Lawrence Bohme, Contributors to the Andalucia.com website
Lawrence Bohme (1940 - 2021)
Archeology, History and Heritage Contributor
Laurence Bohme, known in the region as Don Lorenzo, first came to Granada as a student in 1960 and ended up living there, and in the nearby town of Montefrio, for over 25 years.
As he explains, he came here," for purely emotional, psychological, even amorous reasons, but nothing practical or financially motivated." He has written several books about Granada and the village of Montefrio, and a memoir. He specializes in Granada, Montefrio, history of the Moors, the Reconquest, and flamenco.
His books "Granada, City of My Dreams" and "Portrait of Montefrio", as well as his memoir "Lorenzo, The Story of a Very Long Youth" and other stories of Spain are published on Amazon Kindle, and can be downloaded both for the Kindle device and your computer.
Lawrence Bohme's author page on Amazon.
Lawrence Bohme, born in Kingston. Surrey - "under Hitler's rockets" - to an English mother and a German refugee, emigrated with his family after the war to West Vancouver. After his parents' separated in 1956, he set off with his mother - whose dream it was to become a painter - to four years of roaming in Mexico City, pre-independence Jamaica and Greenwich Village. Also known as "Lorenzo" to his Spanish friends, he first came to Madrid as a university student in 1960 "fresh from New York, with an almost-worthless American high school diploma and a baby-blue drip-dry suit". Soon after came Granada, where he fell in love with the ancient city of the Moors and their palace the Alhambra, and also with a whitewashed village in the nearby hills, Montefrio.
Don Lorenzo, the beloved pen name of the poet, translator, and long-time Andalucia.com contributor Lawrence Bohme, passed away in September 2021. He died peacefully at his home in Nice, France, at the age of 79. Lawrence Bohme was a quintessential figure in the storytelling of Andalucía, particularly known for his deep connection to the village of Montefrío in the province of Granada.
Legacy in Montefrío: Lawrence first discovered Montefrío in 1960 as a student and eventually made it his home. He is credited with bringing international attention to the village's stunning beauty through his writing.
Notable Works: He authored several evocative books and essays about the region, including:
Granada, City of My Dreams
Portrait of Montefrio
Lorenzo, The Story of a Very Long Youth (a 13-part memoir)
Contribution to Andalucia.com: He was a foundational voice for the website, contributing a series of popular essays titled "Montefrio Last Stop," which chronicled his life and observations in rural Andalucía.
His writing was celebrated for its sophisticated, bohemian perspective and its ability to capture the soul of the "real" Spain. You can still read many of his cherished stories and essays on Don Lorenzo pages.
Discovering Don Lorenzo - an epilogue to Montefrio last Stop and other stories by Chris Chaplow