Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The game the rest of the world knows as jai alai was invented in the French Basque town of St. Pée-sur-Nivelle. The Basques, as they often did, went in a completely different direction than the French. They were the first Europeans to use a rubber ball, and the added bounce of wrapping rubber rather than string led them to play the ball off walls. #2 The gâteau Basque, like the Basques themselves, has an uncertain origin. It appears to date from the eighteenth century and may have originally been called bistochak. Today, it is a cake filled with either cherry jam or pastry cream. #3 The Basques are a mythical people, and their land, which is surrounded by France and Spain, is only 8,218 square miles. They have seven provinces that are defined by language. #4 The Basques are a unique group that has many physical traits that set them apart from other Europeans. They have a high concentration of type O blood, which is rare in other Europeans.