List of Our Favourite Books - May 26 Meeting

Last Friday, May 15, 2026, we held the final meeting of the 2025-2026 season for our Book Club. During this meeting, we discussed some of the books that club members are currently reading or have already read. Below is a list of the books discussed (you can click on each image for more information).


What are you reading right now?

Amazon
Trust 
by Hernan Diaz

Rosa M.






Amazon
abbooks.co.uk
The Unbereable lightness of being
by Milan Kundera
Rhetorics, 
by Aristotle 
The speaker 
by Cicerón.
Luisa


Amazon
Fifty words for rain 
by Asha Lemmie

Noelia






Amazon
Nourrices 
by Séverine Cressan

Marta
Maria P. 
Ana M.




Amazon
Julio Cesar.EL arte de la política
by Francisco Uria.

Jose S.






Amazon
The Minds of Billy Milligan 
by Daniel Keyes

Anastasiia






Amazon
Atomic Habits 
by James Clear
Katya







Amazon
Oro Rojo 
by Patricia Schonstein  

María L.






A perfect day for banana fish 
by J.D. Salinger,  
A Wizard of Earthsea 
by Ursula K. LeGuin, 
Lolita 
by Nabokov
María Esther


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East wind, west wind 
by Pearl S. Buck
Sonia F.






Amazon
The Blind Sunflowers 
by Alberto Méndez.
Ana Melendo






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Infinite Jest 
by David Foster Wallace 

Juan









Which book changed your life?

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The Lord of the Rings 
by Tolkien

Rosa M.






Amazon
The series of books My Brilliant Friend, 
by Elena Ferrante

Luisa






Amazon
Amazon
El Corazón Helado 
By Almudena Grandes
Never Let me go 
by Kazuo Ishiguro

Noelia




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Rich Dad Poor Dad 
by Robert Kiyosaki

Marta






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Misericordia. 
By Pérez Galdos

Jose S.






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The Painted Veil 
by Somerset Maugham

Anastasiia






Amazon
Amazon
Martin Eden 
by Jack London , 
The Monk who sold his Ferrari 
by Robin Sharma

Katya




Amazon
Amazon
The Age of Innocence
The House of Mirth
by Edith Wharton

María Esther





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The Fifth Woman
by Henning Mankell

María L.






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Little women 
by Louis May Alcott

Sonia






Amazon
Buddhism without Beliefs
by Stephen Batchelor

María P.






Amazon
Memoirs of a dutiful Daughter 
by Simone de BEAUVOIR

Ana M.






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Plato, No Prozac
by Lou Marinoff

Juan










Which book makes you laugh?

Amazon
The Quixote 
by Cervantes

Rosa M.






Amazon
Last Evenings With Teresa
by Juan Marsé.

Luisa






Amazon
Born a Crime 
by Trevor Noah

Noelia
Marta





Amazon
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared
by Jonás Jonasson.

Jose S.





Amazon
Things My Son Needs to Know about the World 
by Fredrik Backman

Anastasiia






Amazon
Tom Jones 
by Henry Fielding
María Esther 







Amazon
Juegos de la Edad Tardía
by Luis Landero

María L.






Amazon
Más respeto que soy tú madre. 
by Hernan Casciari.

Sonia F.






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The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe
by Romain Puertolás

Maria P.





Amazon
Some of the Roald DAHL’s tales.

Ana M.







Amazon
A Confederacy of Dunces 
by John Kennedy Toole  

Juan



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What are you reading? A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

Noelia's contribution 

The book

Amazon
  A Quiet Life is one of those novels where, at first, nothing seems to happen. But as you keep reading, you start to realise that everything important is unfolding inside the characters themselves.

The story centres on three people: Chuck, Ella, and Kirsten. On the surface, they lead ordinary lives—but each of them is carrying a heavy burden. Chuck is trying to find his footing after losing his wife to illness. Ella lives with the unimaginable pain of her daughter's kidnapping. Kirsten is still reeling from her father's violent death. They're strangers to one another, yet grief quietly binds them together.

What struck me most about this novel is how honestly it portrays loss. There's no neat resolution, no magical moment of healing. Instead, the book shows grief for what it really is: something you don't get over, but something you slowly learn to carry. It also digs into regret—that nagging sense of wondering what might have been different if we'd made other choices.

