- Montaigne by Stefan Zweig (1947)
As Ryan Holiday says this is a moral biography, do not expect a detail recount of Montaigne’s life, but you will get the essence of it. It is a great summary of Montaigne’s intellectual endeavors and an invitation to read his “Essais”. Interesting that Zweig wrote this book right before committing suicide in Brazil. In the horror of the time he was living in, Zweig felt a connection to a civilized and world citizen in Montaigne. An archetype of human greatness.
- Magellan by Stefan Zweig (1938)
I will start with the same statement “As Ryan Holiday says this is a moral biography”; however, is the fruit of a thorough study of history and the few available documents. This is a gripping story, one of the most daring and relevant adventures of human history. Magellan and his crew demonstrated that the world was as round as a soccer ball. You will learn that the glory of Elcano is…not so glorious. And as many, if not most, human endeavors the reason for such epic discoveries was … yes, commerce! There is nothing wrong with that, but it is interesting that many times we start projects to make money, but in the end, there is always something else. These men joined the crew for glory and money (and to escape punishment as Elcano); went through hell but persisted, sometimes because the leader forced them do so and many others because it was the right thing to do. A small number of them returned, and they came back different and better human beings. Stefan brings an epic story with the pulse of the journalist and the understanding of human soul as only a scholar of life can do. READ IT!
- El mes más cruel Pilar Adon (2010)
This is a set of short stories. It is an absolutely beautiful book. Elegant Spanish, with no artificial resources, straight, simple, clear. At the same time, the ambiance is nebulous, you do not really know if the character comes to you or is fleeing the scene. Very good book, read it! Please. Of note, Culto domestico and Marcel Berkowitz.
- The undoing Project Michael Lewis (2017)
This is a book that I savored, I did not rush it because I did not want to finish it. Is it a love story? To a certain extent, it is. It’s a story of love and abandonment. And it is one of the most exciting intellectual developments of the last 50 years.
- Hillbilly Elegy J.D.Vance (2016)
This is a fantastic book, if there is one political book you should read this year, this is the one. It is a recount of how to survive, it is a “novel” with a happy end. It is sociological description of a certain layer of society. It is the description of human growth and continuous challenge… and it is an ongoing story. Some critics say this is the book to understand why D Trump won the presidency, but that is a very shallow analysis and a misunderstanding of this biography.
- Pudor By Santiago Roncagliolo (2007)
Sorry, not worth it. Great start, horrible resolution. It feels as if after all the pieces were in place the player no longer fancied the chess game. Ok language.
- El cuaderno gris by Josep Pla (1966)
I have to say that I regret not having read this book 30 years ago. This is a wonderful piece of Spanish literature, with irony, depth and love for his way of life, his family, friends and his universe. I read the translation by Dionisio Ridruejo (finished shortly before his death). I am not surprised the political establishment of mediocre racists in the Spanish region of Catalonia have not taken him to the altars of Catalan literature. That is exactly where he belongs! Buy it…. it would be fantastic if you also read it.
- Hacerse todas las ilusiones posibles y otras notas dispersas by Josep Pla (2017)
This is a book of random notes. Some of them show a really deep understanding of human soul. The author was distant and close at the same time. He was smart enough to be sarcastic and distant form our human pitfalls but the description of such failures is done with a close look and sometimes warmth. I am not saying this is a treasure but there are some few gems of knowledge here. Worth your time!
- The trident by Jason Redman (2013)
This is a great book. It describes the personal journey of a navy seal but it is not pomp and circumstance, it describes the highs and lows and his journey to really understanding leadership. When you approach this book, set aside your judgements about these warriors beating their chest and saying how good they are. This book is anything but that.
- The human side by Albert Einstein (1981)
This is a fantastic book. As the aforementioned “Random notes” by Josep Pla, this is a collection of letters, answers to various requests from all over the world and short notes in Einstein’s archive. Through all such notes the depth of Einstein’s soul comes back to surface time and again. It is a real pleasure to read it. It was so short …
- Things that matter by Charles Krauthammer (2013)
Charles Krauthammer is probably the most elegant and knowledgeable political commentator of the last 30 years in the US. Unfortunately, he died recently. This is a collection of his best pieces over 30 years. It is a chronicle of life, political and intellectual endeavors. There are 2 pieces that are timeless essays (Chapter 12: The Jewish question and Chapter 16: Three essays on America and the world). Furthermore, it is an elegant English, succinct and efficient but funny and humorous at times.
