Terry Wieland
1 It's the experience . . . fine guns and the Basque people!
One can little criticize the author for including information about Spanish history, the Basque people, and the Eibar region. Many among us are drawn to fine guns out of appreciation for things inherently beautiful and also from a sense of subtle but ever-present wanderlust--thoughts of carrying a Spanish best afield in some special corner of the earth where the only sounds to be heard are the chime of bellota barrels and the whistling of wings. And it is savoring the moment and relishing in the tradition that makes it all worthwhile. Yet tradition embraces not just the details of the tool but also the history of its creator.Spanish Best captures the essence of it all with handsome, gloss, color pictures and sufficient detail to do the Spanish doublegun justice. Perhaps in future editions, the author will include more great images of the guns and the region, but hopefully not at the price of omitting historical details that make one's quest for a fine side-by-side so memorable.
2 Too many politics and not so many shotguns
I miss more information about the core topic: the Spanish fine shotguns. There are only a few pages with shotgun's pictures, which is a great way to see the excellent quality of the Spanish shotguns. I miss more information related to the different models manufactured in Spain (luxury O/U do not appear at all and they have been sold to Royal Houses around the world...). There is also an extensive description (biased in my opinion) of the history of the basques which adds little interest to the main topic: the Spanish shotguns. The best of all is that the author has had the courage to show internationally the outstanding quality of our guns and to fight against the black legend about the Spanish steels.
3 More than a book about great guns
Terry Wieland's book is a thoughtful and thorough analysis of the Spanish gunmaking trade. Spanish guns enjoy a spotty reputation in North America and this book helps consumers determine between the quality Spanish guns and the rest. It is also reviews the history of the Basque people and is an invaluable reference should one entertain the idea of going to Spain to order a shotgun. I have visited Eibar and toured the gunmakers and having a copy of this book made the trip much more enjoyable. In some respects, Spanish Best is also a good travel book because Wieland describes the local customs and notes interesting places to visit (San Sebastian and Guernika). Having been to Eibar, I can attest that his descriptions of the gun makers, local people, the Hotel Arrate and the restaurant Chalcha are impressively accurate. I understand that a second edition is in the works and I look forward to it with great anticipation.
