Author Description

"In recent years Spain has placed itself firmly on the international map, hosting events such as the Middle East Peace Conference, Expo 92 and the Barcelona Olympics. Yet few of the millions who visit Spain see beyond the hotels and resorts of its coastline." "The restoration of democracy in 1977 heralded a period of intense change that continues today. Spain has become a land of extraordinary paradoxes in which traditional attitudes and contemporary preoccupations exist side by side. Focussing on issues which affect ordinary Spaniards, from housing to gambling, from changing sexual mores to rising crime rates, John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 1990s. Including some 100,000 words of additional material, this edition has new chapters on - among other things - Spain under Socialism, women's changing role, bullfighting, the progress of Spain's remarkable experiment with regional home rule and what he calls 'the cult of excess'."--Jacket.