Cursos de la profe: What I am reading now

For me, it's very difficult to choose a book that has impressed me, because many of them have got this effect on me, so I've decided to talk about the books I'm reading now.

As time passes by, I've acustommed myself to reading several books of different genres sharing my time and apettite among them.

Right now, I'm reading "The Watchmen", a comic book that my collegue Max has lent me. I watched the film several years ago and it interested me a lot. Afterwards, I've read a book of Andres Ibáñez and one of the characters of Watchmen appeared, Dr. Manhattan, so it pushed me to read the comic.

The second book I'm reading is an Antology of Gloria Fuertes' poems. I'm used to reading poetry when I'm reading other books. I could say that I try to read poetry every day, as a custom. It´s very interesting, delicated and naïve, but also, it discovers Gloria's world too. I've just started.

The last, but not least book is Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich. It has surprised me enormously. Alexievich has "the honour" of being the fifth woman who has won the Nobel prize. What a shame! Besides, she is a journalist, so this book and her other four books, written over the last 30 years, are not usual novels. She calls them "novel of voices" and so they are. Normal people who have been involved in a Historical moment talk to the journalist their vivid testimonies.

In this book there is no plot, because you don't need it. You will perfectly know the begining and the end of Chernobyl. Nevertheless, I've been trapped by the "voices" of these normal people and, at the same time, I have to leave the book several times because I needed to breath because it's so hard.

For me, the most engaging thing has been to discover the truth from the main characters of this horrible accident. Even though their truth is dark, chaotic, fascinating... Svetlana Alexievich tries to show this to us poetically, but without intervention. The words are exactly what these people told her when she had been interviewing. That's the reason why it has shocked me.

I absolutely recommend it you.

Cursos de la profe: Passionate about Jamie Cullum

Fuente: El País. Foto Mirta Rojo

Jamie Cullum is a jazz, blues, pop, English singer, pianist and songwriter. He's married Sophie Dahl, Roald Dahl's granddaughter. And I'm very fond of his music since I discovered him in 2004.

He became very popular when he wrote and sang the main theme of "Bridget Jone's Diary" film, "Everlasting love". By the way, he has said several times that he doesn't feel very proud of having done it. Even though, I'm sure he made a lot of money...

Besides, he has composed "Everything you didn't do", the song of a spot for San Miguel beer. Probably you remember it.

Nevertheless, I'm not only passionate about him for all those famous songs, but for others like those he composed for "Gran Torino" movie. This song moves me. I love his versions of classical jazz or blues themes, like "Fever" or "I have a kick out of you" or "Love for $ale".  I usually use the last one in my classes to make a narrative activity.

But above all, I learn a lot every week when I listen to him on BBC Radio 2. He has discovered me many artists as Gregory Porter, Zaz, Nikita Mbula or Sufjan Stevens.

And that's the reason why he drives me crazy!!