Pepe El Toro

Galileo’s Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson. The way I found this book was a bit unusual. Half joking, I asked ChatGPT to recommend a book that combined a good understanding of history and science, and that wasn’t as disappointing as the one I had abandoned that morning. I wanted something more inspiring and substantial. The […]

Francisco Pizarro. Crónica de una locura (A Chronicle of Madness) by  José Luis Olaizola. I recently became interested in learning more about Francisco Pizarro after reading Spanish Pioneers by C. Lummis. In that book, Pizarro’s conquest in South America is depicted in a dual tone. On one hand, Lummis does not hide the extreme violence

Spanish Pioneers by Charles Lummis. Charles Fletcher Lummis, an American traveler, writer, and journalist of the late 19th century, became famous for walking from Cincinnati to Los Angeles. During his journey, he sent regular dispatches to a Los Angeles newspaper, describing his experiences along the way. I first learned about Lummis through The Library Book,

Many Lives was written by M.R. Kukrit Pramoj and first published in Thai in 1954. Kukrit was a man of many talents and achievements. Educated at Oxford University, he served as a professor at Thammasat University, worked as a journalist, and later became the Prime Minister of Thailand in 1975. He was also a member

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. I discovered Convenience Store Woman almost by accident while browsing a subreddit dedicated to unusual literature. The title caught my eye, and after reading a few comments, I decided to try it. Now that I have finished it, I do not quite understand why it was categorized as “weird

Trafalgar by Benito Pérez Galdós. Benito Pérez Galdós, one of Spain’s greatest novelists, was nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. However, the prize was never awarded to him, likely because of political considerations, despite the international recognition of his work. Galdós was a contemporary of Dostoevsky. Although their literary styles differ, I

The Fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy. Adrian Goldsworthy holds a PhD in ancient military history and  is an authority on the subject of Rome’s wars. Ancient history is a fascinating field. It’s remarkable that we can know so much about events that took place over two thousand years ago. Yet this knowledge is difficult

 Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. This historical novel, written over a hundred years ago, is set in 14th-century Norway. Sigrid Undset was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928, and Kristin Lavransdatter played a central role in that recognition. The prize acknowledged her detailed and historically accurate portrayal of life in the Middle Ages.

Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company by Patrick McGee. The author, a Canadian journalist, has built a distinguished career writing for leading outlets including the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times. He also earned a Master of Arts in Global Diplomacy from the University of London, where his

Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap is a remarkable debut collection of short stories. Born in the U.S., raised in Bangkok, and educated at Cornell and the University of Michigan, Rattawut brings a unique, bicultural perspective to his writing. His prose is clear, concise, and emotionally powerful. What stands out most is his ability to create vivid,