Dear Bookish friends, It was a while since I posted here. Spring, and especially May was a very busy time, with both good and bad things. I am hoping for a quieter June with more time to communicate, read and relax as we are nearing summer in Sweden. This article will be about bookish thoughts and an interesting historical revelation. My Summer Challenges This summer I will follow two challenges: 20 Book of Summer , although I will limit myself to 10 books, all from my TBR shelves. At the same time, I will follow Sue Jackson of Book by Book who hosts a Big Book Summer Reading Challenge. Also here, I choose books from my TBRs and hopefully I can get through these “bricks” as we call thick books in Swedish. Franzen, Jonathan - Freedom Byatt, A.S. - The Children’s Book Geras, Adèle - Ljus och skugga (Facing the Light) Laoutaris, Chris - Shakespeare and the Countess Oates, Joyce Carol - Blondie March, April and May Reading Wrap-up Coming up towards the end of the first half of 2026, I am far behind on my quest for reading 100 books this year. So far I have only read 29 books, of which I read 11 during the last three months. I might finish one more book. Nonfiction Bibeln och arkeologin (The Bible and Archeology) by Hans Furuhagen is an interesting book starting with stories from the Bible and what science has been able to certify or prove through archeological digs. Very interesting. A Short History of Myths by Karen Armstrong. An overview of myth building in old, ancient and modern societies. Ett utrikes liv by Ingmar Karlsson. A former colleague of mine has written down his memories from his time in the Foreign Service. He covers around 40 years of development in Europe, Middle East and China. He is an excellent writer so a pleasure to read. Weimarrepubliken (The Weimar Republic) by Olle Larsson. A short history of Germany after World War II. Interesting look into a different governing body and its aftermaths. Classics One classic and that was The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. A somewhat strange story. Fiction Tarantel (Tarantula) by Eduardo Halfon. A book I read for a book circle I was not able to attend. A Guatemalan author which I have never heard of before. The story follows two brothers who return to Guatemala in the 1980s to attend a Jewish survival camp. What begins as a cultural and educational experience gradually turns disturbing and traumatic, forcing them to confront fear, identity, and the legacy of historical violence. As an adult, the narrator revisits those memories and uncovers the deeper meaning of what happened, exploring how childhood trauma and Jewish history continue to shape his life. (summary by ChatGPT). Very well written story of childhood memories and nightmares and how it affects your life. I would read more by this author. Den stygga flickans rackartyg (Travesuras de la niña mala/The Bad Girl) by Mario Vargas Llosa. My review under the link. Glömda om söndagen (Les Oubliés du dimanche/Forgotten on Sunday) by Valérie Perrin. We follow Justine, a young nursing assistant in a retirement home who forms a close bond with Hélène, a nearly 100-year-old resident. As Hélène shares memories of love, war, and loss, Justine starts uncovering long-buried secrets about her own family. It is a moving story of family, love, friendship and how the past affects our present lives. It is beautifully written with many memorable sentences and thoughts about life. Makes me want to read her Fresh Water for Flowers. Guppies for tea by Marika Cobbold Hjörne. A couple of years ago I found a book by this author (Swedish, but living in England) called Shooting Butterflies which turned out to be one of my all favourite books. This is her first book and it is written in the same beautiful prose and insight into family relationships. The two books are about the relationships between old and young. A little bit like Perrin’s novel. It is touching, and thought provoking at the same time. Written with love and tenderness. Totally what you need in the unruly world we live in today. Den som följer en stjärna vänder inte om by Malin Haawind. A historical fiction about Malin Blomsterberg, house keeper for Ellen Key. Ellen Key was a Swedish writer, educator, and feminist best known for her influential ideas on children's rights, progressive education, and women's emancipation. She became especially famous for her book The Century of the Child, which argued that the 20th century should focus on the well-being and development of children. Her work had a major impact on educational reform movements in Europe. This is a historical fiction on Malin’s life. Her struggles to do her house hold work, as well as being a companion and discussion partner for the great lady. Interesting, but sad life story. Studier i mänskligt beteende (“Studies in Human Behaviour” my translation) by Lena Andersson. Lena Andersson is a Swedish novelist and columnist known for her sharp, analytical writing about relationships, power, and ideology. She gained major recognition for her novel Wilful Disregard (2013), which explores obsessive love and emotional manipulation. Her work often combines psychological insight with critical social commentary. The same could be said about this book, containing short stories seen from female perspectives. Their relationships and place in the world. Some of the characters from one short story also appears in another, putting together a web of female lives and decisions. Very interesting, and I really liked this book. Ancient finds Last but not least, a very interesting discovery has been made in Egypt by archaeologists from the Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission (University of Barcelona). They have uncovered an extraordinary find from the Roman era. Namely, a fragment of Homer’s Iliad placed inside a mummy as part of the embalming process. The discovery was made at the Al Bahnasa necropolis, the Egyptian site identified with ancient