Else Beekman
To mark World Book Day, celebrated on April 23, our editorial team at InSpain.news has scoured the shelves to bring you a list of ten distinctive English-language books about Spain. Each book invites you to dive deeper into Spanish life and history—ideal for those seeking more than the usual travel tale.
We deliberately highlight titles that bring fresh, underappreciated perspectives, from immersive memoirs and offbeat fiction to vivid historical accounts. These books, all written by non-Spanish authors, explore Spain’s complex past, vibrant culture, and everyday realities with originality and insight.
1. The Reluctant Expat: Part One – Surprised by Spain
Author: Alan Laycock
A witty and down-to-earth account of one Brit’s unexpected relocation to rural Spain. Laycock’s dry humour and candid observations reveal bo
th the charm and absurdities of adapting to life in a small Spanish village. A refreshing alternative to more polished expat memoirs. And if you like it, also part two and three are available.
“I had no desire to move to Spain, but my sister Cathy and brother-in-law Bernie were going regardless, so I decided to tag along.”
Review Insight: Reviewers appreciate Laycock’s light-hearted style and relatability, noting that his humour captures the culture shock and charm of Spanish village life with sincerity.
Why read it? Because, having read it myself, I found Laycock’s no-nonsense humour and keen eye for cultural quirks a refreshing antidote to the typical ‘expat fantasy’. It offers a down-to-earth, often funny take on day-to-day life as a foreigner in rural Spain, ideal for anyone considering the move or simply curious about what it’s really like.
2. Life and Death of a Spanish Town
Author: Elliot Paul
This vivid memoir by an American journalist captures life in Ibiza on the eve of the Spanish Civil War. First published in 1937, it offers a rare, ground-level view of a community quietly collapsing under political tension. Still hauntingly relevant, it’s a hidden gem in Spanish war literature.
“So many honest people had no political perspective, no ability to fix the blame. They were capable of suffering but not of understanding.”
Review Insight: Critics highlight Paul’s rare perspective as both insider and outsider, praising his ability to humanise villagers without romanticising the chaos around them.
Why read it? Because it offers a vivid and unfiltered window into the lives of everyday Spaniards just before civil war tore through their community—a perspective I found both intimate and unsettling. It sheds light on the social dynamics and tragedy of the Spanish Civil War beyond the typical battlefield narratives.
3. Madrid: A New Biography
Author: Luke Stegemann
An unconventional portrait of Spain’s capital, blending cultural analysis, personal anecdotes and historical reflection. Stegemann delves into Madrid’s art, architecture, politics and identity with the sharp eye of an outsider deeply in love with the city.
“This biography is not only an expression of love; it is also an act of recovery.”
Review Insight: Stegemann is praised for combining academic depth with lyrical prose, making the complex history of Madrid accessible and deeply personal.
Why read it? Because if, like me, you enjoy a thoughtful wander through the layers of a city’s soul, this book will leave you seeing Madrid through the eyes of someone who has truly immersed himself in its essence.
4. The Familiar
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Set during the Spanish Inquisition, this gripping historical fantasy centres on a servant girl with hidden powers navigating a dangerous world of magic and religious persecution. Richly imagined and deeply atmospheric, it’s a bold fictional take on a dark chapter in Spanish history.
“Better to live in fear than in grinding discontent. Better to dare this new path than continue her slow, grim march down the road that had been chosen for her.”
Review Insight: Readers commend Bardugo for blending historical authenticity with magical realism, creating a narrative that’s both thrilling and thematically rich.
Why read it? Because Bardugo’s richly detailed world pulled me in completely. It’s a rare novel that fuses dark history with magic so seamlessly, shedding light on themes of faith, power and rebellion.
5. The Return
Author: Victoria Hislop
When a British woman travels to Granada in search of her mother’s roots, she uncovers a powerful story of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. Hislop weaves past and present into a moving narrative full of historical detail and emotional resonance.
“Being passive doesn’t mean being subservient. Her power lay in how well she chose to respond. There was no subservience involved.”
Review Insight: Reviewers praise Hislop’s emotional storytelling and ability to interweave timelines, making history feel both vivid and intimate.
