A collection of Matthew Tree's incisive essays about life, language, and politics in Catalonia, as told through the eyes of a Catalan-speaking Englishman, or an English-speaking Catalan, depending on your vantage point, and his. Matthew's honesty and keen observations combined with his sharp wit and mastery of language (two languages!) give the reader a unique and compelling vision of Catalonia, rarely uncovered by the casual visitor, as he discusses what he promises is the next new state in Europe and its relationship with the state it currently belongs to. But Matthew does not limit himself to the purely political; he also gives us an insider's view of real life in Barcelona, from doctor's visits to shopping trips, through to finding one's own voice in another culture and language.

Barcelona, Catalonia: A View from the Inside

Politics & Social Sciences

Tree, Matthew

Social Sciences

Catalonia Press

"What Catalans Want" takes a concerned look at Catalonia at a time when the country's political future as a Spanish autonomous region is being questioned for the first time since it came into being in 1980. It does so by talking to 30 representative Catalan and non-Catalan personalities in various key areas of public life. Interest for an English and American readership has been the main guideline for their selection. The book's aim is to discover why so many Catalans feel as uncomfortable about forming part of Spain as they feel comfortable about being members of the EU. Could the Catalan question, fanned by ongoing Spanish oppression and incomprehension, be welling up into a political issue of the same order as Scotland's or Flanders'? The book delves into a question that cannot be overlooked by concentrating on what matters most: the opinion of those affected-from the presidents of Catalonia and FC Barcelona to experts in every area. This book appears at a time when events have bowled over the country's traditional image as an "oasis" of satisfaction enjoying what was seen as an "ample" margin of autonomy and economic welfare. Independent polls now reveal that close to 40% of Catalans would like to have a State of their own. The book also delves into the 2009-2011 unofficial independentist polls that were held in over 500 municipalities in which over 90% of participants voted for independence. Why have things come to a head? And parallel to this, why do most foreign tourists visiting the country have so little idea about what is going on? The book opens with an enlightening and poignant prologue by Irish novelist Colm Tóibín. The book is beautifully illustrated with photographer Lluís Brunet's remarkable portraits of the interviewees.

What Catalans Want (Color)

Strubell, Toni

Politics & Government

<p>On September 11, 2012, on Catalonia’s National Day, one and a half million people from all over Catalonia marched peacefully and joyfully through the streets of Barcelona, behind a single placard: Catalonia: New State in Europe. Fifteen days later, President Artur Mas called snap elections for the Parliament of Catalonia, in order to hold a referendum that would let the people of Catalonia decide their own future. The rest of the world and even Spain were caught by surprise, but the events unfolding in Barcelona have been a long time coming. In this new book, 35 experts explore Catalonia’s history, economics, politics, language, and culture, in order to explain to the rest of the world the fascinating story behind the march, the new legislature, and the upcoming vote on whether Catalonia will become the next new state in Europe. With a prologue by Artur Mas, President of Catalonia, and contributions from: Ignasi Aragay • Laia Balcells • Germà Bel • Laura Borràs • Alfred Bosch • Núria Bosch • Roger Buch i Ros • Joan Canadell • Pau Canaleta • Salvador Cardús • Muriel Casals • Andreu Domingo • Carme Forcadell Lluís • Josep Maria Ganyet • Salvador Garcia-Ruiz • Àlex Hinojo • Edward Hugh • Oriol Junqueras • M. Carme Junyent • J.C. Major • Pere Mayans Balcells • Josep M. Muñoz • Mary Ann Newman • Elisenda Paluzie • Vicent Partal • Cristina Perales-García • Eva Piquer • Enric Pujol Casademont • Marta Rovira-Martínez • Vicent Sanchis • Xavier Solano Miquel Strubell • Matthew Tree • Ramon Tremosa • F. Xavier Vila</p>

What's up with Catalonia?: The causes which impel them to the separation

Castro, Liz

Travel

<p>Bilingual Edition/ Edición bilingüe - English - Español On September 11, 2012, on Catalonia’s National Day, 1.5 million people from all over Catalonia marched peacefully and joyfully through the streets of Barcelona, behind a single placard: Catalonia: New State in Europe. Fifteen days later, President Artur Mas called snap elections for the Parliament of Catalonia, in order to hold a referendum that would let the people of Catalonia decide their own future. The rest of the world and even Spain were caught by surprise, but the events unfolding in Barcelona have been a long time coming.   In this new book, 35 experts explore Catalonia’s history, economics, politics, language, and culture, in order to explain to the rest of the world the fascinating story behind the march, the new legislature, and the upcoming vote on whether Catalonia will become the next new state in Europe.   ------- El 11 de septiembre de 2012, Diada Nacional de Cataluña, un millón y medio de personas de toda Cataluña se manifestaron pacífica y felizmente por las calles de Barcelona, detrás de una sola pancarta: Cataluña: Nuevo Estado de Europa. Quince días más tarde, el presidente Artur Mas convocó elecciones anticipadas al Parlamento de Cataluña, con la intención de hacer un referéndum para que los catalanes decidan su propio futuro. El resto del mundo, e incluso España, se sorprendió, pero los acontecimientos que se dieron en Barcelona vienen de muy lejos. En este nuevo libro, 35 expertos exploran la historia, economía, política, lengua y cultura de Cataluña para poder explicar al resto del mundo los antecedentes fascinantes que hay detrás de la manifestación, la nueva legislatura, y el referéndum que se celebrará próximamente para saber si Cataluña será un nuevo estado de Europa. -------- Prologue/Prólogo: Artur Mas, President of Catalonia/Presidente de Cataluña. Contributions/Contribuciones: Ignasi Aragay • Laia Balcells • Germà Bel • Laura Borràs • Alfred Bosch • Núria Bosch • Roger Buch i Ros • Joan Canadell • Pau Canaleta • Salvador Cardús • Muriel Casals • Andreu Domingo • Carme Forcadell Lluís • Josep Maria Ganyet • Salvador Garcia-Ruiz • Àlex Hinojo • Edward Hugh • Oriol Junqueras • M. Carme Junyent • J.C. Major • Pere Mayans Balcells • Josep M. Muñoz • Mary Ann Newman • Elisenda Paluzie • Vicent Partal • Cristina Perales-García • Eva Piquer • Enric Pujol Casademont • Marta Rovira-Martínez • Vicent Sanchis • Xavier Solano • Miquel Strubell • Matthew Tree • Ramon Tremosa • F. Xavier Vila</p>

What's up with Catalonia? / ¿Qué le pasa a Cataluña?: The causes which impel them to the separation / Las causas que la impulsan a la separación

History

Europe

Many Grains of Sand is a collection of photographs and stories that give witness to the creativity and variety of initiatives being undertaken by the people of Catalonia in order to win their independence peacefully and democratically. The objective of the book is on the one hand to serve as inspiration for other activist movements around the world, and on the other, to offer Catalans themselves a new perspective on the progress they have made in their struggle. The book gathers 537 photographs from 170 photographers and covers the period from the beginning of the negotiations over the Catala Statute of Autonomy in 2000 through to the renewed demands for an official, binding referendum at the end of the summer in 2016 from civic groups and politicians alike, passing through six massive, peaceful demonstrations.

Many Grains of Sand: A sourcebook of ideas for changing the world, tried and tested in Catalonia