Who Would Like This Book:
Robert Hughes delivers a vivid, immersive deep-dive into Barcelona's history and culture, blending art, architecture, politics, and larger-than-life personalities. If you crave a rich backstory before traveling or simply love detailed, literary non-fiction packed with social commentary, you'll swoon over this. Art and history lovers will appreciate Hughes' sharp observations and storytelling, making the city truly come alive on the page.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This book isn’t for those seeking a breezy overview or a straightforward travel guide - it’s seriously dense in historical detail and long on names and events, sometimes at the expense of pace. If you’re looking for something light or modern (it stops in the 1990s), or want lots of practical travel tips, you might feel bogged down or overwhelmed. Some also found Hughes’ attention to topics like poetry and music a little too extensive or dry.
About:
'Barcelona' by Robert Hughes delves into the architectural history of the city, focusing on the Modernisme Art Nouveau period. It also covers aspects of Catalan music, literature, and art, providing a comprehensive overview of Barcelona's significance. The writing style is described as direct and straightforward, offering readers a deep dive into the city's history, culture, and art scene. is considered an essential guide for those interested in the architecture and art of Barcelona, as well as its place in the Spanish economy.
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From The Publisher:
A monumentally informed and irresistibly opinionated guide to the most un-Spanish city in Spain, from the bestselling author of The Fatal Shore.
In these pages, Robert Hughes scrolls through Barcelona's often violent history; tells the stories of its kings, poets, magnates, and revolutionaries; and ushers readers through municipal landmarks that range from Antoni Gaudi's sublimely surreal cathedral to a postmodern restaurant with a glass-walled urinal. The result is a work filled with the attributes of Barcelona itself: proportion, humor, and seny-the Catalan word for triumphant common sense.
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About the Author:
Robert Hughes was born in Australia in 1938. In 1970 he moved to the United States to become chief art critic for Time, a position he held until 2001. His books include The Shock of the New, The Fatal Shore, Nothing if Not Critical, The Culture of Complaint, Barcelona, Goya, Things I Didn't Know, and Rome. He is a New York Public Library Literary Lion, and was the recipient of a number of literary awards and prizes, including two Frank Jewett-Mather Awards. He is widely held as the most respected art critic of our time.
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