Koncocoo

Best Catalonia Travel Guides

Homage to Catalonia
A National Review Top Ten Best Nonfiction Books of the Century. “One of Orwell’s very best books and perhaps the best book that exists on the Spanish Civil War.”— The New Yorker In 1936, originally intending merely to report on the Spanish Civil War as a journalist, George Orwell found himself embroiled as a participant—as a member of the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unity. George Orwell--novelist, journalist, sometime socialist--actually traded his press pass for a uniform and fought against Franco's Fascists in the Spanish Civil War during 1936 and 1937. Then, after nearly getting killed, he went back to England and wrote a gripping account of his experiences, as well as a complex analysis of the political machinations that led to the defeat of the socialist Republicans and the victory of the Fascists. The audio presentation adds a new dimension to a text which is required reading for any student of the Spanish Civil War.''.
Reviews
"Have heard small glimpses about the Spanish civil war in the context of Franco and WWII (some help from Germany), but I realized I knew absolutely nothing about it. The latter perhaps more guilty of genocide in this case in terms of wiping out the Anarchists and using democratic process as a means to soviet communism."
"As is played out, you can see clearly that the war was the proving grounds for all of Hitler weapons in WWII."
"It is a must read to even just to begin to understand the Spanish Civil war, fake news, and how a great writer war experience shaped his views for 1986 and Animal Farm."
"Good book but didn’t actually serve to clear up confusion about the war."
"A good description of Catalonia durng the Spanish Civil War and his part in it."
"A profoundly memorable account of one corner of Spain's defining civil war."
"Great history read."
"eye opener for and almost forgotten war."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Homage to Catalonia
A National Review Top Ten Best Nonfiction Books of the Century. “One of Orwell’s very best books and perhaps the best book that exists on the Spanish Civil War.”— The New Yorker In 1936, originally intending merely to report on the Spanish Civil War as a journalist, George Orwell found himself embroiled as a participant—as a member of the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unity. A National Review Top Ten Best Nonfiction Books of the Century. “One of Orwell’s very best books and perhaps the best book that exists on the Spanish Civil War.”— The New Yorker In 1936, originally intending merely to report on the Spanish Civil War as a journalist, George Orwell found himself embroiled as a participant—as a member of the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unity. Fighting against the Fascists, he described in painfully vivid and occasionally comic detail life in the trenches—with a “democratic army” composed of men with no ranks, no titles, and often no weapons—and his near fatal wounding.
Reviews
"Have heard small glimpses about the Spanish civil war in the context of Franco and WWII (some help from Germany), but I realized I knew absolutely nothing about it. The latter perhaps more guilty of genocide in this case in terms of wiping out the Anarchists and using democratic process as a means to soviet communism."
"As is played out, you can see clearly that the war was the proving grounds for all of Hitler weapons in WWII."
"It is a must read to even just to begin to understand the Spanish Civil war, fake news, and how a great writer war experience shaped his views for 1986 and Animal Farm."
"Good book but didn’t actually serve to clear up confusion about the war."
"A good description of Catalonia durng the Spanish Civil War and his part in it."
"A profoundly memorable account of one corner of Spain's defining civil war."
"Great history read."
"eye opener for and almost forgotten war."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Homage to Catalonia
Orwell's personal account of his experiences and observations in the Spanish Civil War.
Reviews
"Have heard small glimpses about the Spanish civil war in the context of Franco and WWII (some help from Germany), but I realized I knew absolutely nothing about it. The latter perhaps more guilty of genocide in this case in terms of wiping out the Anarchists and using democratic process as a means to soviet communism."
"As is played out, you can see clearly that the war was the proving grounds for all of Hitler weapons in WWII."
"It is a must read to even just to begin to understand the Spanish Civil war, fake news, and how a great writer war experience shaped his views for 1986 and Animal Farm."
"Good book but didn’t actually serve to clear up confusion about the war."
"A good description of Catalonia durng the Spanish Civil War and his part in it."
"A profoundly memorable account of one corner of Spain's defining civil war."
"Great history read."
"eye opener for and almost forgotten war."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Andorra Travel Guides

