Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta READING AWARENESS. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta READING AWARENESS. Mostrar todas las entradas

domingo, 30 de agosto de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| Dylan Thomas, The Thundering Voice of Welsh Poetry

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) was a Welsh poet and prose writer whose style transformed 20th-century literature through a thunderous, musical use of language. While the dominant trend of his era leaned toward sober social criticism, Thomas rebelled by writing poetry where details come alive as dazzling metaphors. 

His poetry explores life, the passage of time, childhood, and mortality through energy-filled imagery. Thomas's narrative voice was not meant merely to be read; it was built to be recited aloud, turning every verse into a sonic ritual.


 


Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation 
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social integration 

domingo, 9 de agosto de 2026

LIBROS DEL MUNDO| Cuándo escribir es un acto de resistencia

Cuando una persona es arrancada de su tierra, la palabra escrita suele convertirse en el único hogar posible. Escribir desde la distancia no es solo un acto de memoria, sino una forma de resistencia, de reconstruir la identidad trozo a trozo y de desafiar al olvido.

​En este episodio reflexionaremos sobre cómo el desarraigo ha parido algunas de las obras más universales de la historia. Hablaremos de autores que transformaron la pérdida en arte y el dolor del destierro en un puente hacia el lector.

​¿Te lo vas a perder?

When a person is torn from their homeland, the written word often becomes the only possible home. Writing from a distance is not only an act of memory, but a form of resistance, of rebuilding identity piece by piece and defying oblivion.

In this episode, we will reflect on how uprooting has given birth to some of the most universal works in history. We will talk about authors who transformed loss into art and the pain of exile into a bridge to the reader.

Will you miss it?

Wenn ein Mensch aus seiner Heimat gerissen geschäft wird, wird das geschriebene Wort oft zur einzig möglichen Heimat. Aus der Ferne zu schreiben ist nicht nur ein Akt der Erinnerung, sondern eine Form des Widerstands, der stückweisen Identitätsrekonstruktion und des Trotzens gegen das Vergessen.

In dieser Episode reflektieren wir darüber, wie Vertreibung einige der universellsten Werke der Geschichte hervorgebracht hat. Wir sprechen über Autoren, die Verlust in Kunst und den Schmerz des Exils in eine Brücke zum Leser verwandelt haben.

Wirst du es verpassen?

Lorsqu'une personne est arrachée à sa terre, la mot écrit devient souvent le seul foyer possible. Écrire depuis la distance n'est pas seulement un acte de mémoire, mais une forme de résistance, de reconstruction de l'identité morceau par morceau et de défi à l'oubli.

Dans cet épisode, nous réfléchirons à la manière dont le déracinement a fait naître certaines des œuvres les plus universelles de l'histoire. Nous parlerons d'auteurs qui ont transformé la perte en art et la douleur de l'exil en un pont vers le lecteur.

Vas-tu le rater ?

عندما يُقتلع الإنسان من أرضه، تصبح الكلمة المكتوبة غالبًا الوطن الوحيد الممكن. فالكتابة من على بُعد ليست مجرد فعل ذاكرة، بل هي شكل من أشكال المقاومة، وإعادة بناء الهوية قطعة بقطعة وتحدي النسيان.

في هذه الحلقة، سنتاول كيف أن اقتلاع الجذور قد أثمر عن بعض أعظم الأعمال وأكثرها عالمية في التاريخ. سنتحدث عن مؤلفين حولوا الفقدان إلى فن وألم المنفى إلى جسر نحو القارئ.

هل تفوتك؟

Gdy człowiek zostaje wyrwany ze swojej ziemi, pisane słowo często staje się jedynym możliwym domem. Pisanie z oddalenia to nie tylko akt pamięci, ale forma oporu, odbudowywania tożsamości kawałek po kawałku i przeciwstawiania się zapomnieniu.

W tym odcinku zastanovimy się, jak utrata korzeni zrodziła jedne z najbardziej uniwersalnych dzieł w historii. Porozmawiamy o autorach, którzy przekuli stratę w sztukę, a ból wygnania w pomost do czytelnika.

Przegapisz to?

När en människa rycks bort från sitt land blir det skrivna ordet ofta det enda möjliga hemmet. Att skriva på avstånd är inte bara en minnesakt, utan en form av motstånd, att bygga upp identiteten bit för bit och trotsa glömskan.

