We’ve had Spain on the brain around here at my house, and whenever we keep thinking about a certain place or theme that is unfailingly reflected in our reading lives. One of our daughters just got back from a school trip to Spain, which brought back many happy memories of last summer’s family trip to Europe with stops in England, France, and Spain. We read books set in those countries before and during our trip for an extra dose of synchronicity. There’s nothing quite like walking through a plaza you just read about in a novel! This was especially true during our time in Spain.
Spain has a fascinating and harrowing history when it comes to literature. The country had a kaleidoscope of influences during the Medieval Ages due to the mix of cultures, languages, and religions, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. This led to a variety of styles and genres over the centuries until the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Many prominent writers died during that time and all but a handful fled Franco’s dictatorship and went into exile. These losses and the period of intense censorship had a devastating effect on the literary scene and culture at large. Thankfully, things started to turn around in the mid-1950s and then exploded after Franco’s death in 1975.
Authors of note range from Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes to contemporary writers like Carlos Ruiz Zafón and Maria Dueñas. Then there are American writers like Ernest Hemingway who took much inspiration from their time in the country. These days, visitors to Spain will find much there to honor the country’s literary history: if you’re walking through Plaza de España in Madrid, be sure to check out the Monument to Cervantes, which features bronze statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Barcelona offers popular tours based on The Shadow of the Wind. And of course bookstores and libraries abound!
Built in 1712, Biblioteca Nacional de España is the largest public library in Spain. I didn’t make it here last year but I’ve made a note for next time. However, we always make time for bookstores and this trip we visited some great ones in Barcelona and Madrid. The standout was Madrid’s Desperate Literature (Librería Internacional). It’s a small well-curated English language bookstore and we were impressed with the staff and selection.
Today’s list includes a mix of books Will and I read before or during our trip, spanning a range of genres. I hope they provide you with some vicarious travel inspiration.
Literary Tourism: Spain
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Fashion, romance, and … espionage. If you loved Casablanca, try this novel set during the Spanish Civil War. Sira Quiroga works her way from dressmaker's assistant to a premier couturier, putting her in contact with the wealthy and powerful. When the British government asks her to spy for them as World War II gears up, she agrees, stitching secret messages into the hems of dresses. The dialogue is a little bumpy in places, but the story is worth it. Translated from the Spanish by Daniel Hahn. More info →
Often cited as a modern classic in translation, this atmospheric novel is built around a literary mystery: who is Julián Carax, and why is someone systematically burning his books? It's a love letter to literature and a beautifully written masterpiece. I had a hard time getting into this sweeping story at first, but after I got oriented I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I loved the 1940s Barcelona setting, the rich cast of characters, and the surprising twists and turns the story took. Translated from the Spanish by Lucia Graves. More info →
It’s 1957 and fascist dictator Franco is in charge in this YA historical novel from family favorite Ruta Sepetys. Eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of a Texas oil tycoon, arrives in Madrid with his parents, looking forward to exploring the city through the lens of his camera. In the process, he meets Ana, an employee at the hotel. Her family is feeling the repercussions of the Spanish Civil War under Franco’s rule. Daniel’s photographs highlight disparities and lead to uncomfortable questions and danger for all involved. More info →
Before we left on our European adventure, team member Holly recommended this as a portrait of the vibrant civilization of medieval Spain. A fascinating story about an extraordinary place in time, this offers a great framework for understanding medieval Spain. Muslim, Jewish, and Christian cultures blended together in unexpected ways. We were surprised to learn the Iberian Peninsula actually thrived during the so-called Dark Ages, featuring a time of mostly peace and tolerance where art, literature, and science flourished. It came up again and again on the tours that we took. More info →
A few of Hemingway’s novels were inspired by his time covering the Spanish Civil War in 1937 for the North American Newspaper Alliance, including this one. Robert Jordan is an American dynamiter who joins up with antifascist freedom fighters in the hills of Sierra de Guadarrama. They are tasked to blow up a bridge with the understanding they may not survive. While there, he falls for Maria and sifts through changing alliances during El Sordo's last stand. More info →
