Xenophobe's Guide to Spanish

Highlights the unique character and behavior of the nation. Frank, irreverent, funny--almost guaranteed to cure Xenophobia.

Drew Launay first went to Spain in 1969 and did not understand the Spanish way of life at all. He went again in 1972 and understood it even less. In 1975 he married a fiery, foot-stamping, mad-as-a-sombrero Andalusian and had to understand it or die.

Born in London of French parents, given an English education, finished in France, living in Spain and speaking three languages, he is the consummate European: one who finds no difficulty driving on either the left or right side of the road. Author of several stage plays, numerous BBC broadcasts on Spain and more than a dozen novels written under various pseudonyms and published in Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland and Czechoslovakia (that was), he goes to Rickmansworth for his holidays.

Drew Launay now lives permanently in Nerja, East of Malaga, where he enjoys long siestas during the few empty days between official festivals. His favourite is on 16th June when the statue of the Virgin is taken to sea on a pleasure boat to bless the fish, and a giant papier maché sardine is paraded round the town on a hearse followed by a brass band playing a funeral march and mourners dressed in black. At sunset, the sardine is taken to the beach and burned along with the roasting of real sardines consumed by the happy crowd. He claims that no-one has yet come up with a reason for this other than that it¿s a great excuse for a fiesta.