I detta avsnitt funderar vi på hur rotlösheten har fött några av historions mest universella verk. Vi kommer att tala om författare som förvandlade förlust till konst och exilets smärta till en bro till läsaren.

Kommer du att missa det?

Wanneer een persoon van zijn grond wordt gerukt, wordt het geschreven woord vaak de enige mogelijke thuis. Schrijven vanuit de verte is niet alleen een daad van geheugen, maar een vorm van verzet, het stukje bij beetje herbouwen van de identiteit en het trotseren van de vergetelheid.

In deze aflevering reflecteren we over hoe ontworteling enkele van de meest universele werken uit de geschiedenis heeft voortgebracht. We praten over auteurs die verlies omzetten in kunst en de pijn van de ballingschap in een brug naar de lezer.

Ga je het missen?

Muntu bikalulu kubumbulibua ku buloba buende, diaku didi diakanyibua didi kusesu kusesu dikala shaku dyonso dyonso. Kusoka patsha kaku ku nyi ku diandi kudi kuikala tshiaku tshipatshila kya lungenyi to, kadi kudi njiya ya kutshimuna, ya kukuata muntu nkatshi nkatshi ne ya kunyanga mwanza.

Mu tshimue tshiakula etshi, netwela meji pa muen sewu muvua diangata buloba bivuile bitumba bia kale bia dikema. Netwula pa bakulu bidi basue bintu bidi biakanyibua bu diangata ne muntu.

Udi ne kusokela?

Wakati mtu anapotolewa kutoka kwenye ardhi yake, neno lililoandikwa mara nyingi huwa ndilo nyumba pekee inayowezekana. Kuandika kutoka mbali sio tu kitendo cha kumbukumbu, bali ni aina ya upinzani, ya kujenga upya utambuzi kipande baada ya kipande na kupinga kusahaulika.

Katika kipindi hiki tutafakari jinsi kung'olewa mizizi kumezaa baadhi ya kazi za ulimwengu wote katika historia. Tutazungumza juu ya waandishi waliogeuza upotevu kuwa sanaa na maumivu ya uhamishoni kuwa daraja kuelekea kwa msomaji.

Je, utakosa?

Uku runas p’ampanmanta qechusqa kaptinqa, qillqasqa simis hukkunataq huklla wasiman t’ikrakun. Karumanta qillqasqaqa manam yuyariynillachu, aswanpas hark’akuyniqmi, kikinpa kawsayninta t’aqan t’aqanpi huñukuy, qonqaymanpas atipaymi.

Kay kuskapi yuyaymanasunchik imaynam sapichasqa kayqa ñawpa pacha aswan tukuypaq ruwasqakunata paqarichisqanmanta. Rimasunchik qillqaqkunamanta, paykunaqa chinkachisqata arte nisqaman t’ikrarqanku, ayqikusqap nanaytañataq ñawiriqman chayana k’ichka t’inkiman t’ikrarqanku.

¿Manachu chinkachinki?


 




Patricia López Muñoz 
Estudiante de Estudios Ingleses 
Técnico Superior en Animación Sociocultural 
Técnico Especialista en Inmigración 
Técnico Superior en Integración Social 

domingo, 2 de agosto de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | The Treasure You Have at Home

Today I want to dedicate the episode about literature to those small libraries we have at home. For some it may be pure decoration, but I assure you that having one is still better than having a bare wall. 


There may be some moment in life when we need information, no matter how analog it may seem, or a book may serve us to escape from a bad time. You cannot imagine the treasure you have at home.

 

Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation 
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social Integration 

domingo, 26 de julio de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | The Legacy of William Gaskell

Discover the fascinating life and legacy of William Gaskell, the influential Unitarian minister, tireless social reformer, and literary partner of his famous wife, Elizabeth Gaskell. Join me while we explore his profound impact on working-class education, social reform, and Victorian society. 

A clear example of his commitment was his tireless work in Manchester, where he founded schools for the working class and supported workers during crises like the cotton famine, driving education and social justice in the Victorian era. 

We have to remember his activism, because he promoted and establishing evening classes at Owens College, for example, viewing excessive drinking as a symptom of the broader misery, desperation, and lack of education caused by poverty.