I picked this book up at Desperate Bookstore (where unsurprisingly, it's one of their bestsellers); this was definitely a right-book-at-the-right-time for me. Adam Gordon is an unhappy young American poet who's living in Madrid for a year on a poetry fellowship. He’s disillusioned with his life and himself and often escapes into drugs and alcohol. While this isn’t a book I would have read if not for my trip, I appreciated the way it approached and talked about translation. Plus, the strong sense of place and mentions of restaurants and neighborhoods had me googling aplenty—and marveling when I realized we were going to some of the same places! More info →
A riveting and convoluted account about a culinary adventure. In 1991, while working at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Paterniti encountered a piece of a famous cheese reputed to be the finest, most expensive in the world. Ten years later, he embarks on a quest to uncover the story behind it. The story artfully weaves itself right into the heart of medieval Castilian village of Guzman ... until the real-life story becomes terribly confusing. From that point forward, this book is as much about the process of writing the book—complete with the details of dead-end research rabbit trails, tense conversations with editors, and several missed submission deadlines—as it is about the cheese itself. More info →
Cleeton’s story begins in 1964 with eldest sister Isabel traveling from Cuba to Spain on a rescue mission. Her glamorous—and estranged—younger sister Beatriz may be in trouble. But once she arrives in Barcelona, her search expands to involve not just Beatriz but long-buried secrets of her family’s past, which she hunts down with the help of Beatriz’s handsome friend. In satisfying alternate chapters, Cleeton shifts the story to 1936, when the girls’ disappointed mother, Alicia, leaves Cuba to seek solace with her parents in Spain after she makes an unwelcome discovery about her marriage. The storylines brilliantly converge—with a tied-with-a-bow ending. More info →
After Julio Carrion Gonzalez dies, his body is returned to the small town of Torrelodones for burial. As the funeral progresses, his son Alvaro notices a beautiful stranger and wonders why she's there. That’s only the beginning of the mysteries Julio left behind. The family unexpectedly inherits a great deal of money and then Alvaro discovers letters and photographs sent to his father in Russia between 1941 and 1943. Covering the Spanish Civil War and the battlefields of Russia, this is an epic story of family, loyalty, and betrayal. More info →
A real-time nonfiction account of the Brat Pack actor's 500-mile walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago with his 19-year-old son Sam. He details the pair's reasons for embarking on the trip, their long, hot days spent walking 20+ miles a day in the hot summer sun, the fellow walkers they meet along the way, the food they eat, the coffee they drink, the inns they sleep in, what they talk about on the journey. Will and I enjoyed listening to the audiobook on a road trip last summer: the elder McCarthy reads the majority but son Sam frequently adds his own voice, which makes for a wonderful listening experience. More info →
Listening to this book, narrated by Colin Mace, felt like an intellectual exercise: the Pole of the title is an aging pianist who visits Barcelona to perform works by Chopin. While there he meets Beatriz, a middle-aged socialite who volunteers with the Concert Circle, the organization that hosts the Pole. (They call him "the Pole" because the Spaniards of the Concert Circle don't even try to correctly pronounce all the consonants in the man's Polish name.) Beatriz and the Pole converse only briefly, and in English—which neither of them speaks fluently—so Beatriz is stunned when, months after his departure, she receives a flirtatious message from the man. And as a reader I was likewise stunned to see the two enter into an affair—though that isn't really what the story is about. I feel like a literature seminar could spend a semester unpacking everything this book has to say about place, language, translation, and love—and Dante and his Beatrice. More info →
What are your favorite books set in Spain? Please share in the comments.
I read The Shadow of the Wind in the flight to Barcelona then used the walking tour guide in the back of the book to explore the city. It was a really fun way to get to know the place, (especially the Gothic quarter). It’s an atmospheric and book-centered read- not my favorite, but definitely a cool experience to read and then see the locations.
Love this book (atmospheric is my thing)! Also, it’s fun to find you here, Laura. 🙂 Hope you’re well.
Lisa says:
I’m going to Barcelona this fall and will definitely check out the tour in the back of the book. I read it years ago and really enjoyed it.
Diane Borchardt says:
Guernica by Dave Boling. Mr. Boling introduces us to this village in the Basque region before the 26 April 1937 bombing by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy at the request of the Spanish Nationalists.
