In August 1965, when twenty-six-year-old Ronald Pilkington left his family and friends behind and abandoned his career to start a new life in Spain, the dictator, General Franco, was still in power and would continue to rule for another decade. Six years after his death an attempted coup threatened to derail Spain's budding democracy. Visions of Spain not only tells the story of the author's life and personal experiences during this period, but also takes a look at the big picture. Combining memoir with historical narrative and the occasional anecdote, Ronald Pilkington paints a vivid portrait of the realities of life in Spain during the turbulent and often violent times of the twentieth century.