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A few
recommendations for each category on the bookshelves in
the store, but don't take my word for that they are the
best books for you. There is plenty to choose from in each
section so take a look at the full selection before you
decide on anything.
 Seville
& Andalusia (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
The
best part of these books are the illustrations, photos and
3-D views which help you easily learn about the specifics
of the places you visit. For the main tourist attractions
this book is very helpful, and has received praise for the
quality of it's city maps. It covers Sevilla better than
the other cities of Andalucia, and some consider it the
best guide around for Sevilla. For the "off the beaten
path" attractions many have recommended using Lonely
Planet or Let's Go in conjunction with this book.
> SEE
MORE SEVILLA & ANDALUCIA GUIDE BOOKS
 Lonely Planet Spain (Travel Guides)
If
you've seen the television series you have a good idea of
what Lonely Planet is all about. They do a good job of covering
the out of the way places and the budget hotels and hostals.
Also included are some helpful phrases in Catalan, Basque
and Galician (yes, they do speak languages other than Spanish
in Spain!). Some readers have complained about a lack of
detail for the accommodations, and the more luxury minded
have found it less useful. Others have complained about
errors in prices listed here for museums and other sites.
Of course carrying more money than the just the entry fee
for the attractions listed in the books not only helps,
it is just plain common sense. While lacking some detail
on transportation and hotels it often gets higher marks
than Let's Go for the maps and insider info from people
who live in Spain. A Spanish phrase book is also available
from Lonely Planet.
> SEE
MORE SPAIN GUIDE BOOKS
 The Companion Guide to the South of Spain (Companion Guides)
Unique in that it's written by one person, Alfonso Lowe,
who proves to be extremely knowledgeable as well as entertaining
in his writings. It also gives the book an even flow which
that have been pieced together may lack. Lowe knows his
stuff - from history to architecture and culture the topics
are detailed, factual and interesting. Some great recommendations
on restaurants and local cuisine.
> SEE MORE UNIQUE
& ALTERNATIVE GUIDE BOOKS
 Lonely Planet Spanish: Phrasebook (Lonely Planet Language
Survival Kit)
Make your way around Spain with a little language help.
Phrase books are often a good companion to a dictionary.
Nonetheless this one includes a basic two-way dictionary
and sentence builder plus pronunciation for every word.
Fiestas, flamenco and fútbol vocabulary. Basque,
Catalan & Galician sections plus local slang and a culinary
dictionary for dining out.
> SEE MORE LANGUAGE
& PHRASE BOOKS
Spain: A History
Nobody puts together the history of Spain like Raymond Carr,
one of the most respected authors of Spanish History in
English. Carr did a remarkable job unifying the work of
several different authors into one cohesive piece. Starting
with prehistoric Spain and moving through periods of Roman
rule, the Visigoths, Moors and the Enlightenment. Along
the way learn of the impressive literary and artistic history
of the country.
> SEE MORE BOOKS
ABOUT HISTORY
 Velazquez in Seville
If you really love Velazquez and Sevilla then this book
is worth the $70 you'll pay. Full of color illustrations
it focuses on Velazquez's years in Sevilla and the influences
the culture, religion and city had on his work in his formative
years. It's one of those coffee table books, but it doesn't
convert to a coffee table if you don't have one like Kramer's
book in Seinfeld.
> SEE MORE BOOKS
ABOUT ART & ARCHITECTURE
 Moorish
Spain -
A great book for travelers of Andalucia who want to know
more detail about the 700 years of Islamic Spain. Covering
everything from art, architecture, poetry and history the
book is also extremely readable for a "history"
text. The author, Richard Fletcher, also offers specific
examples and theories on how Spain acted as the most important
Islamic influence on modern European culture and thought.
I've only read half the book at this point, but will be
finished within the next few days!
> SEE MORE BOOKS
ABOUT ISLAMIC SPAIN
 The
New Spaniards -
Probably the best book you can read to understand where
the Spanish as a people have been and are going in the future.
Topics such as women in spain, ETA, regionalism, work, real
estate and social and economic policy are well written and
without the dry commentary you'd expect on such subjects.
