November 2025 - Books From Mexico

Beyond the Fire: The Truth About the Library of Alexandria

Beyond the Myth: The Library of Alexandria

At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard of the legendary Library of Alexandria—even if just in passing. Words like knowledge, fire, history, and myth often arise when speaking of this ancient treasure. Whether you’re a curious reader or stumbled upon this blog by chance, here’s a look at how this place became one of the most famous libraries in human history.

Let’s go back to Egypt around 300 BCE. While there’s a popular legend that credits Alexander the Great with the idea of a grand library, many scholars now believe it was actually Ptolemy I Soter who envisioned it, and that it was built under the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Thanks to the support of the Ptolemaic dynasty, the Great Library of Alexandria once housed between 40,000 and 400,000 works—some sources claim even more—including literary, academic, and religious texts, as well as Greek translations of key works from other languages.

This vast collection gave rise to the belief that the loss of the Library set back human intellectual progress by centuries. But how true is this? And what really led to its disappearance?

The most widely shared story is that the library was destroyed in a catastrophic fire. While a fire did occur, it wasn’t the sole cause of its decline. The Library’s influence gradually diminished over centuries. A major blow came in 145 BCE, when many intellectuals were purged from Alexandria. Then, in 48 BCE, during Julius Caesar’s civil war, the library—located within the royal palace—was accidentally set ablaze. However, there is debate over how much was actually destroyed. Some say the entire collection burned, but this seems unlikely, considering the size and location of the palace. But that’s not where the story ends.

After the fall of Antony and Cleopatra, Egypt—along with its Library—fell under Roman control. Without a royal court to maintain it, the Library began to fade. In the 4th century CE, with Christianity declared the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Library’s pagan knowledge became a target. Under Emperor Theodosius I, anti-pagan laws allowed Christians to destroy temples and institutions—possibly including what remained of the Library.

The so-called final blow came in 642 CE, when Muslim forces captured Alexandria. According to legend, Caliph Umar ordered the destruction of the library’s contents, arguing that if the texts agreed with the Quran, they were unnecessary—and if they contradicted it, they were heretical. It’s said it took six months to burn all the scrolls.

Yet, many historians believe this last tale is just that—a tale. By the time Muslim armies arrived, the Great Library of Alexandria had likely already disappeared. Most scholars agree it vanished gradually, falling victim to neglect, ideological shifts, and war.

The Library of Alexandria remains one of the most symbolic cultural losses in history—whether through violence, intolerance, or simple misfortune. It stands as a powerful reminder of how lucky we are today to have access to libraries and knowledge at our fingertips.

LITERATURE

Elia, R. H. (2013). EL INCENDIO DE LA BIBLIOTECA DE ALEJANDRÍA POR LOS ÁRABES: UNA HISTORIA FALSIFICADA. Byzantion Nea HelláS, 32, 37–69. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-84712013000100002

Hernández, D. (2020, October 24). La Biblioteca de Alejandría, la destrucción del gran centro del saber de la Antigüedad. Historia National Geographic. https://historia.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/biblioteca-alejandria-destruccion-gran-centro-saber-antiguedad_8593

Mark, J. J., & Games, M. (2023). Biblioteca de Alejandría. Enciclopedia De La Historia Del Mundo. https://www.worldhistory.org/trans/es/1-10883/biblioteca-de-alejandria/

escritores.org. (2020, June 1). La Biblioteca de Alejandría. Escritores.org – Recursos Para Escritores. https://www.escritores.org/recursos-para-escritores/recursos-2/articulos-de-interes/30203-la-biblioteca-de-alejandria

De Filología Clásica De La Universidad Complutense De Madrid, C. G. G. C. (2024, August 27). La batalla de Accio: Octavio derrota a Antonio y Cleopatra. Historia National Geographic. https://historia.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/batalla-actium_22155

Writer: Ortiz Lorena
Editor: Flores Nayivi

Meet Ocelote, the Fierce Indie Press Redefining Mexican Literature

🐾 Do You Know Ocelote? A New Independent Mexican Publisher Worth Discovering

The ocelot is a carnivorous mammal and one of six species of wild cats native to Mexico. It’s important not to confuse it with the margay. Its scientific name is Leopardus pardalis, and its common name comes from the Nahuatl word océlotl. Medium-sized—between the jaguar and the jaguarundi—its coat features beautiful elongated rosette-like spots along its sides, with brown or black edges and black dots inside. Its ears are short, broad, and rounded.

The term “Ocelote” refers to this wild, striking feline that roams Mexico’s lush jungles and mountainous regions… but it’s also the name of a rising independent publisher based in León, Guanajuato.

Under the motto: “Read differently. Read independently. Read Ocelote“, this publishing house officially launched in 2024. With five published titles and more on the way, Ocelote aims not just to be another press but the literary voice of the Bajío region, Their books are carefully curated and beautifully crafted, showing they mean business. If you haven’t heard of them yet, here are three titles that will draw you into their world of spots and stories.

