Product Description

'Spain is different' was for a long time the explanation proffered by historians when they sought to explain the course of the nation's exceptionally rich and varied history. Spain was the only region in the medieval West (along with Sicily) to experience Islamic conquest; the first nation to lay claim to a global empire and the first to lose it; and the country in which the extreme forces of the Left and the Right were to act out one of the bloodiest confrontations Europe has known. Today, however, as Spain has become firmly integrated into the political and economic structures of the European Union, the long-held notion that the country is a nation apart no longer seems valid. Simon Barton probes the extent to which Spain should be regarded as an exceptional case and provides a highly-readable, lucid and balanced account of its vibrant and colourful history, from its origins to the present day.

This second edition of a highly successful text has been revised and expanded in the light of new scholarship, and now features additional maps and figures. Barton brings the story right up to date with coverage of recent events, such as the 2004 Madrid bombings and the general election of 2008.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78829 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review

'Clear, comprehensive, up-to-date - Barton's text is an incisive and accessible introduction for students and others interested in Spanish history'
-James W. Brodman, University of Central Arkansas, USA
 
'This leading synthesis of Spanish history now analyzes events since 2004. Students and teachers will also welcome a number of new quotations, maps and figures'
-Bethany Aram, Professor of Spanish History, International College of Seville, Spain

About the Author
SIMON BARTON is Professor of Spanish History at the University of Exeter, UK.

Customer Reviews

Great book!
This is a really well written and interesting book. If you are new to the subject of Spanish history, this is a very enjoyable introduction indeed! It covers pretty much everything, from Prehistory to the present, so it is very useful either for students or people who just want to get a good general knowledge of the subject, like me.

A really informative book!
I am a student studying Spanish and I found this a really useful and accessible read. It covers a lot of ground and helped me to get a better understanding of the main events in Spain's history. I would definitely recommend this book to other students, and anyone else looking to learn a bit more about Spain!

Must be one of the most boring history books ever ......
Sorry to have to disagree, and I haven't even finished it yet, but it is a tough fight to struggle thorugh page after page with almost nothing but names of kings and king pretenders and year this and year that. I am closing in on the 18th century, but so far this has been very boring indeed. Like some of the history books we had at school, where detailed family trees totally overshadowed the greater lines or trends in history. No overviews here, no big lines, just boring details on king this who in 1415 did that while king that in 1416 did this while prince so the year after tried to do this but was halted by prince so and so because he did another thing in stead.
No, this was one great disappointment. Sorry, but to me it was.