The International Brigades

Author Giles Tremlett Price £30 Publisher Bloomsbury

It is no exaggeration to say that historical as well as fictional narratives about the Spanish Civil War number in the tens of thousands. Just when we thought the final word had been written on this heart-breaking event, along comes Giles Tremlett with a blockbuster tale of the thousands of volunteers, from as far afield as Ethiopia and Pakistan, who journeyed to Spain to prevent a fascist takeover.