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🤖 “The Robots Will Tell Our Stories” by Daniel Centeno

In this short story collection, Daniel Centeno leads the reader through a world where all humans have disappeared, and robots face their own decay. The central question becomes: in a world without humans, what does it mean to be human? These tales dive deep into the absurdity of automation and the tragedy of both artificial and human existence, imagining a future without us.

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🌈 “Tornasol” by Alicia Mares

Alicia Mares, finalist of the XXXV Ana María Matute Women’s Narrative Prize and alumna of the Under The Volcano residency, offers a collection of nine chilling and poetic stories. Women and children—marked by grief—take center stage in eerie tales of horror, fantasy, and mystery, set in cold villages of Tlaxcala, the monarch butterfly sanctuaries of Michoacán, and the lonely highways of Veracruz. Through childhood memory, these stories recover wonder, healing, and even tenderness.

Libros de Editorial Ocelote - Librerias Gonvill, s.a. De c.v..

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🐍 “Dear Quetzalcóatl” by Adrián Chávez

Adrián Chávez, translator and winner of the 2017 Juan García Ponce National Short Novel Prize, delivers a brilliant satire based on a real historical episode. In 1930, Mexican politician Pascual Orozco proposed replacing Santa Claus with Quetzalcóatl as a Christmas figure. In this novel, the Mesoamerican god begins to receive Christmas letters. With sharp wit, Chávez critiques Mexican culture, identity, and nationalism, asking us to reconsider the meaning of tradition itself.

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These three books are just the beginning — Ocelote is taking its first bold steps with exciting new projects on the horizon, including something as rare as… poetry! Yes, in these times. Join the wild ride and read Ocelote

Literature

Www.Lugasoft.Mx. (n.d.). Editorial Ocelote. Editorial Ocelote. https://ocelote.mx/

colaboradores de Wikipedia. (2025, November 2). Leopardus pardalis. Wikipedia, La Enciclopedia Libre. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopardus_pardalis?utm_source=chatgpt.com%20″Leopardus%20pardalis”

Rocha, J. A. (2025, January 16). Descubre la nueva editorial “Ocelote”: Literatura del Bajío para el mundo. Periódico Correo. https://periodicocorreo.com.mx/vida-publica/2024/may/15/descubre-la-nueva-editorial-%20ocelote-literatura-del-bajio-para-el-mundo-99273.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com%20″Descubre%20la%20nueva%20editorial%20&

Writer: Ortiz Lorena
Editor: Flores Nayivi

How Reading Shapes Your Brain: What Science Reveals

Opening a book is like opening a window to a whole new world. Stories begin to unfold, and we see everything without really seeing it—without needing a screen. But how does this happen? How are these mental images generated? How is information processed, retained, and understood? And more importantly, what happens in the long term when we build a reading habit? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, this article is for you.

Researchers at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) have found that reading activates a specific region in the brain—mainly the left hemisphere, starting with the occipital lobe, the area responsible for recognizing visual stimuli such as faces and shapes. This stimulation excites neurons and causes blood vessels to release nutrients. However, there’s another fascinating step: the brain must still decode what it sees at the word level. We first see a series of symbolsthat, on their own, are meaningless. Only when one letter follows another do we begin to form concepts, then sentences, and eventually syntax and meaning. We analyze grammar, interpret coherence, and ultimately understand the emotional and logical layers of what we read.

But there’s even more. Studies from New York University and the Language Dynamics Lab in Lyon, France, reveal that our brain doesn’t clearly distinguish between reading about a character’s experience and actually living it. This means that reading can trigger strong emotional and sensory responses. For example, the motor regions of the brain that light up when we silently read action words are the same areas activated when we physically perform those actions.

¿Pensaste alguna vez qué pasa por tu cabeza cuándo lees? — Have you ever thought about what goes through your head when you read?

This suggests an overlap between the brain regions used to understand stories and those used for empathy and social interaction. In other words, by feeling connected to fictional characters, we also become more emotionally attuned to real people. Frequent reading may help improve our ability to relate to and understand others.

In the long term, reading has additional effects on the brain. Even though the brain isn’t a muscle, “exercising” it can improve its function over time. The Brain Institute found that reading stimulates imagination, anticipation, and learning, thereby boosting brain function and improving mental health. Over time, this can help protect the brain against neurodegenerative diseases, delaying symptoms of conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Reading is a habit that gets better with practice. The more we read, the more skilled we become—and the faster and more effectively we comprehend information. Regular reading—even once a week, according to studies—lowers the risk of cognitive decline, enhances social skills, provides knowledge, and strengthens critical thinking. So, if you were looking for a reason to pick up a book, now you have plenty.

Un hombre le enseña a sus nietas a leer. La lectura, por implicar imaginación, mentalización, anticipación ...

Here, the official National Geographic website tells us about the importance of reading throughout our lives and the benefits it provides.