Oxyrhynchus. It is situated around 190 kilometres south of Cairo and was an important city the Greco-Roman era. The excavation has revealed a funerary complex dating back around 1,600 years. The chambers where the sarcophagi and mummies were found, were unfortunately looted, not uncommon in Egypt. The find was made in Tomb 65 where researchers discovered a papyrus placed on the abdomen of a mummy—a position previously known to contain Greek papyri, but earlier, only magical or ritual texts have been found, never literary works. After analysis, scholars identified the text as belonging to Book II of the Iliad, specifically the “Catalogue of Ships,” which lists the Greek forces before Troy. This is the first known case of a Greek literary text being deliberately integrated into the mummification ritual. I can imagine the excitement from the archeologists when this was revealed. (more information from the University of Barcelona). This is a remarkable find that highlights how much remain to be discovered in Egypt. Many ancient sites preserve stories of the past, and each excavation adds another piece to a much larger historical puzzle. Modern finds I made a more modest find in a bookshop in Innsbruck. They sold pocket books in English for 7€ a piece and I made two discoveries. Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata - I am not familiar with this specific Japanese writer, but have recently read several good books by Japanese writers. I have just started, and the prose is calm, descriptive and beautiful. From the back cover: “Shimamura is tired of the bustling city. He takes the train through the snow to the mountains of the west coast of Japan to meet with a geisha he believes he loves. Beautiful and innocent, Komako is tightly bound by the rules of a rural geisha and lives a life of servitude and seclusion that is alien to Shimamura - their love offers no freedom to either of them.” The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh - I have a feeling I have been hearing good things about this novel. Axie Oh is a first generation Korean-American author. From Oh’s website I find this about the book. Sounds interesting to me. “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is an enthralling feminist retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong,” perfect for fans of Wintersong, Uprooted, and Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering. Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead. Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all. But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…” Are you interested in my posts on travel, history and culture? Have a look at my Substack newsletters (in English och på svenska). The Content Reader Den tillfälliga besökaren

Since I have been very busy at the first half of this year, I have not participated in any real challenges, and hardly read or reviewed any books either. But, when I saw AnnaBookBel’s annual challenge of 20 Books of Summer, I decided to try out at least ten books from my TBR. Here are some of the rules (very easy and flexible) but head over to her web-site for more information. This is your first call to start planning… The #20BOS26 challenge runs from Monday June 1st to Monday August 31st The first rule of 20 Books is that there are no real rules, other than signing up for 10, 15 or 20 books and trying to read from your TBR. (If you think you’ll only manage 5, that’s fine too.) Pick your list in advance, or nominate a bookcase to read from, or pick just at whim from your TBR. If you do pick a list, you can change it at any time – swap books in/out. Don’t get panicked at not reaching your target, it’s not really a challenge as such. Just enjoy a summer of great reading and make a bit of space on your shelves! Don’t forget to add your posts to the monthly linkys. The final one will stay open till for a week into September to catch the last reviews. I’ve made some new logos, for 20, 15 and 10 books, including a set for winter for those in the Southern hemisphere – do resize as needed (they’re 500 high jpgs, showing as smaller here). I’ve also rejigged Emma’s book bingo card below if you’d like to add another layer of challenge. If you’re planning to join in please do add your blog / planning post link to the Mr Linky (on her website) the logos and bingo card now, which’ll help us keep track, and you can use the hashtag #20BOS26 on your socials (I’ve made it shorter this year). My challenge I will aim for 10 books, but anything above will be a bonus. Hopefully, I can also fill some of the squares from the Bingo card. I will go for five fiction and five nonfiction. Here are ten books I will try to read this summer. They are all from my TBR shelves, some of them have been there for a long time, so it is about time I read them now. What are you planning to read this summer, or winter, if you come from the southern hemisphere? Are you interested in my posts on travel, history and culture? Have a look at my Substack newsletters (in English och på svenska). The Content Reader Den tillfälliga besökaren

