Spain: What Everyone Needs to Know®

This book is written by a journalist and is very readable. It is a mixture of history, economics and modern politics. While the scope is very big, it packs a lot in per page. It is getting a bit dated so, a revision to bring it up to date is due.

This is a highly condensed piece of literature, of statistical facts in the economic, political history, of such a unique and fascinating country. The reading is long and strenuous, because of the immense amount of information. It is a great resource to have for referencing the history and politics of Spain since the early 30's until today, in a vast over view.

Overall, a good book to start with, for a modern understanding of Spanish politics and the economy, over the past 100 years.

Very helpful as a cheat sheet into spain. Bibliography may be quite helpful in the future. Not a good beach read.

It's rare to find a book that can be taken and read so profitably by both newcomers to the subject but also practised "hispanophiles." I've lived and travelled in Spain, listen to Cadena Ser and read my El País regularly, but still found endless facts and insights into Spanish culture and politics, past and present, which were completely new. The style is accessible, clear and unpretentious. This book is a hugely valuable addition to books on Spain and had definitely carved out its own distinct niche in the market. Excellent value!

A really clear description and analysis of Spanish society and politics as they are now, and set in the context of a quite racy yet thorough and well documented account of the historical structures and events that set the scene against which current events take place. If you do not believe me, and why should you, then you can believe Paul Preston and Felipe Fernández-Armesto. Radical, affectionate and unsentimental.

Great source of information --recommended.Also try Ghosts of Spain

I have often been mystified by spanish history, being completely out of order with the rest of europe. This book does the job giving you an overview of what went on and why in modern times. I am certainly much wizer on the subject now having the essentials in place.The coverage of the franco years however seem a bit light, so you will have to find other souces to this (which seems very difficult in english). Also a look in to the background of the two rich big spanish cities lacks. But as an overview its quite able.

I ordered this book to compliment a college course I am taking on Spanish history and couldn't have asked for better service. Came ontime and undamaged. Thanks