Reviews (16)

preston anti-franco
PAUL PRESTON IS NOT OBJECTIVE IN HIS BOOK "FRANCO".HE MAKES FRANCO APPEAR WORST THAN HILTER.EXAMPLE IN REGARDS TO ONE OF HIS SOURCES - JOSE MARIA GIL ROBLES- notes 114 and 120 on pages 592 and 590.PRESTON MAKES IT APPEAR THE GIL ROBLES KNOWES WHAT FRANCO STATED AT A TIME WHEN GIL ROBLES HADLEFT SPAIN AROUND 1936-39 IN A PERIOD IN THE BOOK OF 1949.THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES.I SUSPECT MANY OF HIS NOTES AND SOURCES.IF I AM WRONG OR I DID NOT UNDERSTAND PLEASE LET ME KNOW.PS. I suspect that many of his sources are not creditable.Too many of his secondary sources appear to be primary sources.

A brilliant book and a key to understanding Spain
Paul Preston's biography of Francisco Franco Bahamonde is a masterpiece. The blurb on the cover of my edition reads "as engagingly readable as a good novel" and I could not agree more. But the book is more than that. As a scholarly project it is impressive. The book covers more than fifty years of Franco's life and modern Spanish history and is meticulously researched and referenced throughout. It also provides invaluable insights into the character and ambitions of a man who even according to his own wife was said to be impossible to understand. Like Hugh Thomas' "The Spanish Civil War", there is no better book in Spanish on the topic. I recommend the book to anyone with an interest in modern European history. However, for me personally, its greatest value lies in it being an essential key to understanding Spain of today.

One of the most interesting biographies I have read
This is a long, detailed book, but I found it to be excellent.The kinds of biographies I like are ones that bring the historical period alive by showing a view of the world and how the person interacted with it.This book really fit the bill because Franco is not a major historical player.So, the story of World War II from the perspective of Spain (not in the war) was interesting.WWII is always about the active participants.To see how Franco dilly dallied around with Hitler and Mussolini and survived the war to ally with the US was not something I had been exposed to before.
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Subjects:  1. 1892-1975    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Franco, Francisco,    6. General    7. Heads of state    8. Spain    9. Spain And Portugal - History    10. Franco, Francisco    11. Portugal    12. World history   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Antiquities, Roman    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Portugal    6. Roman period, 218 B.C.-414 A.D    7. Romans    8. Sociology    9. Spain    10. Spain And Portugal - History    11. To 1385    12. Europe    13. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    14. History / Ancient / General   

Subjects:  1. America    2. Discovery and exploration    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Latin America    6. Portuguese    7. South American    8. Spanish   

Reviews (3)

Excellent survey of Iberian history
This book is excellent. It is exactly what it says it is, a cultural atlas (map of culture). The book gives an refreshing survey of Iberian history. The book covers the Phonicians, Greeks thru the death of Franco. The bookabounds with topographic and cultural maps. A must buy!!!!

Should be entitled "A Brief Encyclopedia of Iberian Culture"
Unfortunately the authors have no idea what the word ATLAS means (this seems to be the case with most recent so-called atlases that I have seen).Although there are a few maps, anyone who was hoping for an extensiveseries of interesting and detailed maps will be sorely disappointed.

Excellent book on cultural and political history of Iberia
This book offers an interesting, non-textbook style cultural and socio-political history of Spain and Portugal, well illustrated by plenty of excellent photographs.The special sections on cultural, architectural features and the great artists of the countries, like "paella", "The Great Mosque of Cordoba" and "Dali" are excellent.Another good thing about this book is that you can start reading from anywhere because the sections are self-contained. Unfortunately, not enough is mentioned about Portugal, at least not to the proportion it deserves. It is good book for those planning to visit the countries as well as those who have been there and just want to sppreciate more the history and culture of the Iberia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. General    3. Historical Atlases    4. History    5. History: World    6. Portugal    7. Reference    8. Spain    9. Spain And Portugal - History    10. World - General    11. Cultural studies    12. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    13. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Emigration and immigration    4. Foreign countries    5. History    6. Identity (Psychology)    7. Portugal    8. Portuguese    9. Return migration    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Anthropology    13. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Subjects:  1. 1587-1645    2. 1621-1665    3. Biography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Europe - Spain & Portugal    6. History - General History    7. Olivares, Gaspar de Guzman,    8. Olivares, Gaspar de Guzmâan,    9. Politics and government    10. Prime ministers    11. Spain    12. Spain And Portugal - History    13. conde-duque de,    14. Biography: historical    15. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    16. History / Spain & Portugal    17. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    18. Portugal   

Reviews (1)

a romantic styled palace in portugal
This is again a great book of these scala series, just like the book of the queluz palace. The Pena palace was buildat the place of an old monastery inthe mid 1800's for Fernando II of Portugal. Since then is hasbeen a beloved retreat of the royal family. The palace itself is a mix ofmoorish, manuelian and gothic style. The book is a beautiful compilation ofgood full-color photos and text. With the book you can make a visit throughthe palace. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture Of Specific Structures    3. Decoration and ornament    4. Domestic    5. Eclecticism in architecture    6. History - General    7. International Architecture - European    8. Palacio Nacional da Pena (Por    9. Palâacio Nacional da Pena (Portugal)    10. Portugal    11. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    12. Sintra Region    13. Palaces, chateaux, country houses    14. Public buildings: civic, commercial, industrial, etc    15. Turkey   

