In this book, the author offers his caustic, funny, personal and completely unorthodox view of his home country. Perez-Reverte tells about the main events of Spain's past - from its origins to the 80s of the XX century - assessing them with an emphatically subjective view, formed on the basis of a deep knowledge of history, understanding of its processes, experience and common sense. "I write about history the way I write novels and articles," the author says. "I was not looking for any special angle, all this is the result of my thoughts." His narrative is built so fascinatingly and masterfully, so richly vivid details, so clearly relies on professionally structured documentary materials that it is worthy to take pride of place both among the best examples of popular literature and among the works of historians.