Frank Baer

I read this book years ago, and would like to read it again.

This is the best account I have found of the complex societies of the three different peoples living in the Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages (eleventh century). Christians, Jews and Muslims shared what is now modern Spain and Portugal. The divisions amongst the three were not so clear, since even those three groups were further fragmented with alliances being formed between Christians and Muslims so as to fight respective show more Christian and Muslim neighboring enemies.

The contrast in sophistication, in particular between the Muslim and Christian societies was astounding, with the former clearly standing out. And in between, the Jewish community managed to keep a balance while associating easily with both.

The plot emerges as the threads that three different characters, one from each of the three religions and civilizations weave together. The refined Muslim poet, the well respected Jewish doctor, and the more brutish Christian “hidalgo”, constitute the three primary colors if this well braided tapestry.

The meeting point is represented by this Roman bridge close to the city of Toledo.



Frank Baer was a German linguist. It is a shame he wrote very few books. show less

El puente de Alcántara
Frank Baer
Publicado: 1988 | 855 páginas
Novela Aventuras Histórico

En Barbastro, en el año 1064, se inicia un sitio por parte de caballeros normandos y franceses contra los árabes. En aquella ocasión, coinciden tres hombres: Muhammad ibn Ammar, poeta andalusí de origen árabe; Yünus ibn al Awar, médico judío; y Lope, un escudero de tan sólo quince años. Tiempo después, los tres coinciden de nuevo en la ciudad de Sevilla, donde Muhammad ibn Ammar se ha show more convertido en gran visir. Pero esta vez sus vidas convergen en una terrible historia de amor y venganza de la que les es difícil sustraerse. El puente de Alcántara ofrece una perfecta oportunidad para revisar una parte importantísima de la historia de la Reconquista. Obra rigurosa y cuidada, apoyada en una ingente labor de investigación (el autor, Frank Baer, dedicó tres años a documentarse y otros dos a redactarla), la novela recrea con realismo, con toda la crudeza propia de la época, las relaciones entre cristianos, árabes y judíos, en un tiempo cuyo recuerdo nos ha llegado distorsionado por la leyenda. Baer, demostrando una enorme habilidad como narrador, consigue reproducir la atmósfera del siglo XI, hasta en sus más mínimos detalles, y crea al mismo tiempo una compleja red de sentimientos y pasiones, que trascienden el mero hecho histórico. show less

Somehow lost interest. Very well set in. Characters uninteresting maybe even though the rest was good
5.0

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