Pablo Picasso’s Guernica:
is a large 1937 oil painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.[1][2] It is one of his best-known works, regarded by many art critics as the most moving and powerful anti-war painting in history.
Donna M Peterson says:
I listened to the audiobook Walking With Sam. It is an excellent audiobook and I highly recommend it especially for anyone interested in walking the Camino de Santiago (or perhaps living vicariously).
Cassandra Miller says:
So funny! We just took a 24 hour trip to Madrid yesterday! If you’re going to Madrid, you can’t miss the Mercado Sao Joao!! The food is insane! The olive bar, and right behind it the burrata stand. And of course don’t pass on the empanadas! SO good! I just wish we had more time there because I could have spent all afternoon just eating my way through it! If you come to Portugal, let us know! I can point you to a few fun spots!
Courtney Jolly says:
Do you have any books set in Portugal that you recommend? We recently had to cancel a trip to Portugal and I would love to still experience the country through my reading! I realize this is off topic from this particular post, I’m thrilled to see these Spain recommendations as well, but I saw your comment and I had to ask!
Carrie Padgett says:
The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin is set partly in Lisbon in WWII. I really enjoyed it and its descriptions of Portugal.
Charlotte says:
Going to Spain, Portugal and Morocco next spring, would love any suggestions of things to do or see.
Cassandra Miller says:
Sorry, it’s the Mercado San Miguel, not Sao Joao!
Kathleen Duffy says:
I spent two glorious weeks in Spain and THE MOST INCREDIBLE PLACE to NOT MISS is The Alhambra in Granada. It was a Moorish Palace built somewhere between the 10th and 13th centuries (sorry that part didn’t stick in my mind) but the place has. It was the singular most beautiful building I have ever seen as well as the gardens it encompasses. The architecture and the color, the design, the tiles are endlessly fascinating. We were the first folks to arrive in the morning and I was the last one to leave at the end of the day…I think it’s only comparison might the the Taj Mahl but that is something I have not seen. One incredible note about the gardens. The persians who lived in a desert land devised the Persian carpet to enjoy a garden year round (many persian carpets deprict the garden of eden) when they migrated from Syria to Southern Spain where the temperature was softer and gardens were available year round, they made their gardens look like the carpets. They tiled basins which they filled with potted plants so that the flower heads were even with the walkways — art immitating life and then life imitating art. Also the poetry that adorns the walls in each room. It was a life altering experience.
Suzy says:
Thank you for that! Of the whole country, the one place I always wanted to see was the Alhambra and Grenada! I love the bit about the carpets, that’s fascinating!
Michelle Wilson says:
Okay, talk about catnip! I was just looking at some reviews of books by Almudena Grande and she was referred to as the Maggie O’Farrell of Spain! High praise indeed, to this reader, will have to try this book now. Thank you, Anne. I most certainly would’ve missed it!
Melinda Malaspino says:
I am currently reading One Year Ago in Spain by Evelyn Skye, to be released in July. Set in Madrid and New York City, this magical love story immerses the reader in art, culture, and food experiences while exploring deep questions about life, death, and love.
Lindy says:
I live in Spain. I usually read in English but do make an exception for Spanish writer Arturo Pérez Reverte. His Capitan Alatriste series will tell you about history (forget about the movie). He has written many great novels, one of my favourite -among many- is the Nautical Chart, not sure if it’s been translated, but most of his books have been.
Heather says:
I lived in Spain for a couple of years working through the Auxiliar de Conversación program through the Spanish government. I loved the mystery “All This I Will Give to You” by Dolores Redondo. If you’re looking for a Camino de Santiago read, “Found Along the Way” by Sheila Kogan is also excellent.
THE LAST JEW by Noah Gordon is extraordinary. It deals with the Jewish expulsion during the Inquisition. If you haven’t read Noah Gordon before, THE PHYSICIAN is one of my favorite books ever.
Greta Vollmer says:
I recommend Spain in Our Hearts by Adam Hochshild. Hands down one of the best books (nonfiction) on the Spanish civil war. Brilliant writer, heart-rending history. Anyone who wants to understand contemporary Spain has to grapple with the civil war legacy.
