For Madrid the Prado is without doubt what the Louvre is for Paris and the Uffizi for Florence. A guide book to this museum with a knowledgeable commentary is therefore essential for really getting to know Madrid. However, this richly illustrated book not only portrays the city and its art in a dynamic relationship, it also relates a long and checkered history - from its beginnings and its charms as a residence, to the Civil War and modern times -...