Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 - Brossura

"A nuanced look at the messy international allegiances forged during the Spanish Civil War . . . Hochschild ably explores subtle shades of the conflict that contemporary authors and participants did not want to consider."—Kirkus Reviews “George Orwell once explained that going to Spain, in 1936, ‘seemed the only conceivable thing to do.’ As soon as he got there, the right thing to do got a lot less clear. And how to write about it was immediately difficult, too. The twenty-eight hundred Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War felt the same way, as Adam Hochschild recounts in this rich and fascinating book. Few writers grapple so powerfully with the painful moral and ethical choices of past actors as does Hochschild, who brings to Spain in Our Hearts his exceptional talents — and his moral seriousness — as a reporter, as a historian, and as a writer.” —JILL LEPORE, author of The Secret History of Wonder Woman  “In this beautifully written portrait of Americans caught up in the Spanish Civil War, Adam Hochschild brings to brilliant life the heroism and horror of that fratricidal conflict. His account of the David-and-Goliath fight between the ragtag army of idealistic, pro-democracy  volunteers and the mechanized, murderous forces of Franco, Hitler, and Mussolini is one of the most powerful narratives I have ever read.” —LYNNE OLSON, author of Citizens of London “Spain in Our Hearts is narrative non-fiction at its very best. Hochschild’s achievement is to make this trial-by-combat story come alive, as if it were happening now. It is impossible for a reader not to identify and feel compassion for those sons and daughters of America who risked and often gave their lives for a cause that could not ultimately prevail against the darker forces of Franco, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin – and Texaco. A seamlessly-woven, unputdownable tapestry of war in Europe; intensely, unforgettably moving.” —NIGEL HAMILTON, author of The Mantle of Command  “Beautifully written with a hawk-eye for the telling anecdote, Spain in Our Hearts constitutes an endlessly fascinating and utterly unputdownable survey of the war to defend democracy in Spain that was not only the first act of the Second World War but also, for many across the world, the last great cause.” PAUL PRESTON, author of The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution, and Revenge

“A nuanced look at the messy international allegiances forged during the Spanish Civil War . . . Hochschild ably explores subtle shades of the conflict that contemporary authors and participants did not want to consider.” —Kirkus Reviews   “George Orwell once explained that going to Spain, in 1936, ‘seemed the only conceivable thing to do.’ As soon as he got there, the right thing to do got a lot less clear. And how to write about it was immediately difficult, too. The twenty-eight hundred Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War felt the same way, as Adam Hochschild recounts in this rich and fascinating book. Few writers grapple so powerfully with the painful moral and ethical choices of past actors as does Hochschild, who brings to Spain in Our Hearts his exceptional talents—and his moral seriousness—as a reporter, as a historian, and as a writer.” —Jill Lepore, author of The Secret History of Wonder Woman   “In this beautifully written portrait of Americans caught up in the Spanish Civil War, Adam Hochschild brings to brilliant life the heroism and horror of that fratricidal conflict. His account of the David-and-Goliath fight between the ragtag army of idealistic, pro-democracy volunteers and the mechanized, murderous forces of Franco, Hitler, and Mussolini is one of the most powerful narratives I have ever read.” —Lynne Olson, author of Citizens of London   “Spain in Our Hearts is narrative nonfiction at its very best. Hochschild’s achievement is to make this trial-by-combat story come alive, as if it were happening now. It is impossible for a reader not to identify and feel compassion for those sons and daughters of America who risked and often gave their lives for a cause that could not ultimately prevail against the darker forces of Franco, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin—and Texaco. A seamlessly woven, unputdownable tapestry of war in Europe; intensely, unforgettably moving.” —Nigel Hamilton, author of The Mantle of Command    “Beautifully written with a hawk-eye for the telling anecdote, Spain in Our Hearts constitutes an endlessly fascinating and utterly unputdownable survey of the war to defend democracy in Spain that was not only the first act of the Second World War but also, for many across the world, the last great cause.” —Paul Preston, author of The Spanish Civil War: Reaction, Revolution, and Revenge

Praise for SPAIN IN OUR HEARTS “The tragic story of the Americans in the doomed Lincoln Brigade . . . comes vividly to life in Adam Hochschild’s compelling ‘Spain in Our Hearts,’ a long-overdue book that explores this long-overlooked conflict.” —Los Angeles Times "By assembling a well-chosen set of individual narratives, many about figures who are relatively unknown, [Hochschild] captures why so many people thought the fate of the world might be decided by who won the conflict ... Consistently vivid ... Captivating." —New York Times Book Review "The book’s narrative is driven by Hochschild’s deft handling of the personal stories, some heartbreaking, of a half dozen Americans . . . highly engaging . . .  A book like Hochschild’s keeps their stories and spirit alive." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch "A nuanced look at the messy international allegiances forged during the Spanish Civil War . . . Hochschild ably explores subtle shades of the conflict that contemporary authors and participants did not want to consider." —Kirkus Reviews  

ADAM HOCHSCHILD is the author of King Leopold's Ghost, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, as was his recent To End All Wars.Bury the Chains was a finalist for the National Book Award and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the PEN USA Literary Award. He lives in Berkeley, California.