The Basque History of the World (1999), by Mark Kurlansky

From the author of “Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World” (1998) and “Salt: A World History” (2003) comes a facinating book about a complex people more mysterious than the Picts. (Purchase all three books and support one of the better contemporary writers. Note: merely check out from your local library “The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell” (2007) — it’s not so good).

“Some 1,800 years ago, the Basques told the Roman Empire that [a nation that maintains its own culture and identity while being economically linked and political loyal to a larger state] was what they wanted. Four centuries ago, they told it to Ferdinand of Aragon. They have told it to Francois Mitterand and Felipe Gonzalez and King Juan Carlos.”

 The Basque History, at 351 (Penquin Books, 2001 ed.).

The Basques invented capitalism. They speak a language that has no linguistic relative. They were probably the first people to travel regularly to and from North American before it was “discovered”. They perfected long sea travel and their ship-building and navigation skills were renown for centuries. The first Jesuit was Basque. Basque nationalist made the beret a fashionable revolutionary symbol. Pil pil sauce is a triumph of gastronomy. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, clad in glass, titanium, and limestone, stands as one of the great structures of 20th century architecture. What’s not to like?