Explore the vast range of titles available.

In this elegantly written study, Alfante explores the work of select nineteenth-century writers, intellectuals, journalists, politicians, and clergy who responded to cultural and spiritual shifts caused by the movement toward secularization in Spain. Focusing on the social experience, this book probes the tensions between traditionalism and liberalism that influenced public opinion of the clergy, sacred buildings, and religious orders. The writings of Cecilia Böhl de Faber (Fernán Caballero), Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Benito Pérez Galdós, and José María de Pereda addressed conflicts between modernizing forces and the Catholic Church about the place of religion and its signifiers in Spanish society. Foregrounding expropriation (government confiscation of civil and ecclesiastical property) and exclaustration (the expulsion of religious communities), and drawing on archival research, the history of disentailment, cultural theory, memory studies, and sociology, Alfante demonstrates how Spain’s liberalizing movement profoundly influenced class mobility and faith among the populace.

[Yves Lambert] comes from Quebec's Lanaudiere region, which has one of the province's most extensive and rich traditions of song, dance and music. In 1976, he was a founding member of the super group La Bottine Souriante, and for 26 years was the heart and soul of the internationally renowned band.

[Yves Lambert] comes from Quebec's Lanaudiere region, which has one of the province's most extensive and rich traditions of song, dance and music. In 1976, he was a founding member of the super group La Bottine Souriante, and for 26 years was the heart and soul of the internationally renowned band.

[Yves Lambert] is a back-country musician whose 36-year career has been full of risks, adventures and challenges. Over time, Lambert has become a veritable patriarch of the revival of Quebec's musical roots. His personal manner of linking the relevance of his words with anecdotes and his concerns contribute to his great propensity for interpretation. Lambert sings it all, from Groovy Aardvark, a hard rock Quebecois band, to children's songs by Gilles Vigneault and the blues by Sidney Bechet.

Photo: Max Mascini bowls for fish in the Scouts tent.; Photo: Carmine Marinelli, NOW photos / The Masabo Culture Company, above, wows the crowd with traditional African music. Ariana Dehzad, right, makes crafts in the Scouts tent.; Photo: Sand Northrup, above, nearly takes a plunge in front of the crowd.

The result is a crowd-pleasing sound described by veteran British jazz-folk writer Kenny Mathieson as \"infectious music (that) left the idea of crossover floundering helplessly in its miraculously integrated wake.\" Dirty Linen, the premier U.S. folk magazine, raved: \"The best band in the world.\" La Bottine was a repeat winner in the BBC's world-music poll, counts Felix and Juno awards galore and has appeared at major festivals like Womad. La Bottine Souriante has brought many a smile playing in Celtic strongholds in the British Isles, where virtually every hamlet boasts its own musical twists and turns. Connoisseurs there recognize that La Bottine has brought much to the table - and dance floor. \"Because they have their own particularity in playing traditional Celtic music, they recognize that we bring our own colour.\" \"It's a show for connoisseurs of La Bottine because we do a lot of old songs,\" [Archambault] said. Lead-singer [Yves Lambert] is leaving to work on the second CD of his Les Vacances de Monsieur Lambert, and violinist [Michel Bordeleau] will continue to perform with Les Charbonniers de l'Enfer). Replacements are being kept hush-hush, and La Bottine has a busy year ahead. More than a few tears will be shed New Year's Eve.

'MUSICIANS' musicians.\" \"The best band in the universe.\" Just mention Canadian group La Bottine Souriante (The Smiling Boot), as they call themselves, and the superlatives start coming. With their recent signing by EMI, the release of the album Rock 'n' Reel, their scheduled top billing next week at MIDEM, the main global music industry bash held in Cannes, the stakes are raised as they begin their new millennium orbit around the earth. \"So far it's going well - we just did our six concerts in Quebec,\" says Yves Lambert, frontman, singer and accordionist as he, with Regent Archambault, the bassist, stir their morning coffee in the bar of Edinburgh's Dalamahoy Hotel on New Year's Eve. \"But not everyone is happy with us being here for Hogmanay. There are messages posted on our internet site saying things like: 'Strange idea to be in Edinburgh for the new Millennium.' The thing is, we've been doing these New Year concerts at home since 1989. There used to be only the Canadian Ballet with The Nutcracker until we began this fete tradition which now is very strong. We just had to do them earlier this year.\" And this, I suggest to them, is one of the hallmarks of the group as a whole: La-Bot-Son are as much a physical as a musical band with a strongly infectious presence that draws you in. The performances I have seen function like pieces of theatre. \"Mais oui,\" says Yves. 'Allez cherchez la publique' - we come on stage with that objective. It's us, but it's also very Quebecoise, that chaleur humaine, that joie de vivre. We go out to recreate that each performance. And there is a magical element about it too. It's never quite the same twice. I am the crazy guy, the clown, the maitre de la fete, but we are a collective and each of us takes his place on stage with his own personality to make the personality of the group. The best time of the band together is on stage. It's our time, when we become ourselves. And each time there is an unknown quality from the group chemistry. And we really look forward to that excitement.\"

La Bottine souriante, \"the smiling boot,\" is not exactly a household name outside Quebec. The band's nine musicians blend ancient Acadian and Celtic melodies with jazz. La Bottine has been touring for 23 years, [Archambault] notes. In that time they have always counted on support from Quebec for survival. At last, a recently signed international record deal with Virgin Music Canada may bring more fame and the hard-to-come-by radio play that could awaken the rest of Canada to their existence. Photo: Canadian Press / Wildly successful in Quebec, perennial Juno contenders, hailed as superstars in the folk world, La Bottine souriante, seen on this handout photo in Montreal, are largely unknown in the rest of Canada. However, the nine-piece Celtic- Acadian-Jazz ensemble has decided after 23 years to bring their show to English Canada one more time. ;

FRANÇOIS CORMIER (ANIMATEUR) :...

La Bottine Souriante's strong point is its talented musicians, made up of [Yves Lambert], Martin Racine on the fiddle, Michel Bordeleau on mandolin, guitar, percussion and fiddle, Regent Archambeault on stand-up bass and Denis Frechette on piano and trumpet. As the quintet played songs such as \"Cuisiniere,\" \"Basile,\" and \"Festin De Campagne,\" it became obvious of its affinity for fun, while still maintaining a sense of seriousness.