 

Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation 
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social Integration 

domingo, 19 de julio de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | " North and South " by Elizabeth Gaskell

Published in 1854, Elizabeth Gaskell's novel is one of the most iconic works of the Victorian era. Through the eyes of its protagonist, Margaret Hale, the author portrays the collision of two British worlds in full transformation during the Industrial Revolution. 

The story follows Margaret Hale, a young woman from the south of England (representing tradition, rural life, and the landed gentry), who is forced to move with her family to the industrial north, to the fictional city of Milton (inspired by Manchester). There, she encounters a hostile, gray, and competitive environment, marked by the nascent class struggle between factory owners and exploited workers. 

The novel explores the cultural, economic, and social divide between the agricultural South, considered "refined," and the industrial North, viewed as "brutal" but vital and dynamic. It analyzes tensions between employers and workers, the rise of unions, and the moral dilemma of whether industrialization should prioritize economic profit or the humanity of the worker. Margaret undergoes a learning process where she must overcome her class and regional prejudices. Her evolution runs parallel to that of John Thornton, an industrial tycoon who must learn to see his employees not as tools, but as individuals. Through Margaret, Gaskell challenges the gender roles of the time, presenting a woman with a strong moral compass, capable of making independent decisions and mediating in complex social conflicts.


Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation 
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social Integration 

domingo, 12 de julio de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | "The Daughter of the Wind" by Binta Claire Sy

I won't dwell on the statistics or the reasons for migration, as that's not the focus of this section. I simply want to concentrate on the resilience of those who choose to migrate. One such person is Binta Claire Sy, a 15-year-old Senegalese girl who fled an arranged marriage, survived ten days at sea, and has just published "The Daughter of the Wind," a first-person account of fear, loneliness, and hope. I think I've made it clear that a war isn't necessary for people to migrate.


Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation 
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social Integration 

viernes, 26 de junio de 2026

Mary Bennet: ¿La hermana incomprendida?

A menudo, Mary Bennet es el blanco de las bromas en Orgullo y Prejuicio. Se la tacha de pedante, aburrida o fuera de lugar. Pero, ¿y si estuviéramos mirando mal?

Para muchos, Mary no es una caricatura; es un reflejo de la neurodivergencia. Su rigidez al hablar, su refugio en los libros y su dificultad para entender las normas sociales no son caprichos, sino las herramientas de alguien que intenta navegar un mundo diseñado para personas distintas a ella.
Mientras que a otros personajes, como Darcy, se les perdona su rigidez social por su posición, a Mary se le exige ser "encantadora". Al verla con otros ojos, su "pedantería" se convierte en esfuerzo, y su aislamiento, en una lucha por ser ella misma en un entorno que no la comprende.
Mary no es la hermana que sobra; es la que nos recuerda que, a veces, la incomodidad social es solo la consecuencia de intentar encajar en un molde que no es el tuyo.
¿Habías visto a Mary bajo esta luz alguna vez? Te leo.
¿Qué te parece esta versión? ¿Sientes que captura mejor lo que querías expresar?

Mary Bennet is often the butt of the jokes in Pride and Prejudice. She is branded as pedantic, boring, or out of place. But what if we are looking at her the wrong way?

For many, Mary is not a caricature; she is a reflection of neurodivergence. Her rigidity in speech, her refuge in books, and her difficulty understanding social norms are not whims, but the tools of someone trying to navigate a world designed for people different from her.

While other characters, like Darcy, are forgiven for their social stiffness due to their status, Mary is demanded to be 'charming.' Seen through different eyes, her 'pedantry' becomes effort, and her isolation, a struggle to be herself in an environment that does not understand her.

Mary is not the leftover sister; she is the one who reminds us that, sometimes, social awkwardness is just the consequence of trying to fit into a mold that isn't yours.

Mary Bennet ist in Stolz und Vorurteil oft die Zielscheibe des Spotts. Sie wird als pedantisch, langweilig oder unpassend abgestempelt. Aber was ist, wenn wir sie völlig falsch betrachten?

Für viele ist Mary keine Karikatur, sondern ein Spiegelbild von Neurodivergenz. Ihre Starrheit beim Sprechen, Zuflucht in Büchern und ihre Schwierigkeit, soziale Normen zu verstehen, sind keine Launen. Es sind die Werkzeuge von jemandem, der versucht, sich in einer Welt zurechtzufinden, die für andere Menschen konzipiert wurde.

