Book Review: Reflections from La Herradura

A Restful Stroll Through a Spanish Holiday Village

Renate Van Nijen, a Dutch artist and author has communicated with people she has met in her Spanish paradise, the village of La Herradura, and published their stories in a book she sells online and in local shops. A simple everyday writing gives intimacy to the project and focuses on Renate and her interviewees’ relation to their village. It’s a nice way to learn about a place from someone who has fallen in love with it and of course, they are all praising the charming community by the horse-shaped bay. I’m starting to feel the same.

The central theme is La Herradura’s past, present, and future woven into the different stories shared by the selected characters, both locals and foreigners who have visited and settled here.

It is a kind of human journalism, not a page-turner if you expect big drama, but a light behind-the-scene read about some of the people living in a beautiful place you would like to explore yourself. This significant contribution is unique as the book functions as a guide, a historical book, and portrays with warmth the people rooted in La Herradura.

Renate has previously published books listed on her website and also paints mandalas and creates other unique products. If you want to know more about La Herradura, I would recommend that you check out her book.