Lots of interesting stuff here. A little slow in places, but I still enjoyed it, overall

An Enjoyable Grab-bag of Events, Recipes and Trivia

In my search for a better understanding of the Basques, their place in European history and the reasons for the continuing conflict in their region today, I picked up Mark Kurlansky's book. THE BASQUE HISTORY OF THE WORLD is extremely well-written in modern journalistic style. That is, nothing is pursued to the bitter end, certainly, nor, sometimes, is it pursued to a logical conclusion. Subjects are touched upon, suddenly turned into something else, or dropped. Objectivity is not a high priority, but love of subject finds a secure place. These qualities may not be praiseworthy, academically, but do make for enjoyment. Any historical event can be the trigger for a recipe, an odd but pleasant characteristic of the book, which is thus full of interesting recipes, from `hare with walnut and chocolate', to `Salmí de paloma' (a pigeon dish), to `alubias de Tolosa' (beans). I found loads of fascinating interludes, for example, the description of Basque whaling and fishing expeditions and techniques; the discussion of the intellectual roots of Basque nationalism; how to make pelota balls; and the course of the Spanish Civil War in the Basque country. Kurlansky has the ability to discuss issues without getting bogged down. I have seldom met clearer (but perhaps they were incomplete) passages on the Carlist Wars that ravaged Spain for much of the 19th century. Rather than be an organized history in the usual sense, THE BASQUE HISTORY....... is a kind of "Whole Earth Catalogue" of Basqueness, of Euskal Herria. I liked it. It is not a work for serious scholars, but it certainly can be a jumping off place. It would be an overly serious person indeed who did not find Kurlansky's work charming. I can easily recommend this book to anyone who would like to read about a seldom-discussed people; a distinct European ethnic group with a unique language who have occupied the same lands for thousands of years.

Sometimes I felt that the author threw in "facts" without checking. For example, on page 138 he talks about the Basque word "jauntxo" and says it has come into English as "honcho". This word entered American English after WW II because it was the Japanese word for "superior officer" and was used to ask prisoners who commanded them. Similarly on page 293, Kurlansky claims that "cipayo", used as an epithet to describe local Basque police, was borrowed from a pejorative word used by Indian nationalists to describe Indian police who worked for the British. The word "sipahi" is certainly Hindi/Urdu, but it merely means `soldier' or `constable' and doesn't have any pejorative meaning.

A large section of the book discusses the Basques during Franco's long, oppressive regime, and during its aftermath with the entrance of Spain into Europe, and the rise of Basque terrorism in the struggle to maintain identity and/or become independent. While I found some of this rather diffuse, THE BASQUE HISTORY OF THE WORLD is the only book I know which can give the reader, unfamiliar with the events of 1970-2000, a background to the mayhem from a Basque (nationalist)point of view. For the most part, the author has done his homework, interviewed many interesting people, and compiled his information in a pleasing way.

An easy-to-read, entertaining and informative account of the Basque Country. The author covered centuries of history which he blended with personal anecdotes and even recipes.

A surprisingly positive outside perspective on a fascinating people.

What do you call a hobbit from the Basque Country?

Bilbao

Mark Kurlansky’s 2001 history of the Basque people was informative, mostly entertaining and was overall a good history.

That the Basque language predates much of modern history in Europe has always been fascinating to me, it’s like they are atavistic and that they have preserved this language and culture is noteworthy.

Of course we also learn about Spain and France and there is some evidence that Basque whalers and fisherman had remote fishing outposts in North American well before most other Europeans.

Kurlansky is a charismatic writer and his homely charm lifted this up from dry history. He includes sections about Basque literature, culture and he even throws in some recipes.

4.5

A rich depth of information, I like the way this book is written. It is a pleasure that I did my placement in such a different place with unique people. Recognising places I visited throughout the year in the book was fun and understanding the vast history of the Basques and their language has made me appreciate the Basque Country even more. Eskerrik asko Mark Kurlansky

I only realized this book was from 1999 after I bought it and read the interesting fact in the preface that the Basque people are even beginning to explore cyberspace. Still pretty well written book on a totally fascinating topic, even if ending on the first ETA ceasefire and the craziness of the Guggenheim Bilbao is frustrating.

