A coming-of-age story of Nagore Vargas, a child of Spanish left-wing immigrants to the Basque Country, during the eighties and nineties. She had no filter, and grew up quickly. This book is a fast-paced novel, switching back and forth from present day to her past. It is a journey of Nagore’s life, but also of the Basque Country’s evolution through the last three decades. An interesting read and an eye-opener to a Basque Country foreign to other’s experiences.
The first feature film made in the Basque language in over a decade, Agur Etxebeste! is a comedy about keeping up appearances. The Etxebeste family is well respected in their small Basque town, and are proprietors of a beret factory. But on the eve of their summer holiday to Marbella, they discover that they’re broke. The neighbors mustn’t find out and so they devise a plan which finds them hiding in their flat for the duration.
Set in the mid-60’s, this is a story of a young Basque man, Manex, who was raised during Franco’s rule when being Basque was dangerous. Manex’s reality sets the stage for how he reacts to his new experiences while he goes from one politically-charged situation to another all across the world.
This movie can be found on Netflix.
This is a wonderful peek into the life of Berstolari Joxe Mari Iparragirre, musician, freedom fighter, and author of the unofficial Basque anthem, Gernikako Arbola. For the first time ever, his poetry has been translated into English, offering us a glimpse of Euskal Herria in the mid-1800s through the eyes of a man who lived much of his life in exile, but whose profound love and pride of home never ceased.
During World War II, many ordinary people found themselves in heroic situations. One of these took place in the Basque village of Mendive and involved an unlikely partnership between a Belgian ophthalmologist and a Basque shepherd. A sawmill became a front to convey people and cargo to Spain. Thankfully this true story has been documented and will not be lost to time. Interested? In addition to being available on Goodreads, we will soon have a copy in our library.
This book is a wonderful tribute to Joan Errea’s father, Arnaud Paris. Originally a series written in the style of Basque Bertsolari, it has been translated into English. This heartfelt book includes an introduction by Pello Salaburu, which gives a little background and context for the stories in the book.
“On the prairies of Nevada in a camp that followed sheep,
He taught us how to deal with life although the trails were steep.
On the prairies of Nevada in a camp that followed sheep,
My memories of my father are wonderful and deep.”
Beyond its deeply personal story, this book is a testimony to the ranching way of life in the western United States. There is humor, love, and big personalities. This honest recollection also has illness, injuries, suffering, loss, and death. There are stories of her brothers, her uncles, and some run-ins with coyotes, cowboys, bears and bulls.
The foreword has a page with translations of a few Basque words such as Aita means father. There is also a page listing the characters in the book with their real names such as husband is Louis Errea.
The ending is very touching:“Many years have past and still my father’s memory brings tears. It’s been so sweet to write all this. I miss my father’s love and always will.”
A beautiful story told by a son of his father’s immigration from the Basque Country to the United States. Laxalt shares his father’s experience working in Nevada as a sheepherder and after 50 years he and his father go back to the Basque Country together. This book is an easy read; more importantly, Laxalt tells a moving story and brings the reader along to really picture and appreciate the harsh Nevada elements.
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