If you love travel books or literature in general, you will surely enjoy reading one about your destination before, during, or after your visit. That is why, in this post, we show you some of the best books about Andalusia, whether they feature the region as a backdrop or as the main protagonist. Take note and start travelling through this region of southern Spain with them right away!
Carmen, by Prosper Mérimée
Carmen, by Prosper Mérimée, is the work through which many tourists from around the world first come into contact with Seville, albeit in this case the Seville of the mid-20th century. Paradoxically, it was not written in Spanish, but in French, and the great fame of its story is due more to the opera adaptation by Georges Bizet. And with good reason: it is undoubtedly one of the pinnacles of its genre. Although it is full of highly effective clichés for foreign audiences (Gypsy women, bullfighters, bandits, soldiers…), the truth is that they aptly reflect the deep impression Andalusian culture has always left on foreign travellers.
Blood Wedding, by Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca embodies Andalusian spirit, and therefore some of his works are also outstanding books about Andalusia. In this post, we have chosen Blood Wedding, a tragedy in verse written in 1931, when the poet and playwright from Granada was at the height of his career. We have chosen it because it was inspired by a real event that took place at Cortijo del Fraile, Níjar (province of Almería), a building that still stands in the heart of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. And although it is in a state of complete abandonment, it is a listed heritage site, and who knows whether it will finally be restored in the future.
Platero and I, by Juan Ramón Jiménez
Few places can boast such a close connection to a Nobel Prize in Literature as Moguer can with Juan Ramón Jiménez. The writer was born in this town in the province of Huelva on 23 December 1881, and it is the setting for his most important work, Platero and I: a compendium of childhood memories that offers a beautiful portrait of this town, of his donkey Platero and, ultimately, of himself, although the work is not intended to be autobiographical. For this reason, two of Moguer’s key places of interest are the writer’s House Museum and the Plaza del Cabildo, with its statue of Platero.
The Skin of the Drum, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Contemporary literature also offers us important books about Andalusia or, at least, set there. One example is The Skin of the Drum, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, set in Seville and centred on an imaginary yet plausible church in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood: the parish of Our Lady of Tears, which in reality is a highly revered processional sculpture housed in the Church of Santa Catalina.
Coming soon: more books about Andalusia
However, these are only four of the many books about Andalusia that exist and deserve a careful read. That is why we will publish new posts featuring them in the future. And if you would like to bring the stories from these works into your own journey, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Andalucía Exclusiva. We will turn it into a story you will remember for a lifetime!