Many of my childhood years were spent on a small island, separate and often forgotten about by the rest of the country. This fostered a regional sensibility and though I haven't lived there for more than 25 years I still preference my islander status over my supposed nationality. And as I've wandered through many other countries I continue to find myself drawn to these regional centres with deep cultural roots and intriguing histories.

I bought this book while visiting Basqueland some years ago but never did get around to reading it. Being part of some conversations about an upcoming mid-2022 Wellbeing Summit in Bilbao provided a renewed impetus and I'm glad it did.

Kurlansky is a warm conversationalist who cleverly brings the reader along a journey, sharing a lot of information without it every seeming weighty or surplus to requirement.

Now I desperately want to go back to Donostia/San Sebastián, Biarritz, and the rest of Basqueland.

A wonderful history of a fascinating people. Fun bits of information to share sprinkled throughout a retelling of history. I wish the older events had as much detail as the more recent history, but hey, that isn’t the author’s fault.

As someone who has matrilineal Basque heritage, though as obscured in the mists of time as the Ice Age origins of the Basques themselves, I was intrigued to read this offering by journalist Mark Kurlansky who has spent enough time in Euskadi from the Franco period through to democracy to be listened to seriously. I'm not a foodie as he is, so am unlikely to ever try any of the book's numerous recipes for baby eels etc, but loved the way in which cuisine, language, territory, myth, adventuring, industry and faith are braided together to form modern Basque sensibilities. In the modern era, it is unfortunate that he focuses only on the ETA guerrillas to the exclusion of their libertarian Autonomous Anti-capitalist Commandos (KAA), but that is a minor issue of interest to historians of the anarchist movement such as myself. Overall, an endlessly engaging read richly embroidered with loads of telling detail and lovely anecdote.

The book is about one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world - the Basques.

The book discusses Basque language, cooking (including some recipes), culture, historically significant people, graffiti (3+4=1), sports (pelota), internal conflicts among the Basques themselves, the Spanish Civil War (the German bombing of Guernica), art, WWII, religion (Catholic versus secularism) and current issues. I didn't realize the Spanish government was so dictorial towards this culture.

The author is supportive of a Basque nation but that doesn't seem possible now. He almost justifies Basque violence by saying the Spanish government also engages in violence. The author thinks it is realistic for the Basques to follow their own laws but still be a part of Spain/France. That is not logical.

I gained so much knowledge and understanding of this culture. I wish I knew more about the people when I was in Spain so I could have been on the lookout for cultural references.

There is a question-answer session at the end of the audiobook. I would have liked to have heard how the Basque language sounded.

Highly recommended.

It is interesting to see how some reviews are about the reader's preoccupations rather than the book itself. So let's get me out of the way. I bought this book as a treat for myself on my birthday which I spent alone in the hospital waiting room where days before my brother had undergone extensive heart surgery. I spent my evenings at a hotel, again alone. Considering the circumstances I was ready to be intrigued and drawn in by the book. And I was. A few days later, I came home, but some how I had let my book behind. I was sad. I had found it quite engrossing. I had also left behind my reading journal which fortuitously had my address in it. Still I figured I would never see my books, one, my lone* birthday present, again. Then they appeared in my mailbox.

This book was good company, which is an excellent quality in a book. Really, can we ask for more? The author's style, while not breezy, was not torturously dense either. I have long been fascinated by the Basque and the Catalan and the Galicians, Spain's rogue cultures. The antiquity of the Basque and the mystery of their origins make them especially captivating. Could have M. Z. have gone into greater depth. Sure, but that wasn't what I was looking for at that point, so I was satisfied. What I found was a book with sufficient depth by an author who shared my enthusiasm for the subject. Some sections I was more interested in than others. I learned a good bit. I was reminded of things which had never really come full force to my brain such as that place we call Spain really wasn't a unified country until rather recently.
Portugal is a much older country. (Português pride makes me throw that in.) There are large Basque communities in Idaho. Go figure.

*not to sound too pitiful, when I returned home my mother gave me a lovely birthday duck for my garden.

Enjoyable read about the largest nation that has never been a country.