SIGNING BOOKS AT THE MADRID BOOK FAIR

This year, the Madrid Book Fair coincided with Pope Leo XIV's visit, which turned the city upside down. I was fortunate enough to reach Retiro Park in less than half an hour, but getting home proved an ordeal and took well over ninety minutes, with traffic at a near standstill.

This was not my first time signing books at the Fair, and I approached the occasion with some misgivings. As it turned out, all went well. I signed a few copies (Editatum stand, 154), met long-lost friends, shared a laugh or two, and mingled with crowds of book lovers.

Madrid is still a manageable city, far removed from the vastness of Mexico City, Tokyo, or even Paris, yet the Fair was crowded, cheerful, and civil. All in all, it was a most pleasant outing, one that dispelled my initial reluctance about attending.

Another year, another Book Fair. See you in 2027!