Jose Javier Esparza (Valencia, 1963) presented in It’s Federico’s morning the book Do not regret. 35 reasons to be proud of the History of Spain (The sphere of books), in which he collects facts that are known but that, in many cases, have been forgotten, silenced or distorted. The author tries to get rid of shame and feel proud of what our ancestors did, feats that changed the future of the world.
Curiously, the idea for this book was born from a conversation between the author, journalist and writer of several historical essays and novels on the History of Spain, with his 15-year-old daughter. “In a textbook they sold the image that everyone in 1492 believed that the Earth was flat. That is simply false, but after the work of Washington Irving it passed into popular culture and textbooks,” he said. Spread on the microphones of esRadio.
Among the facts he recounts, Esparza says that it was Spanish they drew the map of the world opening the Atlantic, going around the globe and conquering the Pacific Ocean; that in Spain the first parliament of Europe was created and also the statutes of free cities and that here was born the germ of human rights. “We must erase that black slab of guilt that is getting into us everywhere,” insisted the author who, at the beginning of the book, wonders why so many lies have been internalized and the Black Legend has traveled so much.
“Obviously the History of Spain has its shadows, but the historical balance of Spain collectively is astonishing, the footprint is portentousThe logical thing is to know it and that is valid for both the right and the left, “he said.” It is incredible that it refuses and, even more so, that it is deformed as the institutional education system does, it is criminal, “he added.
José Javier Esparza: Do not regret. 35 reasons to be proud of Spain, Madrid, La Esfera de los Libros, 2021, 335 pages, 18’90 euros. ISBN: 978-84-1384-014-7
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