Though unjustly neglected by English-language audiences, Spanish film
and television not only represent a remarkably influential and vibrant
cultural industry; they are also a fertile site of innovation in the
production of "transmedia" works that bridge narrative forms. In
Spanish Lessons, Paul Julian Smith provides an engaging exploration of
visual culture in an era of collapsing genre boundaries, accelerating
technological change, and political-economic tumult. Whether generating
new insights into the work of key figures like Pedro Almodóvar,
comparing media depictions of Spain's economic woes, or giving
long-overdue critical attention to quality television series, Smith's
book is a consistently lively and accessible cultural investigation.