Review
From the book jacket: Ben Williamson has lost a daughter. While studying abroad in Madrid,
Michelle Williamson was caught in a bombing by Basque separatists, a bombing
that killed her and several members of the Guardia Civil at a post in a
park. For Ben, this act of violence has left only questions, and at a moment
of despair he decides to seek out the reasons for Michelle's death. As Ben
begins to learn about the endless tensions beneath the surface of Spanish
culture, he finds that he wants someone to answer for his loss.
Ben's other daughter, Annie, is also wrestling with the loss of her
sister. When she follows her father to Spain, she finds a changed man.
Comment:
I'm not quite sure what I expected from
House of The Deaf, but I am
sure that it delivered more than I anticipated. As the...
Beyond the Book
Who are the Basque separatists?
Euskadi Ta Azkatasuna (ETA) stands for Basque
Homeland and Freedom. The group seeks independence for seven regions in
northern Spain and South-West France that they claim as their own. The ETA
first appeared in the 1960s as a student resistance movement opposed to General
Franco's military dictatorship (Franco banned the Basque language, suppressed
their culture and had Basque intellectuals tortured for their beliefs).
Since Franco's death in 1975 Spain's Basque country now has more autonomy than
any other region in Spain, including its own parliament, police force, education
policies and ability to collect taxes, but hardline ETA members and supporters
remain determined to fight for full...