Television, radio, eating, drinking and other topics show
give you insight into daily, individual life in Spain. I
would recommend this as the first book you should read before
studying or living here.
> SEE MORE
BOOKS ABOUT CULTURE
 Duende:
A Journey Into the Heart of Flamenco
A travel memoir following several years of the life of Jason
Webster, an Englishman with plenty of travel experience,
who sets out to learn the passion of flamenco in Spain.
Starting in Alicante and following to Madrid, Webster gives
an account of his search for the meaning of duende, "an untranslatable term referring to the feeling
that is the essence of flamenco" (Publsihers Weekly).
A foreigner's perspective on a distinctly Spanish tradition.
> SEE MORE
BOOKS ABOUT FLAMENCO
 The
Dangerous Summer
Hemingway covered the 1959 bullfighting season as a piece
for Life magazine which ended up being his last work before
his death at the age of 60. His goal was to cover the places
and events which inspired his novel Death in the Afternoon. The work concentrates on two rival matadors during
the season while Hemingway's friendship one of them provides
an interesting perspective. Aside from it being Hemingway
and Spain, the book offers a wonderful portrait of bullfighting
and Spain in the Franco era.
> SEE MORE
BOOKS ABOUT TOROS
 Driving
over Lemons: An Optimist in Spain
One of the first books I read once I decided I was heading
back to Spain. While certainly a different life than what
I planned to lead it was thoroughly entertaining. The author
decides to move himself and his wife to a small farm cut-off
from much of civilization in the Alpujarras. His adjustment
to life, from making friends to learning basic customs of
a rural people, show it's not an easy transition. Having
hiked through the same mountains it was interesting to read
more about the places and people I saw along the way.
> SEE MORE BOOKS
ABOUT TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
 Living and Working in Spain: Survival Handbook (AVAILABLE
USED - hard to find)
A more
thorough and up to date handbook by David Hampshire for
the move to Spain than the book above. Unfortunately it's
only available used at this time. While it is more
up to date reader complaints suggest that the section on
immigration laws and work permits perhaps need to be updated,
as well as some of the observations on Spanish bureaucracy,
which is becoming easier to get through now. Notice I say
"easier" and not "easy"...
> SEE MORE BOOKS
ABOUT LIVING & WORKING IN SPAIN
 Lonely Planet World Food Spain (Lonely Planet World Food
Guides)
A guide to Spanish food including history and background
of regional specialties. Wines and drink included as well.
Definitions, great pictures and wonderful descriptions of
dishes. There are no recommendations for restaurants, so
think of this book as a way to understand Spanish food in
general.
> SEE MORE BOOKS ABOUT
FOOD & DRINK
 Tapas:
The Little Dishes of Spain
You think
of Spain and eating and the first thing that comes to mind
are tapas! Before her book on paella there was
this one, a favorite of many trying something new or relive
there days ordering up a tapa or two. Over 300 recipes are
included from all over Spain, but there's a few missing
from Sevilla and Andalucia I wish were there. Although with
so many recipes and regional specialties we can forgive
Casas.
> SEE MORE BOOKS ABOUT
COOKING
 The
Seville Communion
Pérez-Reverte has become well know outside of Spain, this
being his first best-seller in the US. The story of a priest
from the Vatican investigating some strange deaths centering
around a local church slated to be closed. A hacker has
entered the Vatican computer system to alert the priest
and I doubt you'll ever guess who it is until the end. Aside
from a good mystery it's full of details and observation
on Sevilla that only a Spaniard could give. A great read
- highly recommended even if mystery is not your thing.
> SEE MORE POPULAR
FICTION
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If
you're traveling to Sevilla or Spain your first thought
may be a guide book. Those are very useful and I think it's
a very wise investment. However I've always enjoyed reading
a little more about history, culture, art or whatever I
can to better understand my destination. I recommend doing
the same, especially if you plan to be in Spain for a longer
than average stay. Below are the the "bookshelves"
of the Explore Seville store. Each one opens a new page
where you can browse the sections. I have also listed some
of my favorites from each section, but by all means browse
the section to see if a particular book fits your needs.
