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Whether you’re an armchair traveler or planning a visit, you can load up your tbr with these 50 best books about Spain.
You are reading: Best books about spain
I am a great admirer of Spain. I first traveled there in 1984 to study abroad and have been back many times since. Spain has five different cultures, which could explain why there are so many different books written about this sunny European country.
I have had no problem finding many books set in Spain and have selected for you a list that reflects the fascinating history and varied cultures of Spain.
(This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase, I’ll make a small commission.)
There are 50 recommended books here. The list includes novels set in Spain, historical fiction, mysteries, memoirs, and non-fiction. So if you have a particular genre you prefer, use the links below to jump to that section. however, I encourage you to scroll through the full list, because you might find some surprising options outside of your normal genres.
novels set in spainhistorical fiction about spainspanish mysteries & crime novelnon-fictionbooks about spainspanish memories
novels about spain
the sun also rises, fervent hemingway
“You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another,” Hemingway says, but bon vivants Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley aren’t listening. These expats move from Paris to Spain, bringing their boozy personal luggage for the trip. Hemingway portrays this “lost generation” with love and empathy.
If you like the sun to rise too, then you can continue with For Whom the Bell Tolls, which is also set in Spain, but during the civil war.
guernica: a novel, dave boling
You may know Picasso’s painting of Guernica, but not the incident that led him to paint it. the Basque people were terribly bombed in a senseless political act ordered by Francoism and carried out by Nazi bombers. the story told here is about a simple town clinging to their traditional way of life during a very difficult time. there is a love story at the center of the action with a wide cast of characters that bring the Basque people to life.
nothing, carmen laforet
(lauren wilkinson and edith grossman, translators)
This dark and powerful story takes place in the 1940s after the Civil War and during the height of Franco’s power. Andrea attends university in war-torn Barcelona. she is entangled with a family full of miserable and brutal aunts, uncles and parasites. she comes of age through an existential crisis and learns to develop a calm dignity in response to the chaos around her.
The clean and calm style of this book belies the complexity of the story and the chaos of its characters’ lives.
the snow gypsy, lindsay jayne ashford
at the end of the second world war, london is in ruins and rose daniel is not at peace. eight years ago, his brother disappeared while fighting alongside gypsy (or gypsy) guerrillas in spain. she searches for closure and begins searching for clues as to what happened to her.
On the way, he meets Lola, a flamenco dancer, whose own family was decimated during the Spanish civil war. Rose and Lola end up embarking on an emotional journey together, forming strong bonds and helping each other heal the wounds the war has left behind.
berta island, javier marís
(margaret jull cost, translator)
berta wants to marry tomás nevinson, the handsome half-spanish, half-english boy in her class who has an extraordinary gift for languages. while studying at oxford, he is approached by british intelligence. He returns to Berta, but his choices put his subsequent marriage in a difficult situation. yes, this is a spy novel, but told through the eyes of the spy’s wife, so it’s also a marriage novel.
“master of slow combustion, the latest novel by javier marías is as thoughtful as it is suggestive.”
the east wind, big almudena
(sonia soto, translator)
both sara and juan have escaped from madrid and end up in a small coastal town. each has a different story, but both were victimized by those they loved. they form a kind of family and help each other with redemption.
“juan, sara, maribel and the others are whipped by life but somehow they survive and find calm in the company of others, learning to cope with whatever the wind throws at them.”
the dragon tree, isobel blackthorn
Ann Salter, a geologist, is in a fragile emotional state when she lands in Lanzarote. she is in the canaries trying to come to terms with the end of a difficult marriage and troubled family relationships. What happens is an environmental romance, with the landscape of Lanzarote as the main character.
from the shadows, juan jose millás
(thomas bunstead and daniel hahn, translators)
This playful fable is about literal and figurative, physical and mental confinement. Damian finds himself trapped in a closet and is delivered to a house. Due to his recent firing and his continued loneliness, he secretly decides to stay. he does small chores while the family is out during the day, hiding out at night. The story is told through a series of imaginary interviews he has with a fictional television character.
