December has come and gone, and it is time to make a wrap up of the month's reading. I read 7 books in December. The month started very slow, so I was happy to have read at least these books. Herodotos, Den förste globalisten by Sture Linnér. Linnér managed to inspire me to buy Herodotus' Histories . Herodotos (c. 484 - c. 425 BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from Halicarnassus, then part of the Persian Empire, now Bodrum in Turkey. He was one of the first to look into historical events, he traveled extensively and is considered as the father of history. Looking forward to read his book. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret. But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this story that unfolds over a quarter of a century - in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night. Norah Henry, who knows only that her daughter died at birth, remains inconsolable; her grief weighs heavily on their marriage. And Paul, their son, raises himself as best he can, in a house grown cold with mourning. Meanwhile, Phoebe, the lost daughter, grows from a sunny child to a vibrant young woman whose mother loves her as fiercely as if she were her own. A fascinating story of how a spur of the moment decision changes the lives of the people involved. Even those who have no idea of what happened. Turned out to be the best fiction book I read this year, and I can highly recommend it. My review under link above. Pilkastaren by Gunnar Sebring (audio) - a psychological and philosophical thriller that keeps you stuck to the story until the very end. Över en vinterfika (Over a winter coffee) and anthology of short stories about life and its dwindling ways. Ancient Greece by Eric Brown - very good, short introduction to ancient Greece and its times and important people. 20 filosofer (20 Philosophers) by Gunnar Fredriksson - the author looks at the most important philosophers from ancient time up until present time. Great, short introduction to the people, their lives and thoughts. Very good introduction for a deeper reading. Fyra historiska mysterier (Four historical mysteries) by Clas Svahn - the author looks at four mysteries that still fascinates people. The secret of the Rosetta stone, the hunt for captain Kidd's treasure, the secrets of Edgar Allan Poe and the curse of the Pharaohs. Interesting look into history and its secrets.

The start of a new year it is a good time to reflect on your reading the year before. I read 117 books in 2023, which I think is a record for me. As usual going from one book to the next without any real planning. At the end of the year, and thanks to Nonfiction November, and our trip to Greece with a focus on the Ancient times, I did enter into reading about ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Really interesting, and something I will continue to do in the new year. But, let's not go ahead of time, let's look at 2023. Statistics The 117 books I read are spread over the following genres: Thrillers - 33 - 28% Nonfiction - 29 - 25% Fiction - 26 - 22% Classics - 15 - 13% Novellas/Short Stories - 11 - 9% Poetry - 3 - 3% I am pleased with the spread. The big number of thrillers relate to my binge reading of Agatha Christie and Donna Leon, which I think will continue this year. Also happy about the number of Classics. Best books Nonfiction I read a lot of good nonfiction books, here five of them that stood out: Love in a Time of Hate by Florian Illies Van Gogh's Ear by Bernadette Murphy Sanningen är alltid oförskämd - a biography of August Strindberg by Göran Hägg Ett hemligt liv - a biography about the relationship between Verner von Heidenstam and Kate Bang by Martin Kylhammar Axel von Fersen and Marie Antoinette - the love affair between the two by Margareta Bäckman Napoleon - A Concise Biography by David A. Bell Fiction The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards Circe by Madeline Miller Classics I have to mention: The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy Poetry The Poems by Catullus Novellas Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Foster and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith Plans for 2024 I am still thinking on plans for 2024. The problem is, when I make up a plan I tend to do something totally different. Maybe it is just a good thing to Carpe Diem also the reading. I know I want to participate in a few of my favourite challenges. There are so many interesting challenges out there, but I cannot follow them all. Paris in July and Nonfiction November are two I usually follow. I will join Brona's books on her reading of George Orwell which will go on for the whole year, in your own rhythm. There might be a few others I will pick up. Mostly if they coincide with my main aim: to lower my TBR shelves. My TBR shelves I did read 62 books from my shelves last year, which is also a record. Of course a few new entered the space. I am left with 158 for 2024, and a good aim would be to be under 100 books at the end of the year. I do add, and read, also newly purchases so some of the books are not that old. However, I try to choose those that has been there for a while. Good luck with your reading plans, they will be interesting to follow.

