Description
Asturias
Book summary
In this fundamental work, acclaimed historian and novelist Paco Ignacio Taibo II reconstructs the 1934 Revolution of Asturias, the last great workers' insurrection in the West. Through exhaustive fieldwork and the testimony of nearly 400 survivors, the author recounts the epic two weeks during which miners, metalworkers, and laborers of all kinds managed to defeat the Republican army. This revised and expanded edition recovers a classic of social history that is essential for understanding labor struggles and the context preceding the Spanish Civil War.
What is it about?
The book delves into the events of October 1934 in Asturias, when an unprecedented alliance of all trade union organizations decided to seize power through insurrection. The work details how the workers, disillusioned by the slow progress of the Second Republic and alarmed by the rise of fascism in Europe, took up arms. For fifteen days, the "Asturian Commune" controlled the region, establishing a self-managed workers' government. Taibo II does not only recount the battles and military strategy, but also gives a voice to the anonymous protagonists: miners, charcoal burners, railway workers, office clerks, and seamstresses, offering a choral and vibrant vision of a revolutionary feat that marked a turning point in the history of Spain.
Main themes
- Workers' revolution and class struggle in 1930s Spain.
- Analysis of the 1934 insurrection as a precursor to the Civil War.
- Social history from the perspective of anonymous protagonists.
- Political context of the Second Republic and the rise of fascism in Europe.
- Historical memory and the recovery of oral testimonies from survivors.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in the contemporary history of Spain, especially social movements, labor struggles, and the period of the Second Republic. It will also be of great value to students of history, political science, and sociology, as well as anyone who wishes to understand the roots of the conflicts that preceded the Civil War. Its narrative and vibrant approach makes it accessible to both specialists and fans of non-academic history.
What this book contributes
- A meticulous and gripping reconstruction of the 1934 Revolution of Asturias, based on nearly 400 interviews with survivors.
- A choral and human vision of the insurrection, far removed from grand military narratives and focused on the workers' experience.
- An analysis of the political and social context that explains the causes and consequences of the revolution.
- An updated, revised, and expanded edition of a classic of social historiography.
- The opportunity to learn about a historical epic that marked the course of 20th-century Spain.
Technical specifications
- Author: Paco Ignacio Taibo II
- Publisher: Hoja de Lata Editorial
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: History: specific events and topics, revolutions, uprisings, and rebellions
- Collection: Mecanoclastia
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: September 2024
- Number of pages: 832
- Weight: 2027 g
Editorial review
We are looking at an indispensable reference work for the study of Spanish social history. Paco Ignacio Taibo II demonstrates his mastery as a researcher and narrator, managing to bring a complex historical episode to life through the voices of its protagonists. The recovery of this classic, in a revised and expanded edition, is an editorial success that allows new generations of readers to access an epic and fundamental narrative. Its choral approach and documentary rigor make it a gripping read for anyone interested in labor struggles and historical memory.