Reviews
Spain, a peninsula nation just like Korea that has had to endure invasions by various foreign peoples... To understand the history of Spain, one must first begin with the story of ancient Rome. Furthermore, it is evident that the country was referred to as the Iberian Peninsula rather than Spain, and that the term "Iberian" is more familiar to them. Here, one can see that Seville played a more significant role as the capital of Spain in history than Madrid, the capital we know today. The sense
When learning history, there are times when the story of Ungnyeo, who became human from garlic and mugwort, lingers longer in one's memory than the concept of Hongik Ingan or the Eight Articles of Law of Gojoseon. In that sense, *Europe's First Sun, Spain*, which I read recently, is a very interesting history book. It is structured to match its subtitle, "First Encounter with Spain's History and Legends," and includes a considerable amount of photographic material. Furthermore, co-authored by
[Book Review] Europe's First Sun, Spain [By Seo Hee-seok, José Antonio Palma / Eul-yu Culture] This book is the verbatim record of the journey undertaken by Seo Hee-seok, a Korean who left Korea to settle in Spain after long harboring a fascination with the country, and José Antonio, a travel guide born in Seville who graduated from the History Department of the National University of Seville and introduces the city to visitors. Together, they traveled throughout Spain, taking photos and
When traveling, many people visit Europe, almost as if it were a passing trend. Among the most popular destinations are familiar countries like the UK, France, Switzerland, and Germany, but it seems that fewer people have visited Spain than one might expect. Long ago, an acquaintance of mine wanted to visit Spain, the land of Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso. Because of the architecture and unique sights, I was always curious about it. Driven by this curiosity, I began researching Spain, known as
Looking at the Americas and Africa, one often sees Spanish-speaking countries that are not part of Spain's territory. As Koreans who have endured foreign invasions yet have maintained our pride as a homogeneous nation using our own unique script, this might seem somewhat difficult to understand. However, looking at it from the opposite perspective, it also highlights just how immense Spain's influence was. Such achievements could not have been accomplished through mere domination by force; one
The history of Spain! It was a wonderful opportunity to revisit the glorious past. Before Britain's Industrial Revolution, Spain was another kingdom that was a maritime powerhouse and traversed the globe. Aiming for active exploration and trade via the seas, they advanced navigation skills and accumulated immense wealth through colonial activities. Until their decline following wars with Britain, they expanded their territory to almost every corner of the world, developing into a center of
I believe Spain is a more charming country than any other in Europe. Personally, I love it so much that I traveled to Spain and Portugal a few years ago. Since this was essentially my first trip to Europe, I had high expectations; however, the trip left a memory that was even better than I had anticipated. Spain is a country with such immense charm that it is difficult to put into words. Because I have always wanted to visit Spain again, which left such a deep impression on me, I naturally find
When thinking of Spain, the first image that comes to mind is the architect Gaudí. I thought I knew a fair amount about Spanish history, but reading this book made me realize my own ignorance and arrogance. Until now, my knowledge of Spain was almost entirely limited to stories about Philip II, the King of the Spanish Armada who was both a suitor and an enemy of Elizabeth I—the one who paved the way for Britain's Age of Discovery—Queen Isabella, who contributed significantly to the discovery of
If we were to name the nations that once held powerful authority in history, they would be the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Characterized by military power built upon a strong navy, these countries possess a glorious past that formed the foundation of global imperialism. Even the Commonwealth, which remains in name today, may not possess the same power as it once did, but its influence is still considerable. Among these nations, Spain was the one I had been particularly
The word that comes to mind when thinking of Spain is "Atlantis." Due to the slightly mysterious aura emanating from both its pronunciation and the appearance of its letters, it is a word that has not become widely known, despite being frequently mentioned on TV or in books. Atlantis is said to be a legendary island and maritime nation located within the Pillars of Hercules, a rocky mountain in the Strait of Gibraltar. Thus, the history of Spain begins with Hercules. According to legend, the
Seo Hee-seok et al.: Europe's First Sun, Spain
Spain, which built an empire on which the sun never sets and could be called the first sun of Europe, was history itself even before history existed. Among the twelve labors assigned to the Greek mythological hero Hercules, the tenth task was to drive the herd of bulls belonging to Geryon, who lived on the island of Erytheia at the western edge of the world. The island of Erytheia at that time is none other than the modern-day region of Seville in Spain. Since then, Spain has been a country of peculiar charm where mosques and cathedrals coexist to this day, with Islamic and Catholic forces constantly vying for dominance. The history of Spain, which ushered in the Age of Discovery that reshaped European history, can also be viewed as the history of Europe's growth. This book introduces the entire process as excitingly as reading a novel, starting from the ancient Spanish civilization of the Kingdom of Tartessos in the BCE era, through the Visigothic Kingdom that settled on the Spanish peninsula, the era of Islamic rule, the unification of Spain culminating in the marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, and extending to Philip II, who presided over the golden age of Spain on which the sun never set, and the subsequent fall of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty. Through this, it will serve as an opportunity to view a new Europe by examining the history of Spain, which seems similar yet different from our own.
