A collection of Matthew Tree's incisive essays about life, language, and politics in Catalonia, as told through the eyes of a Catalan-speaking Englishman, or an English-speaking Catalan, depending on your vantage point, and his. Matthew's honesty and keen observations combined with his sharp wit and mastery of language (two languages!) give the reader a unique and compelling vision of Catalonia, rarely uncovered by the casual visitor, as he discusses what he promises is the next new state in Europe and its relationship with the state it currently belongs to. But Matthew does not limit himself to the purely political; he also gives us an insider's view of real life in Barcelona, from doctor's visits to shopping trips, through to finding one's own voice in another culture and language.