Während anderen Charakteren wie Darcy ihre soziale Starrheit aufgrund ihres Status verziehen wird, wird von Mary verlangt, ‚charmant‘ zu sein. Mit anderen Augen gesehen, wird ihre ‚Pedanterie‘ zu Anstrengung und ihre Isolation zu einem Kampf, in einer Umgebung, die sie nicht versteht, sie selbst zu sein.

Mary ist nicht die Schwester, die übrig ist; sie ist diejenige, die uns daran erinnert, dass soziale Unbeholfenheit manchmal nur die Folge des Versuchs ist, in eine Form zu passen, die nicht die eigene ist.

Mary Bennet est souvent la cible des moqueries dans Orgueil et Préjugés. On la qualifie de pédante, d'ennuyeuse ou de décalée. Mais et si nous faisions fausse route ?

Pour beaucoup, Mary n'est pas une caricature ; elle est le reflet de la neurodivergence. Sa rigidité de langage, son refuge dans les livres et sa difficulté à comprendre les normes sociales ne sont pas des caprices, mais les outils d'une personne qui tente de naviguer dans un monde conçu pour des gens différents d'elle.

Alors que d'autres personnages, comme Darcy, se voient pardonner leur rigidité sociale en raison de leur statut, on exige de Mary qu'elle soit "charmante". En la regardant d'un autre œil, sa "pédanterie" devient un effort, et son isolement, une lutte pour être elle-même dans un environnement qui ne la comprend pas.

Mary n'est pas la sœur de trop ; elle est celle qui nous rappelle que, parfois, le malaise social n'est que la conséquence d'une tentative de se fondre dans un moule qui n'est pas le sien. 


غالباً ما تكون ماري بينيت محط السخرية في رواية كبرياء وهوى. تُوصف بأنها متحذلقة، مملة، أو في غير مكانها. ولكن، ماذا لو كنا ننظر إليها بطريقة خاطئة؟

بالنسبة للكثيرين، ماري ليست شخصية كاريكاتورية؛ بل هي انعكاس للتنوع العصبي. إن جمودها في الحديث، ولجوءها إلى الكتب، وصعوبة فهمها للأعراف الاجتماعية ليست مجرد نزوات، بل هي أدوات لشخص يحاول شق طريقه في عالم صُمم لأشخاص يختلفون عنه.

وبينما يُغفر لشخصيات أخرى، مثل دارسي، جمودهم الاجتماعي بسبب مكانتهم، يُطالب من ماري أن تكون 'ساحرة'. وعندما ننظر إليها بعيون مختلفة، يتحول 'تحذلقها' إلى جهد، وعزلتها إلى صراع لتكون على طبيعتها في بيئة لا تفهمها.

ماري ليست الأخت الفائضة عن الحاجة؛ بل هي من تذكرنا بأن الارتباك الاجتماعي، في بعض الأحيان، ليس سوى نتيجة لمحاولة الانسجام في قالب ليس لك.

Mary Bennet è spesso il bersaglio degli scherzi in Orgoglio e Pregudizio. Viene etichettata come pedante, noiosa o fuori luogo. Ma se la stessimo guardando nel modo sbagliato?

Per molti, Mary non è una caricatura; è un riflesso della neurodivergenza. La sua rigidità nel parlare, il suo rifugiarsi nei libri e la sua difficoltà a comprendere le norme sociali non sono capricci, ma gli strumenti di qualcuno che cerca di muoversi in un mondo progettato per persone diverse da lei.

Mentre ad altri personaggi, come Darcy, viene perdonata la rigidità sociale a causa della loro posizione, a Mary viene richiesto di essere 'affascinante'. Guardandola con altri occhi, la sua 'pedanteria' diventa sforzo, e il suo isolamento, una lotta per essere se stessa in un ambiente che non la comprende.

Mary non è la sorella di troppo; è colei che ci ricorda che, a volte, l'imbarazzo sociale è solo la conseguenza del tentativo di incastrarsi in uno stampo che non è il tuo.

