Not a History of Spain

I feel like I've been conned by the blurb regarding this book which promised "a balanced, broadly chronological survey of Spanish history from the Visigoths to the present." In fact this is a highly academic work that begins with a self-indulgent, two hour lecture on the author and the development of hispanist history more generally. The author then proceeds to spend more time deconstructing the historiography of Spain than it does telling you anything interesting about what went on in the county's past. It is assumed the reader is already very familiar with the history of Spain and is keen to find out how and why that history came to be told in the way that it is. If you do not meet both of these criteria this may not be the book for you.

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17 people found this helpful

Superficial and tendentious

An idiosyncratic and ultimately disappointing overview of Spain's history by one of the leading modern historians of the country, Payne's analysis is rather superficial; too often, he is satisfied with debunking an 'accepted' version of events, without exploring the questions that an alternative version raises.



For example, Payne dedicates a lot of time to dismissing the motion that the Republican side during the Civil War stood for liberal democracy, but here he is really arguing with pro-Republican political propaganda circa 1937, not with current historiography. And rather than simply railing against the Republic's lack of democratic credentials, he might usefully have explored the question as to why a large part of Spanish liberalism had decided to adopt an authoritarian approach, why a large portion of the Spanish Socialist Party was committed to revolutionary rather than gradualist change and why, uniquely in world history, Spain produced mass radical anarchist movements in both rural and urban settings.



To take another example, Payne is highly critical of the PSOE's controversial decision to politicise the issue of the recent past at the start of the 21st century, but his explanation is far from enlightening. It is, he argues, simply the expression of the dominance of the 'ideology' of political correctness. A more convincing explanation would need to set the decision in the context of the PSOE's economic policies of the time, and the need for the party to establish a clear distinction between itself and its opponents on the right.

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10 people found this helpful

Politically Incorrect and Brilliant!

I've read and listened to a number of books on the history of Spain and also the Spanish Civil War, but until this book I always felt there are things I was not being told. Also, other authors seemed incapable of writing anything about the Francoistas without often betraying bias through emotive language. Other authors seemed not to be able to give a satisfactory account of the Francoistas and their motives. Other authors I have read or listened to are clearly taking part in some sort of myth creation rather than giving an objective overview.

However, in the chapters covering the Spanish civil War and its aftermath, Stanley Payne not only gives a clear picture of Franco and other key players on the Francoist side, but also provides great clarity as to their motives, and also gives a really interesting account of how sections of the modern left are trying to rewrite history using unverifiable means, stories, and unethical unscholarly behaviour in order to create a myth.

I had an 'aha' moment listening to this book. I had always felt unsatisfied with other accounts of the Spanish Civil War, but Stanley Payne not only provided the information I felt sure was missing but also the reasons why it has been missing.

Other reviewers elsewhere have given few stars (if any) stars and have complained that much of the book is given over to an account of Stanley Payne's academic development and journey. My advice is to persist. This first part does not last long and is just a long introduction. It occurred to me that the purpose of the long introduction was for Stanley Payne to make clear his very extensive credentials and experience (perhaps unrivaled?) as a professional historian specialising in Spanish and Portuguese history, something which perhaps he felt necessary bearing in mind that the myth making regarding the history of the Spanish Civil War which seems to have reached disturbing proportions.

Thank you Stanley Payne. I have ordered his book which focuses on the Spanish Civil War. Its a shame its not in Audio format.

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