Berghahn Books José Antonio Primo de Rivera: The Reality and Myth of a Spanish Fascist Leader: 3 (Studies in Latin American and Spanish History, 3)

There are few individuals in modern Spanish history that have been as thoroughly mythologized as José Antonio Primo de Rivera, a leading figure in the Spanish Civil War who was executed by the Republicans in 1936 and celebrated as a martyr following the victory of the Falangists. In this long-awaited translation, Joan Maria Thomàs provides a measured, exhaustively researched study of Primo de Rivera's personality, beliefs, and political activity. His biography shows us a man dedicated to the creation of a fascist political regime that he aspired to one day lead, while at the same carefully distinguishing his aims from those of the Falangists and the Franco Regime. Review "This is a most informative study. The impressive knowledge of the author, one of the leading specialists of Spanish fascism, is visible on nearly every page." - Historische Zeitschrift "This judicious and outstanding biography is essential for all scholars of twentieth-century Spain." - Bulletin of Spanish Studies Praise for the Spanish edition: "[A] definitive and up-to-date biography that sheds new light on the brief life of one who wanted to "direct the course of the great ship of the Fatherland." - El País "Although José Antonio has aroused an inexplicable sympathy within certain precincts of the Left, this biography by Joan Maria Thomàs erases any doubt about his ideology." - Revista de Libros About the Author Joan Maria Thomàs is Professor of Contemporary History at the Rovira i Virgili University. He is the author of many books on Falangism, fascism, and Spanish history, several of which have been translated into English. He is a member of the American Historical Association and a Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of History.