Iberia by James A Michener

“Massive, beautiful . . . unquestionably some of the best writing on Spain [and] the best that Mr. Michener has ever done on any subject.”–The Wall Street Journal

Spain is a unique and ancient land that holds a special place in the heart of James A. Michener, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and global citizen. Michener’s book, Iberia, stands as a timeless testament to his deep affection for his adopted second home. Through his eloquent and vibrant prose, Michener not only delves into the renowned history of bullfighters and mighty kings, painters and grand processions, breathtaking cathedrals and serene olive orchards, he also grants readers access to the hidden corners of this enchanting country. In these pages, Michener shares his personal encounters with a land where warm-hearted individuals coexist with the weighty burden of historical legacies. Bold and contradictory, passionately picturesque, this is the Spain that captivated the pen of a master storyteller.

This unlikely spot is where I want to introduce you to Spain. I’m James Michener, and it was here, fifty years ago, that I first set foot on the shores of the Iberian Peninsula. This small beach is located in the town of Boriana, on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, roughly 50 miles north of Valencia. It was my very first glimpse of a country that would capture my interest for the next half century.

As a student in Scotland, I worked as a chart boy on a client-side freighter that transported oranges from this beach to the marmalade factories in Dundee. The ship’s captain allowed me to ride ashore on an orange barge and rejoin the ship a week later. And so, in 1932, I stepped ashore here, immersed in my dreams of Spain.