Reviews (1)

A brief portuguese history
A.H. de Oliveira Marques is one of the brightest historians in Portugal, studyind both medieval and contemporary subjects. As for such he was able to create this masterpiece which combines in a very short narrative all of the most important facts and structures of the history of Portugal. This is the first volume of the work, covering a period since the romanisation to the fifteenth century. If you are looking to know more about portugal be sure to have for it was originally made for foreign students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    5. History / Europe / General    6. Portugal   

Reviews (1)

Francisco Franco Bahamonde
Centinela de occidente, caudillo de Espa�a por la gracia de Dios,vencedor de los rojos en el campo de batalla, el unico que lo hizo. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1892-1975    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Europe - Spain & Portugal    7. Franco, Francisco,    8. Generals    9. Heads of state    10. Military    11. Spain    12. Biography & Autobiography / Military    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    14. History    15. Military life & institutions    16. Portugal    17. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. History    4. History: World    5. Judaism - History    6. Religion - Judaism    7. Europe    8. Judaism    9. Portugal    10. Spain   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    5. European studies    6. Portugal    7. Travel / Europe / Spain & Portugal   

Subjects:  1. 1792 or 3-1841    2. Army    3. Great Britain    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: World    7. Infantry    8. Military - General    9. Military - World War I    10. Peninsular War, 1807-1814    11. Personal narratives, British    12. Waterloo, Battle of, Waterloo, Belgium, 1815    13. Wheatley, Edmund,    14. Belgium    15. Biography: general    16. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    17. Portugal    18. Spain    19. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. History / Spain & Portugal   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    5. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    6. Portugal    7. Spain   

Subjects:  1. Africa - Central    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. World - Colonial Studies    7. African history: c 1500 to c 1900    8. Deltas, estuaries, coastal regions    9. East Africa    10. Economic history    11. International trade    12. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    13. Portugal   

Reviews (2)

Some of the best OOB for the peninsular war
While the book does contain spelling errors and in general suffers frompoor editing, the orders of battle are very precise, and a must forwargamers.The maps and battle descriptions are also excellent.I'drecommend this book to any wargamer or history buff interested in thepeninsular war. Sloppy fact-checking & proofreading. What's true?What isn't?
While the book's premise is excellent and the use of eye-witness accounts laudable, the numerous typos, inconsistencies and errors make one feel unable to trust the information presented. (On page 9, we "learn" that the battle of Vitoria occurred in 1815!)The typos are truly jolting: "filed" for field; "Moor" for Moore; "form" for from, "Sit" for Sir. And that's just in the first three pages. The author states that this is book doesn't claim to be an "academic or definitive work," but it's unusual for a work on this subject (and at this price! - $35 at the bookstore) to be so poorly presented. There's good stuff in it, but who knows what's accurate and what isn't? A real disappointment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1769-1852    2. Duke of,    3. History - Military / War    4. History: American    5. Military - General    6. Military - Napoleonic Wars    7. Military leadership    8. Peninsular War, 1807-1814    9. Personal narratives, British    10. Wellington, Arthur Wellesley,    11. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    12. History / Modern / 19th Century    13. Portugal    14. Spain    15. Warfare & Defence    16. Wellington, Arthur Wellesley   

Subjects:  1. 711-1516    2. Europe - Spain & Portugal    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Jewish - General    7. Jews    8. Medieval    9. Portugal    10. Spain    11. To 1500    12. European history: c 500 to c 1500    13. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (1)

Specialized, Detailed, Comprehensive and Unique
The most important in enjoying this book, is wanting to know
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History: World    3. Modern - 19th Century    4. Battles & campaigns    5. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    6. History / Modern / 19th Century    7. Portugal    8. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. History: World    6. Islam - History    7. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    8. Islam    9. Portugal    10. Spain   

Reviews (1)

Un aspect peu connu de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale
Ce livre traite du r�le des A�ores dans la Seconde Guerre Mondiale et aborde des aspects peu connus : on apprend que les Allemands avaient des projets quelque peu utopiques, tels qu'occuper les A�ores pour pouvoir y faire d�coller leurs bombardiers vers la c�te Est des USA (le projet Amerika), on y apprend aussi l'int�r�t des Anglo-Am�ricains pour ces �les qui, il ne faut pas l'oublier, appartenaient � un pays neutre, certes plut�t fascisant, mais ami traditionnel (depuis le XIV� si�cle !) de la Grande-Bretagne. En bref un livre � lire pour tous ceux que l'histoire de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale dans tous ses d�tails passionne ... A condition de conna�tre l'Anglais bien s� ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Atlantic Ocean    2. Azores    3. Campaigns    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - Naval    8. Military - World War II    9. Portugal    10. World War, 1939-1945    11. Europe    12. European history: Second World War    13. Naval forces & warfare    14. Second World War, 1939-1945    15. USA    16. World history: Second World War