Agenda

We are delighted that Giles Tremlett will be returning to Secret Kingdoms to discuss his new biography of Francisco Franco.

Francisco Franco - from a scrawny, overlooked military graduate to the youngest general in Europe, Francisco Franco was known for his ambition, talent and calculated risk-taking. Yet his reputation remains a topic of fierce debate. Did he destroy Spain and stifle its democracy or rescue the nation from left-wing tumult?

Follow Franco's ruthless leadership during the Civil War, his alignment with Hitler & Mussolini, and the Cold War era that brought him international rehabilitation. Interrogate Franco's transformation of Spain – was he a bumbling dictator or deliberate pragmatist who wielded terror to maintain an iron grip on power? What was his most lasting (and most surprising) contribution to today´s Spain? Nuanced & comprehensive, El Generalísimo offers a fresh look at Francisco Franco. Examine his enduring legacy and how it shapes Spain's political & cultural landscape.

Giles Tremlett - is a prize-winning journalist, author, biographer and historian based in Madrid, Spain. His books have sold some 400,000 copies in seven languages. They include historical biographies of Isabella of Castile (2018 Elizabeth Longford Prize) and Catherine of Aragon (2010 BBC Book of the Week, HW Fisher Prize short-list), a history of The International Brigades (Guardian Book of the Day) & best-selling political-historical travelogue Ghosts of Spain (2006). España, a brief history of Spain (2022), is consistently one of Secret Kingdoms best sellers.

This event will start with an interview with Giles discussing El Generalissimo Franco, and reading extracts. This will be followed by a Q&A. Refreshments will be served and there will be a signing. The event is free, places are limited and we ask that you buy a 3€ voucher, redeemable at the event.