The second novel from the author of Guernica (a top ten bestseller and winner of the Richard & Judy Summer Read 2009) is a deeply moving, intimate portrait of family, friendship and love, set against the backdrop of the second Boer war.
In 1935, Miguel Navarro finds himself in conflict with the Spanish Civil Guard, so he flees the Basque fishing village of Lekeitio to make a new start in Guernica, the centre of Basque culture and tradition. In the midst of this isolated bastion of democratic values, Miguel finds more than a new life - he finds someone to live for. Miren Ansotegui is the charismatic and graceful dancer who he meets there, and the two discover a love they believe nothing can destroy . . . History and fiction merge seamlessly in this beautiful novel about the resilience of family, love, and tradition in the face of hardship. The bombing of Guernica was a devastating experiment in total warfare by the German Luftwaffe in the run-up to the Second World War. For the Basques, it was an attack on the soul of their nation; for the world, it was an unprecedented crime against humanity. Dave boling reintroduces the event and paints his own picture of a people so strong, vibrant, and proud that they are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their values, their country, and their loved ones. 'Boling breathes life into a flash point in history and creates an endearing and tragic drama that feels relevant today. "Guernica" is an ambitious debut by a writer whose daring imagination and seamless prose transports us to an extraordinary time and place' Jim Lynch, author of "The Highest Tide" '[A]mbitious . . . A moving tale of courage and resilience that celebrates the history of an embattled culture . . . This is a very good novel indeed--and a crucial reminder that genocidal folly is never as far away from us as we might wish' "Kirkus"