Henri Lefebvre and the Spanish Urban Experience

An important contribution to the still evolving field of 'urban cultural studies,' Henri Lefebvre and the Spanish Urban Experience is the first book to thoroughly apply the French urban philosopher's thoughts on cities to the culture and literatureof Spain. Fraser shows how Lefebvre's complex view of the city as a mobile phenomenon is relevant to understanding a variety of Spanish cultural products-from urban plans and short writings on the urban experience during the ninetheenth century by MarianoJos de Larra, Ramn de Mesonero Ramanos, and Ildefons Cerd to urban theories, cultural practices and literary fiction of the twentieth by Luis Martn-Santos, Juan Jos Mills, Juan Goytisolo, and Manuel Delgado Ruiz. He pushes on to interrogate even the appearance of Mediterranean space and Barcelona in recent videogames. Working through the direct and indirect resonance of the French philosopher's legacy in Spain, a comprehensive first chapter grounds the reader in thekey concepts of Lefebvre's urban theory that are explored throughout the book-his critiques of static space, modern urban planning, knowledge, alienation in everyday life and his emphasis on a method that underscores the importance of movement and rhythm.Fraser compellingly shows how each of these aspects of Lefebvre's work relates to the others, just as he ties together canonical and non-traditional cultural products from Madrid and Barcelona.