The Forging of a Rebel - Arturo Barea

The large story of Arturo Barea's life and political career. He has little to say about his family as an adult, but much about how his childhood shaped him and the circumstances that took from a lowly soldier to a working revoluionary. Barea keeps the narrative focused on the escalation of small events that eventually made him an important part of the Spanish Civil War. Many people outside the political arena have little idea how one man can make a difference unless that person becomes a dictator or outright leader of a group. Barea was the working man behind the scenes. This book isn't dense with political ideas, but has a lot to say about the political life. It was hard to end this book. I felt like I became intimate with the passion of a man.