“Well, at heart I knew she'd never be a normal woman. And I didn't want her to be one, because what I loved in her were the indomitable and unpredictable aspects of her personality” ― Mario Vargas Llosa, Travesuras de la niña mala I have read my first book by the Peruvian author and Nobel Prize laureate Mario Vargas Llosa: Den stygga flickans rackartyg, or The Bad Girl in English. Vargas Llosa won the prize for “his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.” This is a very good description of the novel, although I don’t think it is his most famous work. It is a story about obsession — in this case, a man’s obsession with a woman. At the start of the novel we meet Ricardo Somocurcio (the narrator) as a young boy. Together with other youngsters they enjoy themselves as young people do, and one day he meets the “Chilean girl.” He falls in love, but circumstances work against them and she disappears. Ricardo’s dream is to live and work in Paris, and this dream is fulfilled when he goes there to study and becomes an interpreter. He is even happier when, one day, he meets the Chilean girl again in Paris. This becomes the recurring pattern of Ricardo’s life. The girl is a woman striving for another life — richer and more luxurious than Ricardo can ever give her. She appears and disappears over the years, always coming back to Ricardo when she is down and out. Although she hurts him emotionally, he cannot stop loving her. Vargas Llosa gives us this story against the backdrop of the latter half of the 20th century. There is the Peruvian revolution, the Swinging Sixties, the AIDS epidemic, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. As the times change, so does the girl, always seeking new, wealthy men who can give her a luxurious life. She returns — or Ricardo happens to meet her — as the wife of a French diplomat, as a revolutionary, as an aristocratic wife in London, a luxury escort in Tokyo, and in other identities in other countries. Every time their paths coincide, he falls in love again, in spite of the fact that she treats him badly. Themes and Meanings You cannot really say that the novel is story-driven; rather, it is character-driven. Although we follow Ricardo’s career path, his friends, and his lovers, the main focus is always the bad girl. He is obsessed and she is free. She tells him she cannot live an ordinary life, that she feels like a prisoner. Although she moves between a rich and luxurious life and one that is more mundane, she cannot give up her lifestyle. The bad girl is constantly changing her name, background, and social class. She is a survivor, able to control the environment she is in at the moment. On the contrary, Ricardo wants to live a quiet life in Paris, and although his work takes him all over the world, he is most content when being in Paris. These two people — who, I would say, do love each other, but in different ways — represent obsessiveness versus freedom; being satisfied and content versus a constant urge to find something new. Their dreams totally differ. Ricardo knows that the bad girl is not good for him, but he cannot let her go. Every time they meet, he hopes she has changed. At the end of the novel they meet again, but I will not give any spoilers. The Characters We only get the narration from Ricardo, so it is difficult to know what the bad girl feels inside. From the beginning she hides how poor she is. In a way, I guess this is why she always looks for a better life. It becomes her “career”: wanting to be someone else than she is. As Ricardo is obsessed with his love for her, she is obsessed with freedom, status, and wealth. When she meets Ricardo, she leaves him when life becomes too stable and quiet. She does not want to be dependent on anyone and is always playing a role depending on the man she meets. It is difficult to like the character of the bad girl. Maybe because we see her actions from the outside and do not get to know her from the inside. Ricardo, on the other hand, is a good guy — maybe a little too good, stable, and boring. The contrast between their lives really stands out. Why does Ricardo put up with her? That is perhaps the big question in this novel. It could be a matter of her being his first love, his ideal, his dream. He always waits for her, even if she hurts him. Maybe he admires her mysterious ways, her search for freedom. She is a fantasy that always returns. Then his dream starts again — the dream of being with her forever. In spite of the hurt he feels, he always forgives her. Maybe he thinks he will always be there to catch her when her relationships fail. Maybe he is afraid that without her, his own stable, quiet life without any real drama will be too empty. The Relationship It is a very tragic relationship. He is only really happy when she is around, and she recovers with his love but still cannot stay with him. The big question is: does she, in spite of everything, love him? I think she does, in her own way. She always comes back to him, trusts him, and confides in him. Probably he is the only one to whom she shows her true self — a safe haven when she needs it. Although his love is everything, her love is more calculating, less romantic, and she values things he cannot give her. The tragedy is that they love each other in very different ways — ways that do not coincide with what they want in life. An interesting novel about a very different relationship. Vargas Llosa places the story within the wider context of international and political events during the latter part of the 20th century. This might be important, since it was a time of great developments and possibilities. Set in another time frame, the story of Ricardo and the bad girl might not have fitted so well into the world around them. Are you interested in my posts on travel, history and culture? Have a look at my Substack newsletters (in English och på svenska). The Content Reader Den tillfälliga besökaren

My blog is about books and reading, reviews and discussions on anything bookish. Under this label you find some information about myself. My Story I am Lisbeth Ekelof, an expat Swede, who returned to Sweden in 2018. My expat years were very interesting, enjoying life in different countries and cultures, including a lot of adventures. Always interested in reading, I started my blog at the end of 2012, just before early retirement. It has been a wonderful journey, exchanging views on books and reading with the international blogging community. I published my first post on 24 October 2012. I love your comments and try to answer all of them. I do accept reviewing books on demand, depending on my time schedule. Please use contact form to get in touch. “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” Virginia Woolf

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