Tales of the Alhambra (Import)

The different stories, folk tales, and trivia concerning the Alhambra really paint a picture of the place's history and vibe. That said, some stories are a bit drawn out and in this day and age my attention span needs more caressing than Irving did at times. Nonetheless I enjoyed getting to know the Alhambra and look forward to actually visiting someday, so I can reread this while touring the different fountains and towers.

Many Americans know Washington Irving as the author of "the Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle". Few realize that he was also a world traveler, scholarly fluent in Arabic and Spanish and something of an Hispanophile, to the say least. Irving's book is largely responsible for the widespread romantic image of Spain. It is a collection of observation, history, fairy tale, written in Irving's unique blend of romanticism and healthy skepticism. It is roughly framed by his journey to the Alhambra and his departure from it, an in between we are given a tour of the grounds and hear a few tales (including tales of Moorish ghosts on headless horses) which are roughly intertwined as in the Arabian Nights. Indeed, this little book is the 'Arabian Nights' of the west. Before visit the Alhambra read this book. If you are not planning on going, read it and you'll probably change your mind.

Irving's book on the Alhambra and the surrounding territory of Granada remains one of the best guidebooks to the region--and one of the most entertaining travelogues ever written. Anyone who has visited (or plans to visit) southern Spain will be thrilled by the account of Irving's trip, but I'll go further: you need not ever go there to enjoy this classic work of history and humor. Irving stayed at the Alhambra for three months in 1829 and jotted down notes concerning its history and legends. Early in his visit, Irving was accosted by Mateo Ximenes, a credulous and indigent "son of the Alhambra" who soon proves a worthy and endearing companion, a guide to secret chambers, and a conveyor of whimsical traditions. A couple of years later, while in London, Irving wrote "The Alhambra," describing his idiosyncratic hosts, recounting the millennium-old history of the Moorish occupation, and transcribing fresh versions of the palace's medieval legends and myths, many of which resemble stories from the "Arabian Nights." The first edition appeared in 1832, a second American edition was published four years later, but Irving extensively revised and enlarged the book in 1851, incorporating material unavailable or unknown to him in the 1830s. This last edition is the one most commonly available today. The result is easily Irving's most accessible book, filled with wit and anecdote. Alongside the history of the Moorish kingdom of Granada, Irving intersperses tales (both historical and mythical) of enchanted caves, imprisoned princesses, and buried treasure. His admiration for Islamic heritage is obvious throughout: "The Arab invasion and conquest brought a higher civilization and a nobler style of thinking, into Gothic Spain." And he regularly denounces the prejudices (both medieval and contemporary) "so strongly characteristic of the bigot zeal, which sometimes inflamed the Christian enterprises" and which have prevented his fellow Europeans from studying a rich and justifiably proud tradition. As Irving accurately summarizes, Moslem Spain was "a region of light amid Christian, yet benighted Europe; externally a warrior power fighting for existence; internally a realm devoted to literature, science, and the arts; where philosophy was cultivated with a passion . . . and where the luxuries of sense were transcended by those of thought and imagination." Plus, the Islamic "occupiers" and Christian warriors certainly knew how to tell a good story. This book will delight both history and literature buffs.

I am a Moor and I relate to the stories well. The stories reminded me of the things to avoid for the things that will come. A Moorish Empire will rise again. Irving starts with his personal journey then he has several stories of gallant and modest characters which makes you feel your in the garden or the palace. It brings back what love was and how it should be. I really like the story of the Father striving to keep his son from learning about love. I know no matter what you do you can never lock love away because of its power and its vast estate one would have to know it is impossible. This is a worth while reader for anyone who knows and wants the best from humanity for it is the Moors who created civilization and it is their station to restore it.

My visit to the Alhambra in the summer of 2002 wouldn't have been the same, not even close, if I hadn't peeped into the curiosity shop in the Alhambra complex. The book was everywhere. The stories are short and captivatingly exotic. It was a good choice. I kept reading it during the next days of my trip through the south of Spain. And it helped me visualize more clearly the Alhambra, like a place with its own life and soul. I am thankful to this nicely written book because it helped me appreciate much better the beauty and history of the Alhambra.

I don't always like to read classics, but when a friend of mine suggested that I read this book, I decided to try it, and I am very glad that I did. Irving's words, though written so many years before now, still paint eloquent pictures of the Spain of his time. I could almost see what he was seeing. The stories and legends are also wonderful and fascinating. An antique copy of this book is one of my most treasured gifts.