Images of Spain

Spain, more than any other European country, is an extraordinary synthesis of past and present. History is reflected in every sphere of her life and culture, while her landscape, in its many moods, seems to brood on a past by turns violent, ignominious, productive and glorious. Images of Spain portrays Spain in all her aspects. Eight essays define the essence of her history, landscape and culture, each exploring a different facet of the country : the exotic landscape in its amazing variety; the centuries-old architecture and art; the people, young and old, at work and at leisure; the cities, towns and farms; the churches, cathedrals and castles; and the gorgeous festivals and pageants. A hundred photographs, together with an evocative commentary, reveal a whole 'continent unto itself. The world-renowned novelist, Mordecai Richler, leads the reader on a personal tour of the Spain he encountered during his stay there in the 1950s and the Spain of his recent travels. Through anecdotes, interviews and vividly recalled scenes, he captures the paradox of a nation rich in a heritage of timeless traditions and violent upheavals. Peter Christopher's superb photographs, printed in full-colour and duotone reproductions, are further enhanced and elucidated by excerpts from the many great writers throughout history who have been inspired by Spain and her people: from Cervantes to Lord Byron, from Ernest Hemingway to Gerald Brenan and Sacheverell Sitwell.