Michael Jacobs (5) (1952–2014)

Jacobs doesn't so much travel across the length and breadth of Spain, as strip mine it. He visits (in many cases revisits) places that figured at some time in the history of just about every figure of note (real or imagined) in Spanish literature. In the process he is immersed (courtesy of old friends and his dogged pursuit of monuments and memories) in the local culture of hundreds of town and cities which he goes on to describe with an eye that is both sympathetic and critical. There is a serviceable index included, which is handy when you want to put your finger once more onto the reference to Graham Greene or Mussolini's sister. This wouldn't figure high on the list of recommended guides to your casual visitor to Spain; but if you have a literary bent and are travelling in that direction it would work very well for you. It is a creditable guide to Spanish (and Gallician and Catalan and ...) culture and issues in the 1990's, and an interesting follow-up and reflection on the Spanish writings of Gerald Brennan or Laurie Lee.… (plus d'informations)

This is an illustrated guide to places in Great Britain and Ireland with which artists have been associated. Following the introductory essay the book is in the form of a gazetteer arranged by geographical region. The book includes a bibliography and an Index of Persons, Index of Works Illustrated and an Index of Places.

The entries vary in length from generally a paragraph or two to occasionally a page or more. The book is illustrated throughout in monochrome and colour, the images running with the text, and varying in size from quite small up to full page and occasionally double page.

The quality of the reproduction, especially the black and white images is not good, the heavy dark areas obscure any detail there, the colour images fair somewhat better, but are not great. In total there are 297 illustrations including 72 in colour.

An interesting idea, a shame about the quality of the images.

ISBN 0714819328, Phaidon, 1980, Hardback, 320 pages, 10" x 7"… (plus d'informations)