Dana says:
When i think of reading in spain my mind goes to hot days on hot beaches. And cooler nights in dark bars and i had s tattered
copy of Michener’s The Drifters in my hands for both. This was in the early ‘70s and that book encapsulated the culture i was living in and thankfully survived. I need to read it again and marvel.
Marcia Simpson says:
I read anything by Ruth Sepetys. I found this book so informative, that we choose this book for our monthly reading club.
Mimi says:
I agree that anything by Ruta Sepetys is wonderful. I read this book when it was published and recently listened to it on audio. It was wonderful in both versions.
If you’re already in Spain and don’t mind a day trip that includes a ferry, I do recommend Tangier if you’re with a tour group that includes a guide. We stayed on the coast near Malaga during our amazing Spain vacation and enjoyed that back-in-one-day side trip very much. And if you decide to go, read TANGERINE by Christine Mangan to get you in the mood for Moroccan culture!
Shannon says:
“The Return” by Victoria Hislop
I discovered this book in a hostel in Wales. I spent a rainy evening becoming engrossed in flamenco and the city of Granada. While not the most uplifting part of the story, I enjoyed learning about the Spanish Civil War.
Megan Z. says:
Karen Robards “The Girl from Guernica” fits this category. I had very little knowledge about what happened in this area before reading this book and now can’t wait to go there.
. SK . says:
George Orwell’s ‘Homage to Catalonia’ is excellent.
Carol Hansen says:
Please read Arturo Perez-Reverte. EVERYthing he writes is brilliant. Much of “The Queen of the South” takes place in Spain and the “Captain Alatriste” novels are all wonderful, as is The Fencing Master.
Guadalupe Lopez says:
I´ve read The fencing Master and I loved it! Have you read The Flanders Panel?
Heidi says:
Cathedral of the Sea and The Barefoot Queen, both by Idelfonso Falcons de Sierra, were excellent novels about Spain in the 16th/17th century. The first deals with life in Barcelona during the Inquisition, and the second with the gypsies of Spain in the 18th century.
Rebecca says:
The Sun Also Rises
Patty says:
In 1980, I traveled to Spain. The only book I read before going was Iberia by James Michener. Published in 1968, it was fairly old then. However, I still remember the sense of place that Michener created in his nonfiction travel book. You may want to give it a look.
Lisa says:
“People of the Book” is partially set in Spain and is a fascinating look at history through the lens of a prayer book that’s constantly changing hands.
I was coming here to add “People of the Book”. I read this while I was studying abroad in Sevilla in college and it has stuck with me ever since. It is a beautiful story!
I also wanted to add “The Alchemist” to this list. I’m shocked that it hasn’t been mentioned yet. It’s a transformative book and one of the few that I’ve ever finished and immediately started reading again.
Martha says:
The stories by Aline Griffith are her fascinating and true accounts of her life as spy and countess in Spain.
The titles are The Spy Wore Red, The Spy Wore Silk, and The Spy Went Dancing.
I also love some of the books you mention,Anne, especially The Time Between Us and the Chanel Cleeton book.
TM says:
Currently in Spain—in cool, green beautiful Cantabria! If you love hiking, this is heaven.
Patria by Fernando Aramburu puts meat on the bones of complicated political issues of the Basque region.
Guadalupe Lopez says:
My favorite authors are from Spain, particularly those who excel in the noir or crime novel genre. My favorite books in this genre are:
The Baztan Trilogy by Dolores Redondo. Set in the Basque Country, this trilogy blends crime and Basque folklore, creating a rich and immersive setting.
The White City Trilogy by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. This series also combines Basque folklore, crime, and historical elements, offering a captivating narrative.
What I truly appreciate about these authors is how the setting becomes a character in the story, placing you at the very heart of the narrative. I highly recommend their works!
Ann says:
I have never commented before, but really love your lists-especially the travel ones. I’ve traveled to Spain many times and have read several of the titles on your list. I appreciate the new titles to add to my TBR. Here are a few other books I have read about Spain:
The Last Jew by Noah Gordon (perhaps my favorite book ever)
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax
The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot: Marranos and Other Secret Jews–A Woman Discovers Her Spiritual Heritage by Trudi Alexy
Comments are closed.