“a brash, devious satire of sublimated class,” and perfect for fans of the parasite.
leaving the atocha station, ben lerner
lerner has some serious chops and his most recent book, the topeka school, has been lauded as a pulitzer prize finalist. At Atocha Station, a brilliant but unreliable young American poet is also steeped in tragicomedy. adam is in madrid on a scholarship but becomes disillusioned, thinking that his poetry is a failed effort. he feels like a fraud, and indulges himself with drug use and goofing off.
“adam’s antics have the flavor of a woody allen movie, his concerns about authenticity are always accompanied by compulsive duplicity and self-sabotage”
the hive, camilo jose cela
(james womack, translator)
the middle class suffered greatly under the yoke of post-franco civil war spain. the hive displays a series of interlocking vignettes, with over a hundred characters. these people are just trying to live their lives, but “… life under a dictatorship tends to take on a certain quixotic nature.”
This book was originally published in 1951 and was the cornerstone of Cela’s work, which earned him the Nobel Prize in 1989.
confessions, jaume cabré
(mara faye lethem, translator)
This book is apparently an autobiography of Adria, a 60-year-old man with dementia. he wants to write it all down while his memory is still intact. and you get the story from him, but the book goes further back in time. you learn how his life was influenced by events and people from many generations before.
“…the story of a person who constantly reveals that he is just part of another story or plot that takes place in other times, in another country, in another family.”
alberto’s lost birthday, diana rosie
This tender and heartbreaking story features Alberto, an old man who grew up an orphan and isn’t even sure how old he is. tito, his grandson is determined to help him find his birthday. The format switches between Tito and Alberto’s modern quest to find Alberto’s missing birthday with flashbacks to the time Alberto was orphaned during the civil war.
“so descriptive of rural Spain, I could taste the olives and smell the lemons.”
the spanish promise, karen swan
Charlotte must marry her (safe choice) fiancé, when she is called to Spain to help a wealthy heir settle an inheritance matter. As she investigates the matter, she soon finds herself drawn into the dark and secret past of the Mendoza family, which includes ties to the Spanish Civil War and the atrocities and bloodshed that filled those days.
The themes of the book span life, loss, family, friendship, self-discovery, regret, deception, love, duty, honor, and the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War.
the story of mr. rodriguez, lou gilmond
This romp takes place in 1960s Majorca. Thomas Sebastian is a British con man on the run from his wife. He squats in an empty villa that recently housed the late Mr. Rodrigues. Sebastian slides easily into this new life… until things start to spiral out of control.
“…this is sophisticated, literary fun that masquerades as a romance/beach read, then takes the reader for a walk along the cliff edge.”
naked men, alicia giménez bartlet
(andrea rosenberg, translator)
Irene’s husband left her for a younger woman and her business is on the brink of collapse. Javier has just lost his job as a literature teacher and finds himself involved in a world of striptease and male prostitution. irene and javier enter into a disturbing relationship, oscillating between affection and need, domination and self-interest, money and sex.
the court of lions, jane johnson
See Also: Mary Stewart – Book Series In Order
This book, set in Granada, has one foot in contemporary Spain and the other in historical Spain. kate fordham is escaping from a terrible trauma when she flees to granada. while exploring the gardens of the alhambra, he finds a mysterious piece of paper hidden in the walls. the mystery of her writings transports her back in time to 15th century grenade and the story of blessings, the sultan’s heiress. both stories share themes of love and betrayal.
“…a historic love letter to the city of Granada.”
