EST. 03 · 10 BOOKS

Books I would take to a desert island

For a long stay on a desert island, I would choose books with many different stories, some long enough to last and others able to keep me going.

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Cover of Shooting Stars: Ten Historical MiniaturesExcellent

Shooting Stars: Ten Historical Miniatures

Stefan ZweigOne of my favorite books in the universe. Probably the book I've read the most with The Count of Monte Cristo. Zweig brings together specific moments that ended up changing the course of history. I love it because it shows that history also depends on accidents, mistakes, obsessions and people who arrive a few minutes late.
Cover of The Count of Monte CristoExcellent

The Count of Monte Cristo

Alexandre DumasIt's one of the most entertaining novels I've ever read, a spectacular story, but for a long time it has been hard to find a Spanish edition that I would like to give away. Some are cut, some have old translations and many full editions are quite unattractive. One day I will find the definitive one and Amazon will probably warn me again that I've already bought it ten times.
Cover of Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible VoyageExcellent

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Alfred LansingProbably the best book I've read in years. The true story of Shackleton and his team's attempt to cross Antarctica, everything they went through, is incredible. And told by many of their survivors.
Cover of LongitudExcellent

Longitud

Dava SobelIt tells the story of the problem of calculating longitude at sea and of John Harrison, the clockmaker who spent decades building a timepiece accurate enough to solve it. Science, navigation, obsession and history are all told in an exciting way.
Cover of RunningVery good

Running

Jean EchenozThe life of Emil Zatopek, a Czech runner from the 1940s who without any style (they laughed at the faces he wore when running) or sports training, broke all the records in athletics at his time, even at the Olympics. And living within the communist regime, which also posed him several problems.
Cover of El maestro Juan Martínez que estaba allíExcellent

El maestro Juan Martínez que estaba allí

Manuel Chaves NogalesThe story of a flamenco dancer and his wife, Sole, who, after working in Europe, end up in Russia and Ukraine caught up in the 1917 Revolution and communism. What a great account of that time, and what a funnier and harder book for the situations so many people went through.
Cover of The shadow of the sunExcellent

The shadow of the sun

Ryszard KapuścińskiKapuściński worked for years as a correspondent in Africa and this book brings together stories of the countries, people and conflicts he met. It's a great portrait of the continent and its history, written from their real experiences and far from the simplified vision we usually get from outside. One of those books you can re-read every now and then and find something different. I've read it several times.
Cover of Three Masters: Balzac, Dickens, DostoevskyExcellent

Three Masters: Balzac, Dickens, Dostoevsky

Stefan ZweigIt deserves the highest score from Dostoyevsky, which is a masterpiece, what a way to understand and explain the three authors, their characters, their relationship with their environment, and their personalities.
Cover of The Pillars of the EarthExcellent

The Pillars of the Earth

Ken FollettWhat I like most is the evolution of the characters throughout the novel and how different stories intersect around the construction of the cathedral. It's very long, but you go through so many things and you accompany the characters for so many years that you end up feeling like you've lived several lives within the same book.
Cover of The Odessa FileExcellent

The Odessa File

Frederick ForsythOne of the novels I have read most often. A young German journalist finds the diary of a Jewish man who has taken his own life, begins investigating a Nazi criminal and discovers Odessa, a secret organisation formed by former SS members. It combines journalism, espionage, history and pursuit, and keeps you reading to discover how far the organisation reaches. I also love the film.