A PASSIONATE STORY OF PORTUGAL

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW THE TRUE PORTUGUESE SOUL

Portugal is an established member of the European Union, one of the founders of the euro currency, and a holiday destination for millions of people each year. Yet foreigners are broadly unfamiliar with the country's history and culture.

Portugal is an established member of the European Union, one of the founders of the euro currency, and a holiday destination for millions of people each year. Yet foreigners are broadly unfamiliar with the country's history and culture.

Barry Hatton blends historical analysis with personal anecdotes gathered during more than two decades as a foreign correspondent in Portugal to produce an intimate portrait. He describes the idiosyncrasies that make the Portuguese people unique and catalogues the events that have shaped the national character.

Portugal, which claims Europe's oldest fixed borders, measures just 561 by 218 kilometers. Within that space, however, it offers a patchwork of widely differing and beautiful landscapes. With an easygoing and seductive lifestyle, most clearly expressed in their taste for good food, the Portuguese people also have an anarchical streak, evident in many facets of contemporary life.

Possessing a detailed knowledge of Portuguese customs that is rare abroad, the author provides a comprehensive survey of a fascinating country and a fascinating, and sometimes contradictory, people.