Beatriz Gómez is Professor of Writing and Storytelling at the University of Navarra, Spain. She is dedicated to supporting students in their discovery of writing and reading. She is very interested in communication about Palliative Care and in the narratives of victims of terrorism.
What does reading mean to you?
Reading is the pleasure of meeting people, of understanding and enjoying different ways of being human and of realising that we are not alone. For me, it’s like spending time with friends: listening, sharing, and getting to know interesting people who make me feel part of the world, and at the same time, unique and special, because they are speaking directly to me.
Which book has made an impact on your life?
Many books have made a deep impact on me, but I’ve chosen The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I remember feeling a physical response to it, a strange blend of anguish and serenity. It’s one of those rare books that your body reacts to. I read it almost in a single sitting, and when I finished, I told myself I would have to read it again to fully grasp what had just happened. I had already read other works by McCarthy, but in this book I was fascinated by the way he stripped down and refined his language to serve the story, one that speaks of fundamental truths, of what makes us human, and of the sacred mission of fatherhood, among many other things.
Would you recommend this book to students – and if not, would you recommend a different one?
Yes, I would recommend it and I usually warn them about the impact it had on me and others, so each one can decide whether they’re ready or willing to read it. My students are in their first year, they’re 18, so I do let them know it is a tough book, with a harrowing story and deeply disturbing scenes. That said—and I admit this openly—it is also something of a hook to pique their curiosity. I genuinely believe it is a book that can change their lives, which is why I recommend it.
Has going to university or becoming a university professor changed how you read? Is reading for pleasure the same as reading for disciplinary purposes?
Studying Journalism felt like coming home. I found myself among teachers and classmates who shared my love of reading. And I have been lucky: teaching writing means that a good part of my job involves trying to pass on the “fire of reading”, as McCarthy might say, to my students. In a way, I have tried to make reading my profession—though I’m not sure I’ve quite succeeded…
And while I am fortunate that reading fiction and non-fiction is part of my work, there is a clear difference when I read, say, for an academic article. In that case, I am focused on collecting quotations or following a particular structure, and that changes your attitude: it becomes more utilitarian, more about searching than allowing yourself to be surprised or moved.
Match favourite reading moments, referring to a place or a situation.
I think I have read in every kind of place and situation you can imagine. But at the moment, one of my favourite times to read is early in the morning, in the kitchen, over breakfast. Everything is still, and reading lets me immerse myself in that calm and draw strength from it.
I also love reading stretched out on the sofa at home while my family is doing other things around me. It’s such a homely feeling: being present, and surrounded, in many ways, by company.