Historical Fiction Books Set in Spain
For the purposes of this list, stories based on the 20th or 21st centuries are found in the list of contemporary Spanish novels above. The following historical fiction set in Spain addresses earlier centuries, with 15th-century inquisition stories and court dramas featuring prominently.
don quixote, miguel de cervantes
(edith grossman, translator)
don quixote is the original fictional book set in spain, and i mean that literally. When Cervantes published it in 1605, plays and poetry were much more popular literary forms. but cervantes’ peculiar quixote became the world’s first bestseller. Sure, it’s literary canon, but it’s also a road trip, a buddy comedy, and a wacky romp.
shadows of the pomegranate tree, tariq ali
By the end of the 15th century, Queen Elizabeth and King Ferdinand had regained power. and although they have signed treaties with muslim leaders in andalusia, the queen and parts of the catholic church have secret plans.
This story follows the fall of Granada and what happens to a powerful Moorish family during the early days of the Inquisition.
If you like this first book, you can read four more in his Islamic quintet series. the other books are not set in spain, but offer an interesting historical insight into the muslim experience in jerusalem, the ottoman empire, norman sicily, and pakistan.
the king bird, g. willow wilson
The Bird King also takes place in Granada, just as the last sultan of the Iberian Peninsula is about to be defeated by the armies of Elizabeth and Ferdinand. Fatima is the sultan’s last remaining concubine and her friend Hassan is the palace cartographer.
but hassan doesn’t make ordinary maps. he can twist reality and make maps of places he’s never seen (or may not even exist). Using the maps, Hassan and Fatima escape the palace, seeking freedom and a safe place to land. their love and determination thrive where the battlefields are imbued with a heavy dose of magical realism.
I listened to the audio version of this book while walking slowly along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. they were on a mission and so was I, which made us perfect partners.
the queen’s vow, c.w. gortner
but wait… we’re not done with queen elizabeth yet. In this book we find her as a teenager, sent to live captive with her half-brother King Henry. There, Isabella is in danger when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone Enrique. Suspected of treason and held captive, she walks a dangerous path, torn between loyalties, until at seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress to Castile.
cathedral of the sea, ildefonso falcones
(nick caistor, translator)
although it is spanish historical fiction, the story closely follows real events that took place during the reign of king pedro in catalonia in 1300. there is a plot structure similar to that of ken follet, as the story follows the construction of the cathedral of santa maria de la mar. you get stories from people who were involved in and impacted by its construction.
“a story of betrayal, battle, destitution, illness, death, love, betrayal, hardship, all the circumstances of life in an era full of mystery and intrigue.”
by fire, by water, mitchell james kaplan
It’s the 1400s and Spain is in the midst of the Inquisition. Luis de Santangel, chancellor to King Ferdinand, is horrified by the brutality of the Inquisition and when a dear friend is murdered, he seeks revenge. he experiences a crisis of faith and begins to reconnect with a Jewish faith that his family had left behind.
“She had fought all her life for acceptance and dignity in a society where neither was her birthright. To abandon that fight, to walk away from his achievements, would be to hand over a victory to those who wished to deny their humanity.” -kaplan
Spanish mysteries and thrillers
Spain is one of the safest cities in the world to visit. But reading these books set in Spain, you would never know, with the murder, the chaos, the espionage, the disappearances, the dark forces and the devil. Here are some fun reads that show the darker side of Spain.
the shadow of the wind, carlos ruiz zafón
just as love in the time of cholera by gabriel garcía márquez is the standard bearer of books about colombia, the shadow of the zaphon wind holds the torch of books about spain. each is filled with mysterious lives, illuminated by rays of magical realism.
In this first installment of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, Daniel, the son of an antiquarian bookseller, seeks solace in a mysterious book written by Julian Carax. when he tries to find more books by the author, daniel stumbles upon a mystery. the book is partly about the slow acceptance of loss and the search for happiness. but it’s also a love letter to reading, which is what made me fall in love when I first read it in 2005.
the queen of the south, arturo pérez-reverte
My default is that the book is always better than the movie, so even if you’ve heard of the usa network’s version of the queen of the south. uu., you should consult the book.
when teresa mendoza’s narco boyfriend is caught, she flees to spain with nothing but a gym bag and a secret notebook. She gets involved with a Galician hash dealer, and as she gets deeper and deeper into the business, you see her change from a scared outcast to a tough-as-nails headliner.
captain alatriste (adventures of captain alatriste #1), arturo pérez-reverte
If you like swashbuckling stories with damsels in distress and reluctant heroes, then this series is for you. It is 1618 and things are not going well for Spain. the navy is in ruins and the country is in the middle of a war with flanders (that’s belgium for 21st century citizens).
