When I started reading this I thought it was a translation because there was something about the writing style that reminded me of translated books by Isabel Allende. Turns out the author is American, and when I think about it, the first name 'Dave' is probably not a traditional Spanish or Basque name so maybe that should have given me a clue.
There are great swathes of history that I know nothing about, so the title Guernica meant nothing to me, although many of you may be aware that the Spanish town in the Basque region was heavily bombed by Hitler's German Air Force acting in support of General Franco in 1937. There was no specific military purpose for destroying the town and many innocent civilians lost their lives during the prolonged raid.
The Spanish artist Picasso (who I have heard of) was outraged by the bombing and within the same year produced a large mural as an anti-war statement. Picasso and his painting 'Guernica' are mentioned many times and a reviewer from Time Out describes this book as a 370 page caption to the famous artwork.
The book describes the events leading up to and beyond the bombing through the eyes of two extended families, and the pages that describe the attack are some of the most powerful in the book. By the time it happens the reader has become familiar with the people of the town and it makes the randomness of death seem all the more poignant.
Much of the book is based on real people and how they lived their lives, so I learnt a great deal about the Spanish Civil War and the great strength of the Basque people.
Comments
Post a Comment