A Romantic in Spain: Amazon.ca: Theophile Gautier, Robert FWD>Snell, Catherine Phillips: Books

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From Library Journal

A well-known 19th-century French journalist and writer, Gautier began his career as an artist, which explains the unusual depth of visual detail and color in his writing. If you think that a 150-year-old travelog might be dated, think again. In this latest installment in Interlink's "Lost and Found" series, originally published in French in 1845, Gautier doesn't dilute his strong opinions about his experiences, both positive and negative. Clearly, he doesn't write to satisfy a tourist office but instead to give his own lively reactions to Spain, which at the time was relatively unknown to the rest of the world. The depth of description of the Escorial (Philip II's last palace) would put many contemporary travel writers to shame. And Gautier's account of the perils of carriage travel, country inns, and local cooking show us what modern tourists are missing as they travel across Spain today. Still, this is not merely a primer: experienced travelers to Spain will learn many new details about Spanish history, art, architecture, customs, and folklore. This special time capsule of Spain as seen through the eyes of one gifted writer is highly recommended for European travel as well as literature collections. Olga B. Wise, Compaq Computer Corp., Austin, TX
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description

"I travel for the sake of traveling, to escape from myself and others. I travel to make a dream come true, quite simply, or to change skin if you like."

In May 1840, Théophile Gautier, the enfant terrible of the French Romantic movement, set off by coach from Paris for a journey to Spain. Hired by the journal La Presse to send back regular installments of his travelogue, Gautier recorded his experiences and impressions with extraordinary vividness and enthusiasm. The end result was the book Voyage en Espagne (1845), an enthralling piece of travel writing later translated into English as A Romantic in Spain.

For Gautier, Spain promised the allure of an exotic and passionate culture; it was a revelation, he said later, like discovering his true home, the native land of his spirit. From the searing heat of the central plains of La Mancha, he journeyed to the olive groves and historic cities of Andalusia. Observing the vibrant street life of Madrid, he also explored the secret courtyards and Moorish buildings of Seville and Córdoba. Moving slowly by carriage, mule or wagon through Spain's vast landscapes, Gautier came into contact with a rich panoply of people and places. Endlessly curious, he wrote with verve about architecture, bullfighting, costume and women, especially the manolas of Madrid and the cigareras of Seville who were also to inspire Mérimée's Carmen.

By turns lyrical and acerbic, Gautier's narrative reveals a Spain in transition, emerging from civil war and a feudal past into the modern world. It was a country plagued by bandits, where Gautier endured fly-blown cafés and flea-ridden inns, but his passion for Spanish architecture, landscape, and music remained undimmed throughout his five-month journey. Even today, visitors to places as different as El Escorial or the Alhambra will appreciate the freshness and incisiveness of his writing. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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