From Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod, Salt, Birdseye, and Paper—the illuminating story of an ancient and enigmatic peopleStraddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are a puzzling contradiction—they are Europe's oldest nation without ever having been a country. No one has ever been able to determine their origins, and even the Basques' language, Euskera—the most ancient in Europe—is related to none other on earth. For centuries, their influence has been felt in nearly every realm, from religion to sports to commerce. Even today, the Basques are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence, as displayed by new cookbooks like chefs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero's The Basque Book and restaurateur Jose Pizarro’s Basque.Mark Kurlansky's passion for the Basque people and his exuberant eye for detail shine throughout this fascinating book. Like Cod, The Basque History of the World, blends human stories with economic, political, literary, and culinary history into a rich and heroic tale.Among the Basques' greatest accomplishments:   • Exploration—the first man to circumnavigate the globe, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, was a Basque and the Basques were the second Europeans, after the Vikings, in North America    • Gastronomy and agriculture—they were the first Europeans to eat corn and chili peppers and cultivate tobacco, and were among the first to use chocolate    • Religion—Ignatius Loyola, a Basque, founded the Jesuit religious order    • Business and politics—they introduced capitalism and modern commercial banking to southern Europe    • Recreation—they invented beach resorts, jai alai, and racing regattas, and were the first Europeans to play sports with balls “A delectable portrait of an uncanny, indomitable nation.” –Newsday“Exciting, Illuminating, and thought provoking.” –The Boston GlobeEntertaining and instructive… [Kurlansky’s] approach is unorthodox, mixing history with anecdotes, poems with recipes.” –The New York Times Book Review

Europe’s longest war came to an end on October 21, 2011. On this date, the Basque separatist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) declared a ceasefire, ending a five-decade long campaign for an independent Basque Country in northwest Spain and southwest France. But is ETA really gone? Various factions refused to surrender their arms and openly disagreed with ETA leadership. What if some individuals decide not enough progress has occurred for the Basque people since the ceasefire? The Basque Dilemma considers this explosive possibility in a present-day investigation throughout Europe. The story has historical ties to the 1980s when the traditional ETA refuge in the northern Basque Country was infused with the activities of the French Basque separatist group, Iparretarrak (IK), and the paramilitary group, Los Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación (GAL), including the group’s infamous assassin, the Lady in Black.

This new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's award-winning guide to the Basque Country and Navarre remains the most comprehensive and in-depth guide available to this multi-lingual, multi-cultural borderland encompassing parts of southern France and northern Spain. This fully revised second edition includes all the elements required for an enjoyable holiday and also the unique aspects of Basque culture and traditions which make this such a fascinating part of the world. Bradt's The Basque Country and Navarre seeks to give a real insight into what is a strong regional identity, uncovering the peculiarities which imbue the area with its aura of intrigue and taking you way beyond the delightful, well-known cities and into the heart of the beautiful Basque countryside. When it comes to food, discover not just what to eat, but also how to eat it, for many Basque eating rituals apply!In this, the most complete guidebook to the Spanish and French Basque Country and Navarre, Murray Stewart covers the principal cities – rejuvenated Bilbao with its famous Guggenheim Museum, beautiful San Sebastián, verdant Vitoria-Gasteiz and lively Pamplona – and also delves deeper into the region's interior, capturing the quirkiness that makes it so special. With 36 maps, 16 walks, advice on where to cycle, horseride and surf, he guides travellers through an area whose profile is firmly ‘on the up.' Find the best pintxos (Basque tapas) and txakoli wine, the finest chuletón (beef chop) and the freshest fish. From elegant Biarritz, via the French Basque Pyrénées, to the Navarran ‘badlands' of Bardenas Reales, travel to fascinating, less-visited places. Here are the best festivals, including Pamplona's famous, bull-running San Fermin. Learn how the handing-over of three cows has kept the peace for centuries, or where you can see the annual ‘Benediction of the Red Pepper'. Join the walkers on the Caminos de Santiago, the pilgrim routes which still sustain the local economy, 1,000 years after they began. Find information on the unique Basque and Navarran wines, top birdwatching sites, history, music, sports and culture – and when to visit. Bradt's The Basque Country and Navarre is the ideal companion.