Captain Alatriste is a wounded retired soldier who earns his living as a swordsman for hire. He has been paid to scare some travelers from Madrid, but of course, nothing is what it seems.
This book is a great weekend page turning game, and if you like it, there are four more in the series.
the mark of the assassin, david ebsworth
It’s 1938, and Franco is so sure he’ll win the civil war that he’s opened up the North Coast to “battlefield tourism.” a group of mainly British tourists, each with their own agenda, drives the politically charged plot as they spend their vacations touring the battlefields of the north. Jack Telford, a left-wing reporter, is on tour when a tragic death occurs in the group.
“…there are notable shades of agatha christie, and even generous helpings of graeme green…”
blood crime, sabastiá alzamora
(martha tennent, translator)
It’s 1936 and Barcelona is burning. In this hybrid of a murder mystery and gothic horror, dark social forces afflict Barcelona. the story follows a police inspector on a quest for justice to find out who killed a Marist monk and a boy. In a strange twist, the story is narrated by an uninterested bystander… who also happens to be a vampire.
death of a nationalist, rebecca pawel
the civil guard has just begun to restore order in madrid after the end of the devastating spanish civil war. Sergeant Tejada is investigating the murder of his best friend and wonders if partisan politics was at work. Chop isn’t a good fascist, or even an exceptional detective, but he is a sympathetic character and the book presents a nuanced look at a difficult time.
winter in madrid, c.j. sansom
the setting is madrid in 1940. the city is in ruins after the civil war and frankly doubts whether or not to enter the second world war. Harry Brett is a reluctant spy for the British Secret Service tasked with gaining the trust of an old school friend and a dubious businessman from Madrid.
the pain of madrid is a main character in the book and the story is as melancholy as the cover suggests.
the blind man from seville (javier falcón #1), robert wilson
Inspector Javier Falcon is investigating a particularly disturbing murder. the dead man was found bound and gagged in front of his television. Some of the evidence leads to Falcon’s father himself. he carries out a double investigation, both of the murder and of his father’s past, which is the key to the brutal murder.
“…a rich, complex and intricately interwoven story that brings together the best of historical fiction, thriller and crime fiction.”
This book is part of a series, so if you like it, you have three more to come.
or the bull kills you, jason webster
Chief Inspector Max Cámara isn’t too thrilled when he’s asked to preside over a bullfight, but he’s intrigued by the young bullfighter. when that bullfighter is later found murdered in the ring, the police are reluctant to investigate the crime and are assigned to the camera. As well as dealing with the question of who was to blame, the book looks at changing attitudes towards bullfighting in Spain.
if you like this, there are four more in a series that reveals the dark underbelly of spain.
the sound of a killing hand (borja and eduard #3), teresa solana
(peter bush, translator)
borja and eduard are detectives and brothers who are always involved in one or another extravagant investigation. this time, they are hired by an author to research so-called alternative therapies for a book he is writing. when they arrive at the zen center, they find the director murdered and an international intrigue ensues.
These two detectives are “… endearing rogues, and despite their many flaws, you can’t help but root for them.”
the invisible guardian (baztan trilogy #1), round pains
When a teenage girl is found naked and murdered on a river bank in the Basque country, police inspector Amia Salazar is assigned the case. Investigating it forces her to reluctantly return to her hometown in the small island community of Eliendo. There are a lot of superstitions and traditions going on there and Salazar has to navigate traditional culture to get to the root of the crime.
