Inside Cuba’s Police State: From Ration Cards to Black Berets with Gelet Martínez Fragela

«Den gamle mannen og havet» er en kort roman som handler om en aldrende cubansk fisker, Santiago, og hans episke kamp med en gigantisk marlin langt ute i Golfstrømmen. Etter å ha gått uten fangst i 84 dager, setter Santiago ut alene og får endelig en enorm fisk på kroken. Han kjemper mot fisken i flere dager, og selv om han til slutt vinner, blir marlinen spist av haier på veien tilbake til land. Boken utforsker temaer som utholdenhet, mot og menneskets forhold til naturen, og regnes som et av Hemingways mest betydningsfulle verk.

Published in 1933, 'Down and Out in Paris and London' is George Orwell's first full-length book, a semi-autobiographical account of his time living in poverty. The book is divided into two parts: the first describes his life in near-destitution in Paris, including his work as a dishwasher in a hotel and his struggles with hunger and homelessness. The second part recounts his experiences in London, where he lived as a tramp and explored the harsh realities of poverty and the conditions in workhouses and lodging houses. Orwell's narrative sheds light on societal inequalities and the struggles of those on the fringes of society, challenging the romantic notions of poverty and highlighting the structural issues that lead to homelessness.

Middlemarch, written by George Eliot, is a novel that delves into the complexities of provincial life in 19th-century England. The story revolves around the intersecting lives of its characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Dr. Tertius Lydgate, as they navigate marriage, vocation, and social class. Eliot critiques the conventional romance narratives of her time by portraying marriage as a complex and often problematic institution. The novel also explores themes of idealism, self-interest, hypocrisy, and the constraints on women's lives. Set in the fictional town of Middlemarch between 1829 and 1832, the novel incorporates historical events such as the Great Reform Act of 1832 and early developments in medicine. Eliot's realistic portrayal of ordinary human life, with its quiet tragedies and small triumphs, has made 'Middlemarch' a masterpiece of English literature.