ANDALUCÍA Michael Jacobs 1 873429 26 6 £15.95 464pp 22 colour plates 156 b/w illustrations, diagrams and maps 2 fold out maps, full indexes, practical information sewn pbk with double gatefold 205 x 150mm portrait The best one volume introduction to the region Rough Guide No other book can compare Cosmopolitan An idiosyncratic eye that misses little The Times One of the best current foreign writers on Spain Time Out The George Borrow of the High Speed Train Era ABC Madrid In this masterly book Michael Jacobs looks with fresh eyes at all the traditional delights of Andalucía while doing full justice to the lesser-known aspects of the region. He examines the underrated local food and drink, the extraordinarily varied natural scenery, the composers and writers who created the romantic myths and legends of the 19th century, the strange legacy of Lorca and the Spanish Civil War. Although Andalucía is best-known for its Moorish remains, it also has an outstanding prehistoric and classical heritage and its exuberant Renaissance and Baroque monuments make it one of the richest regions of Europe for the visitor. Nearly a hundred Andalucían villages and towns are described in the gazetteer, some of which - Seville, Granada, Córdoba and Cádiz - are as lovely and as haunting as anywhere in the world. Michael Jacobs is widely regarded as the leading Hispanist of his generation and his books have been acclaimed both here and in Spain. He is as well known for his knowledge of the art and architecture of Spain as for his appreciation of the bars and restaurants of one of the great unknown cuisines of the West. He is currently Fellow in Hispanic Studies at the University of Glasgow.