Recommendations on books about Franco

Sir Anthony Beevor probably wrote the definitive English-language history of the civil war ("The Battle for Spain"). But whilst it includes Franco, obviously, it isn't really about his regime after winning.

Paul Preston has written several books about Spain including the civil war and on life in the following decades under the regime and afterwards (e.g. "The Spannish Holocaust", "Architects of Terror" and "A People Betrayed") . Prwston also wrote a specific biography of Franco - called, I think, just "Franco".

Thanks found them at my library

GHOSTS OF SPAIN is excellent.

Give The Shadow of The Wind a try, if you haven't already. Not a book on the affable Franco himself but a brillaint novel set during his benevolent leadership. It's part of a small series of novels about The Cemetery of Forgotten Books.

It's not a book, but this is an excellent 6-part documentary about the Spanish Civil War. Here is part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_I6C-VbFvI&t=17s

@Gundersen:

I appreciate the book recommendation. However, I must respond to the comment about Franco's "benevolent leadership." This isn’t the place for political revisionism, and frankly, calling a brutal, repressive dictatorship "benevolent" is deeply offensive — especially to those of us whose families were persecuted, silenced, or worse under that regime.

We can discuss literature without casually whitewashing a bloody chapter of history. Let's keep the conversation respectful of those who suffered and avoid glorifying a dictatorship responsible for countless atrocities.

Enric

I suspect Gundersen was attempting irony (unsuccessfully), rather than actually meaning Franco was "affable".

I hope so, but this is an extremely sensitive topic in Spain, especially considering there was never a 'Nuremberg process' or a truth commission like in South Africa to cleanse certain institutions — especially the judiciary, the police, and the military — of elements tied to the former dictatorship.

And this is even more true in regions with cultures different from the Castilian one, where repression was even harsher.

The saddest part is the legacy of the far right, which never really disappeared in the most regressive corners of Spain — and now, due to the historical ignorance of younger generations, seems to be making a comeback in that same old, backward, stale version of Spain.

I read George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia when I was in my teens and the mention of this topic makes me want to go back to it again at some point. Again, more a civil war document than covering Franco's dictatorship. I look at communism through a different set of eyes than I did in my youth, so it would be interesting to re-read.

I lived in Spain a couple years after Franco died and Spain was close to being a 3rd world country and just finding itself. The Guardia Civil was still feared and hadn’t given up most of its power. Just like the villages with “de la Frontera” in their name because they were on the front line during the reconquest some towns that were Franco strongholds during the civil war had “de Franco” in their names, e.g., Barbate de Franco, now just Barbate. When speaking with locals anyplace there were certain topics that were never discussed because it was too painful. At that time, the widows of those killed during the war were everywhere and they only ever wore black. It was an interesting period to be sure.

Yes I think it's an interesting period to study. I am a history lover and I like to read about these things to try to understand how it happened. These recommendations are on by booklist.

"I suspect Gundersen was attempting irony (unsuccessfully)" - What, again? I"ll take your flak to heart and try harder.

I think many foreigners will be surprised by how strong the spectre of Franco still looms over Spain. To many locals it's still a very touchy subject, many skeletons still in the closet, best tread carefully.

That said if you are looking for a film about the Civil War period and Franco I can suggest While at War (Spanish: Mientras dure la guerra), it is told from the perspective of a famous academic of the time called Miguel de Unamuno.