If you like the first one, there are two other books in the series.
town of lost girls, agustín martinez
See Also: 10 Inviting Phonemic Awareness Books Your Students Will Love
Five years after her disappearance, the town of Monte Perdido continues to mourn the loss of Ana and Lucía, two eleven-year-old friends who left school one afternoon and were never seen again.
but then ana mysteriously reappears at the scene of a car accident and the case is reopened.
This is a chilling, intense, multi-layered mystery set in the menacing icy and snowy mountain peaks of the Spanish Pyrenees.
the city of good death (catalan police thrillers #1), chris lloyd
A killer targets crime bosses and thugs in the Catalan city of Girona. elisenda domènech, head of the newly formed serious crimes unit, is in charge of investigating. She faces a strong moral dilemma to investigate the murders of these despised people, but there is much opposition to the investigation.
In addition to plot twists and turns, the book also offers “. ..a guide to the Catalan city of Girona, its history and mythology, all so vividly described you could almost be there.”
if you like this one, there are two others in the series.
a question of latitude (mysteries of the canary islands #1), isobel endrino
This book is the first in a series of three loosely related suspenseful mysteries set in the Canary Islands. In the first, matchmaker anti-corruption activist is boned on a lonely stretch of road in Lanzarote. Fearing for his life, he goes into hiding while his wife, Paula, desperately tries to locate him. the book has a steady pace with plenty of psychological drama to keep the pages turning.
non-fiction books about Spain
Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain, Maria Rosa Menocal
Medieval Spain managed a remarkable period of tolerance between three religions that are certainly at odds in modern times. this book does not explore everyday life. rather, it analyzes the development of a cooperative culture that allowed language, literature, philosophy, arts, and sciences to flourish in Andalusia.
“…an account of precious cultural gems from a fascinating period in history.”
dogs of god: columbus, the inquisition and the defeat of the moors, james reston jr.
so much for all that kumbaya religious tolerance during the ornament of the world of menocol.
Western civilization experienced a seismic event in 1492, which was triggered by the political ambition of Ferdinand and Elizabeth. their efforts sparked colonial expansion, fueled a war with the Moors, and provided fertile ground for religious excess. the rebirth and the discovery happened together with the inquisition and the expulsion of the jews from spain.
“makes incredible connections and lays the groundwork for a new understanding of those pivotal years…”
kingdoms of faith: a new history of islamic spain, brian a. cats
the book of catlos rewrites the history of islamic spain from scratch. many histories of spain paint the islamic period as an example of the inevitability of islam colliding again with christianity… or as an example of muslims, jews, and christians living together in prosperous harmony.
catlos delves into these narratives and offers comments on how both have elements of truth, but how each is flawed.
the spanish holocaust: inquisition and extermination spain twentieth century, paul preston
preston doesn’t mince words in this examination of the atrocities committed during and after the spanish civil war. While there were plenty of murders on both sides, this book spends a lot of ink exploring Franco’s reign of terror.
“…a much-needed exercise to never forget the atrocities planned and executed by a confederation of landowners, ecclesiastics and soldiers that destroyed a country…”
hotel florida: truth, love and death in the spanish civil war, amanda vaill
vaill’s vision of the civil war centers on hemingway and his constellation of acquaintances. he is frustrated by a stagnant career and marriage. martha gellhorn is hungry for her love and seeks journalistic experience. Robert Capa and Gerda Taro are photojournalists. arturo barea, is head of the spanish press office, and he and his austrian deputy ilsa kulcsar fight for loyalty.
sounds like a spy novel, but vaill will search for letters and diaries to create a group biography of these journalists during the war.
“it is very dangerous to write the truth in war, and it is very dangerous to find the truth”. – hemingway
isabella: warrior queen, kirsten downey
queen elizabeth is a truly important figure in history but her husband ferdinand tends to get more ink. This Spanish history book corrects the oversight with a fascinating look at the life and influence of Queen Elizabeth. She was considered the first great queen of Europe and did not shy away from going to war and colonizing the world. she also triggered the Spanish inquisition.
downey’s book brings isabella to life in all her great (and terrible) glory.
grenade: a grenade in the hand of god, steve nightingale
nightingale was looking for a change when he and his family moved to granada in 2002. what he found was a city that lives in both the past and the present simultaneously. The book takes a tour of the complicated religious and cultural history of Granada, but also includes information about the modern city.
