I was first introduced to Penelope Casas' books several years back when a friend gave me "The Foods and Wine of Spain". I have been hooked since. Her recipes are always on target and delicious. A particular focus of this book are the regional differences in Spanish cuisine. From the Moorish influenced lamb and melon stew to the Catalan garlic chicken, Casas covers the cuisine deliciously. I use this book regularly and have even followed its suggestions on restaurants and tapas bars when we visited Spain.

The recipes in this book consistently taste like the food I've enjoyed in Spanish restaurants. Her chicken dishes are among the best I've made, and I am thrilled with how authentic the tapas dishes are. The recipes are easy to follow and most are fairly easy to prepare. They are organized by region rather than type of dish. Although it is interesting to read about the variations in regional cooking, the organization makes finding the recipes you are looking for a bit more difficult... but the results are worth it. I have a large collection of cookbooks, but this is one of the few I use repeatedly.

I first learned of Casas when I read her "Uncommon Guide" to Spain. She clearly loves the country and is devoted to its accurate representation. Her "Uncommon Guide" focused on areas and their foods. "Delicioso!" is the next best thing to discovering Spain. If you can't go, you can at least make the food. Her recipes are detailed and easy to follow. She also gives you some background on the recipes and covers tapas to seafood to desserts. The results are truly delicioso!

I picked this book up on the way to the airport, and ending up laughing out loud the whole flight (much to the annoyance of my fellow passengers, I'm afraid.) A bleak but terribly funny look at human nature... nature red in tooth and claw, in this instance.

Dostoevsky's Last Night is a daring and unexspected ride through rick and redemption by an author who is obviously not afraid to take risks. In this dazzling novel, Jorge, a passionate and eccentric man addicted to gambling seeks help with Lucia, his shrink. But instead of finding the accepting and caring person he was looking for Lucia attempts to cure him with straitforward no nonsence opinions and caustic advice, which causes Jorge to become more fond of her than he exspected. The plot, however, is not the most interesting part of Dostoevsky's Last Night -- the ideas are. Rossi moves through her novel with incredible grace, showing both the beauty and the tyranny of passion. Borrowing from numerous psychological, literary, and popular influences she constructs a book that burns with all the passion of the gambling table but with much more certainty of comming out a winner.

Although I've not read the translation into English, I wanted to set the record straight and indicate that this novel is not "full of hope." It is, however, a completely engrossing story. One finds oneself being seduced by Jorge and pulled into sharing his vision of gambling, the world, and himself, which is an indication of Peri Rossi's virtuosity as a writer, as this pessimistic, superior and world-weary vision is apparently not her own.

This little book is a delightful read: informative, well-written, and entertaining. I can't imagine a better book for anyone planning a trip to Spain.

Part way into a year in Madrid, I found this book in a bookshop near the Puerto del Sol. Having read -- mostly with disappointment -- guidebooks of the "eat here, sleep there" variety, as well as of the "observe famous site on the left" variety, I have been absolutely entranced with this book.

What it does is bring alive the stories of Madrid. It's not a guidebook, per se, although I think it would be an invaluable book to have on any visit to Spain. It's more a collection of stories, of anecdotes, that pull you into the actual life of the city as it is and as it was.

A typical example: almost all guidebooks mention the Cafe Gijon, and cite it as a good place to eat where generations of Madrid literati have dined. You are left wondering, which Madrid literati, what was the appeal, and what did they do there? Rather than leave you hanging so, Elizabeth Nash guides through the society of "tertullias" (informal but somewhat stable idle discussion groups) that once flourished in these cafes, quoting from some of the novels written about this literary life, pulling up diverse quotes and recollections. By the time you are done you even know the name and the politics of the man who sells cigarettes at the stand just inside the Cafe Gijon's door.

That's the sort of thing the book does throughout. Rather than just identify sites and give you a summary description, it takes you into tales of selected important areas of Madrid. Some are on everyone's tour itinerary, such as the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol, while others, such as the college residence hall where Dali, Bunuel and Garcia Lorca discovered each other, art and life, do not figure in the packaged tours.

