Spain

An incisive account of modern Spain, from the death of Franco to the Catalan referendum and beyond Comprehensive and engaging.Gideon Rachman, Financial Times Spains transition to democracy after Francos long dictatorship was widely hailed as a success, ushering in three decades of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Yet over the past decade its political consensus has been under severe strain. A stable two-party system has splintered, with disruptive new parties on the far left and far right. No government has had a majority since 2015. Michael Reid overturns the stereotypical view of Spain as a country haunted by its Francoist past. From Catalan separatism and the indignados movement to the Spanish economys overdependence on tourism and small business, Spains challenges can often seem unique. But Reid is careful to emphasize the many pressures it faces in common with its European neighborssuch as austerity, populism, and increasing polarization. The result is a penetrating yet rounded portrait of a vibrant countryone that is more often visited than understood.