Secrets of the Seven Smallest States of Europe: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City
This unique book examines the history, culture, and inner workings of the seven smallest independent countries in Europe.
Reviews
"It is a delightful tour of the micro-states of Europe: The Principality of Andorra (a unitary semi-elective parliamentary diarchy), the Principality of Liechtenstein (a monarchy), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy), the Republic of Malta (a unitary parliamentary republic), the Principality of Monaco (unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy), the Most Serene Republic of San Marino (a unitary parliamentary directorial republic), and the State of the Vatican City (an absolute monarchy, ecclesiastical and elective theocracy)."
"The author has good basic knowledge of all of them, and although brief in history and sights, this book is a good introduction to all of them with a useful, if now somewhat dated bibliography for further reading."
"insightful, well written, and on point."
"Excelent!"
"Had great information on counties that do not have a lot of published information about them."
"Excellent and well researched book that deals with the history and geography of the seven smallest states of Europe."
"I liked the book, thematic interesting and easy to understand."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best History eBooks of Spain & Portugal

The Last Days of the Incas
The epic story of the fall of the Inca Empire to Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in the aftermath of a bloody civil war, and the recent discovery of the lost guerrilla capital of the Incas, Vilcabamba, by three American explorers. Although the Incas fought a deadly, thirty-six-year-long guerrilla war, the Spanish ultimately captured the last Inca emperor and vanquished the native resistance. MacQuarrie, who writes with just the right amount of drama ("After the interpreter finished delivering the speech, silence once again gripped the square"), is to be commended for giving a balanced account of those events. In 1911, a young Yale professor of Latin American history named Hiram Bingham identified Machu Picchu as the nerve center of the empire. Although MacQuarrie dedicates just a few chapters to modern research, the archeologists who made the key discoveries emerge as well-developed characters, and the tale of digging up the empire is as riveting as the more familiar history of Spanish conquest. The author, who lived in Peru for five years, chronicles the adventures of Hiram Bingham, who, in 1911, discovered Machu Picchu and believed it was the Incan capital.
Reviews
"This was a well researched and well written account of the Spanish conquest of the Inca nation. The material was still interesting, just in terms of knowing the timeline of when and how some of these amazing ruins were discovered, but I think the ins and outs of the competition to publish first and the personal lives of some of the explorers might well be a different book."
"He makes it sound like a small band of Spanish on horses fended off hundreds of thousands of the Incas and there allies in one siege that last for more than a year."
"Kim MacQuarrie provides a well-written, and engaging telling of the first Spanish incursions into Peru, from the Extremadura origins of the Pizarro family, to the execution of Atahualpa and beyond."
"One such battle, puts 200 Conquistadors (and slaves) against an Inca army of 20,000 warriors the author puts you in the very heart of the battle so you can not help but feel the rising panic in your throat as you read."
"I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone planning a trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Frankly, in writing my own book, The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribes, I found MacQuarrie's work an invaluable guide for understanding the reach and impact of the Incas into the Antisuyo, the Eastern Quarter; that is to say, the eastern slopes of the Andes leading down into the Amazon."
"This is the book to read as you land in Lima on your way to Cuzco and Machu Picchu."
"Amazing story that is stranger than fiction."
"For anyone visiting Machu Picchu it should be a must read, and it gives an eye-opening history lesson on the Spanish conquest that will get you thinking."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Barcelona Travel Guides

Rick Steves Pocket Barcelona
Everything a busy traveler needs is easy to access: a neighborhood overview, city walks and tours, sights, handy food and accommodations charts, an appendix packed with information on trip planning and practicalities, and a fold-out city map. With the help of his hardworking staff of 80 at Europe Through the Back Doorin Edmonds, Washington, just north of SeattleRick's mission is to make European travel fun, affordable, and culturally broadening for Americans.
Reviews
"It was a gift, and the recipients found it helpful for their walking tours of Barcelona."
"With the help of Rick Steves book, we were able to make the most of our 5 days in Barcelona."
"He has helped us miss many a line to get into places because of his advice."
"This is the first time I used a guide book while traveling and I LOVED it!"
"I bought this book to help me plan my trip to Barcelona."
"Handy guide for the visitor to Barcelona."
"Not Rick's best travel book."
"Took this with us to Barcelona and found great restaurant recommendations and guided walking tours."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Andalusia Travel Guides

