Author:John Hooper
A fully revised, expanded and updated edition of this masterly portrayal of contemporary Spain.
The restoration of democracy in 1977 heralded a period of intense change that continues today. Spain has become a land of extraordinary paradoxes in which traditional attitudes and contemporary preoccupations exist side by side. Focussing on issues which affect ordinary Spaniards, from housing to gambling, from changing sexual mores to rising crime rates. John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the twenty-first century.
A touchstone in the 20th century's thinking about morality and politics
—— The New York TimesQuite astonishing . . . her indictment of Eichmann reached beyond the man to the historical world in which true thinking was vanishing
—— Judith ButlerDeals with the greatest problem of our time . . . the problem of the human being within a modern totalitarian system
—— The New RepublicPeter Marshall's excellent biography portrays the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II as a pivotal figure in the transition from the medieval worldview to our modern scientific outlook... Marshall succeeds brilliantly in capturing both the spirit of the age in which Rudolf lived and the complex character of the man he describes as "one of the last magi"
—— P.D. Smith , GuardianYou could do a lot worse than to pack this book in your suitcase when you're visiting the city. His lucid prose and clear exposition will help you to decipher a good bit of Prague's labyrinth, and to explain in part why the capital of one of the less important European countries is one of the great cities of the world
—— Justin Quinn , Irish TimesThe pleasure of this book for me, in addition to such stimulating details, is that the Holy Roman Empire on the cusp of the 17th century is terra incognita, to be approached with a fresh eye... Rudoph's tolerance deserves a wider audience in our fractious age
—— Chris Frew , Scotland on SundayA very readable history... Marshall rightly argues, as an enabler of scientific, artistic and mystical insight, Rudolf has no peer
—— Gary Lachman , Independent on SundayIt was a magical moment in the history of Western civilization, when anything was possible. Mr Marshall brings it all wonderfully to life
—— Stuart Ferguson , Wall Street JournalAn entertaining description of life at the heart of a Europe stained by the clash of new and old ideas... an enjoyable description of what was an extraordinary epoch
—— Greg Neale , BBC History MagazineAn insightful and perceptive record of a city that revolutionised culture and science
—— PredictionFascinating
—— David V Barrett , Independent