We are all used to seeing lists of books that are a must read. This summer I devoted some time to reading Cervantes' "Don Quijote de la Mancha", Adam Smith's "The wealth of nations", and, a classic in its own way, Andres Trapiello's "Las armas y las letras" (link in Spanish). The three reads were immensely pleasurable, with many valuable take-aways.
'El Quijote' shines through its astonishing originality, both in form and content, its deeply engrained sense of humor, and its truly unique command of the Spanish language. One of its many gems is this epitaph-like sentence: "... del cual se dirá lo que del otro se dijo, que si no acabó grandes cosas, murió por acometellas" (of whom it will be said what was said of another, that if he didn't end great things, he died indeed trying).
Adam Smith's work strikes hard anyone who has read university economics through its crystal clear argumentation of key concepts underpinning economic theory, like the division of labour, with his classic reference to the UK pin making industry. It is also a delight in its beautifully crafted prose, which displays flawless style.
"Las armas y las letras" reviews the main literary authors in Spain's civil-war-torn 20th century. The book brings home an essential point: the ungodly complexity of human circumstances amidst the worst of tragedies, and the unbelievable merit of the few persons, like Clara Campoamor or Manuel Chaves Nogales, who remained true to themselves, at great risk, without really bending to the worst impulses of neither of the two sides.
I wholeheartedly recommend the three reads!
