To celebrate World Book Day, we visit Desperate Literature, an international bookshop in the heart of Madrid. Co-owner Terry Craven gives us a tour and recounts the bookshop's history, from sleeping in the store in the early days, to being forced to relocate amid a dire real estate market after an investment fund bought the previous premises.
Terry also tells us all about the events held at Desperate Literature, including their Short Fiction Prize, which is receiving entries from all over the world, including from writers in Iran, as well as a handwritten entry from a correctional facility in the US which arrived shortly after we walked through the door.
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, where daily life is still shaped by uncertainty and the ongoing scars of war, reading is emerging as an increasingly important refuge and space of freedom. Despite the fragile situation there, the Instituto Cervantes in Beirut is continuing its cultural activities to mark World Book Day. Our collaborator in Lebanon, Elsa Yazbek Charabati, gives us the details.
Finally, in this week's broadcast we also discuss 'The global economic impact of disinformation', a recent analysis which estimates the cost of disinformation at 417 billion dollars worldwide in 2024. Joining us to explain how certain actors are profiting from disinformation while it costs the rest of the world millions is Thomas Delorme, an Information Threats and Public Affairs consultant at Sopra Steria and one of the authors of this study.