While drawing on marvellously deep and diverse sources, it's also a very good read. It moves quickly.

I recommend it highly.

The author's knowledge and understanding of Madrileno culture, history, literature, art and psyche are impressive. She brings all these elements together to form the big picture, and the result is a potrayal of Madrid that goes deep beyond the surface. A fascinating account.

I read this book in 1985, and I highly recommend it for all ages. Children will love the tale of the brave Rajac, as he searches for the meaning of life. It is well written, and I would call it a sleeper. It would be a wonderful movie, I guess the Disney people dont know about it.

Rajac, beautifully written by Stanley Spain, is a timeless tale with wisdom for all ages. Before turning the first page, I was already engulfed in the story of the young fin whale, Rajac, and his coming-of-age. The dilemas, conflicts and inspirations of the magnificent creature create not only a unique and brilliant plot, but a thought-provoking journey for the reader. Rajac's discovery of his own strength as he forges North for the first time alone, and his subsequent determination to seek the subject of his father's final words, is colorfully developed with the help of a delightful group of intriguing characters. Ms. Spain has skillfully intertwined a fantastic study of whale behavior, anatomy and instinct with emotion and humor. I laughed, I cried and, several times, pondered the meaning of life. Rajac's tale will touch the young and old alike, leaving all who read it with a new appreciation for our fellow mammal friends.

Stanley Spain has written a coming-of-age novel from the point of view of a magnificent beast -- in this case, a young fin whale named Rajac. Having lost his family to whalers, Rajac must reconnect with whale society, find the mysterious whale Yatroo of whom his dying father spoke, and help his race find a new way to live in a world overrun by killer men. Spain's knowledge of whale biology and behavior lends the novel plausibility, while her fluent writing evokes the haunting beauty of the ocean depths. This is an excellent book for family reading. It's interesting for teenagers on up to senior citizens.

I enjoyed this book, which is very well documented with lots of footnoes and bibliography. The Nazis come off looking pretty arrogant about Spain, which they thought was at their beck and call. This book has everything a good history should: adventure, war, diplomacy, economics, conspiracies, and unexpected results. Excellent.

I really liked this book! My boyfriend is a real history buff, watching the History Channel all the time and everything, so I wasn't convinced I would enjoy it when he kept pushing me to look at it, but after I started reading Bowen's book, I couldn't put it down. There are a lot of amazing stories in it, like when Spaniards fought to defend Berlin at the end of World War II, and when Franco said "no" to Hitler -- and got away with it! For a history book, it's a pretty fun read!

This is an exciting story about my country's history during the Spanish Civil War and Second World War, when my grandparents endured starvation and political warfare. Professor Bowen has written a very interesting book, finding archives and research materials that no Spanish historian has used, to create this history which reads like a novel. I had no idea so many of my people were enthusiastically pro-Nazi, fighting in the German army, agitating for Spanish entry into the war, and volunteering, even after the war was lost, to help Hitler win. I had heard of the Blue Division, but thought these were soldiers Franco forced to go to Russia, not tens of thousands of volunteers who wanted to fight Stalin. Sometimes Bowen seems to go a little too easy on Franco, who contributed so much to making life difficult in Spain during this period, but I still recommend this book for everyone interested in the Second World War or Spanish history.

"EL ESPEJO ENTERRADO" ES UN LIBRO QUE NO PUEDES DEJAR DE LEER. TIENES QUE TOMARTE UN TIEMPO PARA LEERLO Y APRENDER DE O RECORDAR LA HISTORIA DE TODO AMERICA.

Fuentes dice en el Espejo Enterrado que Rocinante es una yegua y no es cierto. Reto al mismo Carlos Fuentes a que me lo demuestre.

I first read The Buried Mirror as a college student 7 years ago. Since then, I have travelled through Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain and have always looked to "The Burried Mirror" as a valuable source of insight to the cultures I experience.

