Spain Culture

In the popular imagination, Spain conjures up a picture of rapacious conquistadores, fiery flamenco dancers, and brilliant artists. All true enough - but how closely does everyday life in modern Spain conform to these dramatic stereotypes? This book explores the complex human realities of contemporary Spanish life. It describes how Spain's history and geography have created both strongly felt regional differences and shared values and attitudes. It reveals what the Spaniards are like at home and in business, how they socialize, and how to build lasting relationships with them.

Spain - Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs, and behavior in Spain, ensuring that you arrive aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. This concise guide tells you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your Spanish hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

In the era of Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Dyke, Spain had its own great painter: Diego Velasquez. His assistant is an African slave, Juan, who, by helping his master in his studio in the preparation of paints and stretching of canvasses, becomes an artist himself. Self-taught by watching his master's technique, he is torn between the need to keep his secret, for such work as the creation of art is forbidden to slaves, and the desire to reveal his own talents.

Widely hailed as a revelation of a "lost" golden age, this history brings to vivid life the rich and thriving culture of medieval Spain, where, for more than seven centuries, Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance, and literature, science, and the arts flourished.

Grape, Olive, Pig reveals hidden gems and enduring delicacies from across this extraordinary country, contextualizing each meal with the stories behind the food in a cultural narrative. Whether you've visited Spain or have only dreamed of bellying up to its tapas bars, Grape, Olive, Pig will wake your imagination, rouse your hunger, and capture your heart.

An intimate, funny, and poignant New York Times bestseling travel memoir following award-winning author and actor Andrew McCarthy as he walks the Camino de Santiago with his son Sam. When Andrew McCarthy's eldest son began to take his first steps into adulthood, McCarthy found himself wishing...

In the sixteenth century, the Spaniards became the first nation in history to have worldwide reach--across most of Europe to the Americas, the Philippines, and India. The Golden Age of the Spanish Empire would establish five centuries of Western supremacy across the globe and usher in an era of transatlantic exploration that eventually gave rise to the modern world. It was a time of discovery and adventure, of great political and social change. Robert Goodwin delves into previously unrecorded sources to bring this tumultuous and exciting period to life

From bloodthirsty conquest to exotic romance, stereotypes of Spain abound. This new volume by distinguished historian Stanley G. Payne draws on his half-century of experience to offer a balanced, broadly chronological survey of Spanish history from the Visigoths to the present. Who were the first “Spaniards”? Is Spain a fully Western country? Was Spanish liberalism a failure? Examining Spain's unique role in the larger history of Western Europe, Payne reinterprets key aspects of the country's history.

Spain's transition to democracy after Franco's long dictatorship was widely hailed as a success, ushering in three decades of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Yet over the past decade, its political consensus has been under severe strain. A stable two-party system has splintered, with disruptive new parties on the far left and far right. No government has had a majority since 2015. Michael Reid overturns the stereotypical view of Spain as a country haunted by its Francoist past.

In 237 B.C. Hannibal's father, the Carthaginian general Hamilcar, landed in Gadir with the purpose of taking over the mining basins of southern Iberia. The expansionist adventure of Carthage in Iberia will not leave Rome indifferent, which will be forced to intervene when Hannibal destroys Sagunto. With this fascinating and transcendental episode of our History, begins "From Hannibal to Franco, Brief History of the Civil Conflicts in Spain", a work where the most significant uprisings, sedition attempts, civil wars and military uprisings that have been unleashed in Spain in the last 2000 ...

Ever feel like you need a nap in the afternoon? Spain is famous for its cultural tradition of the siesta. For a few hours every afternoon, people go home from work to nap! Kids will learn about the land and water features of Spain and the traditions, cuisine, and everyday life of its people.

Why are Spaniards so close (in every sense of the word) to their families? How do they handle work, parties, and naps so well? What is the source of their surprising love of sport? Is religion still so influential in Spain? Why do the Spanish love to gossip so much? What are the secrets of Cervantes' language? What is happening to the Catalans? Why is there such a passion for Spanish gastronomy nowadays? These and other questions are answered in this book through amusing anecdotes and real-life experiences

The author who unforgettably captured the experience of starting a new life in Tuscany in bestselling travel memoirs expands her horizons to immerse herself—and her readers—in the sights, aromas, and treasures of twelve new special places. A Year in the World is vintage Frances Mayes—a...

From the award-winning, internationally best-selling Spanish writer, author of The Infatuations, comes a gripping new novel of intrigue and missed chances--at once a spy story and a profound examination of a marriage founded on secrets and lies. When Berta Isla was a schoolgirl, she decided she...

This program is read by Earphones Award–winning narrator Edoardo Ballerini. "Edoardo Ballerini reads my books exceptionally well. He gets my pacing, the inflections of muted irony, the anxiety of loss, the search for meaning that my prose on paper isn’t always able to convey—he gets it all...

What would it be like to live in Spain? How is Spain's culture unique? Explore the sights, traditions, and daily lives of Spaniards!

After Rita Racons fails her college’s required English course and her plans for a summer with friends are ruined, she loses all sense of direction. Until Rita heeds her free-spirited grandmother’s advice to get off their roof terrace and go out and find her place in the world. Boarding a plane from Barcelona to New York is just the beginning. Fate eventually lands Rita in Atlanta as an au pair with two questions: What is an au pair, and where the hell is Atlanta?

I’ve read a ton of books and travel guides about van life, but I missed that personal touch. Firsthand experiences always resonate with me more; that’s why I wanted to do something different with this book. Packed full of stories and tips from my own experiences, this book will become your North Star on your Spanish road trip adventure. Learn about the Spanish culture, get some boots-on-the-ground advice about van life in Spain, and pick up handy Spanish expressions to help along the way.

Geography plays a significant role in shaping the culture and lifestyle of both Spain and Portugal. While both countries share the Iberian Peninsula, each has its own unique landscape, language, culture, and customs. Is either country — or both! — a good fit for you?

The author who unforgettably captured the experience of starting a new life in Tuscany in bestselling travel memoirs expands her horizons to immerse herself—and her readers—in the sights, aromas, and treasures of twelve new special places. A Year in the World is vintage Frances Mayes—a...