Entering a new year is also an opportunity to make room for new ideas, reflections and discoveries. Reading remains one of the most powerful ways to broaden horizons and challenge our thinking. With this in mind, we invited four lecturers from the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) to share their literary recommendations for 2026. These are works that encourage us to question certainties, explore inner worlds and rethink our place in the world.
a máquina de fazer espanhóis by Valter Hugo Mãe
Recommendation by António Fonseca
“This novel is distinctive for its use of lowercase throughout, placing title, author, narrator and characters on the same level. It offers a stark vision of human life through the eyes of an elderly man, in an almost confessional tone. Discomfort is the prevailing feeling: discomfort with the body, with space, with time. A constant sense of anguish undermines daily life, reflecting not only external circumstances but also the inability to control one’s own body - a perception of decline that begins even before physical deterioration sets in. It is a sombre portrayal of old age, marked by successive losses and the gradual collapse of the identity pillars that define us as individuals.”
Bounce by Matthew Syed
Recommendation by Catarina Morais
“'How often have we said—or heard—after a failure: “I’m just not good at maths [music or sport]'? How often have such beliefs stopped us from even trying to be good, or even exceptional? We like to believe that legends in art, sport or music were born with a mysterious 'gift', a talent reserved for a few prodigies or the ‘chosen’. In Bounce, Matthew Syed challenges this comforting yet limiting view. Drawing on scientific research and an engaging narrative, the author dismantles the myth of innate talent and shows that excellence is built on a set of invisible factors rather than special genetics. A book that changes how we see success—and how we think about our own potential.”
Manual para Andar Espantada por Existir by Patrícia Portela
Recommendation by Diana Soares
“'To enjoy this book fully, choose a place outdoors or by an open window…' - so we are advised in the opening pages. That’s exactly what I did: I chose a sunny afternoon in August 2025, overlooking the Algarve sea, and paused to 'try not to think only with the logical part of the brain, so I could marvel at existing.'
Across 132 pages, I plunged -breathlessly - into an endless adventure guided by magical characters like Fairy Number One and Lady Naked Truth, through the astonishing White Forest and the Room of Solitude. I discovered what happens when we find the courage to leap over the Wall of Fear. Every now and then, I return to these magical places, revisiting passages I highlighted in bright colours, and instantly travel back from the White Forest to that sunlit afternoon by the sea.
'Psst, Psst, you there… Do you marvel at existing? Do you wonder at the world?' If so, this book is for you.”
The Human Stain by Philip Roth
Recommendation by Catarina Ribeiro
“The Human Stain is an intense and deeply provocative work that explores the boundaries of identity, prejudice and arbitrary morality in contemporary society. Set in 1990s America, the novel follows Coleman Silk, a respected university professor whose life is abruptly overturned after an accusation that seems trivial but carries profound social and political implications.
Throughout the narrative, Roth paints a penetrating portrait of human contradictions, revealing how snap judgements, hypocrisy and intolerance can destroy lives and silence individuals—ultimately threatening the most precious of values: freedom. The author leads readers through reflections on prejudice, racism, sexuality, power and the weight of appearances, with sharp, provocative and surprising prose.
Populated by complex, unsettling and charismatic characters, the story grips us with its emotional intensity and compels us to confront the dangers of intolerance and discriminatory discourse. More than telling a story, The Human Stain invites readers to question moral certainties and consider how little we truly know about those around us—and how destructive we can be when we act solely from our own frame of reference. A bold, powerful work that feels urgently relevant today.”
Why Read in 2026?
Reading is more than a habit: it is an exercise in critical thinking and an opportunity to broaden horizons. Each book opens pathways to better understand the world and ourselves, allowing us to question ideas, explore new perspectives and enrich both personal and academic experience. May these recommendations help make 2026 a year marked by curiosity and knowledge.