"Reid has a gift for making the abstruse accessible, and he maintains a superb narrative evenhandedness that is invaluable in any account of a society as ideologically riven as Spain's."–Tunku Varadarajan,
Wall Street Journal "Comprehensive and engaging."–Gideon Rachman,
Financial Times "A lively, highly informative and nuanced portrait of contemporary Spain. It fills a huge void in English-language books on the country; future writers will be much indebted to it."–
The Economist "The power of this book lies in its lucid analysis of a country that thrived in a second Spanish golden age after the return of democracy five decades ago, but now, under the strains of regional nationalism, outrage at corruption and the disenchantment of younger generations, risks failing to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century."–William Schomberg,
Times Literary Supplement "The best and most complete book I have read about Spain today and the historical roots of the present."–Antonio Muñoz Molina, prize-winning novelist
"Scrupulous, masterly, gentle and fair. I had thought the task impossible–but at last! A clear, careful unpicking of the knot of Catalan identity and separatism."–Matthew Parris, author of
A Castle in Spain "This is a thoroughly up-to-date, astute account of contemporary Spain. Reid situates the country's recent political turbulence in its Western European context, yet also concisely explains the history behind it. . . . An engaging read for those new to and already familiar with Spain alike."–Caroline Gray, author of
Territorial Politics and the Party System in Spain "A lucid and engaging account of 21st century Spain enriched, not just by Reid's sharp-eyed reporting for
The Economist, but also by his deep understanding of the country's past. He is particularly adept at sorting historical fact from separatist myth."–John Hooper, author of
The New Spaniards "Michael Reid offers a comprehensive and witty assessment of contemporary Spain. Balancing his personal experiences with the incisive, analytical reflections of a journalist, Reid has produced a text that is accessible, yet original."–Ana Palacio, former Foreign Minister of Spain
