Its literary history began to develop with the Romans & reached an early flowering when Arabic poets drew on centuries of literary tradition, together with the landscapes & passions of Moorish Spain. Later, Prosper Merimee, Byron & Washington Irving forged legends of exotic southern Spain that persist to this day & Spanish writers themselves captured the rich tapestry of Andalucian culture, from Cervantes` Seville to the Cordoba of Baroque poet Luis de Gongora & Lorca`s `hidden Andalucia`. With the advent of the Civil War, a new generation flocked to Andalucia & were inspired to write some of the Twentieth Century`s most iconic works of literature, from Hemingway`s For Whom the Bell Tolls to Gerald Brenan`s The Spanish Labyrinth & Laurie Lee`s trilogy of books. As vibrant & compelling as the region itself, Andalucia: A Literary Guide for Travellers illuminates the very soul of Spain.