Mary Bennet on usein vitsien kohde romaanissa Ylpeys ja ennakkoluulo. Häntä pidetään pikkutarkkana, tylsänä tai outona. Mutta entä jos katsommekin häntä väärästä näkökulmasta?

Monille Mary ei ole karikatyyri, vaan neurodivergenssin heijastuma. Hänen jäykkyytensä puhuessaan, turvautumisensa kirjoihin ja vaikeutensa ymmärtää sosiaalisia normeja eivät ole oikkuja, vaan työkaluja ihmiselle, joka yrittää luovia maailmassa, joka on suunniteltu hänestä poikkeaville ihmisille.

Siinä missä muille hahmoille, kuten Darcylle, annetaan anteeksi heidän sosiaalinen kankeutensa heidän asemansa vuoksi, Marylta vaaditaan ’hurmaavuutta’. Kun häntä katsotaan toisin silmin, hänen ’pikkutarkkuudestaan’ tulee ponnistelua ja hänen eristäytymisestään taistelua olla oma itsensä ympäristössä, joka ei ymmärrä häntä.

Mary ei ole ylimääräinen sisar; hän on se, joka muistuttaa meitä siitä, että joskus sosiaalinen kankeus on vain seuraus yrittämisestä sopeutua muottiin, joka ei ole oma.

메리 베넷은 『오만과 편견』에서 종종 조롱의 대상이 되곤 합니다. 그녀는 고루하고 지루하며, 주변과 어우러지지 못하는 인물로 낙인찍히기 일쑤입니다. 하지만 우리가 그녀를 잘못된 시선으로 바라보고 있었던 것은 아닐까요?

많은 이들에게 메리는 단순한 희화화의 대상이 아니라, 신경다양성을 대변하는 인물입니다. 그녀의 딱딱한 말투, 책 속으로의 도피, 그리고 사회적 규범을 이해하는 데 겪는 어려움은 단순한 변덕이나 고집이 아닙니다. 그것은 자신과 전혀 다른 사람들을 위해 설계된 세상에서 어떻게든 살아남기 위해 애쓰는 이의 처절한 노력입니다.

다아시 같은 인물은 높은 신분 덕분에 사회적 무뚝뚝함을 쉽게 용서받지만, 메리에게는 오직 '매력적일 것'만을 요구합니다. 하지만 시선을 조금만 바꾸면, 그녀의 '고루함'은 세상에 맞추려는 눈물겨운 노력으로, 그녀의 고립은 자신을 이해하지 못하는 환경 속에서 나답게 살아가기 위한 고군분투로 보이기 시작합니다.

메리는 그저 자리만 차지하는 무익한 자매가 아닙니다. 때로는 사회적 서투름이란 그저 자신에게 맞지 않는 틀에 억지로 맞추려다 생기는 상처일 뿐이라는 것을 우리에게 상기시켜 주는 인물입니다.

Patricia López Muñoz
Estudiante de Estudios Ingleses
Técnico Superior en Animación Sociocultural
Técnico Especialista en Inmigración
Técnico Superior en Integración Social

domingo, 31 de mayo de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | Manuel Ortiz Guerrero and Panambí Verá

The immortal bond between poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero and musician José Asunción Flores gave birth to Panambí Verá, one of the most beautiful and transcendent guaranias in Paraguayan culture. Written in vibrant Guaraní, the poem uses the image of a "bright butterfly" as a delicate metaphor for elusive love, beauty, and the fleeting nature of life. Despite suffering from a devastating illness, Ortiz Guerrero poured unmatched sensitivity, dignity, and romanticism into his verses. Today, Panambí Verá is not just a song; it is a profound symbol of Paraguayan identity and a testament to how art can transform personal pain into an eternal cultural legacy.




Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation  Specialist in Immigration
High Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 17 de mayo de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | ​"A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf stated that to write, a woman must have money and a room of her own. But in 2026, are we still fighting for that space, or has the noise become digital? Woolf's thesis was that economic and personal independence are the foundation of intellectual freedom, especially for women writers.

 

Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animación
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social Integration 

domingo, 10 de mayo de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD |The Poetry of War

Imagine it is 1914. You are young, full of energy, and you are told that going to war is the greatest adventure of your life. That dying for your country is an act of pure beauty. At the beginning of the Great War, poetry sounded like Rupert Brooke. We heard verses like: "If I should die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England". It was romantic idealism at its peak. But the reality of rats, mustard gas, and infinite mud was about to change literature forever.