“…a life with children and security, with flowers and common pleasures, good company, poetry and confidence, with time to talk and study, to work and love. I don’t know what more you can ask of us. — nightingale
Basque history of the world, mark kurlansky
On my most recent pilgrimage down the road, I met the Basque owner of a small grocery store in Zubiri. he dismissed my attempts to speak with him in Spanish because he said that if I couldn’t converse with him in Basque, he would prefer to speak in English. After this rough and nasty start, he proceeded to show me the scar from his heart operation, he shot me a mischievous smile and made me the best salad I’ve ever eaten in Spain.
This whip between warm and taciturn, distrustful and hospitable, is what kurlansky’s book is about. explores how the Basques are a nation without a country and shares his insights with an eye for detail about the rich Basque culture.
We also recommend Kurlansky’s exploration of Cuban culture in our list of books set in Cuba.
the fight for catalonia: rebel politics in spain, raphael minder
just like the basque country, catalonia too has its own culture, language and separatist leanings. The issue leaked out for many years and really started to gain traction around 2014. In this book, Minder tackles the issue of Catalan separatism from a journalistic point of view.
This well-researched book explores the history, culture, language and politics of Catalonia, using anecdotes and stories to highlight Catalan identity and its independence movement.
Spanish memories
the story room, michael paterniti
because of course you go on a quest in the middle of nowhere in Castilian Spain to locate a special kind of cheese.
When Paterniti goes to the town of Guzmán to meet the maker of the rare (and expensive) Páramo de Guzmán, he finds more than a wedge of cheese. Searching for him uncovers a Shakespearean tale of betrayal, passion, and revenge, all centered around Ambrose, the cheesemaker.
driving on lemons: an optimist in spain, chris stewart
because of course you buy a remote sheep farm in the south of spain that lacks water, electricity or even a road.
As Mayle of a year in Provence, Stewart and his wife strive to create a pastoral expat life for themselves. “…he’s funny, smart and talented and who knew he could shear sheep.”
tales from the alhambra, washington irving
In the spring of 1828, Washington Irving traveled from Seville to Granada. Along the way, he fell under the enchanting influence of the Alhambra. he lived there for several months, and the resulting book is a mix of travelogues and mythical stories about the history of the alhambra.
“let others complain about the lack of toll roads and sumptuous hotels, and all the elaborate comforts of a country cultivated and civilized to the point of meekness and commonplace; but give me the rough fight of the mountain; the wandering, random, wandering; the half wild, but frank and hospitable manners, which impart a true matching flavor to dear and romantic Spain!” -irving
when I went out one summer morning, laurie reads
lee wanted to do a big ride in 1934. and since he knew exactly one phrase in spanish, he chose spain, spending two years there en route. 1934 was a brief period of peace in Spain, but the civil war began to rumble. Lee has adventures, hangs out with poets, chats with the locals, and sleeps under the stars in a Spain that’s ripe for a big change.
“lee’s language is both lyrical and poetic, providing a rich evocation of time and place.”
get inspired to visit spain
If these books about Spain have inspired you to plan a trip, I’ve got you covered. Start with this list of the best travel books in Spain. It not only includes traditional travel guides, but also has art city guides, fun children’s books, travel memoirs, and links to itineraries and blog resources.
If you are interested in learning about the Camino de Santiago or hiking, start with this list of fiction and non-fiction books about the Camino.
And finally, if you’re planning to visit Madrid (and you should!), here’s an offbeat itinerary for Madrid.
make more literary trips
Take an armchair trip with more of our book lists around the world. Try these books set in Iceland, Ireland, Australia, Paris, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Colombia, and Jordan.
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