If you ever plan a trip to Catalonia, besides a good guide book and (hopefully) a good sunscreen, you will do well if you take Barcelona, Catalonia. A View from the Inside by the Anglo-Catalan writer Matthew Tree (London, 1958). Having lived for 26 years in Catalonia, by now Tree knows well enough our land and he also assures that it is almost impossible to explain to his compatriots what Catalonia is. This is an old issue: by not having its own state, Catalonia is included in an overview called Spain that doesn't reflect the cultural variety of this place, especially some national identities other than the Spanish one. The book is composed of a lecture he gave at the London School of Economics and a second part containing a selection of articles published between 1999 and 2010 in Times, Catalonia Today, and The Times Litterary Supplement, among others. In this selection of texts filled with current and past history, anecdotes, and personal experiences, he knowingly explains the what, why and how of some social, cultural and political events in this country.
Matthew Tree has published several translations of Catalan poems into English, some of which I posted on my blog after finding them easily in various websites. I will continue doing so, and I recommend you all his works. As for Catalonia, you can also contact me for any question :)
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