This
is written as kind of a travel guide and history of the Alhambra, the Moorish
palace fortress in Spain. Washington Irving was what was known as an itinerant
traveler in his youth, wandering through Europe in the cheapest way possible
and staying anywhere he could for free. The Alhambra was one of his stops, and
this book chronicles his stay there, the people he met, and the legends that he
heard during his visit. Irving’s gift with the pen gives life to the keepers of
the old fortress and its stories in a way that is both enchanting and
entrancing. This is another effort of Irving’s that the reader really doesn’t
want to end, and it is a place that one can tell lived in the author’s memory
as one of the highlights of his romps around Europe. The beauty of the place
and its surroundings, the magical tales that were created around it, and the honest
dignity of the poor people living there all combine to win the heart of both
Irving and his reader. This is definitely a book for those interested in both
history and romance, and who enjoy travelogues as well as ghost stories.
Just
a note: The actual Alhambra has been restored to its former glory by the
government of Spain, and has been designated a UNESCO Heritage site.
No comments:
Post a Comment