Spanish popular culture is one of the richest in the world. The absence of an efficient ruling class has allowed the Spanish people to stamp their personality on all major aspects of their country's life. From the bullfight and flamenco to wines and food, this is an exploration of the rich and pervasive popular culture of Spain. It describes the peculiar Spanish feeling for death and tragedy as expressed in popular religious practices, music and the bullfight; the "fiesta sense of life", so foreign to the work ethic of most Western countries; the oral tradition that has managed to survive into the post-industrial age; love and courtship in the country of Don Juan and Carmen; the press, radio, television and the movies; and the use of food and drink in everyday life and as a ritual part of sacred and secular celebrations. A familiarity with Spanish popular culture, which permeates all aspects of Spanish life, is essential to understanding Spain.