Hochschild has what it takes to write an account of the Spanish Civil War; he's a multiple prize winner (e.g., the Duff Cooper Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize) and nominee—King Leopold's Ghost and To End All Wars having been finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award and Bury the Chains a finalist for the National Book Award. Here he tells his story by profiling individuals, from embattled partisans to a risk-taking war correspondent to the Texaco executive with Nazi sympathies who sold oil to Franco's army on credit.

Books by Hochschild—King Leopold's Ghost and To End All Wars—have twice been finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and his Bury the Chains was a finalist for the National Book Award. Here his subject is the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) viewed through the lens of the U.S. involvement in it. More than 3,000 Americans fought for the Republic; 2,300 came home. Besides reporters, novelists such as Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn were also in Spain at the time. The New York Times had correspondents on both sides, leading to wildly incompatible accounts of what actually was happening. Not all supported the republic faction; Texaco supplied oil to dictator Francisco Franco on credit and leaked information on Republican ship movement to Franco's allies so that Italian submarines could attack them. While other histories have depicted the war and the vicious infighting among Republican factions, Hochschild points out what was glorious in the conflict—more in aspiration than execution. VERDICT The author's focus on the experiences of U.S. compatriots will pique readers' attention. Even those who have read other books on the Spanish Civil War will find much that is new in this fine history. [See Prepub Alert, 9/28/15.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA