I have just finished reading Guernica, a historical novel by David Boling, set in the Basque town of Gernika (Guernica in Spanish). It is a fascinating first novel by Boling that encapsulates the horror and sadness of war. The interesting thread for me was the inclusion of the artist Pablo Picasso. The Picasso painting – which is on display at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid – shown below is the artists’ impression of the bombing of the town. After reading the violent account of the bombing and taking a closer inspection of the painting, the horror is plain to see. Guernica by Pablo Picasso Below is an excerpt from the Times, which, according to the book, Picasso is said to have read and which inspired him to paint Guernica, published on April 28th 1937: The Tragedy of Guernica Town Destroyed in Air Attack Eye-Witness Account Bilbao, April 27th 1937 Guernica, the most ancient town of the Basques and the centre of their cultural tradition, was completely destroyed yester...