For anyone who has ever wondered about how the cultures and histories of those from the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas have comingled and collided, this is the book for you!

In late 1993, right before the new year, Toni Dorado is returning home to Los Angeles to face the lover she left abruptly and to reconnect with her family. Her niece and her mother are very excited to have her back, but her sister Sylvia isn't happy at all, and she has her own problems in the form of an abusive husband. Toni struggles to make amends with Pat, her former lover, and the two slowly begin to communicate about where to go from here. As the various women's lives and sometimes volatile relationships collide, so too does the earth as a major earthquake hits the area in January 1994, forcing the women to face some naked truths about each other and about themselves. Even though the earthquake has a deus ex machina feel (where it solves problems so the characters don't have to), "Faults" is quite a remarkable novel for creating a beautiful portrait of a present-day Chicana family to which everyone can relate.

This book is excellent and readers of Ms. De La Pena's previous books will be reunited with some familiar characters. It's also a fascinating read for LA fans and fans of lesbian literature. It's the kind of novel you wish wouldn't end but when it does you know she'll be back with an even greater read next time! I think Terri De La Pena really captures what it's like to be a lesbian and a Mexican-American!

Other reviewers have outlined the plot of this novel adequately, but more needs to be said about the deft characterizations, setting, and style.

The five primary characters in Faults have each been given a distinct voice. The novel is structured through short chapters, each in the first-person voice of five very different women. Terri de la Pena has created characteristic idioms, world-views, personalities, and character strenghts and 'faults' for each person. I was fascinated as these characters unfolded; it is a risky and, in Terri's hands, successful narrative technique.

Two reviewers complained about the mix of Spanish words and phrases in the narratives, a perspective I would like to counter. My Spanish understanding is based on a couple of semesters 20 years ago, and although I didn't understand the litteral meaning of every Spanish phrase, I found the use of Spanish absolutely authentic to the characters, and actually pretty easy to decode. In fact, there is often a translation of sorts in the context, many are English cognates, and others are common Spanish heard in the US. So don't let it put you off. Even when you don't understand the phrase, the intent and mood is clear. Actually, the use of Spanish adds a great deal to the novel--how much Spanish crops up in a character's thoughts, for instance, provides insight to her personal culture. Also, the presence of Spanish is important to the sense of living as Chicanas in an Anglo macroculture. Bilingualism (and not every Chicano/a speaks Spanish) must be an enormous, perhaps a defining part of the experience. For a non-Spanish speaker of another culture to criticize what is clearly a deeply imbedded cultural characteristic shows a regretable bias, and listening to it would limit one's aesthetic. Finally, I want to say that for Chicanas and others with Spanish-based cultures, the language mix must be quite welcome. (Terri de la Pena is not the only Chicana author writing in this manner, of course.)

I appreciate the attention Terri de la Pena pays to environment in her settings--from street and business names to architectural details. Though briefly mentioned, these things add to the authentic ring of the story.

One other strength of the structure created by the five woman characters is the way time unfolds as the characters speak. Each short narrative takes place within a given moment or brief period of time; in fact, each section is dated so we have a sense of events defining a period of several weeks. What we know about the past is colored by the POV of the speaker, so the contrasting views give us various "truths" that we must sort out as we perceive the biases of each woman.

I have focused on three aspects of Terri de la Pena's writing that contribute to the strength of "Faults." The sum is, of course, much more than the parts. The book is an important addition to lesbian literature which offers a reading experience rich on many levels. I recommend it.

