Puzzle Town on the Construction Site by Priddy Books

Puzzle Town on the Construction Site by Priddy Books

Early modern Spain has long been viewed as having a culture obsessed with honor, where a man resorted to violence when his or his wife's honor was threatened, especially through sexual disgrace. This book--the first to closely examine honor and interpersonal violence in the era--overturns this idea, arguing that the way Spanish men and women actually behaved was very different from the behavior depicted in dueling manuals, law books, and honor plays of the period.

Drawing on criminal and other records to assess the character of violence among non-elite Spaniards, historian Scott K. Taylor finds that appealing to honor was a rhetorical strategy, and that insults, gestures, and violence were all part of a varied repertoire that allowed both men and women to decide how to dispute issues of truth and reputation.

Roger Priddy left school at 16 with just one qualification in art. He went to Berkshire College of Art and Design and trained as an illustrator. His first job in children's books was working with the publisher Peter Usborne, at Usborne Publishing, and then he worked with Peter Kindersley at Dorling Kindersley, where he spent 16 years. Priddy became Creative Director of DK's Children's Division and was Managing Director of the children's mass market publisher Funfax when it was acquired by DK.

In 2000, he created Priddy Books with John Sargent at St Martin's Press to create innovative and imaginative titles for children, from first books for babies through early reference titles for older children. Since then, over 30 million copies of Roger's 200 plus books have sold worldwide, with five of his books My Big Animal, My Big Truck, Happy Baby Words, Happy Baby Colors and Puppy and Friends each selling over one million copies. He is also the author of Big Board First 100 Words; Big Board Books Colors, ABC, Numbers; and Bright Baby Noisy Monsters. His creativity has been recognized with numerous industry awards. Priddy lives in London with his wife Zena and their four children.