The number of famous writers who visited and fell in love with Spain, but are now no longer with us, is significant.
In Ronda alone we were feted by American Washington Irving, Dane Hans Christian Andersen, plus Austrian Rainer Maria Rilke and American Ernest Hemingway.
Rainer Maria Rilke [Photo: El Mundo] Ernest Hemingway [Photo: Acento]
I've already posted an article on Laurie Lee (see the right-hand side bar). Hemingway and Rilke will get articles just about them, but I intend to group Irving and a few others together.
George Orwell, although he only wrote one book about Spain, was also an important influence, and merits a post just about him.
Gerald Brenan, long time resident of Churriana, near Malaga airport, also will get an article, together with his American wife Gamel Woolsey.
Guy Hunter-Watts, a friend of mine, who published 10 books about walking in Andalucia, sadly died before his time, aged 59.
Gerald Brenan and Gamel Wolsey George Orwell Guy Hunter-Watts
[Opinion de Malaga] [Photo: BBC] [Photo: Cicerone Press]
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There are also prominent writers, some famous and some less so at the moment, who are still living and breathing.
Among the famous ones, I have already posted articles on Jason Webster and Chris Stewart (see right-hand side bar).
Jason Webster [Amazon] Chris Stewart [Facebook]
Karethe Linaee, originally from Norway, has published a great book about Ronda, "Casita 26", in both English and Spanish. Also a friend - she rented my apartment when she first came to Ronda.
Michael Coy, nominally Irish but from North Wales, and a de facto rondeño for some 20 years, has recently published a rival to War and Peace (it’s thicker than Toltoy’s masterpiece!), but an amazing achievement, nevertheless. "The Luckless Girl" is an epic poem! Also a friend. We used to be drinking buddies!
Emma Cherry is a professional actress and playwright who lives in Benaojan (Malaga). She recently published a selection of plays she has written with her friend Charo Carrasco. Blimey! I know both of them too!
Karethe Linaee con su traductora [Diario Ronda] Emma Cherry y Charo Carrasco [CharryTV] Michael Coy [PoetrySoup]
David Baird is an experienced foreign correspondent, editor, author and photographer. He has twice won Spain’s national travel-writing prize for foreign writers and journalists. Lives in Frigiliana (Malaga).
George Sand - French female writer who lived in Mallorca with composer Frederic Chopin.
Edward Lewine - American writer who shadowed Ronda bullfighter 'Fran' Rivera for a year and wrote "Death in the Sun".
Robert Elms - Essex-born TV commentator and writer, has a home in Barcelona. Wrote "Spain: A Portrait after the General". Boyfriend of singer Sade in the 1980s. Famously detests The Beatles.
David Baird [Amazon] [www.help-me-ronda.com] Robert Elms [Photo: 5x15]
Lorraine Mace - prolific crime writer who lives on the Costa del Sol.
Paul Whitelock, long-time Ronda resident, has four books in the pipeline. He just needs a publisher.
The Costa Press Club has members who are published writers, as well as prominent journalists. Too many to name here.
[Photo: Amazon] Paul Whitelock [Photo: KS] Costa Press Club with Picasso in Malaga [Photo: KS]
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This article is just a taster, articles about these people will appear in due course on “Guiris” Galore.
Postscript:
I was browsing my bookshelves yesterday, when I came across a book called "A Castle in Spain" written in 2005 by Matthew Parris, former Conservative MP, then journalist and TV commentator.
He and his family had bought a falling-down house in the mountains of Catalunya. I had forgotten alI about the book. had bought it when it was published 19 years ago and read it from cover to cover very quickly.
The book describes what they went through to bring the house back to life. As someone who was restoring a house in Ronda around the same time, I could identify very much with Parris' recollections. Well worth including in this blog.
[Photo courtesy of amazon.es]
© Paul Whitelock
Tags:
Amazon, BBC, "Casita 27", Chris Stewart, Costa Press Club, David Baird, "Death in the Sun", Edward Lewine, Ernest Hemingway, 'Fran' Rivera, Frederic Chopin, Gamel Woolsey, George Orwell, George Sand, Gerald Brenan, “Guiris” Galore, Guy Hunter-Watts, Karethe Linaee, Karl Smallman, Laurie Lee, Lorraine Mace, Matthew Parris, Michael Coy, Paul Whitelock, PoetrySoup, Rainer Maria Rilke, Robert Elms, Sade, "Spain: A Portrait after the General", The Beatles, Washington Irving