Korean title: 유럽의 첫 번째 태양, 스페인
Korean author: 서희석 외
Korean publisher: 을유문화사
ISBN-13: 9788932473222
Reviews
Spain, a peninsula nation just like Korea that has had to endure invasions by various foreign peoples... To understand the history of Spain, one must first begin with the story of ancient Rome. Furthermore, it is evident that the country was referred to as the Iberian Peninsula rather than Spain, and that the term "Iberian" is more familiar to them. Here, one can see that Seville played a more significant role as the capital of Spain in history than Madrid, the capital we know today. The sense
When learning history, there are times when the story of Ungnyeo, who became human from garlic and mugwort, lingers longer in one's memory than the concept of Hongik Ingan or the Eight Articles of Law of Gojoseon. In that sense, *Europe's First Sun, Spain*, which I read recently, is a very interesting history book. It is structured to match its subtitle, "First Encounter with Spain's History and Legends," and includes a considerable amount of photographic material. Furthermore, co-authored by
[Book Review] Europe's First Sun, Spain [By Seo Hee-seok, José Antonio Palma / Eul-yu Culture] This book is the verbatim record of the journey undertaken by Seo Hee-seok, a Korean who left Korea to settle in Spain after long harboring a fascination with the country, and José Antonio, a travel guide born in Seville who graduated from the History Department of the National University of Seville and introduces the city to visitors. Together, they traveled throughout Spain, taking photos and
When traveling, many people visit Europe, almost as if it were a passing trend. Among the most popular destinations are familiar countries like the UK, France, Switzerland, and Germany, but it seems that fewer people have visited Spain than one might expect. Long ago, an acquaintance of mine wanted to visit Spain, the land of Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso. Because of the architecture and unique sights, I was always curious about it. Driven by this curiosity, I began researching Spain, known as
Looking at the Americas and Africa, one often sees Spanish-speaking countries that are not part of Spain's territory. As Koreans who have endured foreign invasions yet have maintained our pride as a homogeneous nation using our own unique script, this might seem somewhat difficult to understand. However, looking at it from the opposite perspective, it also highlights just how immense Spain's influence was. Such achievements could not have been accomplished through mere domination by force; one
The history of Spain! It was a wonderful opportunity to revisit the glorious past. Before Britain's Industrial Revolution, Spain was another kingdom that was a maritime powerhouse and traversed the globe. Aiming for active exploration and trade via the seas, they advanced navigation skills and accumulated immense wealth through colonial activities. Until their decline following wars with Britain, they expanded their territory to almost every corner of the world, developing into a center of
I believe Spain is a more charming country than any other in Europe. Personally, I love it so much that I traveled to Spain and Portugal a few years ago. Since this was essentially my first trip to Europe, I had high expectations; however, the trip left a memory that was even better than I had anticipated. Spain is a country with such immense charm that it is difficult to put into words. Because I have always wanted to visit Spain again, which left such a deep impression on me, I naturally find
When thinking of Spain, the first image that comes to mind is the architect Gaudí. I thought I knew a fair amount about Spanish history, but reading this book made me realize my own ignorance and arrogance. Until now, my knowledge of Spain was almost entirely limited to stories about Philip II, the King of the Spanish Armada who was both a suitor and an enemy of Elizabeth I—the one who paved the way for Britain's Age of Discovery—Queen Isabella, who contributed significantly to the discovery of
If we were to name the nations that once held powerful authority in history, they would be the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Characterized by military power built upon a strong navy, these countries possess a glorious past that formed the foundation of global imperialism. Even the Commonwealth, which remains in name today, may not possess the same power as it once did, but its influence is still considerable. Among these nations, Spain was the one I had been particularly
The word that comes to mind when thinking of Spain is "Atlantis." Due to the slightly mysterious aura emanating from both its pronunciation and the appearance of its letters, it is a word that has not become widely known, despite being frequently mentioned on TV or in books. Atlantis is said to be a legendary island and maritime nation located within the Pillars of Hercules, a rocky mountain in the Strait of Gibraltar. Thus, the history of Spain begins with Hercules. According to legend, the
