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Good morning all,
And welcome to the 11th issue of the Cultural Reads Newsletter! A bi-weekly book, music, and movie recommendation from different countries all around the world.
I’m happy to announce that I just surpassed 100 subscribers!!
To celebrate this, I added a new subscribe button below. Please spread the word if you have friends who’d be interested 
In this week’s newsletter: Moldova, Poland & Colombia
Signing my contract to participate as a singer in Eurovision
Have you ever wondered how it would be to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest? I had not, to be honest until I got a chance to travel to Moldova last September.
I work for an impact investing company, and one of our clients is based in the capital, Chisinau. What I did not know, however, is that one of my friends was taking singing classes from Moldova’s 2016 Eurovision participant, Lidia Isac.
My friend was so kind as to arrange an interview, and Lidia told me about her experiences participating in Eurovision, The Voice France, and The Voice Romania. She also shared her top 5 Moldovan singers, which you can check out in this blog post!
If you’re reading this and happen to know a friend who is an artist, actor, singer, or filmmaker that might be interested in sharing their knowledge, please let me know! I’d be very interested in interviewing more creative minds from different countries.
Corpus Christi is a Polish movie that came out in 2020. It tells the story of a young ex-convict who turns into an unofficial priest. Although this storyline may come across as somewhat implausible, the movie is far from that.
The protagonist Daniel (played by Bartosz Bielenia), convincingly portrays a former thug from a tough neighborhood looking for a chance to turn his life around. When he’s mistaken for a substitute priest, he seizes this opportunity with both hands.
With his short hair, piercing blue eyes, and passionate preaching, he soon gets a grip on the community. He’s arguably doing a much better job as a priest than many others, but will he be able to sustain this role without blowing his cover?
Corpus Christi is a thrilling, emotional, yet funny movie with a raw edge. It shows the impact individuals can have on the world, following their passion, regardless of their background, and is very entertaining.
If you’re interested, you can find the full movie here.
As is often the case, the Spanish name of this book is much more beautiful than its translation. The original title is “El Olvido Que Seremos,” which roughly translates into “the forgotten that awaits us.” The title refers to a poem by Jorge Luis Borges found on the author’s father the day he got murdered.
This memoir is a homage to Héctor Abad Senior. A father who worked as a University professor in Colombia and stood up for the poor. His focus on pragmatic solutions and outspokenness made him a public figure. However, a public figure also meant a potential target, which eventually cost him his life.
The book teaches the importance of values and courage, Colombian history, and life in general. Although it’s based on historical accounts, it reads like fiction.
I ordered the book on BetterWorldBooks. The website sells secondhand books without transport costs and donates a book for each one you order. Shipping times are slow, though, so this is not for the impatient.