​Soon, the shine of the medals rusted. Poets appeared who didn't write from offices in London, but from the bottom of a flooded ditch. Let’s talk about Siegfried Sassoon. He didn’t want to be a hero; he wanted to denounce the incompetence of the generals. His poetry was a punch: direct, bitter, and satirical. But it was his protégé, Wilfred Owen, who took the pain to another level. Owen introduced the concept of the "Pity of War". In his famous poem "Dulce et Decorum Est", he breaks classical aesthetics to show us a soldier drowning in gas, with lungs "gargling blood". With Owen, poetry stopped being a celebration and became an urgent testimony.



Patricia López Muñoz 
Student of English Studies 
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation 
Specialist in Immigration 
High Technician in Social Integration 

viernes, 1 de mayo de 2026

The Power of Social Intervention: From Medellín to Bilbao

According to a far-right politician, priests should go to Molenbeek—a Brussels neighborhood that became famous at one point for some very regrettable events. However, I want to bring you the positive side and show how social intervention, which is our topic for today, works to improve specific situations in certain neighborhoods.

​1. The Miracle of Medellín: Comuna 13 (Colombia)

​This is the most radical example in the world. Back in the 90s, this was frankly one of the most dangerous places on the planet, basically controlled by violent groups. What changed things was, essentially, fixing the neighborhood.

​Instead of relying solely on police force, the city council provided facilities and infrastructure. They installed giant outdoor escalators (since it’s built on a steep hill) and a cable car system. As a result, residents who were previously isolated can now move freely and stay connected to the rest of the city. Libraries and parks were built, creating a sense of community through art.

​2. The Bronx: New York City (USA)

​We’ve all seen it in 80s movies; it was the global symbol of urban decay. What happened there wasn't just public investment—because, of course, you have to spend money for that—but the fact that the community makes the neighborhood.

​The people didn't just wait for the city council to show up. Local neighborhood organizations began rehabilitating buildings on their own. Usually, people only call the city when a building is collapsing or the paint is peeling, but here, they took charge of the upkeep. They created urban gardens in abandoned lots, putting an end to the filth. While it still faces challenges, it now has a powerful cultural identity as the birthplace of Hip Hop, which has helped the crime rate drop radically.

​3. Bilbao: The Industrial Rebirth (Spain)

​In the 80s, Bilbao was a degraded industrial zone. This decline peaked when the blast furnaces were closed. I know this because I was there and that’s how it was told to me: the city was dirty and grey.

​Then came the "Guggenheim Effect." They cleaned up the river, and the result was a total transformation. This caused the psychology of the city to change radically, allowing the citizens to truly make it their own.

​Conclusion: I believe I have demonstrated through these three cases how a good social intervention makes us feel like a community. Next week, we will continue with more. Thank you.

 

Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
High Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
High Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 22 de febrero de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| Ibn Battuta, the Arab "Marco Polo"

For today's episode, we travel to North Africa, to the city of Tangier, in present-day Morocco, to meet a distinguished writer, philosopher, and above all, traveler, whom we could call the "Arab Marco Polo."

We see that from a very young age, Ibn Battuta was passionate about reading, especially works related to geography and all kinds of travel books. Being wealthy, on June 13, 1325, he set off for Mecca with the intention of fulfilling the pilgrimage required of every Muslim to visit the holiest city in Islam.

Ibn Battuta traveled the entire length of North Africa along the coast, barely pausing to notice the scenery, until he reached Alexandria. From Egypt, he journeyed up the Nile to the city of Aydab, located near the first cataracts, before returning to Cairo, unable to embark for Arabia across the Red Sea, as he had wished.

Once he had fulfilled his devotional desires, he traveled to Iraq, Khuzestan, Fars, Tabiz, and Kurdistan, finally arriving in Baghdad. From there, in 1327, he returned to Mecca to live for three years as a professor of theology, a period during which he gained a reputation as an austere and devout Muslim.

But far from stopping there, he reached the fertile Indus Valley, making his way to Delhi. Incidentally, he also visited the semi-legendary African empire of Mali, about which Ibn Battuta provided a comprehensive geographical, political, social, and religious account.