Why read it? Because Hislop’s tale is not just beautifully told—it left me genuinely moved. The contrast between Granada’s beauty and its brutal past lingers long after the last page. It’s an evocative journey into this turbulent past, exploring how its historical trauma continues to echo through generations.
6. The Sun Also Rises
Author: Ernest Hemingway
Of all books about Spain, this may be the best known. This post-WWI classic features disillusioned expatriates travelling from Paris to Pamplona for the San Fermín festival. Hemingway’s sharp prose and evocative descriptions made bullfighting and Spanish landscapes unforgettable to generations of readers.
“You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.”
Review Insight: Hailed for capturing the ennui and freedom of the post-war generation, critics highlight Hemingway’s minimalist style and symbolic use of Spain.
Why read it? Because few books so cleverly capture the disillusionment and restlessness of foreigners in Spain. Hemingway’s depiction of Pamplona still feels visceral almost a century later, offering a gritty, romantic, and culturally significant window into the world of the ‘Lost Generation’.
7. The Blind Man of Seville
Author: Robert Wilson
This atmospheric crime novel introduces Inspector Javier Falcón as he investigates a gruesome murder in Holy Week Seville. What follows is a layered psychological thriller where past traumas and modern Spain collide. The first in a compelling four-book series.
Quote:
“Age is just the disintegration of possibility and the assertion of probability with the odds shortening every day.”
Review Insight: Critics praise the novel’s dark mood and psychological depth, noting how Seville becomes almost a character itself in the story.
Why read it? Because Wilson’s Seville is immersive and layered. While reading it, I could practically hear Semana Santa processions echoing off narrow alley walls. It’s a sophisticated thriller that also explores the emotional complexities of contemporary Spain.
8. The Fountains of Silence
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Set in 1957 Madrid under Franco’s dictatorship, this young adult novel follows an American teenager who uncovers disturbing secrets hidden behind the façade of the regime. Based on extensive research, it’s an accessible introduction to a lesser-known period in Spain’s recent history.
Quote:
“Truth breaks the chains of silence. It sets us all free.”
Review Insight: Reviewers applaud Sepetys for making difficult history engaging for younger audiences, without sacrificing emotional weight or factual integrity.
Why read it? Because Sepetys makes this dark chapter of history feel human, relatable and painfully real—even for adult readers like me. Her well-researched storytelling balances innocence with darkness in a way that lingers long after the final page.
9. Homage to Catalonia
Author: George Orwell
Homage to Catalonia is an essential and unflinching account of Orwell’s time fighting with the POUM militia during the Spanish Civil War. Both a war memoir and a political reflection, it offers insight into Spain’s ideological divides and Orwell’s own disillusionment with extremism.
“I would sooner be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain!”
Review Insight: Celebrated for its honesty and literary power, Orwell’s memoir remains a vital historical source, particularly for understanding revolutionary conflict.
Why read it? Because Orwell’s honesty is bracing. Reading it, I felt his internal struggle just as vividly as the gunfire and politics swirling around him. It’s an intense, first-hand account of Spain’s turbulent 1930s from one of the 20th century’s most insightful political thinkers.
10. South from Granada
Author: Gerald Brenan
A beautifully written account of life in a remote Alpujarran village in the 1920s. Brenan, part of the Bloomsbury Group, documents the rhythms of rural life with a mix of affection, anthropology and English eccentricity. It remains one of the most nuanced portrayals of early 20th-century Spain.
“The Spaniard’s openness and generosity can be disarming, but it is never false.”
Review Insight: Reviewers admire Brenan’s sensitivity and attention to cultural nuance, calling the book a rare combination of memoir, social history, and literary elegance.
Why read it? Because Brenan’s prose is as elegant as the Alpujarras are rugged. I found myself underlining entire paragraphs—it’s that observant and beautifully written. It’s a sensitive yet precise study of Andalusian village life in a lost era.
All titles listed are currently available from major online booksellers or digital platforms—if not in print, then at least as English-language ebooks. For example, at Casadellibro.com.
So this World Book Day, skip the overfamiliar travel memoirs and dive into stories that truly reveal the soul of Spain—from civil war and cultural upheaval to village life and magical realism.
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