The real magic here is how the author finds meaning in the mundane. A phone call, a pet adoption or gifting your car—these small moments take on unexpected weight. And the characters feel so real, so familiar. They could be your neighbour, your coworker, or you. People wrestling with fear, doubt, and the stubborn persistence of memory.

If you're looking for a book club pick, this one works beautifully. Even just the first four chapters give you plenty to chew on: how we grieve, how we connect, how we grow when we least expect it.

I highly recommend the novel, which is quietly powerful. It reminded me that even the most unremarkable lives hold beauty, that healing happens in small increments, and that hope can live in the most ordinary places. Beyond all that, it's simply a warm, deeply human story worth savouring.

The Author

Amazon
  Ethan Joella is an American author known for writing emotional and character-driven stories about everyday life. He grew up in the United States and developed an interest in literature from a young age.

Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as an English teacher, which helped him connect deeply with stories and people. His experiences in teaching influenced his writing style, which is simple, clear, and focused on human emotions.

He is best known for his novel A Quiet Life, where he explores themes such as grief, loss, and personal connection. His stories often focus on ordinary people facing difficult situations, making them easy to relate to.

Today, he continues writing and sharing stories that highlight the beauty and complexity of everyday life.


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What are you reading? The Day of the Triffids by John Windham

 Ana Melendo's contribution

Just a few lines to tell you that if you like dystopic novels, I recommend you to read The Day of the Triffids by John WINDHAM. It’s entertaining, not too difficult to understand. You can see on Wikipedia (The Day of the Triffids) the critics it has received

I’m all right with the most positive. If you read it, I would like to have your impression.


The Book

Amazon
The Day of the Triffids is a classic science fiction novel that explores a world suddenly thrown into chaos. The story begins after a mysterious cosmic event blinds most of the human population, leaving society vulnerable and fragile. At the same time, strange, mobile plants known as triffids—capable of movement and deadly attacks—begin to spread and dominate the landscape. The novel follows Bill Masen, one of the few people who retains his sight, as he navigates a collapsing civilization and searches for safety and meaning. Beyond its gripping survival narrative, the book raises thought-provoking questions about human dependence on technology, the fragility of social order, and the resilience needed to rebuild. Its combination of suspense, speculative ideas, and social commentary has made it a lasting and influential work in the genre.


The Author

Wikipedia
John Wyndham was a British science fiction writer known for blending imaginative ideas with everyday settings and believable characters. Born in 1903, he wrote under several pen names before achieving major success with The Day of the Triffids in 1951. Wyndham’s work is often described as “cosy catastrophes,” a term used to depict apocalyptic events unfolding in familiar, domestic environments rather than distant or exotic worlds. His storytelling focuses not only on extraordinary events but also on how ordinary people respond to them, making his narratives both accessible and deeply engaging. Other notable works include The Midwich Cuckoos and The Kraken Wakes. Wyndham’s influence on science fiction is significant, as he helped shape a more human-centered approach to the genre. He died in 1969, but his works remain widely read and appreciated today.


There are several film versions of this work, with varying quality and success; you can watch complete versions on YouTube, we have attached the links.

THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS | Full Length Classic Sci-Fi Movie | English


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April 26 Meeting - "Our favourite books"

 Marta's post

Dear book club members

In our last session for this year, which will take place on 12-15 May, we are going to talk about the things we are reading now... with a twist. This year, we are going to talk about a passion we share: our favourite books. 

What should I read next? How can I find that book that will take me out of my reading rut? I often find my reading inspiration on the reels fellow readers post on Instagram. Like the people interviewed on the instagram account Undercover Books.

Here you have some examples (Click on each image to view it on Instagram) : 

Instagram
Instagram

So, in our last session we are going to share our reading tips by answering the following questions. Please think about the reasons behind your answers and, if possible, bring the books you are going to talk about.

  • What are you reading right now?
  • Which book changed your life?
  • Which book makes you laugh?
  • Best book under 150 pages?
  • Which book do you wish you'd written?
  • Best classic?
  • Best non-fiction?
  • Is there a book you couldn't finish?
  • If you had to be trapped in a lift with an author, who would you choose?
  • Which book would you live in forever?
  • Best adaptation?
  • Worst adaptation?

Since we'll be discussing many books, we'd like to gather all your suggestions so we can all remember which books we've talked about. If you'd like (it's not required), send us the names of your favorite books and we'll add them to our list, which we'll publish after the May meeting.

(use the form by clicking here  or on the image below). Thank you very much.

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