The New Spanish Revolutions: A Rebellious Journey Across a Changing Spain

Description

Travelling from Madrid to The Valley of the Fallen, through Castile and Leon and across the fiercely contested region of Catalonia, Christopher Finnigan meets a remarkable cast of characters behind some of the biggest political events Spain has witnessed in decades. Whether it is the Indignados left-wing activists rethinking society, the everyday citizens sitting in parliament, or the Catalan separatists fighting for a new nation, The New Spanish Revolutions meets those struggling at the heart of historic change. Spain today finds itself in the grip of immense social upheaval, still shaken by the financial crash of 2008 and still struggling with its fascist past. Against a fragmented and polarised backdrop, Christopher Finnigan discovers how individuals and ideas that were once outside the mainstream are now shaping the nation's future.

Christopher Finnigan worked for three years as a freelance journalist in Barcelona, during which time he wrote for the magazine Barcelona Metropolitan and blogged for El Pais' English website. His work has also appeared in the Guardian, New Statesman and the Independent.

'Spain has always fascinated and mystified outsiders in equal measure, not least in the intensity of the debates that have polarised its communities over the past decade. At last, we have a companionable and informed guide: whether attending a demonstration in Madrid, listening to arguments for Catalan independence in Barcelona or on a coach trip to the Valley of the Fallen, he reveals a nation moving towards its future, still haunted by its past. * James Attlee, author of Guernica: Painting the End of the World * 'Most political analyses are conducted at 10,000 feet. Not so New Spanish Revolutions. Ever eager to get his hands dirty, Christopher Finnigan throws himself into the world of Spain's grassroot political movements with dexterity and determination. The result is an enormously engaging, politically varied and, above all, vividly lived account of political turmoil currently engulfing the country. A timely reminder in an age of populism and personality that politics is ultimately about people - real people, living real lives, fighting for real change. * Oliver Balch *