- Dreamland by Sam Quinones (2015)
This is a fantastic book, a really must read about the opiate epidemic in the US. It a sad story at many levels, but also a story of hope when people take responsibility for their own future. In statistics there is a term when two factors together produce a greater effect than by themselves it is called “interaction”. In social science is caller “moderation”. In the opiate case, the change of heart of the medical community with respect to opiate prescription along with a pharmaceutical company promoting on such claims created the perfect environment for an explosion of addicts to opiates, the rest is just like water going downstream to the sea. Those addicts moved to higher and cheaper drugs, a perfect marketing system of high quality product did the rest. It is interesting to see how you can preserve the quality of a product when you pay the sales force well, and they do not have any appetite for the product they sell. I will make one comment, the author takes cheap shots at republicans … when he should take shots at society, lack of personal responsibility and political class of both parties (some for not giving second chances when the problems are in a small percentage of the population, and the others for being lenient on drug dealers and illegal immigration). It is interesting that he never makes any judgement on the drug dealers “Nayarit boys” as if they were only looking for an opportunity. That may be true but … they might start asking Mexico to become a real country and not a failed state plagued with corruption and injustice. Of note, the author never tries to understand the roots of the cultural background of addicts (described beautifully by Vance, book reviewed above). Interestingly enough at the end of the book, he comes to the realization that no government program or resources worked until people took responsibility for their own future. Only then those government resources made a difference, only then the town of Portsmouth Ohio, started writing its own future. Fantastic book in any case. Read it!
- Patria by Fernando Aramburu (2016)
This is probably the most important book written since Obabakoak (1988) by Bernardo Atxaga, in northern Spain. And it is far more relevant, infinitely important book. It is a radiography to infamy, idiocy, tragedy, cowardice, love, silence and life. It tells a big story in recent Spanish times by looking at small events of many different people, again the “intrahistoria” concept by Unamuno. It is a coral story of love (“if you suffer a stroke we get married”) and a final forgiveness that does not erase history. I recommend you read this book urgently!
- La vida lenta. Notas para tres diarios by Josep Pla (2014)
This is a dairy the author kept during 3 separate years (1956,1957 and 1964). The most interesting part is not the writing, just notes, but the pace of life. I happen to know a little bit that area and some of those towns in Costa Brava, and can imagine a life with friends, drinks, snow storms, harvests and common daily events. A rhythm that is long gone and where information flew slowly. It is a delightful light reading that helps frame “El cuaderno gris” referenced above.
- Trafalgar by Benito Pérez Galdós
I have to confess that it has taken me this many years to start the series of “Episodios Nacionales“ by Galdós. Trafalgar is the first one of a series of 46 historical novels around events in the XIX century turbulent Spain. This little novel is a perfect combination of historical events (battle of Trafalgar in 1805) with the description of life for “communards”, it is a vibrant description of the horrors of war and anachronisms of Spanish thoughts of grandeur among common people. I would encourage anyone to start reading “Episodios Nacionales” to understand Spanish spirit, both on the good and not so good side.
- La Corte de Carlos IV by Benito Pérez Galdós
This is the second book of the first series in “Episodios Nacionales”. Once the character leaves Cadiz after the Trafalgar battle, he goes to Madrid. This book describes the innards of the palace life, how survival and promotion were a constant exercise of being close to power. Arbitrary decisions by powerful people were at the core of the system, with no real merit-based structure for life and as such not a very attractive society. We have not changed much in 200 years. As I write we have the example of a rotten political system and how Cospedal does not resign or is dismissed by her boos (who was her protegee) …same as in Carlos IV kingdom…Shameful!
- The content of our character by Shelby Steele
This is a book published in 1990 that is so appropriate in the current circumstances. This is a deep, honest and brilliant analysis of the racial issue in America. But I would not stop at that. By analizing identity and groups behavior this book provides enormous insights into other societal and political situations, such as xenophobic nationalisms all over the world. Extremely important to read this one.
- Shame by Shelby Steele (2015)
Another great book by an honest and thorough scholar. This book was published in 2015 and is a current as it was when first published. The roots of the current state of political correctness, divisiveness and political clientelism used by liberalism are described in painful detail here. This may even explain some of the new political figures showing in the political arena, not only in the US but Brasil, Philippines, Hungary, Ger xenophobic nationalisms all over the world. Extremely important to read this one.
- The short bus by Jonathan Mooney (2008)
If there is one book you need to bring to your winter break holiday, this is the one. This is the story of so many kids labelled as defective, one way or the other, and how society and the educational system gives up on them right from the start. Hear me out “special educators” “developmental pediatricians” “child psychiatrists” there is nothing wrong with 90% of kids you label as “learning disabled” (what you really mean is “retards” we understand), they learn differently.
So it is your professional duty “special ed” teachers to love them and treat them like as human beings with endless potential, your biggest crime is to give up on them!
So it is your professional duty “psychiatrist” to get off your lazy mental couch and study and think why you use “learning disabled” “ASD” and identify how every kid learns and measure their intelligence in ways where you can get to them. Develop markers that can identify kids who will need this therapy or the other. I can only say I am ashamed of the mediocrity and intellectual laziness of my fellow MDs. When you have no idea what you are dealing with you use the term “Syndrome” and then prescribe something (though you ignore the mechanism of action, the way the brain works, who needs what, and you ignore the roaring lack of evidence for such prescription)… it might be good if you read the label.
This book is the story of this kid and the other kid and the one next door, and how they overcame labels and how human they are.
If you only have 20 $ in your budget for books next year. Buy this one!
