I’ve been immersed in non-fiction lately, exploring books that spark curiosity and teach me new things. Here are a few titles that I recommend:
Continue readingNon-Fiction Reads: Exploring Ideas and Expanding Perspectives
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Tag Archives: recommendation list
Holiday Book Recommendations for December 2023: Fiction and Non-Fiction
As the holiday season approaches, it’s the perfect time to read some good books. Here are my recommendations for both fiction and non-fiction reading, based on recent books I have read.
Fiction
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that weaves an intricate narrative of loss, obsession, and art, filled with unexpected twists and turns.
- Simple Passion by Nobel Prize 2022 winner Annie Ernaux: This candid memoir explores the depths of love, longing, and the consequences of passion, showcasing Ernaux’s powerful narrative style.
- The Red-Haired Woman by Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk: A lovely tale that chronicles a young man’s journey, intertwined with the enigma of a mysterious woman, resulting in a life-altering obsession.
- QualityLand by Marc-Uwe Kling: A refreshing and easy-to-read sci-fi novel that vividly paints a future dominated by social media and extreme data analytics. This satirical narrative humorously yet grimly reflects on a world where algorithm-driven companies and governments hold sway, drawing parallels to contemporary developments like China’s social credit system.
Non-Fiction
- Hiking is Fundamental by Barbara Kipfer: A comprehensive guide to hiking, perfect for both novices and experienced hikers.
- When McKinsey Comes to Town by Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe: A critical look at the influential consulting firm McKinsey & Company, revealing controversial aspects of its work. As a former employee, I find some of these revelations particularly surprising.
For more book recommendations, be sure to check out my previous recommendations.
Summer 2023 Reading: Enlightening Non-Fiction Books to Explore
This (North Hemisphere) summer, I have a fresh list of non-fiction book recommendations for you, each one focusing on a distinct and engaging topic:
Continue readingBook recommendations – April 2023
In this post, I’m sharing a curated list of books I’ve recently enjoyed, featuring a strong presence of female authors. Delve into these captivating reads and discover stories that span various genres and themes. Only fiction works in this batch.
- Las Viudas de los jueves by Claudia Piñeiro: An engaging novel by an Argentine writer that explores life in a gated community outside Buenos Aires during the early 2000s economic crisis. Piñeiro deftly examines classism and racism in Latin American countries through a realistic lens.
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: This classic gothic novel from 1962 masterfully portrays a dysfunctional family in a small town, capturing the eerie atmosphere and dark undertones throughout.
- Vista Chinesa by Tatiana Salem Levy: This powerful short novel delves into the emotional aftermath of a rape in Rio de Janeiro. Be warned – it’s not an easy read, but it’s an important one.
- Pelea de gallos by María Fernanda Ampuero: In her first collection of short stories, this Ecuadorian writer presents a series of violent, brutal, and shocking narratives that leave a lasting impact. These intense stories will challenge and engage you with their raw depictions.
Book recommendations – December 2022
Below you will find a selection of books I recommend from what I have read recently. I was very into short stories, especially from some fantastic Latin American authors.
Continue readingBook recommendations – May 2022
Below you will find a selection of books I recommend from what I read in the twelve months. An exciting combination of fiction and non-fiction.
Fiction
- The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson. A climate-fiction novel that presents a plausible future for the planet as the planet heats with the continuing burning of fossil fuels.
- Dune by Frank Herbert. I read this for the first time when I was in my teens and it fascinated me. Recently decided to read the book again before seeing the new movie adaptation, which by the way I highly recommend as well. A deeply rich future with a very political plot.
- Nuestra parte de noche by Mariana Enríquez. I really enjoyed this horror novel that presents a very elaborated dark world. This book from an emerging Argentinian female writer has won several awards. I believe an English version has not been released yet.
- Las cosas que perdimos en el fuego (Things We Lost in the Fire) by Mariana Enríquez. Short horror stories written before the novel above.
Book recommendations – May 2021
Below you will find a selection of books I recommend from what I have been reading in recent months.
Climate change
- How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates. I highly recommend this very clear explanation of the climate change challenges and interesting ideas and policy recommendations from Bill Gates.
- The New Climate War by Michael E. Mann. Mann, a recognized climate change expert, explain the strategies and tactics of climate change deniers and inactivists to obstruct the fight against climate change. This book is an eye opener.
- Half-Earth by Edward O. Wilson. Terrifying account of the biodiversity loss the world is experiencing.
Board games recommendations for pandemic times
I have not written in this blog for some months now, but I will restart with this article. Many of us continue to be in lockdowns due the pandemic, so in this post, I will recommend board games instead of my regular book recommendations as a tool for home entertainment. I have been a fan of board games (the recreational games for fun, not politics in companies’ Boards 😬) since I was a teenager.
Board games are a great way to have fun and interact with family and friends during the confinements many of us have experienced during the pandemic. For me, game time is also a great way to disconnect from my day-to-day and helps me manage stress.
Continue readingEclectic book recommendations – May 2020
Let me share an eclectic list of recommended books for these times of confinement. Mostly fiction to relax the mind. Some of them you can find translated to Spanish.
Continue readingBook recommendations – June 2019
My new book recommendations with a mix of fiction and non-fiction.
- The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells. A must read book on the climate emergency and the impact it is having and could have in different aspects of the earth and humankind. I think we all need to understand better the implications of the climate crisis the planet is having.
- Phshing for Phools by George A. Akerlof and Rober J. Shiller Interesting economic research that shows that the invisible hand of the market not necessarily generate the best outcome for buyers.
- Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by journalist John Carreyrou. Great chronicle of the rise and fall of the startup Theranos and its founder Elizabeth Holmes.
- AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee. An interesting non-fiction work that describes the evolution of AI technology in the US and China presenting possible future scenarios. Worth it if you want to know more about the dynamics of AI technology.
- What Are You Looking At?: 150 Years of Modern Art in the Blink of an Eye by Will Gompertz. Worth it reading if you want to know more about the history and evolution of the modern art. It dedicates plenty of chapters to explain how many of the modern art movements started and why. Interesting read if you like modern and contemporary art.
- Remembrance of Earth’s Past science fiction trilogy (Individual novels titled The Three-Body Problem, The Dark Forest and Death’s End) by Liu Cixin. If you like science fiction, don’t miss this great hard science trilogy with a Chinese point of view, very different from what I’m used to in other science fiction. It won a science fiction Hugo Award for Best Novel, in 2015. Looking forward to reading more from the author.
- Folding Beijing by Hao Jingfang. An entertaining science fiction novelette. First Chinese science fiction I read.
Enjoy.
Here is my previous recommendation.