Reviews for Spain in Mind: An Anthology

The average rating for Spain in Mind: An Anthology based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2007-07-17 00:00:00 Joseph Egolf This is one of several inter-related reviews for the books listed below: 1. The New Spaniards by John Hooper, 2nd edition, 2006. 2. Ghosts of Spain : Travels through Spain and its Silent Past by Giles Tremlett, 2006. 3. The Ornament of the World : How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria Rosa Menocal, 2002. 4. Spain in Mind (an Anthology) edited and with an introduction by Alice Leccese Powers, 2007. 5. Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell, 1938. 6. South from Granada by Gerald Brenan, 1957. 7. Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart, 1999. Some background information motivating my interest in Spain is given in my review of The New Spaniards; I won't repeat it here. The books by John Hooper and Giles Tremlett are essentially factual; each presents a picture of contemporary Spain, both are reasonably complete, Tremlett's is a little more impressionistic. This book, edited by Alice Leccese Powers, is a terrific collection of pieces by "great writers entranced by Spain". Powers has assembled a wonderful collection, which includes pieces by all of the usual suspects (Hemingway, Auden, Orwell, Washington Irving, James Michener, Gerald Brenan, Langston Hughes), augmented by contributions from other illustrious literary pilgrims (Lord Byron, Henry James, John Dos Passos, Edith Wharton, Robert Graves, Anthony Trollope, W. Somerset Maugham), a smattering of poetry (Billy Collins, E.E. cummings, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Andrew Marvell, William Wordsworth), and a variety of travel pieces from such 20th century visitors as Rose Macaulay, Jan Morris, Eric Newby, Calvin Trillin, Joanna Trollope, Tim Moore, Barbara Kingsolver, and Mary Lee Settle. The result is an absolute delight -- a book that's small enough to be an unobtrusive travel companion, that one can dip into with confidence, knowing that one's faith in the editor's judgment will not be misplaced. The inclusion of pieces spanning three centuries provides a deeper understanding of context and historical background; the choice of authors helps the reader gain an appreciation of Spain's position in the literary and artistic imagination over the years. There isn't a dull piece in the book (Wordsworth's contribution is confined to one solitary sonnet, in case you were wondering; even I can tolerate a sonnet). It may be just a happy coincidence that the more recent contributions are by travel writers and authors who I've always enjoyed (Rose Macaulay, Eric Newby, Jan Morris, Calvin Trillin, Barbara Kingsolver, Mary Lee Settle). For centuries, travelers from around the world came to Spain -- drawn by its art, food, culture, all of which reflect a fascinating and chequered history. Dramatic landscapes, a Mediterranean climate, the peculiar Spanish blend of warmth, pride and machismo, and the cultural and artistic resurgence in recent decades are further attractions. As a travel destination, Spain is tough to beat. If you can't manage to make a trip in person any time soon, you could do much worse than pick up a copy of this book. Alice Leccese Powers has put together a collection of pieces which capture the country's essential spirit, with charm and panache. I'll close with one of my favorite selections from the book (though Billy Collins's Candle Hat is a close second): Lawrence Ferlinghetti from A FAR ROCKAWAY OF THE HEART #76 In the gardens of the Alhambra I stole a small orange and ate it The pulp dry and bitter and the juice (acrid as an arab driven from his land) made a desert out of my mouth and shriveled up my tongue in the Sultan's last revenge And I fell on the ground in a deep swoon Deep as the duende in a gypsy's keening.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-02-28 00:00:00 Jhone Linas The two stars are for the collection as a whole, not the individual pieces. It's ordered alphabetically, which is dumb, because the pieces jump around in time, location, genre, and everything else. Some of them are kind of terrible, others are brilliant. The book just wasn't put together very well, and should have been ordered by time period or geographic location.