Brenan really does know what he is on about regarding Spain. Although a little dated by more recent work - no one has come close to understanding the collapse of the Second Republic.

Monumental to say the least! Dense, academic but truly unparalleled. Always my first port of call for picking apart the sometimes complex history.

Excellent collection of essays covering a variety of topics, edited by the sublime Paul Preston.

Ealham is correct in saying that all 50000 of his monographs can be condensed into one, or two at most. This is one of his best.

Series of essays and articles written by/about Trots in Spain. Partisan but unequalled in terms of material on the non-Socialist/Communists/Anarchist left.

All very well reading about it, see what it looked like. Pretty grim to be honest.

If you thought Madrid was grim, wife of the aforementioned Gerald Brenan, she coined the term "pornography of violence". See why.

Barea's superb first-hand work combines both the hope, loss and anguish embodied in the war, when he eventually had a breakdown. Lengthy, but insightful.

I really enjoyed this, at times War and Peace-esque investigation into journalism and the war. Paul Preston is one of the main reasons I still enjoy reading about the war. Here's another one...

A collection of short writings by women who experienced the tumult, turmoil and tradegy that was.

Expensive, but an excellent collection, along with the Gerda Taro archives. Heroism and defiance have many faces.

I wonder if they couldn't afford the rights to Homage to Catalonia? Similar story (and to the Wind that Shakes the Barely...) but worth a watch. Along with El Mar... and Pan's Labyrinth.