A Literary Adventure in Spain: Gerald Brenan's 'South from Granada'

Episode 41: Even today, Gerald Brenan's classic 'South from Granada' is a valuable source of understanding Spain. His interesting anecdotes, wide range of interests, and psychological insight make this book fine company. It also gives insight into the Bloomsbury Group, specifically Virginia Woolf and Lytton Strachey, who come to visit Brenen in Yegen, a then remote town in the Alpujarras region of Granada.
Books mentioned:
Thoughts in a Dry Season, by Gerald Brenan, first published in 1978
South from Granada, by Gerald Brenan, first published in 1957
To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1927
The Waves, by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1931
A Room of One’s Own, by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1929
Eminent Victorians, by Lytton Strachey, first published in 1918
“The Silent Season of a Hero,” by Gal Talese, an article about Joe DiMaggio, published in Esquire in 1966
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, by Tom Wolfe, about Ken Kesey, first published in 1968
Marilyn: A Biography, by Normal Mailer, first published in 1973
A Hero of Our Time, by Mikhail Lermontov, first published in 1840
The Red and the Black, by Stendhal, first published in 1930
Tales of the Alhambra, by Washington Irving, first published in 1832
The Factory of Light: Life in an Andalusian Village, by Michael Jacobs, published in 2003
My Half Orange: A Story of Love and Language in Seville, by John Julius Reel, (to be) published in April of 2023 by Tortoise Books
#geraldbrenan #southfromgranada #bookreview

[@fionafloreswatson]

I must revisit South From Granada - it was one of my late Dad’s favourite books. I remember vividly the cod stew sharing scene. Agree that Factory of Lights is superb, on another level in terms of modern-day memoirs about living in Spain - though little-known compared to those other Alpujarra-set books. I recommended Factory of Lights in my Lonely Planet book about Andalucia.

[@book_rants]

Glad we share the same tastes, Fiona. I bet I could learn a lot from your book.

[@carlospranger6640]

Great piece, John. Keep goin!!

[@book_rants]

I appreciate the encouragement, Carlos!

[@hhhh334ify]

Interesting reviews, thanks. I read about Gerald Brenan some years ago and now coming across your channel I'm inspired to read his work, and maybe even visit the village that he lived in.

[@book_rants]

Thanks for the comment. I loved this book. THE SPANISH LABYRINTH is excellent, too, but more academic. And the Alpujarras, where he had has house, are gorgeous.

[@nigelhard1519]

Well done. Lots of enthusiasm.

[@book_rants]

Thanks for the encouraging words, Nigel. I definitely enjoy doing the reviews.

[@bobvance3277]

difficult to talk about duende without talking about Lorca

[@book_rants]

Lorca absolutely had it, yes. But it's not so easily translated.