Iberia

Really 0 stars.

It's truly astonishing how the same author who penned captivating works like "Hawaii" and "Alaska" could produce something as lackluster as this and "Poland."

I regretfully used my old Audible credits to obtain this, thinking it would be a good value due to its length. However, it turned out to be a huge disappointment.

I essentially skipped through the entire thing. There is absolutely no connecting story!

It's just the author visiting various towns in Spain and recounting their history. It's so boring and unengaging.

Boooo! This book fails to deliver the kind of narrative magic that the author's previous works had. It's a major letdown for fans who were expecting something more.

I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting and immersive read.

It's a waste of time and credits.

Hopefully, the author will return to form and produce something more worthy of our attention in the future.

Spain was a theocracy, and I had lived in Israel and Pakistan, which were also theocracies. The problems of such governments often tend to be similar, whether the theocracy is based on Judaism, Islam, or Catholicism.

Father Jesus Precedo Lafuente. [chapter: Santiago de Compostela]

I had written a prior review where I provided a more comprehensive overview of the book. You can find it here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My second reading of this book, which I started last year, is coming to an end today (at least for the foreseeable future). I've determined that I'm not sufficiently interested in what Michener has to say about Madrid (where I got stuck) to force myself to keep reading.

However, I will keep the book within reach. If I ever plan a trip to Spain, I definitely want to check out Michener's thoughts on the cities we would visit. There are two main reasons for this.

First, a significant portion of his narrative focuses on the history of the cities he writes about. Second, he describes the sites (churches, museums, other buildings, and locations) in the city or its vicinity that he found particularly interesting. Both of these aspects could be beneficial to a traveler in Spain, perhaps even to a Spanish person visiting parts of the country that are new to them.

I must admit one issue I had with the book. Michener sometimes seems to have trouble knowing when to stop. He can't resist noting everything about his experiences in a given city that stuck in his memory, resulting in a complete data dump. This can cause the reader to have an experience where, within the same chapter and from one page to the next, they are very interested in the narrative, only to suddenly realize that a different topic is being discussed that has no connection to the previous one, causing their attention to wane. TMI, James!

Another potential problem is that the book may now be quite outdated in many ways. Published in 1968, many of the vignettes in the book are no doubt much older than that. Michener first visited Spain sometime in the late 20s, maybe 1930, and I think it's likely that some parts of the narrative date back to any of the many trips he took to Spain over the next 35 years.

In fact, Michener writes explicitly about this in his Madrid chapter. He describes the differences that have occurred in Madrid between his most recent (1966) trip and his previous visit in 1950. Over eight or nine pages, he mentions eighteen differences, ranging from the shortest (Then wine was drunk; Now beer is popular.) to the last and longest:

The biggest social differences between then and now is the radical change effected by what a Spanish man called ‘the revolution of the Sueca.’ … [The author was told by a businessman that the term was used to refer to “the Swedish girls” (also Finns, Norwegians, Danes, Germans), who discovered Spain “and flocked down here by the planeload”] Their first impact was on the beaches, and once they stripped down to their bikinis and we saw what the human body could be, the old laws [a society rigidly obeying “puritanism”, “but much stronger than yours in the States, because here the whole society supported it”] simply could not be enforced.
Well, the first result of the Sueca invasion was cataclysmic.

And Michener goes on for two pages about how a revolution in morals began to occur. (395ff)

But I must mention one more thing about the book. In the Sevilla chapter, the author describes meeting a California photographer in that city, Robert Vavra. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_...) After looking at his photos, he went back to Vavra and proposed that they do this book together.

I remember the commission we agreed upon: ‘Vavra will go over Spain guided only by his own eye, completely indifferent as to what Michener may write or think or prefer. Shoot a hundred of the very finest pictures he can find and make them his interpretation of Spain. If he can succeed in this, the pictures will fit properly into any text.

I haven't counted the pictures in the book, most but not all of which are full-page, black and white, and all by Vavra. But they are a wonderful fulfillment of this commission. Here are a few, with captions from the book.

Afoot, on bicycle or on horseback, officers of the Guardia Civil in pairs move back and forth across Spain. [Badajoz]

Film makers from all parts of the world shoot motion pictures with Muslim backgrounds in Spain because the inhabitants recall the Moorish occupation. [Cordoba]

Seventeen-year-old gypsy mother. [Cordoba]

Gravedigger. [Teruel]

La zarzuela. [Madrid]

From this carefully designed window of Gaudi’s Templo de la Sagrada Familia a stork is seen on its way to Africa. [Barcelona]

The ancestors of this fighting bull, standing along the banks of the Guadalquivir, were brought up the river by Romans more than two thousand years ago. [Las Marismas]

During feria the young women of Sevilla appear at their most seductive. And always in the background, iron bars of tradition. [Sevilla]

The demureness of the Spanish woman and the arrogance of the Spanish man begin early [Salamanca]

Some handsome things of great age should be left as they are. [Pamplona]

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It took me a while to get into this book.

At first, I was anticipating a novel, but to my surprise, it turned out to be a travel journal and a cultural exploration of the regions and cities of Spain.

