Jacques Derrida wrote in Glas that “The glue of chance creates sense” and he was almost correct. It is, in fact, the toothpick of reading and writing – taken in their most expansive senses – that connects one chance event to another, that binds together, however briefly, the volatility of events. Chance and art: the pleasures of sensuous sensibilities, the distinctions of the conceptual, and the free-flowing sociability of a promenade as the day rounds almost imperceptibly toward the night. Watch out for the drunken philosophers, poets, and painters; listen to the talking parrots and puppets; beware of the marauding pirates and politicians; and marvel at the red hand-prints on the dark walls of caves. Pintxos is best read in a manner similar to nibbling on its namesake, tasted bit-by-bit as you wander from one bar to the next along the evening streets of San Sebastian.

To ignite a sense of intellectual curiosity, to foster alternative perspectives, and to spark the imagination of a brand-new world, Gray Kochhar-Lindgren penned “Pintxos.” This literary work serves as a multifaceted crystal, each facet reflecting the others and compelling us to ponder the dynamic interplay between urban landscapes and the cinematic arts, the resonance of ancient history in our futuristic visions, and the infinite spectrum in between. In this literary adventure, the spirit of Don Quixote is forever accompanied by the down-to-earth wisdom of Sancho Panza, who adds a touch of humor and encourages us to see the world with a joyful smile. A must read for every adventurous reader! Professor Rick Dolphijn, Utrecht University