The Bible in Spain by George Borrow

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Date (1890-1900). Oxford University Press. Ward, Lock, & Co.

"Journeys, Adventures, and Imprisonments if an Englishman in an attempt to circulate the scriptures in the Penninsual.

With illustrations and introduction.

First

published in London in 1843 is the most famous work of George Borrow (1803-1881). It was so popular it ran through several editions even outselling Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (1843).

The work is unique among contemporary books describing Spain because it relates numerous unusual personal encounters Borrow had with Spaniards from the prime minister to beggars and frequent encounters with Gypsies. This was the first widely-read book with accurate first-hand information on Gypsies (though more completely described in his first work The Zincali (1841), it was not a commercial success). All this took place during the Carlist Civil War during which time few people travelled as much in Spain.