But before departing for the Western Sahara, Ibn Battuta was sent as the sultan's ambassador to the Muslim kingdom of Granada, where he remained for about a year, between 1351 and 1352.

If this literary journey inspired you, please recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!


 
 
 


Patricia Lopez Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration



domingo, 15 de febrero de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| Jean Rhys

Greetings to all listeners. I'm back with another episode packed with incredible content. It's an honor to share this space and time with you.


Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that is written with every page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And every story is a cultural compass.

If you remember yesterday's episode, I talked about the treatment of women in new literary, but especially psychiatric movements. Today I'm bringing this to literature, through the work of Jean Rhys, an author who combines her Anglo-Caribbean cultural diversity with the situation of women in her time.

Most of Rhys's works deal with women displaced from their natural environments and left to the whims of societies with weak family values, reflecting her own experiences. Her style is often characterized by its blend of modernist techniques, which were prevalent at the beginning of the 20th century. 20th century and the sensibilities of the Caribbean society from which she came.

If this literary journey inspired you, recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!
 
 
 
 

Patricia Lopez Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 18 de enero de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| Alonso Quesada: Poet and Playwright From the Canary Islands

Hello, how are you? Welcome to this podcast, from the Canary Islands to the world.

Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that is written with each page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And each story is a cultural compass.


Today I bring you a review of one of the most distinguished Canarian writers: Alonso Quesada, pseudonym of Rafael Romero Quesada, poet, narrator, journalist, and playwright.


Together with Tomás Morales and Saulo Torón, he formed a literary triumvirate known as the "Generation of Three."


He published his first writings in 1904 in the satirical youth magazine El Gran Galeoto, and continued in various local and national newspapers and magazines of the time, such as El Día, El Tribuno, España, La Pluma, La Mañana, La Publicidad, and Ecos.


He excelled, in literary terms, in both poetry and prose, employing existential bitterness and irony as key elements of his writing. Furthermore, his plays are notable for the tragedies of their characters.

If this story moved you, share it. If you think there's something that shouldn't be kept quiet, write to me. We'll talk in the next episode.



Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 11 de enero de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| Bronisława Wajs, "Papusza"

Hello, how are you? Welcome to this podcast, from the Canary Islands to the world.


Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that is written with each page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And every story is a cultural compass.


Today I want to tell you about a woman who not only wrote verses, but paid the highest price for them. In the heart of the Polish forests, at the beginning of the 20th century, Bronisława Wajs was born, known to her people as Papusza, which means 'Doll'.


Papusza was no ordinary writer. In a time when the Polish Roma community was mostly illiterate and nomadic, she learned to read in secret, exchanging food for lessons with local villagers. She was self-taught and discovered that her destiny was not only to walk, but to sing of walking.


Her talent was discovered by the Polish poet Jerzy Ficowski, who was captivated by the purity of her lyricism. Her poems spoke of hunger, cold, horse-drawn carts crossing the snow, and the freedom of the river.


But this is where the story takes a bittersweet turn. By publishing her work, Papusza unwittingly broke the code of silence within her community. She was accused of revealing the secrets of the Romani people to the non-Roma and of betraying their ancestral laws. The punishment was devastating: expulsion. Papusza was declared "impure" and banished by her own people, the very ones to whom she had dedicated every verse.


She spent decades in isolation and poverty, immersed in silence and suffering from mental health issues, even disowning her own poetry. However, time proved her right. Today, Papusza is recognized as the mother of modern Romani literature. Her poems are chronicles of a world the Nazis tried to erase during the Porrajmos (the Roma Holocaust), a world she managed to save with paper and ink.


If this literary journey inspired you, recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!




Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

sábado, 3 de enero de 2026

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| "The Epic of Sundiata" Shows Us Africa Has Culture

Hello, how are you? Welcome to this podcast, from the Canary Islands to the world,.


Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that is written with each page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And each story is a cultural compass.



We've often been told that the history of this continent began with colonisation, but today we're opening a book that proves otherwise: the Epic of Sundiata. It's not just a story; it's the African equivalent of the Iliad or the Cantar de Mio Cid.



Sundiata Keïta is not a myth; he was the founder of the Mali Empire. His story reaches us thanks to the griots, the masters of the word and guardians of memory, who sang it for centuries before it was written down.