Winner, 2019 IACP Award, Best Book of the Year, InternationalNamed one of the Best Cookbooks of the Year / Best Cookbooks to Gift by the New York Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Rachael Ray Every Day, National Geographic, The Guardian and more “Truly insider access, an authentic look at the traditions of one of the most incredible culinary regions of the world.” —José Andrés Tucked away in the northwest corner of Spain, Basque Country not only boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than any other region in the world, but its unique confluence of mountain and sea, values and tradition, informs every bite of its soulful cuisine, from pintxos to accompany a glass of wine to the elbows-on-the-table meals served in its legendary eating clubs. Yet Basque Country is more than a little inaccessible—shielded by a unique language and a distinct culture, it’s an enigma to most outsiders. Until now. Marti Buckley, an American chef, journalist, and passionate Basque transplant, unlocks the mysteries of this culinary world by bringing together its intensely ingredient-driven recipes with stories of Basque customs and the Basque kitchen, and vivid photographs of both food and place. And surprise: this is food we both want to eat and can easily make. It’s not about exotic ingredients or flashy techniques. It’s about mind-set—how to start with that just-right fish or cut of meat or peak-of-ripeness tomato and coax forth its inherent depth of flavor. It’s the marriage of simplicity and refinement, and the joy of cooking for family and friends.

The son of a Basque emigrant, Robert Laxalt moved himself and his family to a Basque village in the French Pyrenees in 1960. Based on this visit and a later sojourn in 1965, this is a record of a people, their homeland and culture, seen through Laxalt's text and his wife's photographs.

"A brilliantly inventive writer ... he understands the nature of storytelling and is at once terribly moving and wildy funny."―A.S. ByattObabakoak is a shimmering, mercurial collection about life in Obaba, a remote, exotic Basque village. A schoolboy's miningengineer father tricks him into growing up, an unfortunate environmentalist rescues deceptively harmless lizards, and a rescue mission on a Swiss mountain-climbing expedition in Nepal turns into murder. Obaba is peopled with innocents and intellectuals, shepherds and schoolchildren, while everyone from a lovelorn schoolmistress to a cultured but self-hating dwarf wanders across the page. Hints of darker undercurrents mingle with moments of wry humor in this dazzling collage of stories, town gossip, diary excerpts, and literary theory, all held together by Bernardo Atxaga's distinctive and tenderly ironic voice. An unforgettable work from an international literary giant, whom The Observer (London) listed among the top twenty-one writers of the twenty-first century.

•A selection of highlights from the esteemed contemporary art collection at the Guggenheim Museum•Offers a unique and personal perspective on the collectionThe Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened in October 1997 as part of a large-scale urban renovation project, and since then its popularity has flourished. The museum's striking twentieth century building, designed by Frank Gehry, and its one million annual visitors have cemented Bilbao's presence on the international cultural scene. It is from here that the contemporary art collection developed. As a coherent set of more than 130 works, it exhibits some of the most significant creations of the period from the mid-twentieth century up to the modern day. This guide takes the reader on a private tour of the remarkable collection through a selection of highlights, judiciously chosen by General Director Juan Ignacio Vidarte, and offers an engaging preface or echo to the thrill of experiencing the works first hand.

Here, from Pulitzer Prize–winning critic Paul Goldberger, is the first full-fledged critical biography of Frank Gehry, undoubtedly the most famous architect of our time. Goldberger follows Gehry from his humble origins—the son of working-class Jewish immigrants in Toronto—to the heights of his extraordinary career. He explores Gehry’s relationship to Los Angeles, a city that welcomed outsider artists and profoundly shaped him in his formative years. He surveys the full range of his work, from the Bilbao Guggenheim to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. to the architect’s own home in Santa Monica, which galvanized his neighbors and astonished the world. He analyzes his carefully crafted persona, in which an amiable surface masks a driving ambition. And he discusses his use of technology, not just to change the way a building looks, but to revolutionize the very practice of the field. Comprehensive and incisive, Building Art is a sweeping view of a singular artist—and an essential story of architecture’s modern era.  

Have you ever thought of living abroad to learn a language?When cartoonist Alex Hallatt wanted to learn Spanish, she moved to the Basque Country. She thought she might stay a few months and ended up there for over two years, living in a small town near San Sebastian.This is the illustrated account of her years in Hondarribia. It is full of enchanting coloured illustrations and observations of what is is like to live in this Basque town. The book is a useful resource for anyone planning on spending time in the Basque Country, detailing what to expect in each month and how to make the most of the geographical, culinary and cultural attractions on offer.This is the large format (8.25 x 8.25 inches) version of this book.If you liked "Driving Over Lemons", but would like more illustrations and fewer lemons, this is the book for you.ChaptersIntroductionGeography and Getting AroundShopping, Health and Fitness Basque - Euskara January - UrtarrilaFebruary - Otsaila March - MartxoaApril - ApirilaMay - Maiatza June - EkainaJuly - UztailaAugust - AbuztuaSeptember - IrailaOctober - UrriaNovember - AzaroaDecember- AbenduaOur Favourite Hondarribia Bars, Cafes & RestaurantsOther Basque Places We LovedFurther Reading