Recommended Portfolio: Solutions must be negotiated

A book that invites us to rethink our relationship with the ideas, decisions, and systems that surround us, from a perspective deeply rooted in philosophical pragmatism. It's a way of thinking that values what works, what's concrete, and what produces effective results in daily life.

Pragmatism seeks practical solutions to problems, adapting to circumstances and learning from experience. The author does not offer an academic treatise, but rather a personal account that blends experiences, reflections, and dialogues with thinkers such as William James, Isaiah Berlin, and Edmund Burke, among others. It revolves around the idea that the value of our actions, institutions, and beliefs lies not in their theoretical coherence or adherence to abstract ideals, but in their ability to function and produce concrete results in a world marked by scarcity, conflict, and uncertainty. The author, Andrés Mejía Vergnaud, uses the metaphor of a "Garden of the Possible" to contrast it with the idealized "Garden of Eden." While the latter represents a world without conflict or sacrifice, the former embodies human reality, where achievements are built through negotiation, exchange, and imperfect balance. The author argues that insisting on utopias of absolute harmony leads to paralysis, whereas embracing pragmatism allows us to move forward, even while accepting contradictions and costs. This vision draws on historical and contemporary examples, from Aristotelian philosophy to the dilemmas of public policy and markets, highlighting how prosperous societies are those capable of adapting and prioritizing the viable over the ideal. One of its contributions is its focus on "utility" as a central criterion. In the face of criticism that accuses pragmatism of being superficial or lacking in principles, Mejía Vergnaud argues that privileging what works does not imply abandoning ethics, but rather recognizing that values clash and that solutions must be negotiated in specific contexts. Here, the author engages with figures such as Ronald Coase, whose work on transaction costs illustrates how practical arrangements emerge from tensions that are irresolvable in theory.

'The King and the Watchmaker' by Arnaldur Indridason. Publisher: RBA

In Copenhagen, an Icelandic-born watchmaker repairs a two-hundred-year-old astronomical clock in the royal palace. There, he receives a visit from the Danish monarch, Christian VII, who, accused of being mentally unstable, has been removed from the throne by his own son. The nightly conversations between the two men become habitual and increasingly confidential, and the watchmaker eventually recounts the tragic fate of his parents. It is then that the king ruthlessly discovers what lies behind the ruthless exercise of power. A novel set in the 18th century.

'Esoteric Manual' by Celia Blanco. Publisher: Solar Editorial

The author has managed to compile the best recipes and prayers known since time immemorial. The painstaking and precise work that this knowledge provides us with is worthy of admiration, both for believers and non-believers. Many esoteric books have been written, but one like this one, which teaches us how to do it ourselves, with full knowledge of the materials to be used, giving us the meaning of each ingredient, essence, oils, and more, is certainly unmatched. We must keep in mind that each of the components is easily obtained.

'A Complicated Summer Love' by Ali Hazelwood. Publisher: Contraluz

Maya Killgore is 23 and still figuring out what to do with her life. Conor Harkness is 38, and Maya can't stop thinking about him. It's such a tired cliché it's going to make her heart explode: older man, younger woman; rich guy working in biotech, struggling grad student; her brother's best friend, the girl he's never even noticed. As Conor has pointed out, the power dynamic is way too unbalanced. Any relationship between them would be fraught for so many reasons, so Maya really should get it out of her head.

'Crisis' by Robin Cook. Publisher: Debolsillo

This novel explores the darkest side of the profession. Four days before his wedding, Jack Stapleton, a New York medical examiner, receives a call from his sister: her husband, a prestigious doctor, is about to be prosecuted for professional negligence and needs his help. Despite his poor relationship with his sister and the little sympathy he has for his brother-in-law, Jack travels to Boston intending to spend just one day there. But the case is much more complicated than he imagined. Even though he knows it puts his own wedding at stake, Jack demands the exhumation of the body of the patient who supposedly died due to his brother-in-law's carelessness. Jack is working against the clock to save his brother-in-law when he discovers something he could never have imagined. CÉSAR GIRALDO, Subeditor of Portafolio

[email protected]