Ghidul xenofobului - Spaniolii

The Xenophobe's Guide

by Drew Launay

Colectia Ghidul Xenofobului este o capodopera in miniatura, un univers in format de buzunar: micile calitati si marile defecte ale omenirii, intr-o calatorie sarmanta si ireverentioasa, plina de umor si onestitate. Vindeca de xenofobie aproape garantat!
„Cuvantul esential pe care trebuie sa-l retineti din vocabularul lor este manana (insotit de obicei de o ridicare din umeri), care inseamna «maine» sau «candva in cursul zilei de maine», sau «poimaine», sau «raspoimaine» sau «saptamana viitoare», «saptamana de dupa saptamana viitoare», «luna viitoare», «poate luna viitoare», «anul viitor», «posibil anul viitor», «mai bine sa gandim in termenii anului 2013», «mai tarziu», «candva», «niciodata», «absolut niciodata».“

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Travel, Cultural

128 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Drew Launay was born of French parents in England. Lives in Nerja, Southern Spain. After early years in the family meat business he escaped to the Windmill Theatre in London's West End to write the screen play for 'Yes we have no Pajamas'.

Over 50 books have since been published under pseudonyms André Launay (General Fiction), Andrew Laurance (Psychic Thrillers) and some of the popular Xenophobe and Bluffer's Guides.

Reviews

[Zuziku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ako hovorí podnázov knihy, naozaj to bol "zábavný sprievodca národnou povahou" Španielov. Mnoho z informácií som už síce vedela, keďže so Španielmi často prichádzam do kontaktu, ale dozvedela som sa aj zopár nových informácií. Kniha sa číta ľahko a rýchlo, je písaná priateľským jazykom a obsahuje aj dobré vysvetlenia jednotlivých opisov prostredníctvom konkrétnych príkladov. Prezrádza nám, akí sú Španieli v práci, akí sú šoféri, aký majú zmysel pre humor, čo dobré jedávajú a mnoho ďalších zaujímavostí, ktorými sa líšia od ostatných národov - hlavne to, ako si vedia užívať život a bavia ich "fiestas". Pri čítaní si samozrejme musíme uvedomiť, že kniha zovšeobecňuje, a že všetci Španieli nie sú rovnakí a nemôžeme ich hádzať do jedného vreca. Niektoré veci v knihe sú možno máličko zveličené, ale určite odporúčam prečítať všetkým, ktorí sa buď zaujímajú o španielsku kultúru, alebo sa raz chystajú vycestovať do Španielska.

[Pau Lethani · Rating 2 out of 5]

2'5/5

[Javier · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most information is simply wrong. I am not sure if the author is talking about a topic he doesn’t know well enough, if he’s simply not interested in providing accurate information, if the book was written in the 70s, if he’s autistic or all of the above...

The author claims that using the formal ‘usted’ instead of the informal ‘tu’ while speaking to a policeman in order to curry favor from this policeman may end up with your getting a parking fine even if you don’t even have a car... That’s so ridiculous that the most plausible explanation is that the knowledge of the author on the subject at hand is laughable. Trying to curry favor from a policeman may eventually get you in trouble, not the use of the formal ‘usted’ (which he would otherwise appreciate)...

Now, the worst part is that this makes me wonder if the other guides from this collection which I have read are equally wrong and imprecise.

Maybe it’s my fault as I didn’t think that these guides would be written by -literally- xenophobic minds.

[Diana Gutiérrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is difficult to review this book being Spanish, but I had formerly read some other titles from this series and found them all hilarious. Surprisingly, I only mildly chuckled with this one. The picture of the Spanish seemed less clear, more firmly rooted in the 80's-90's (this book was written in the 90's and it looks like it hasn't been updated much since) and less fun than the other ones. It made some really good points but then again it does not really manage to get to the "why?" as much The Xenophobe's Guide to the English and The Xenophobe's Guide to the German try to do. I highly recommend those two instead.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just hilarious!!!
(And true)

[Grzegorz · Rating 4 out of 5]

All true - author has great insight in Spanish habits, flaws, how things do (mostly not) work. Regret I didn't read it before coming to Spain, things will be much easier to handle ;-)

[Shirin Alzebari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply the best , resolving the mystery behind the Spanish temperament , that is difficult to decipher !

[André Buzzulini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool and fun, but I have the impression the author is talking about Spain in the 70/80’s.

[Antholo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Descripción del estereotipo del español en tono jocoso y muy provocativo, poniendo el dedo en la llaga con las costumbres y manera de ser que más sorprende a los extranjeros de nosotros.
Aunque en algunos apartados acierta en nuestras debilidades y recurre a actitudes algo antiguas y desfasadas para para alimentar el chiste. En general, se expone una caricatura o lo que es lo mismo, una exageración y como tal, sólo cabe hacer una cosa como la mas sensata, asimilarlo como una crítica constructiva y reírse : )

[AloeB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living few months in one peculiar part of Spain and I can consider at least half of the informations said in the book as relevant, the rest I either have not experienced yet or even may disagree, but it's possibly fault of the various of regions and thus different features of them or simply because of fact, that the original book was published before more than 20 years. It's clear that it's simplification and presents one unique demeanour of the Spanishiards, but because of this it's not naturally less interesting.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book may contain some facts or details that have become outdated as of 2023. However, the author's writing style is humorous and the book includes some exaggerated situations that add to its entertainment value. In general, the book is quite informative

[Andreea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It mostly just says that the Spanish want to have fun in any way, anytime, anywhere, and nothing else matters. But rather interesting anyway

[Paula Marin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Putin exagerata, dar 80% adevarata. O lucrare veridica ascunsa sub masca ilaritatii.

[Mario Pérez Díaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clavao

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

In het NL gelezen: dat zijn nou typisch Spanjaarden

[Dermo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not funny at all. Avoid.