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36 comments
I read The Shadow of the Wind in the flight to Barcelona then used the walking tour guide in the back of the book to explore the city. It was a really fun way to get to know the place, (especially the Gothic quarter). It’s an atmospheric and book-centered read- not my favorite, but definitely a cool experience to read and then see the locations.
Love this book (atmospheric is my thing)! Also, it’s fun to find you here, Laura. 🙂 Hope you’re well.
I’m going to Barcelona this fall and will definitely check out the tour in the back of the book. I read it years ago and really enjoyed it.
Guernica by Dave Boling. Mr. Boling introduces us to this village in the Basque region before the 26 April 1937 bombing by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy at the request of the Spanish Nationalists.
Pablo Picasso’s Guernica:
is a large 1937 oil painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.[1][2] It is one of his best-known works, regarded by many art critics as the most moving and powerful anti-war painting in history.
I listened to the audiobook Walking With Sam. It is an excellent audiobook and I highly recommend it especially for anyone interested in walking the Camino de Santiago (or perhaps living vicariously).
So funny! We just took a 24 hour trip to Madrid yesterday! If you’re going to Madrid, you can’t miss the Mercado Sao Joao!! The food is insane! The olive bar, and right behind it the burrata stand. And of course don’t pass on the empanadas! SO good! I just wish we had more time there because I could have spent all afternoon just eating my way through it! If you come to Portugal, let us know! I can point you to a few fun spots!
Do you have any books set in Portugal that you recommend? We recently had to cancel a trip to Portugal and I would love to still experience the country through my reading! I realize this is off topic from this particular post, I’m thrilled to see these Spain recommendations as well, but I saw your comment and I had to ask!
The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin is set partly in Lisbon in WWII. I really enjoyed it and its descriptions of Portugal.
Going to Spain, Portugal and Morocco next spring, would love any suggestions of things to do or see.
Sorry, it’s the Mercado San Miguel, not Sao Joao!
I spent two glorious weeks in Spain and THE MOST INCREDIBLE PLACE to NOT MISS is The Alhambra in Granada. It was a Moorish Palace built somewhere between the 10th and 13th centuries (sorry that part didn’t stick in my mind) but the place has. It was the singular most beautiful building I have ever seen as well as the gardens it encompasses. The architecture and the color, the design, the tiles are endlessly fascinating. We were the first folks to arrive in the morning and I was the last one to leave at the end of the day…I think it’s only comparison might the the Taj Mahl but that is something I have not seen. One incredible note about the gardens. The persians who lived in a desert land devised the Persian carpet to enjoy a garden year round (many persian carpets deprict the garden of eden) when they migrated from Syria to Southern Spain where the temperature was softer and gardens were available year round, they made their gardens look like the carpets. They tiled basins which they filled with potted plants so that the flower heads were even with the walkways — art immitating life and then life imitating art. Also the poetry that adorns the walls in each room. It was a life altering experience.
Thank you for that! Of the whole country, the one place I always wanted to see was the Alhambra and Grenada! I love the bit about the carpets, that’s fascinating!
Okay, talk about catnip! I was just looking at some reviews of books by Almudena Grande and she was referred to as the Maggie O’Farrell of Spain! High praise indeed, to this reader, will have to try this book now. Thank you, Anne. I most certainly would’ve missed it!
I am currently reading One Year Ago in Spain by Evelyn Skye, to be released in July. Set in Madrid and New York City, this magical love story immerses the reader in art, culture, and food experiences while exploring deep questions about life, death, and love.
I live in Spain. I usually read in English but do make an exception for Spanish writer Arturo Pérez Reverte. His Capitan Alatriste series will tell you about history (forget about the movie). He has written many great novels, one of my favourite -among many- is the Nautical Chart, not sure if it’s been translated, but most of his books have been.
I lived in Spain for a couple of years working through the Auxiliar de Conversación program through the Spanish government. I loved the mystery “All This I Will Give to You” by Dolores Redondo. If you’re looking for a Camino de Santiago read, “Found Along the Way” by Sheila Kogan is also excellent.
THE LAST JEW by Noah Gordon is extraordinary. It deals with the Jewish expulsion during the Inquisition. If you haven’t read Noah Gordon before, THE PHYSICIAN is one of my favorite books ever.
