BRIEF HISTORY OF SPAIN

Concise and very readable, Black explores environmental, political, social, economic, cultural and artistic Spain from Columbus's first voyage in 1492 that was central to Spain's global impact, to the loss of Cuba, the Philippines and Puerto Rico in 1898. Spain's colonies were vitally important to its domestic and European position. Spain is open to regional variations to the extent that the history of the peninsula and its political groupings are covered in fact boxes. These include an exploration of the heroic failure of Sir John Moore who led the British Army from Portugal into Spain in November 1809 against Napoleon who was already in Madrid. A brilliant brief history which continues with a look at contemporary Spain, not least Catalonia and its future. Olé! 260pp, paperback.