Everything you always wanted to know about the Spanish* (*but were afraid to ask): A social-historical-humorous essay on the Spanish people

by Gaspard Chevallier

Why are Spaniards so close (in every sense of the word) to their families?
How do they handle work, parties, and naps so well?
What is the source of their surprising love of sport?
Is religion still so influential in Spain?
Why do the Spanish love to gossip so much?
What are the secrets of Cervantes' language?
What is happening to the Catalans?
Why is there such a passion for Spanish gastronomy nowadays?
These and other questions are answered in this book through amusing anecdotes and real-life experiences

134 pages, Paperback

Published January 13, 2023

About the author

Gaspard Chevallier was born in 1971. He worked and lived in 16 different countries before settling in Spain where he met his wife and started family. He began his career as a salesman, then moved to journalism before becoming an entrepreneur.

Reviews

[Darryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaspard Chevallier is a Frenchman who emigrated to Madrid in 2000 for work, fell in love with the country, its people, and the woman who is now his wife, and decided to stay. In this highly entertaining, informative and insightful book he describes the Spanish people, their customs, quirks, regional differences and all other aspects of their culture, from the view of an expatriate from a nearby but very different country, in what is, in essence, a love letter to the Spanish people. Among the topics he covers are holiday traditions, common phrases and their meanings that were completely unfamiliar to me despite my knowledge of the Spanish language, the significance of sport, including bullfighting, the unique relationship between religion and government, and the importance of family in the daily lives of all Spaniards.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Spanish*, as Chevallier writes in a very engaging and amusing style, and it taught me a tremendous amount about the Spaniards in a short space; I found myself exclaiming “Ah!” several times. In reading it I was transported back to the lovely country I’ve visited at least six times in the past decade, and it reminded me of what I loved about Spain, while giving me a view into the people who I only superficially interacted with. I devoured this book in two sittings, and it made me want to pack my suitcase and jump on the next flight to Barcelona or Sevilla. This book is highly recommended for anyone who plans to visit Spain, has already enjoyed that amazing country, or wants to learn more about the Spanish people.

[Covadonga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to M. Chevallier and the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of it. So I proceed.
It was provided in pdf format, and I must say I prefer for example epub or other similar format, since the size of the text had to be necessarily small if i wanted to read it well in my tagus e-reader.
I'm Spanish, a Spaniard, from Asturias in the North West of Spain, my name is Covadonga, surely the author will recognize the origin (a battle against the moors/muslims, where the Reconquista/Reconquest began, a sanctuary, an image of the holy virgin Mary). That's why I chose this particular title, it called my attention.
And I must say, for a Frenchman Gaspard nails it! Of course it seems he has been married to his Spanish wife for many years and it's where he resides now; that's why he knows and understands the country so well.
Let's say everything that's in the book is true or almost (a little exaggeration at times, and that is also humour), but not everything is in the book: understandable, the book is not that long.

All in all it's a very fun and enjoyable little guide that will help tourists and visitors to know this great country a bit better, though, necessarily, not in depth.