I recommend Spain in Our Hearts by Adam Hochshild. Hands down one of the best books (nonfiction) on the Spanish civil war. Brilliant writer, heart-rending history. Anyone who wants to understand contemporary Spain has to grapple with the civil war legacy.
When i think of reading in spain my mind goes to hot days on hot beaches. And cooler nights in dark bars and i had s tattered
copy of Michener’s The Drifters in my hands for both. This was in the early ‘70s and that book encapsulated the culture i was living in and thankfully survived. I need to read it again and marvel.
I read anything by Ruth Sepetys. I found this book so informative, that we choose this book for our monthly reading club.
I agree that anything by Ruta Sepetys is wonderful. I read this book when it was published and recently listened to it on audio. It was wonderful in both versions.
If you’re already in Spain and don’t mind a day trip that includes a ferry, I do recommend Tangier if you’re with a tour group that includes a guide. We stayed on the coast near Malaga during our amazing Spain vacation and enjoyed that back-in-one-day side trip very much. And if you decide to go, read TANGERINE by Christine Mangan to get you in the mood for Moroccan culture!
“The Return” by Victoria Hislop
I discovered this book in a hostel in Wales. I spent a rainy evening becoming engrossed in flamenco and the city of Granada. While not the most uplifting part of the story, I enjoyed learning about the Spanish Civil War.
Karen Robards “The Girl from Guernica” fits this category. I had very little knowledge about what happened in this area before reading this book and now can’t wait to go there.
George Orwell’s ‘Homage to Catalonia’ is excellent.
Please read Arturo Perez-Reverte. EVERYthing he writes is brilliant. Much of “The Queen of the South” takes place in Spain and the “Captain Alatriste” novels are all wonderful, as is The Fencing Master.
I´ve read The fencing Master and I loved it! Have you read The Flanders Panel?
Cathedral of the Sea and The Barefoot Queen, both by Idelfonso Falcons de Sierra, were excellent novels about Spain in the 16th/17th century. The first deals with life in Barcelona during the Inquisition, and the second with the gypsies of Spain in the 18th century.
The Sun Also Rises
In 1980, I traveled to Spain. The only book I read before going was Iberia by James Michener. Published in 1968, it was fairly old then. However, I still remember the sense of place that Michener created in his nonfiction travel book. You may want to give it a look.
“People of the Book” is partially set in Spain and is a fascinating look at history through the lens of a prayer book that’s constantly changing hands.
I was coming here to add “People of the Book”. I read this while I was studying abroad in Sevilla in college and it has stuck with me ever since. It is a beautiful story!
I also wanted to add “The Alchemist” to this list. I’m shocked that it hasn’t been mentioned yet. It’s a transformative book and one of the few that I’ve ever finished and immediately started reading again.
The stories by Aline Griffith are her fascinating and true accounts of her life as spy and countess in Spain.
The titles are The Spy Wore Red, The Spy Wore Silk, and The Spy Went Dancing.
I also love some of the books you mention,Anne, especially The Time Between Us and the Chanel Cleeton book.
Currently in Spain—in cool, green beautiful Cantabria! If you love hiking, this is heaven.
Patria by Fernando Aramburu puts meat on the bones of complicated political issues of the Basque region.
My favorite authors are from Spain, particularly those who excel in the noir or crime novel genre. My favorite books in this genre are:
The Baztan Trilogy by Dolores Redondo. Set in the Basque Country, this trilogy blends crime and Basque folklore, creating a rich and immersive setting.
The White City Trilogy by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. This series also combines Basque folklore, crime, and historical elements, offering a captivating narrative.
What I truly appreciate about these authors is how the setting becomes a character in the story, placing you at the very heart of the narrative. I highly recommend their works!
I have never commented before, but really love your lists-especially the travel ones. I’ve traveled to Spain many times and have read several of the titles on your list. I appreciate the new titles to add to my TBR. Here are a few other books I have read about Spain:
The Last Jew by Noah Gordon (perhaps my favorite book ever)
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax
The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot: Marranos and Other Secret Jews–A Woman Discovers Her Spiritual Heritage by Trudi Alexy
Comments are closed.