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?

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Trust 

by Hernan Diaz

Rosa M.

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abbooks.co.uk

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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.

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Julio Cesar.EL arte de la política

by Francisco Uria.

Jose S.

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The Minds of Billy Milligan 

by Daniel Keyes

Anastasiia

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Atomic Habits 

by James Clear

Katya

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Oro Rojo 

by Patricia Schonstein  

María L.

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Amazon 

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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.

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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.

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The series of books My Brilliant Friend, 

by Elena Ferrante

Luisa

Amazon

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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

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Martin Eden 

by Jack London , 

The Monk who sold his Ferrari 

by Robin Sharma

Katya

Amazon

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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

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Buddhism without Beliefs

by Stephen Batchelor

María P.

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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?

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The Quixote 

by Cervantes

Rosa M.

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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.

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Things My Son Needs to Know about the World 

by Fredrik Backman

Anastasiia

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Tom Jones 

by Henry Fielding

María Esther 

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Juegos de la Edad Tardía

by Luis Landero

María L.

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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.

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Some of the Roald DAHL’s tales.

Ana M.

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A Confederacy of Dunces 

by John Kennedy Toole  

Juan

What are you reading? A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

Noelia's contribution 

The book

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  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

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  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.