I have known and worked with the author for 30 years so I might be considered prejudice. I can honestly say however that I enjoyed the book on it's own merits. Naturally being able to visualize Bob as he described his daily adventures enhanced that enjoyment. Most of those who know Bob as a conservative banker(retired) whose main idea of excercise was to walk out to his garage for a drive in his Mercedes were shocked when he announced he was going backpacking across Spain. This was completely out of character as was acknowledged by his wife Marie and other family members. However, true to character when Bob said he was going to do something you knew he would. For me the highlight of the book was his thoughful planning and preparation prior to the actual trip. I also enjoyed his colorful description of the people he met on the trial and how they watched out for each other. I actually grew to like George and Margaret and hope someday to meet them if they ever come to visit Bob in Chicago. As Bob described his daily travels his doggedness, attention to detail,honesty, frugality (he loved those $6.00 a night refuges) and dry sense of humor kept emerging. I found myself smiling often and thinking "that's Bob". I may never hike the St James Trail but Bob's book was an inspiration to rethink what is possible when you have a dream, set a goal and achieve what you set out to do.

I was impressed by the writer's thoughtfulness to address the preparations prior to making his historic walk. Bob Tuggle's diary format of his journey makes it easy reading, as well as placing the reader in a position to actually visualize the trek without have to do the walk. The writer's descriptions of relationships developed during the trek also added some drama and enjoyable reading of his book.

After wading through book after book about the mystical or cultural significance of the Camino, I was thrilled to find such an honest and down-to-earth guide. Mr. Tuggle made it personal enough to keep me interested, but factual enough to give me a good idea of how to plan my upcoming trip. I finally feel prepared to go. Another thing that is so great about this book is that Mr. Tuggle offers his personal email address for readers to ask questions and such. I wrote to him, not really expecting a reply, but he answered all of my questions thoroughly and with such grace and kindness that I am even more enthusiastic about my trip and his book. It is a fast read and a must for anyone who just wants to walk the trail and not worry about cosmic visions, reincarnation or the power of ley lines. Thank you, Mr. Tuggle.

As the other reviewers below have noted, David Gates' THE SPANISH ULCER is indeed the best book on the Peninsular War. It is well-researched and well-written. It does justice to the operations of the French, British, and Spanish armies. Unlike many other books, it does not focus solely on the campaigns of Wellington. Gates has also provided a wealth of data of size of armies and casualties. Plentiful maps make the narrative of military operations simple to follow. Numerous other military historians and publishers should follow the book's example.

That said, there are still problems with the book that prevent it from being a general history of the Peninsular War. The book focuses too much on the operations of military formations. Gates describes in detail what armies, corps, divisions, brigades, and battalions do. However, very little insight is provided to what soldiers were experiencing on the ground. Equally, the experiences of the Spanish and Portuguese people, who lived with 8 years of bitter war, are dealt with very briefly. Moreover, Gates writes very little on the guerrilla campaign, which was a major factor in the French defeat.

I do not mean to be overly critical. I enjoyed this book greatly. It is the best book out on the Peninsular War. Nevertheless, there is still no general book that covers the political, military, and social aspects of the Peninsular War.

David Gates' treatment of the Iberian conflict has no equal and remains the best single-volume history of Napoleon's unfortunate Spanish adventure. Far superior to Michael Glover's PENINSULAR WAR, Gates' work is comprehensive, well-researched and clearly written. I just finished my 6th reading and continue to enjoy it.
Unlike most British Peninsular authors Gates follows in the footsteps of Oman and gives a balanced objective account giving credit to both the conventional and irregular Spanish forces, and does a masterful job of dealing with the French as well. I find, happily, that he eschews the usual hero-worship of Wellington and does find the Iron Duke human after all (particularly some of his ill-advised sieges). He accompanies his solid research with a useful chronology, some short biographical details, and some very good order of battle work. The work is marred by execrable maps (perhaps drawn by a child) and the all too often use of "sullen." I am happy to see that it's coming soon to paperback. I was most pleased to see information on the little-known Marshal Suchet and his long-suffering Army of Aragon. Buy it & enjoy it!

Many English language accounts of the Peninsular War disproportionately glorify the contributions of Wellington and the British. While Wellington and his relatively small army did make key contributions, the real heroes of the struggle that lead to the downfall of Napoleon, not only in Spain but in Europe, were the Spanish people. Gate's book goes farther than most in recognizing the often-ignored contribution of the guerrillas, the Spanish military and the populance in general in resisting Napoleon.