I have come to authors whose surname starts with an H in my search for books that I save on my shelves. Due to lack of space, I only save fiction books that I really love. For nonfiction, I save most, but some of the go for recycling.
Fiction
Lennart Hagerfors - Framåt natten uppklarnande. A book I received as a review copy. I was not familiar with the author, but really loved the book. The narrator, a writer, gets a scholarship to stay at the Bergman house (Ingmar Bergman's house on the island of Fårö) to hopefully, be able to write another book. His contacts with the other cultural workers staying there gives him a new perspective on life, creation, memory and death.
Lin Haire-Sargeant - Heathcliff, The Return to Wuthering Heights. An account of the three years that Heathcliff went away to an unknown place. I read it many years ago and cannot remember anything. I should re-read it for sure.
Thomas Hardy - Far From the Madding Crowd. I think it does not need any closer introduction. One of Hardy's most famous books.
Tom Harper - The Book of Secrets. Gillian's and Nick's hunt for a 500-years-old mystery are taking them to the German mountains and old monasteries in search for an answer. I do like these kind of books, although it is on the borderline to be saved or not.
L.P. Hartley - The Go-Between. One of the the best books I have ever read. A wonderful tale of love, youth and innocence, leading to chocking revelations. It has one of the most famous opening lines: "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." If you haven't read it you have a wonderful story to dig into.
Gail Honeyman - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Eleanor leads a simple, routine like life, and is very happy. At least that is what she thinks. Until she gets mesmerised by a man who turns out not to be the one she thinks he is. That puts her quiet life upside down, but might lead to something better. Wonderful book about a wonderful character.
Peter Hoeg - Miss Smila's Feeling for Snow. Almost a cult book these days. Smilla can read traces in the snow, and realises that the small boy that fell off the roof, did not fall on his own account. Leading to a much bigger crime.
Nonfiction
Carola Hansson - Andrej. Historical fiction about Leo Tolstoy's son. Memories of his childhood, his family and his father. Memories are mixed with fantasies, literary fiction and real life events. I read it many years ago, can't remember more than I liked it.
Dick Harrisson - Stora döden (about the Plague, and two books from Swedish history, the murder of Gustav III and the Kalmar Union). One of the most famous historians in Sweden. I love most of his books.
Katarina Harrison Lindbergh - Nordiska gudasagor (Nordic God's Sagas). Interesting take on the old asa gods and their peculiarities. Always interesting, since these gods are not like any other gods.
Kim Hazelius - De kallades snapphanar. The history of snapphanar, some kind of rebels during the Swedish-Danish wars during the 17th century.
Lucinda Hawklsey - Lizzie Siddal, The Tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite Supermodel. I love the Pre-Raphaelite and this is about Lizzie, the mistress/wife of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whose life was not entirely happy. She is the model for Millais' wonderful painting 'Ophelia. She also modeled for several of Rossetti's painting.
Christopher Hibbert - The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici. Always a fascinating family to read about, and Hibbert is a good historian and writer.
Yvonne Hirdman - Den röda grevinnan. The author's mother was a countess, and had a secret, movable and fascinating life. Born after the Russian revolution in Estonia, part of Tsarist Russia, growing up during the first world war in the outskirts of Austria-Hungary, marrying a poor, Baltic count, living the wild life in Berling during the Weimar Republic, fell in love with a German communist and ran away with him to Moscow, where she was one of the few who managed to escape before the big terror. Living as a refugee in Paris until she came to Sweden in 1940. As you can imagine, this biography is fascinating.
Adam Hochschild - King Leopold's Ghost. The story of the Belgian King, Leopold II, and his personal colony in Africa, the Belgian Congo. The story behind, during and after. Quite difficult to read sometimes due to the politics of the day.
Anthony Holden - Tchaikovsky. Very interesting biography of one of my favourite composers. Read it many years ago, but I still think of it from time to time.
Homer - The Iliad. Classical literature, beautiful writing. I find the fighting scenes quite too long and boring. Otherwise, great literature. I find Odyssey easier to read and more interesting.
Marie & Lennart Hultqvist - Sophie Brahe, vetenskapen, kärleken, stjärnbrodern. A biography of Sophie Brahe, sister of Tycho Brahe. She was also interested in astronomy, astrology and alchemy like her brother, but also in medicines, herbs and garden art. Being a woman she did not have the same possibilities as her brother to pursue her interests, but seems to have had a fulfilling life nevertheless. We are talking 16-17th century.
Håkan Håkansson (ed) - Tycho Brahe and his time. Essays on Tycho Brahe, his family, his time and his scientific work. Very interesting man indeed, way ahead of his time.
I only read two of your books, The Iliad and Miss Smila's Feeling for Snow. But there are some others that seem good. As always, thanks for your list.
I always enjoy seeing the books people keep -- it says something about the book, I think. Maybe the person, too!