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Good morning,
And welcome to the Cultural Reads Newsletter with worldwide book, music, and movie recommendations.
In today’s newsletter: Tequila, Book Tips from Barcelona, Zone of Interest, German Books, Brazilian Photography & Dembow
Today, I’m sharing some books close to home.
After my favorite Dutch books, it’s time for the 10 best German books, plus some extra classics.
Do you think Tequila is gross and only for when you’re already too drunk to taste anything properly?
I think you’re wrong!
Great Tequila is like a smooth whisky, so my Mexican friends recommended 10 bottles of the best Tequila in Mexico to change your mind.
WWII films seem to have exhausted every angle, but The Zone of Interest proves otherwise.
This intriguing drama follows a Nazi commandant and his family living next to Auschwitz, yet it avoids showing the atrocities directly.
Instead, it challenges us to confront the unsettling reality of turning a blind eye and continuing our “normal” lives. Don’t miss this through-provoking experience.
My girlfriend and I visited Barcelona for a wedding in the Sagrada Familia.
We also visited the local bookstore Nocturama, which gave us five great book recommendations.
1. Tempest by Georgi Gospodinov (Bulgaria) explores self and time. The protagonist confronts his future self in a journey that blurs the lines between past and present.
2. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson (UK) is a deeply personal memoir that navigates the complexities of identity, love, and the search for belonging within a challenging upbringing.
3. Fierce Attachments by Vivian Gornick (USA), a powerful examination of the author’s relationship with her mother, capturing the tensions of intimacy and independence in their shared lives.
4. When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut (Chile) offers a mesmerizing exploration of the intersection between science and humanity, revealing how our understanding of the world can unravel in the face of its darkest truths. I LOVED this one!
5. Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald (Germany) is an evocative journey through memory and history, where the protagonist uncovers the impact of war and displacement amidst the haunting landscapes of train stations.
For more tips, check food & drink Barcelona and these restaurants by one of my Catalan friends.
The Brazilian Pantanal is the biggest wetland in the world. It’s full of fantastic animals like the giant otter, jaguar, and capybara.
Unfortunately, wildfires threaten the area’s flora and fauna. One of these sad instances was captured beautifully by the famous Brazilian photographer Luciano Candisani.
Check out the pictures and his Instagram.
Are you looking for a banger of a beat and are okay with very explicit lyrics here and there?
Check out Dembow, a genre from the Caribbean (especially the Dominican Republic) that mixes genres like dancehall and reggae.
I already added some of the songs to my gym playlist!
