Reading is one of the most enriching activities we can do. not only Stimulates imagination and creativityBut allows us to travel to other worlds, learn moving stories and learn from other people’s experiences. Through books, we expand our view of the world, understand other perspectives and develop our empathy. Furthermore, reading helps us Improve our writing and communication skillssomething basic My profession is as a journalist.
Titles that I’m going to recommend in this list and that I want to study before 2025, They did not come into my hands by chance. They have been recommended to me by trusted publishers, friends who are passionate about reading, and fellow journalists whom I deeply admire. Its rationale This title piqued my curiosity.And I am sure these stories will grip me and leave me with good memories before the end of 2024.
‘Among the Dead’, by Stanislaw Lem (ed. Impedimenta)
I really want to read this book because it depicts the horrors that Stanislaw Lemm faced during the Nazi occupation. Although sad, it’s a job that definitely won’t leave me indifferent and makes me reflect on people’s ability to overcome adversity.
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The story follows Stefan Trzenicki, a physician trying to survive in a devastated world, and Carol Wilk, a math genius forced to hide in a Jewish workshop during the German occupation. Through his experiences, Lem brutally describes the terror of pogroms, deportations, and ghettos. This story, anchored in autobiographical power, seems to me essential to understanding the limits of human resistance in times of barbarism.
‘Fire in the Throat’, by Beatriz Serrano (Ed. Planeta).
In addition to receiving the 2024 Planeta Award, this book caught my attention for dealing with issues such as abandonment, guilt, and the search for identity at such a crucial time as adolescence.
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The story follows Blanca, who, after her mother abandons her, lives a life full of guilt and connects with a group of girls on the Internet who share her loneliness. United by their love for the winning division and their fascination with the controversial figure, these girls become their refuge. In an environment characterized by absent parents and unpredictable figures, Blanca seeks to find her place in the world.
‘You Could Make This Something Pretty’, by Maggie Smith (Ed. Asteroid Books)
I am sure I will love this book because it reflects how to rebuild yourself after going through a traumatic situation. In this case it is a breakup, but it can be applied to any other difficult moment.
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In short vignettes, Maggie Smith tells how she transformed the pain of her husband’s infidelity into a journey toward self-acceptance and rebirth. The author reflects on gender roles and power dynamics within marriage, while finding the power to transform chaos into beauty. Full of compassion and courage, this work is an invitation to reflect on our own struggles and how we can grow stronger from them.
‘The Out of Tune Soldier’, by Gilles Marchand (ed. Sex Barrels)
I want to read it first because, as they say, it’s a novel that fascinates with its sensitivity and its ability to find beauty in chaos.
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In 1920s Paris, a Great War veteran is tasked with finding Emile, who went missing during the conflict. In his quest, he travels through ancient battlefields, now silent, and talks to witnesses who choose to bury their memories. But amid stories of pain and violence, an unexpected love story emerges, a light in the midst of darkness that drives him to keep going. Meanwhile, Europe is again on the brink of a new war, adding urgency and desperation to its mission.
‘Everything Dies’, by Juan Gómez-Jurado (ed. Planeta)
I can’t say much about this book except that I’m going to save it for the December long weekend to finish one of the most exciting and popular thriller stories in recent years. I look forward to reading it!
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I can’t say anything about this book because that’s how the author describes it. But I’m sure it won’t let me down, because it hasn’t so far.
Stuart Turton’s ‘The Last Murder at the End of the World’ (Attic Books ed.)
I was drawn to this book because it mixes science fiction and mystery and creates a unique scenario where solving a murder is a matter of life or death. The idea of a countdown that endangers an entire community is simply overwhelming.
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In a world ravaged by a deadly fog, an island is humanity’s last refuge. There, 122 villagers live in peace thanks to a security system that keeps them safe. However, everything changes when one of the three scientists who run the island is killed. The security system, which protects the city, threatens to shut down in 107 hours if the crime is not solved. The most disturbing thing is that no one remembers what happened, and the killer could be anyone, even someone who doesn’t know they are one. What impressed me most was how Turton manages to keep the reader in constant suspense, with unexpected twists and an atmosphere that combines despair and hope. This book is not only a literary puzzle but also a reflection on the fragility of humanity.
‘Wellness’, by Nathan Hill (ed. addn.)
This is another book I’d love to read before the end of 2024 because, as I’m told, it has humor, irony, and deep reflections on marriage and human connection. Additionally, its setting in the nineties and the present gives it a nostalgic touch that I love.
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The story follows Jack and Elizabeth, who fall in love in Chicago’s vibrant art scene in the 1990s. Twenty years later, their marriage is at a standstill as they deal with the challenges of modern life: from parenthood to mindfulness fads, the dynamics of social media, and the challenges of staying together. What I loved most about this book is how Hill depicts the conflict in marriage and the struggle to stay together in a world that constantly pushes for disconnection. With sharp satire and poignant moments, the author made me reflect on the bonds that really matter and the stories that define us.
‘The Golden Fracture’, by Paloma Diaz-Mas (ed. Anagrama).
I am looking forward to reading this book, although I admit it is going to be difficult, as it deals with grief and loss. A reflection on how to heal the cracks that life leaves us with.
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In January 2021, amid the pandemic and a historic snowfall in Madrid, Paloma Díaz-Mas suddenly lost her brother. This fact completely changed the course of his writing, leading him to create a book that begins with a scene that is as real as a dream. The author combines family memories and images of the unexpected and irreplaceable, using the Japanese technique of kintsugi as a metaphor for mourning: celebrating life’s cracks by mending them with “gold,” leaving traces of what we’ve lost visible.
‘The Notebook Thief’, by Gianni Sollar (ed. Tuskets)
I conclude my list of recommendations that I want to read before the end of the year with a novel that highlights the value of friendship and that talks about how we become more resilient by being able to withstand adversity.
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In 1942, in the small town of Tora e Pikili, David spends a difficult childhood caring for a pig, enduring ridicule from his classmates for his lameness and abuse from a fascist father. His only ally is Teresa, a young woman who encourages him to learn to write as he dreams of leaving the city. Everything changes with the arrival of a group of Jewish exiles from Naples, among them Nicholas, a boy who at first refuses, but who soon becomes the bridge of a transformative friendship between the three. Against a hostile backdrop, David, Teresa and Nicholas form a bond that challenges the odds of war and the prejudices of their environment.