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Seville & Andalusia
DK's insider travel tips and essential local information will help you discover the best of Seville and Andalusia, whether you want to visit the Alhambra Palace and the Plaza de España, explore the Alpujarra villages, or soak up the sun on the beautiful Costa del Sol. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Seville and Andalusia truly shows you this country as no one else can. Expert travel writers and researchers provide independent editorial advice, recommendations, and reviews. "Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way."
Reviews
"They are our favorite because they have lots of wonderful pictures and history on glossy magazine stock as well as an outlining of the sites one should see when traveling thorough the subject area."
"I love all DK travel guides and they're a must when I'm going to a new country."
"It provided an easy to read walking path for each area as well as the city."
"Beautiful book, well illustrated, came in excellent condition from the seller despite being labelled as second hand/used."
"We only had time for three full days in Seville, and would use this to plan our next trip to Southern Spain."
"This book has a lots of information regarding the history, culture & specialities of the region along with lovely pictures."
"We did find it a little bit heavy for it's size, probably because of the glossy paper, but was worth it for all the beautiful and detailed maps, floor plans and photos."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Madrid Travel Guides

Rick Steves Snapshot Madrid & Toledo
Reviews
"My great niece was tickled to have this guied book in advance of her studies in Madrid."
"Excellent travel guide."
"You can't go wrong with Rick."
"Nice size to travel in your day pack or purse."
"Rick Steve's travel guides are the best guide books ever."
"I recommender the free information on the public office of tourist in madrid."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Seville Travel Guides

Streetwise Seville Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Seville, Spain (Streetwise (Streetwise Maps))
PLEASE NOTE: A newly updated version of this STREETWISE map is available. In the 1970 s, Brown traveled extensively throughout Africa, India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Brown would take a large paper map, cut out the city center, folded it up and slip it into his pocket, thus preventing him from looking like a tourist in areas where discretion is the better part of travel. After many years on the road, Brown settled back in New York and decided to start his own business, based on the adaptations he had made to maps in his travels. Brown sold the maps during the day, zipping around Manhattan making deliveries on his Harley Davidson. STREETWISE® is one of the only, if not THE only map company that conducts research by walking or driving an area to ensure accuracy. This lengthy fact checking results in superior accuracy; in effect, we ve done the work, now you have the adventure.
Reviews
"We walked everywhere and this map helped us get our bearings in a city with many old neighborhoods with narrow, winding streets."
"This appears to be impossible because the landmarks on the big map are not reflected on the smaller map, nor are the streets."
"I used this map every day while I was in Spain."
"Good for the 'on foot' tourist and also the "motorized" one!"
"Size is too large to fit in a back pocket, however I think the maps would be too hard to read if they were any smaller."
"In short, it may be good for general references for main attractions like the Cathedral, Real Alcazar & Plaza de Espana but otherwise we found it pretty useless for our needs."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best General Spain Travel Guides

A Pilgrim's Guide to the Camino de Santiago: St. Jean - Roncesvalles - Santiago (Camino Guides)
Now updated to include newer maps and photos - and lighter in weight to support carefree traveling - this comprehensive guidebook to the Camino de Santiago and its offshoots contains all the information needed by modern-day pilgrims wishing to walk the sacred Way of St. James. John Brierley is a former chartered surveyor and the author of A Pilgrim’s Guide to Camino de Santiago , A Pilgrim’s Guide to Camino Finisterre , and A Pilgrim’s Guide to Camino Portugués .
Reviews
"I have only one reservation to make with respect to Mr. Brierley's recommendations: His placing the " Route de Napoleon" as the recommended route for crossing the Pyrenees on the first day from St. Jean Pied de Port. The authentic pilgrims route had always been the Valcarlos/Arneguy route with its connections with the Charlemagne saga and its numerous villages are well equipped to cater to the needs of pilgrims."
"Have just returned from 3 weeks on the Camino and this book was fantastic."
"I read through about 1/2 of this in detail in preparation for making the Camino with 2 of my young-adult kids."
"I really like Brierley's stage maps & his step by step description of the trail especially when signage is sparse."
"Quick shipping, great product, painless transaction - highly recommended."
"Good info."
"We have a friend about to embark on the trek."
"Love the book, lost it, buying again."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Basque Country Travel Guides

