In the era of digital immediacy and information overload, finding spaces dedicated to pausing, deep reflection, and the exchange of ideas is a real challenge. This was the premise behind the Divina Seguros – ESIC University Chair of Analytical Thinking Book Club, a meeting point designed not only for book lovers but for everyone interested in exercising their minds, questioning realities, and fighting the daily information noise surrounding us.

As we close this academic cycle, we look back with great satisfaction. The debates arising from our in-person and virtual sessions have shown that literature, in any of its forms, acts as an extraordinary mirror of human psychology and the social biases that shape our environment. Analytical thinking isn’t just trained by analyzing data or scientific reports; it is especially cultivated when we are able to break down a narrative, understand a character’s hidden motivations, and compare our interpretation with that of others.

Key Titles That Defined Our Season

Over the past few months, we have explored a wide range of genres, from popular science and intimate narratives to psychological thrillers. These are the four analyzed works that have become our club’s official recommendations for this summer:

1. ‘Órbitas’ – Sara García Alonso: Notes from a life of continuous exploration by the first Spanish woman selected as a reserve astronaut by the ESA. This work allowed us to discuss method, resilience, managing uncertainty, and how an analytical and scientific mindset is essential for achieving complex goals.
2. ‘Comerás flores’ – Lucía Solla Sobral: A delicate and profound narrative proposal that forced the club to slow down and dissect the details of human sensitivity. An ideal text for debating empathy and the power of observation in an increasingly fast-paced sociocultural environment.
3. ‘The Housemaid’ – Freida McFadden: This acclaimed psychological thriller was the perfect setting for a pure exercise in deduction. We analyzed how appearances are constructed, the ease with which we fall into preconceived judgments, and how a well-woven suspense plot can dissect the recesses of the reader’s mind.
4. ‘The Very Catastrophic Visit to the Zoo’ – Joël Dicker: With Dicker’s characteristic wit and skill, this story served to examine crowd structures and social behavior in the face of unforeseen situations. A fast-paced read that hides layers of satire and sharpness requiring an analytical eye.