This book is rich in history, delving deep into the whys behind the thoughts and attitudes of the people.

It is abundantly evident that Michener has a profound love for Spain and its people.

His passion for architecture and art adds a unique flavor to the narrative.

As I read on, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the vivid descriptions of the Spanish landscapes, the charming cities, and the diverse cultures.

The book offers a fascinating insight into the soul of Spain, and I am glad that I persevered and gave it a chance.

It has opened my eyes to a whole new world of beauty and history, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Spain or in exploring different cultures through the eyes of a talented writer.

My favorite aspects of the book were truly those moments when the author was sharing his first-hand experiences of a particular place.

However, I must admit that his historical stories seemed like a bit of a grind to me. They lacked a real sense of place and were just a jumble of names and dates, much like a typical textbook.

Surprisingly, his love for bullfighting was rather enlightening. Before reading, I had no clue what the appeal could be. Although I still firmly believe it to be inhumane, I now have a better understanding of what attracts certain people to this controversial activity.

The pictures in the book are quite strange! They have very little connection to what the text is discussing. For instance, there was a picture of a naked guy on a horse, and there was no explanation whatsoever as to why the guy was naked. That one really made me laugh out loud.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure if I would recommend this book. It's such a strange one. I found myself sometimes hating it and at other times loving it. More often than not, I probably leaned towards disliking it.

But perhaps that's what makes it unique and worth considering for some readers. It's a book that elicits strong emotions and makes you think, even if those thoughts aren't always positive.

Overall, it's a book that I'll remember for its oddities and the way it made me feel. Whether that's a good or bad thing, only time will tell.

Maybe someone else will have a completely different experience with it and find it to be a literary gem.

As for me, I'll probably continue to debate within myself whether or not to recommend it to others.

In just 2 days, I'll be embarking on a summer adventure in Spain.

I'm truly grateful to have immersed my brain in this hefty volume, which has kindled my curiosities and expectations to new heights.

I've been a die-hard Michener fan ever since my granddad forcefully handed me "The Source" and insisted that I read it.

Since then, he has firmly established himself as one of my absolute favorites.

However, if I'm being completely honest, my unwavering loyalty to Michener and my upcoming trip were pretty much the only two factors that propelled me through this book.

Written in 1968, it's quite evident that it's a little outdated.

The fact that Franco has been long dead now adds an extra layer of irony to Michener's musings about the future.

As it turns out, I now know more about the current state of Spain than this supposed expert.

Nevertheless, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Though I definitely wouldn't recommend it over "The Source" or "Hawaii" to those who haven't yet developed their fan loyalty to Michener.

I truly enjoyed delving into Mitchner's personality and his unique idiosyncrasies as he expounded on his relationship with Spain and offered some incisive commentary on his take of events. He was extremely well-versed in various aspects such as the arts, architecture, music, and bull fighting. He also seamlessly incorporated Spanish history into his narrative. I couldn't help but wonder what held him back from penning a novel about Spain. It seemed he had an abundance of historical, geographical, and cultural knowledge at his disposal to create a captivating novel. Perhaps he was too deeply involved with the country to construct a fictional storyline. Or maybe the history alone was so rich that adding fictional characters wouldn't have enhanced the telling significantly.

One can't help but speculate how he would respond to the changes that have occurred in Spain and the world over the past 50 years since this book was written. The book was composed prior to Franco's death and contained some speculations about the potential changes. I visited Spain in 1970 and could identify with the Spain that was described. Just like with many of the non-fiction audio books I've listened to, in order to retain the names and dates, I will require a paper copy.

Currently, this book would be of great interest to those who have a passion for Spain and its history. It might be a bit too lengthy for the casual traveler, but could prove useful for those seeking specific information regarding either a geographical or cultural aspect. I really relished the discussion on bull fighting, but in today's context, the animal welfare issues would cast a significant shadow over such a discussion.

Michener dedicated a significant amount of time to Spain, with a touch of Portugal as well. This book encapsulates his experiences during his visits, along with a wealth of historical details. It's important to note that when this book was penned in the mid-1960s, Franco was still in power.

While Michener was enamored with its history, I, on the other hand, was appalled, much like I am with a great deal of world history. Kings and Bishops, it seems, committed numerous atrocities for their own self-serving motives.

As I delved into this book, I couldn't help but wonder how much Spain has transformed since then. My perception is that Michener believed a great deal remained unchanging. However, I suspect he would be quite surprised by the extent of the changes that have occurred.

Pulled this one off the shelf to kill some time during the quarantine.

I was anticipating a comprehensive history of the peninsula dating back to the beginning of time, one that was thoroughly researched. However, what I got was more of a travelogue by region, with history skillfully interwoven.

Don't expect it to be like many of Michener's other historic fiction books. Instead, it offers a unique perspective. If you are planning to visit Spain once the travel restrictions are lifted, this book is an especially fantastic read.

It provides valuable insights into the different regions of the peninsula, their cultures, and their historical significance. You can almost envision yourself traveling through each place as you read.

Even if you're not planning a trip, it's still an interesting and engaging book that will expand your knowledge of the area.

Overall, it's a great choice for those looking for something different to read during these uncertain times.