Catalonia is not Spain
Interview With
Book Title
Going Native in Catalonia
First Published
Who is this book written for?
The book is aimed at the curious cultural tourist or anyone who intends to stay in Catalonia for a period of time. It goes beyond the superficial information available in a conventional guide and provides insights that will make your stay much more rewarding (and less prone to disasters).
How much did you know about your subject before writing this book? In other words, what qualifies you to write this book?
Quite a lot. I'd already written an as yet unpublished history of Catalonia but I still had to do a lot of research. I enjoyed looking at the same subject from a different angle with a different reader in mind. Furthermore, the fact that I've lived in Catalonia for 20 years meant that I was able to impart information probably only known to me.
What makes your book different?
It's based on 20 years experience, I've got a Catalan wife and daughter and I challenge any other guidebook writer in history to match my level of Catalan - I'm an insider and have access to priveleged information.
Why did you write this book?
I wanted to blast the cliches and relatively uninformed opinions that I'd read elsewhere. Catalonia's obviously part of Spain but bullfighting and flamenco are not representative of Catalan culture.What about castellers, caganers, sardanas and gegants (you'll have to read the book to find out what they are. I was also a little sick of only reading about Gaudi when it comes to architecture and art, so Domenech i Montaner and Romanesque and Gothic styles feature just as prominently in my book.
What kind of research did you do for your book?
I've been reading about Catalunya in Catalan for the last 10 years and every time we went out for the weekend I took my camera and made notes on interesting places. In fact, I had too much information to fit in just one book, so I'm look forward to writing others about each of the four Catalan provinces.
Tell us the single most important thing we'll learn from your book...
That despite their image in Spain as being mean and unfriendly, nobody knows how to party like the Catalans and once they invite you into their inner circle you'll have warm, generous, trusted friends for life.
How would you describe yourself?
Quiet, reflective and studious with a tendency to go utterly and completely nuts every now and again - that bit's great because iy gives me something to write about.
What's your greatest achievement so far?
Being the father of my fantastic daughter.
Who are your role models/influences and why?
In English, George Orwell and Robert Hughes remain my favourite authers to write about Catalunya. In Catalan, there are so many - Jaume Sobreques, Josep Pla, Merce Rodoreda, Josep Maria Espinas, even Toni Soler.
What's the most exciting thing that's happened to you as a result of writing your book?
My writing has improved beyond measure. I feel I've got something to say and the skills to say it. I feel a tingle of excitement now every time I sit down in front of the computer.
What are you working on now?
I'm writing a detective novel (it's going pretty well) and blogging Spanish Football - I'm convinced there's a book in it. Let's see if I can convince the folks at Bookshaker!
What else do you do?
I also teach English in the Servei de Llengues of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona.
Do you have any free samples for us?
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