What do we find in its pages? A lesson in resilience. Sundiata was born paralysed, despised, and exiled, but he managed to rise up and unite his people. It is a work of literature filled with magic, political strategy, and a profound ethic of justice and respect for the land. It teaches us that Africa was already writing—and singing—human rights laws, like the Manden Charter, long before other continents even dreamed of them.


If this literary journey inspired you, recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!



Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 28 de diciembre de 2025

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | "Who Moved My Cheese?", by Spencer Johnson

Hello, how are you? Welcome to this podcast, from the Canary Islands to the world.


Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that is written with each page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And each story is a cultural compass.

I admit there was a time when I wasn't doing well. I didn't understand what was happening to me, until last year when I discovered the reason for my existential emptiness: my beloved English Studies degree, which I prefer to call Philology, and above all, my autism diagnosis, which causes me intense hyperfocus.

Then a small book came into my life: "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson. It's different because it doesn't talk about achieving goals, but about pursuing your objectives and dreams that you already had clearly defined, and persisting.

If this literary journey inspired you, please recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!



Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 21 de diciembre de 2025

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | Rasselas, In Search of Knowledge

Hello, how are you? Welcome to this podcast, from the Canary Islands to the world.


Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that is written with each page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And every story is a cultural compass.


The story of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, originally titled The Prince of Abyssinia: A Tale, though often shortened to Rasselas, is a fable about happiness and ignorance, written by Samuel Johnson. The book's original working title was 'The Choice of Life'. The book was first published in April 1759 in England. Early readers considered Rasselas to be a work of philosophical and practical importance, and critics often comment on the difficulty of classifying it as a novel.


This novel is for those who are incredibly curious about the world, who want to explore, but who are afraid to open themselves up to new horizons. It also deals with dissatisfaction.


If this literary journey inspired you, recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!





Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 14 de diciembre de 2025

BOOKS OF THE WORLD | " Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard ", Thomas Gray

Hello, how are you? Welcome to  this podcast, from the Canary Islands to the world.


Today I'm opening a book that isn't on any bookshelf: the one that's written with every page that transforms us. We travel the world in search of new stories, because reading is crossing borders without a passport. And every story is a cultural compass.


I know it's not Halloween, but I felt like talking about this unique author: Thomas Gray. What's so original about him? Well, one of his works, called "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," was written in a cemetery, on a tombstone.


It's very beautiful, because it deals with how we will be judged in eternity, whether we are simple farmers or politicians, writers, etc.


If this literary journey inspired you, recommend it. And if you have a book that changed your life, tell me about it. Until the next episode!


Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

domingo, 7 de diciembre de 2025

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| British Writers Were Racist?

Hello, how are you? Here I am with a new episode of our podcast about human rights and other interesting topics. It's a pleasure to be here again, sharing stories and experiences with you.

This series is a journey through literature without borders. In each episode, I dive into a book, an author, or a literary movement from different parts of the world. Because books are passports too, and every story carries us closer to new cultures, languages, and ways of seeing life. 

After reading and analyzing several works of English literature, specifically those written in the 19th and early 20th centuries, coinciding with the expansion of the British Empire, it could be said that there are authors whose works, on the surface, seem to denounce imperialist actions, but are quite the opposite. Today I'm talking about Rudyard Kipling and Roald Dahl.

It often happens that we see authors as idols who don't make mistakes, but analyzing their lives, beyond their work, we see that the author of "The Jungle Book" had his own controversial political ideas, a product of the deeply classist and colonialist society of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in which he lived.

The same is true for Roald Dahl, whose museum in the UK has condemned the writer's "undeniable" racism and lamented racism "directed at any group or individual" due to his antisemitic views about the Jewish people.


That’s the end of today’s episode. Thank you so much for joining me on this literary journey. Until next time, may the stories you read take you further than you ever imagined. 

If you have any comments or suggestions for future episodes, I’d be delighted to hear from you.





Patricia López Muñoz
Student of English Studies
Higher Technician in Sociocultural Animation
Specialist in Immigration
Higher Technician in Social Integration

BOOKS OF THE WORLD| Dylan Thomas, The Thundering Voice of Welsh Poetry

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) was a Welsh poet and prose writer whose style transformed 20th-century literature through a thunderous, musical use...