Granada: The Light of Andalucia

I didn't know it, but I was a neighbor of this author for a year in the Albaicin of Granada. He captures the heart and soul of not only this beautiful, ancient barrio, but writes about Andalucia and Spanish culture and history with grace, intelligence, and wit. As one who admittedly obsesses on Andalucia, Granada, flamenco music, and Spanish culture and history, I found this book difficult to put down. Every paragraph fascinates and Mr. Nightingale's writing is wonderful. I've read many books on Spanish history and culture; this is one of my favorites. If for no other reason, read it for the last chapter (but don't skip ahead). Then, if you haven't visited this gem in southeastern Spain, you'll certainly want to. If you have been there, you'll want to go back.

This was a “can’t-stop” page turner. Wonderfully and soulfully written. I have fallen in love with Granada.

The first few chapters where the author describes the house they renovated and the neighborhood they live in are interesting. with a cursory history of garden design dating back to anccient Persia. Thereafter the author delves into long repetetive history of the Spanish inquisition and later the civil war topics which have been covered by many notable historians. A whole chapter is devoted to the secrets of numbers seeking meaning in Spanish tile designs. If indeed there is a relationship, Nightingale fails to uncover it. The chapter on flamenco and potetry is self-indulgent, simplistic and limited the life and work of Garcia Lorca. The romantic, at times poetic and fluffy narrative borders on abstract and incomprehensible. The author leaves no doubt that he gained a great deal of knowledge about the history of Spain; who fell in love with Granada. Consequently the volume is more about how he feels about Granada and how much he enjoys Spanish art, poetry, architecture and litrature to the point where it looses authenticity and persppective. This review is based on the paperback version.

The author freely admits that his book is rambling and he is without question right. In part a story of his own experience of the delightful city of Granada and in part a history of..... well difficult to say exactly - Arab culture in general? of Al-Andalus? of the city of Granada? maybe of the Albaicin? Perhaps this is neither history or travalogue, perhaps it is meant as poetry? Steven Nightingale certainly has an impressive vocabulary and he doesn't hold back in displaying it.One of the other reviewers has commented that this is not light reading. I would argue the opposite, it is good bedtime reading but probably not the best book to read to learn the history of Granada.

Highly enjoyable... I bought it after coming back to Scotland from Spain and I needed something to deal with my re-location blues. The author is an extremely gifted storyteller and a talented writer. Take some of the historic facts he details with a tiny bit of salt, however: while he doesn't include any false statements or information, one or two of his analysis wasn't exactly academic. Nevertheless, this isn't an academic piece and, as such, it is still a much more respectable exploration of the region's history than a lot of other "acedeimc" books on the topic (i.e. the overtly islamophobic and anti-semitic ones).Read it and weep with joy at the closeness of the memory of Granada.

Was able to research about Granada before my trip.

I'm not a huge fan of history; I usually find it quite boring. I am, however, a huge fan of Granada, and I thoroughly enjoyed the author's vivid retelling of the cultural blend of the city's past. I had been taught some of this content in school, but from a very different perspective. The author takes a fresh new viewpoint in retelling the history of the Moslem, Jewish, and Christian cultures living together in Granada. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves Granada, and anyone who is planning to visit or move there and who wants to learn more about the city's rich cultural history.

Beautifully and touchingly written; a joy.