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Review
""Time" magazine art critic Hughes writes a passionate love song to his chosen place; this book provides an eloquent introduction to Catalan culture and cuisine while whetting the traveler's appetite for the glories of a great world city." "--Star Tribune" (Minneapolis)
"By turns funny, cutting and magisterial." "--San Francisco Chronicle"
"By turns funny, cutting and magisterial." "--San Francisco Chronicle"
Product Description
Robert Hughes has been a regular visitor to Barcelona since the 1960s and published a book about the city in 1992 that was quickly hailed as a classic. In "Barcelona the Great Enchantress, " Hughes crafts a more personal tale of his nearly forty-year love affair with the Spanish metropolis, one of the most vibrant and fascinating cities in Europe.
Beginning with a vivid description of his wedding in the splendid medieval ceremonial chamber in Barcelona's city hall, Hughes launches into a lively account of the history, art, and architecture of the storied city. He tells of architectural treasures abounding in 14th-century Barcelona, establishing it as one of Europe's great Gothic cities, while Madrid was hardly more than a cluster of huts. The city spawned such great artists as Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Casals. Hughes's deep knowledge of the city is evident--but it's his personal reflections of what Barcelona, its people, and its storied history and culture have meant to him over the decades that sets "Barcelona the Great Enchantress" apart from all others' books.
Beginning with a vivid description of his wedding in the splendid medieval ceremonial chamber in Barcelona's city hall, Hughes launches into a lively account of the history, art, and architecture of the storied city. He tells of architectural treasures abounding in 14th-century Barcelona, establishing it as one of Europe's great Gothic cities, while Madrid was hardly more than a cluster of huts. The city spawned such great artists as Antoni Gaudi, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Casals. Hughes's deep knowledge of the city is evident--but it's his personal reflections of what Barcelona, its people, and its storied history and culture have meant to him over the decades that sets "Barcelona the Great Enchantress" apart from all others' books.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The cover features the famous Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia which disappointingly turns out to be a commercial enterprise... a church full of vending machines! In a similar way, Robert Hughes's hagiography of the Catalan capital has a disturbing scent of lucre. The whole thing reads like a tourist board document... the history more fascinating, the food more exquisite, the people more charming, the art more arty and so on... and so forth. It's hard to take Hughes seriously after he admits spouting nonsense about Catalan art at parties in the hope of seeming more knowledgeable than he was. This is a deplorable habit which I don't suppose time has effaced. His book DOES contain some historical and social digressions which are interesting reading, however limited his patience for thorough research and genuine erudition. Taken with a Montjuic of salt, The Great Enchantress is amusing enough to pass the time before you discover the real Barcelona for yourself.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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11 reviews
56 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Got it right this time
17 July 2004
Format:Hardcover
Essentially condensing, rewriting and updating his earlier work the 574 page Barcelona, this new 168 page version uses the examination of Catalan architecture to tell how the strong independent nature of it's citizens has created one of the most architecturally interesting cities in the world. The book begins with the Australian author's third and most recent wedding in the 700 year old town hall by the mayor of the city he has loved for 30 some years. A thorough knowledge of the history, culture, art, and politics of Barcelona presented with wit, keen observation, and an open fondness. Excellent book to read before going or if you have been, or for armchair travelers. Read this before the larger book, which you could read after this to obtain much more detail on the all aspects.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
A Barcelona Connoisseur
8 Sep 2004
Format:Hardcover
I read this delightful book on a plane to Barcelona. It whet my appetite for the cultural repast to come. Hughes gives a foretaste of the rich melange of language, history, art, and architecture that makes Barcelona and Catalonia so compelling. Though Hughes clearly loves this city, the writing is fresh and he mixes in sharp opinions so the book never cloys. Delectable.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
A Quick Must Read
5 Sep 2004
Format:Hardcover
Hughes makes the buildings, history and pride of the Catalan people come alive. His use of Architecture tells a quick story of a strong and independant people, with Barcelona at it's center. His love of the city and people is evident in his story of his most recent wedding in Barcelona. The great thing about the book is that you want more, I'm happy he has a larger volume that covers the city and its eccletic history.
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