The Basque Book: A Love Letter in Recipes from the Kitchen of Txikito
Chefs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero share more than one hundred recipes from Txikito—all inspired by the home cooking traditions of the Basque Country—that will change the way you cook in this much-anticipated and deeply personal debut. "Dining at Alex Rajj and Eder Montero’s Txikito is like reading a love poem to the Basque Country, and their cookbook reflects that seamlessly." " The Basque Book: A Love Letter in Recipes from the Kitchen of Txikito is a gorgeous deep dive into the cooking of this very special region [... ] The book is jam-packed with lovely family stories, rich descriptions of the dishes—some familiar and some that will be very new to you—and excellent tips about what to look for when selecting ingredients, no matter how simple or complex a recipe may be." The only thing more difficult to translate than the Basque language is Basque cooking, and with The Basque Book , you will be able to eat it like a Basque. "Alex Raij and Eder Montero have created an ode to Basque cooking that's as intimate and approachable as their own kitchen. That's why this book is much more than a brilliant recipe collection filled with good ideas, techniques, or surprising flavors from two of the most successful Basque and New York chefs. Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero did an admirable job in The Basque Book providing a large collection of excellent Basque recipes."
Reviews
"Gorgeous book with simple and beautiful recipes."
"The onion sauce that is the base of many recipes is new to me, as is the heavy use of salt and olive oil. There is a chapter on some foundational ingredients and sauces in Basque cooking, on the whole Basque approach. I think it’s something worth reading twice over because it has the potential of shifting how you cook, not just in these recipes but in your daily cooking. There’s lots of recipes with anchovies, though mostly anchovies in oil. However, they recipes call for salting the anchovies to firm up the flesh so there’s that. I have never cooked a steak that way, never heard of cooking a steak that way, but I can almost taste it. If you love to cook, this is one of the cookbooks you simply must have because it will change the way you cook in subtle ways. I am eager to try incorporating the Basque way of preparing onions into other foods, not just these recipes, but into other cuisines to see how elevating that basic ingredient will add depth and richness to those recipes."
"She tells that in Basque food all dishes are equal value - meat is not necessarily the star of the show. While I did find this book a great introduction to Basque food, I am a bit put off by all the strange ingredients that pop up in things I would consider making. Also seen in there are recipes with cockles, crab, shrimp, mussels, sardines, tuna, periwinkles, squid, monkfish, bream, hake,. Also blood sausages, rabbit, garden snails, Recipes standing out for me I want to try are the chicken croquettes, Ham croquettes, Spiced lamb meatballs with warm pea salad, poached leeks, classic spanish tortilla, basque style yeast buns, Breakfast yogurt cake, Spice Cookies, There are not pictures for every recipe. The writer does recommend you buy imported Basque or Spanish ingredients for the recipes in this book."
"From the Lamb Meatballs, to the stew, to the Borscht with a Spanish twist! I love the way Alexandra weaves her personal experiences about and with the recipes into her book."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Balearic Islands Travel Guides

Ibiza Bohemia (Classics)
From roaring nightlife to peaceful yoga retreats, Ibiza’s hippie-chic atmosphere is its hallmark. Renu Kashyap is a fashion stylist and editor whose chic and feminine aesthetic has made her a favorite with such magazines as Glamour Netherlands.
Reviews
"Amazing book with wonderful pictures..."
"Awesome book from one Mehariste to another..."
"Paper quality and photography definition poor otherwise a good reference book."
Find Best Price at Amazon