A Boy In Barcelona

Meet Will Kingsfield, a thirty-something gay guy, who in desperate need for a change in his life, decides to move from a small village in Southern England to the bustling centre of Barcelona in Spain. In his attempt to start anew, Will decides to quit Facebook, Twitter and all other forms of 'Social Media', jack in all the gay dating apps and websites and instead takes up the dying art of letter writing. Spurred on by letters from his Mum, 'Madam Chairwoman for the Flower Arranging Club', Miss. Elaine, the ever so flamboyant director of the Village Pantomime and his best friend Suz, a man-eating Ozzie, Will writes about his new life, complete with all of the ups and downs of moving to a new country, starting a new job and meeting Mr. Right! Filled with a year full of adventures, stories and laugh out loud moments, 'A Boy In Barcelona' is the perfect read for those of us that love life and love laughter! 'A Boy In Barcelona' is a gay adaptation of his popular novel 'Letters to Rachel'.

A slighted wife escapes her wealthy family for the evening and stumbles into the city's red-light district... The head of security at Barcelona's container port searches for a figure that only he has seen sneak in... An elderly woman brings home a machine that will turn her body into atoms, so she can leave behind a city that is no longer recognisable... Historically, Barcelona is a city of resistance and independence; a focal point for Catalan identity, as well as the capital of Spanish republicanism. Nestled between the Mediterranean coast and mountains, this burgeoning city has also been home to some of the greatest names in modern art and architecture, and attracts visitors and migrants from all over the world. As a result, the city is a melting-pot of cultures, and the stories gathered here offer a miscellany of form and genre, fittingly reminiscent of one of Gaudi's mosaics. From the boy-giant outgrowing his cramped flat on the city's outskirts, to the love affair that begins in a launderette, we meet characters who are reclaiming the independence of their city by challenging common misconceptions and telling its myriad truths.

With rare and unrivaled access, bestselling coauthor of Soccernomics and longtime Financial Times journalist Simon Kuper tells the story of how FC Barcelona became the most successful club in the world—and how that era is now ending FC Barcelona is not just the world’s highest grossing sports club, it is simply one of the most influential organizations on the planet. At last count, it had approximately 214 million social media followers, more than any other sports club except Real Madrid CF—and by one earlier measure, more than all thirty-two NFL teams combined. It has more in common with multinational megacompanies like Netflix or small nation-states than it does with most soccer teams. No wonder its motto is “More than a club.” But it was not always so. In the past three decades, Barcelona went from a regional team to a global powerhouse, becoming a model of sustained excellence and beautiful soccer, and a consistent winner of championships. Simon Kuper unravels exactly how this transformation took place, paying special attention to the club’s two biggest stars, Johan Cruyff and Lionel Messi, who is arguably the greatest soccer player of all time. Messi joined Barça at age thirteen and, more than anyone, has been the engine and standard-bearer of Barcelona’s glory. But his era is coming to an end—and with it, a once-in-a-lifetime golden run. This book charts Barça’s rise and fall. Like many world-beating organizations, FC Barcelona closely guards its secrets, granting few outsiders access to the Camp Nou, its legendary home stadium. But after decades of writing about the sport and the club, Kuper was given access to the inner sanctum and the people behind the scenes who strive daily to keep Barcelona at the top. Erudite, personal, and capturing all the latest upheavals, his portrait of this incredible institution goes beyond soccer to understand FC Barcelona as a unique social, cultural, and political phenomenon.

It wasn’t meant to happen. One of his rare mistakes. Daniela’s parents and brother weren’t meant to be there. Raphael Robles lies to his young niece about their deaths. For him, the cover-up is easy; he’s one of Spain’s top counterterrorism cops. Years later, living at his house, Daniela discovers the truth. They were killed in the Atocha train station bombing. She stumbles over a dark and fiendish secret: her uncle is a traitor. He’s operating deep undercover for al-Rashid, the emerging leader of al-Qaeda and architect of the massacre. Bent on revenge, she bides her time. Her fiance is murdered near the Sagrada Familia. Catalan police detectives investigate—immediately clashing with Madrid’s federal forces, who know a lot more than they’re admitting. DI Antonio Valls suspects a cover-up but is unprepared for Daniela—and the shocking events that are about to unfold. The Girl from Barcelona is the first book in the Daniela’s Story trilogy. Based on the Arabic saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” her journey weaves an intricate web of espionage, suspense and deception.

Whether you want to tour Parc Güell, explore the Barri Gòtic, or marvel at the Sagrada Familia, the local Fodor’s travel experts in Barcelona are here to help! Fodor’s Barcelonaguidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. Fodor’s Barcelona travel guide includes: AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time MORE THAN 15 DETAILED MAPS and a FREE PULL-OUT MAP to help you navigate confidently COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust! HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, side-trips, and more PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “Best Museums,” “Best Day Trips,” “What to Buy in Barcelona,” “Free Things to Do in Barcelona,” and more TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, and more SPECIAL FEATURES on “Gaudi: Architecture Though the Looking Glass,” “La Sagrada Familia,” and “The Wines of Spaini.” LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems SPANISH LANGUAGE PRIMER with useful words and essential phrases UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: The Barri Gòtic, The Rambla, The Eixample, Gràcia, Barceloneta, Poble Nou, La Ciutadella, Port Olímpic, Monguïc, and more. Planning on visiting other destinations in Spain? Check out Fodor’s Essential Spain and Fodor’s Madrid. *Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

An investigation of the intrigue, politics and culture behind El Clásico - the hard-fought, long-running contest between two of the world's biggest football clubs - explaining the place sport's greatest rivalry has in Spanish life and the world of football.

The Passeig de Gràcia is a treasure house of Barcelona's architectural, artistic, commercial and cultural heritage; making it one of the most renowned avenues in the world. This guide aims to introduce you to the history of this famed avenue by identifying all of its emblematic buildings and singling out all of their artistic elements. It also reveals what is on offer culturally in the avenue's museums and art galleries, as well as outlining the leisure and festive activities that often fill its pavements. Of course, Passeig de Gràcia is also one of the best-known and most important commercial boulevards in the world. The guide examines all of the luxury brands you can browse through along its mile long length, as well as noting the wide range of gastronomical delights on offer. However, Passeig de Gràcia is, above all, a place for wandering along, discovering the latest tendencies in art, innovation, design and fashion; let it seduce you and discover the true cosmopolitan heart of the Catalan capital.

Experience Barcelona´s history like never before! Join Julia as she watches Barcelona develop from a sleepy Roman army camp to the grand city we know today. Walk the streets with the Jewish brothers Salomó and Hasdai during the turn of fourteenth century, as the city descends into chaos. Find what binds them, and use their narrative to discover Barcelona through the ages! ​ Featuring: Barcelona’s Roman walls, Barri Gòtic, Temple of Augustus, Montjuïc, Royal palace, Jewish Quarter, Cathedral’s Cloister, and much more! Barcelona Eternal is destined for all Barcelona enthusiasts. First-time visitors will enjoy using this book as a guide to all main Roman and Medieval traces that line these wonderful streets. Lifelong residents will be amazed about the stories behind sites they pass every day!