another vote for Caroline Roe - her mysteries are very well done.

AnnMarie_C

Another vote for Michner's Iberia. Wonderful, engaging book--one that I appreciated even more after my first trip to Spain.

Pegontheroad

I really enjoyed "Death of a Nationalist," by Rebecca Pawel. It is set in the time after the Spanish Civil War.

I was especially enthralled with the fact that it begins in Madrid with a killing at the insection of Calle Amor de Dios (Love of God street) and another street with a very religious name, which I can't remember.

The book really conveys the hardships caused by the war and the bitterness that remained afterward, but it also has an enthralling love story.

Pegontheroad

I should have included "Tales of the Alhambra," too. Reading it enriched my visit to Granada.

maryanne1

"Winter in Madrid" is a fictional book set during the Spanish Civil War. It helped me to understand the war a little better. I found it a very interesting book.

ParrotMom

IOWAMOM...WOW.. DIDnt think anybody else read that book. It is written by a local Boston author and an autographed copy was given me which Ive lost. I have another copy and I hope to read it before heafing off to Barcelona and the old Girona...I could not put that book down

pittpurple

Bookmarking for a trip to the library! Thanks for all the suggestions.

worldinabag

Don Quixote &lt

afterall

"Arms and the Man" perhaps? I think Koestler's "Arrival and Departure" is also set during the Civil War. And, of course, there's George Orwell.

Films would be a good bet. Anything and everything by Pedro Almodovár. My favourite is "Hablé con Ella" but "Volver" is pretty good too. Also if you are going to Barcelona check out "The Spanish Apartment".

bilboburgler

A loy of the Sharp books have him marching around. Has a very good description of the siege of Porto

Nikki

A Small Death in Lisbon, by Robert Wilson.

Therese

Here's a thread for Lisbon/Portugal:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34923749