I really loved Saint's book Ariadne , and was happy to find two more books by her. Totally suitable since I have been on a two month trip with our camper van to Montenegro, Albania and Greece. Most of the time we spent in Greece, and I was eager to read something connected to the country. Even if it was from mythology. I find its mythology so interesting and love reading books about them. The protagonists I don't really know why Jennifer Saint named the book Elektra since it is the story of three women; Clytemnestra (wife of Agamemnon), Cassandra (priestess daughter of Priam, king of Troy) and Elektra (daughter of C and A). We follow them as the war of Troy is about to start, and until the end ten years later. Clytemnestra , devastated when Agamemnon sacrifices their eldest daughter Iphigenia to the gods, to get a fair wind so they could sail to Troy. During the war she takes care of state affairs in Mycenae, but revenge is what keeps her alive. She intends to kill her husband when he returns home. " I rolled my eyes. Odysseus was here as one of Helen's suitors just like the rest of them, but of course nothing that man did was as it seemed. " (Clytemnestra) Cassandra , one of king Priam's and queen Hecuba's daughters. She became a priestess and seer, but was cursed by Apollo when she refused his advances. The curse was to never be believed when she speaks of the future. She tried to prevent Paris from playing a role in Troy, and to tell the king that Troy would fall. " Beauty and love were gifts, perhaps - even if I knew that Helen's beauty was a terrible thing, and incitement to war and chaos. " (Cassandra) Elektra , the youngest daughter of the king and queen of Mycenae. She is horrified by the death of her sister, but still holds a love for her father. Her relationship with her mother is troubled. " I don't think I could put one foot in front of the other if it wasn't for my hatred. It fuels me, it drives me forward, it roars inside me, obliterating anything else that ever was or could be. " (Elektra) The background I did not take to Elektra at all, and found the other two women more interesting as characters. They seemed to have more space in the book as well. One has to understand that Elektra was only five (I think) years old when her sister died. After the sacrifice, her mother had no love to give her other children, due to her grief for Iphigenia. Maybe that is why Elektra directed all her love for her absent father. He was not the best of parents, but she had had a special relationship with him while he still was at home. She grows up under the dreary atmosphere of the palace. Furthermore, her mother takes Aegisthus as a lover. Agamemnon killed his father so no less feelings of revenge here. As Elektra grows up, she decides to take her destiny in her own hands, and to get away from her mother. Cassandra's story is connected to the Trojan war, and her efforts to tell her father the outcome of the war. No-one listens to her, however hard she tries to tell them what she knows. She spends her time in the temple of Apollon, but he has deserted her as well. Through her we see the war of Troy. The outcome I am sure you all know the story, and I will not reveal which way Jennifer Saint takes her characters. I was not so enthralled by this novel as of Ariadne. I found the character of Elektra rather uninteresting. Clytemnestra is the one that I thought saved the book, with her story when she first met Agamemnon, their marriage, his departure for Troy and return. She has character, takes control of her life and follow up on her decisions. Although terrible ones. Cassandra's tale was also interesting, far away from the other two women, and a totally different life from theirs. Her fight to be believed, and tragedy when she was not. The curse of Apollo that affected her life in such a hard way. She is full of character, independence and a will to try everything she can against all odds. It was nevertheless a suitable book to read since we also visited Mycenae. And, what a wonderful cover. For those interested in our visits to archeological sites in Greece, I have a few newsletters about the trip. You find them under The Content Reader Newsletter .

In January I read seven books, which I considered fine since I somehow had a dip in my reading inspiration. The books were: The Discipline of Desire by Ryan Holiday (NF) From IX to V. Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World by Vicki León (NF) Romarrikets undergång by Dag Sebastian Ahlander (NF) Doctor Copernicus by John Banville Aldermans arvinge by Gabriella Håkansson Tankar efter en pandemi - och lärdomarna inför nästa by Anders Tegnell (NF) A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr Four of them were nonfiction and three fiction. The nonfiction mostly related to the Roman Empire, leading me into the Stoics. The other nonfiction is Anders Tegnell's book about the pandemic. He was the face outside from the Public Health Authority and became world known, mostly because Sweden took another way than most other countries. Very interesting and a review will follow. Of the fiction books Banville and Håkansson will come up in another post I am preparing (even the posts are slow these days). Watching a Swedish evening program there was a review of J.L. Carr's A Month in the Country which has been translated into Swedish (finally one could say). A wonderful book to read, especially when you feel a little bit down, the world seems to going to pieces and turbulences everywhere. Tom Birkin, A World War I veteran is employed to uncover a mural in a village church in Yorkshire. He suffers from PTSD after his experiences in the trenches. His wife has left him for another man and his life is somewhat low. There is a sense of loneliness as he arrives at the village where he sees no-one. His first meeting with the vicar is strained and he spends his first night in the bell tower of the church in a somewhat depressed mode. Soon he befriends another veteran who has been hired to look for a grave outside the churchyard walls. In the old days not everyone was allowed to be buried inside the walls. There is a little bit of mystery there. As the days pass by he befriends other people in the village and becomes involved in village matters. He is fascinated by his work and the mural he discovers under the whitewashed ceiling. The novella deals with the times after a war when people have lost their beliefs, melancholy and nostalgia is prevalent. As he uncovers the mural and becomes part of the small world around him he is healing from his wounds. The narrator writes the novel many years later and looks back at those days which he still remembers like the best months of his life. It is a slow, meditative novella, but fascinating and you go through it with a sense of calmness, people caring for each other, and another pace of life. Maybe that is what we need sometimes.

This is of course a tricky question because it is different from book to book, from reader to reader. As usual I have been reading several books parallell, but mostly I have been reading two books. It took me forever to read them. They are: Doctor Copernicus by John Banville (247 pages) and Aldermanns arvinge by Gabriella Håkansson (813 pages) Do you believe me when I say that it took me over one month to finish these two books. I usually read a few pages from Banville's book and one or two chapters from Håkansson's book. Although they quite differ in size I finished them more or less at the same time. Håkansson's novel was easy to read. Rather 'big' font and space on the pages. Banville's novel has smaller font, and no space, just very tight text almost every page. It is more of a biography, or historical fiction, so the text is somewhat more complicated, with thematic and technical words as regards the world of Copernicus. Neither of the books were giving me the inclination to continue reading. It was more like I have to finish the books. Why did I just not give up, you might ask. Good question. I simply don't know. I had somehow set my aim to finish both of them. Banville's book mainly because I bought it when he held a talk in a book shop in Brussels. Signed book and all. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I bought, and have the other two; Newton's letter and Kepler . Of the three Kepler was the one I liked best. Another reason why I wanted to finish Copernicus is that we visited Torun in Poland last summer, the town where Copernicus was born. We visited his house, now a museum. It is a beautiful, medieval town and a pleasure to walk around the old city. I wrote about it in my newsletter To find the sun . To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge. Nicolaus Copernicus Doctor Copernicus by John Banville Nicholas Koppernigk, or Copernicus which is his more famous name, was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician and astronomer. He worked as a Catholic canon, a kind of religious title. His research led him to a new model of the universe, that placed the Sun rather than Earth as its center. He might have realised that his theory would be controversial, and he postponed the publication of it, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres , until just before his death. Banville gives us a man of "painful reticence" as it is stated at the back cover. That is true. He is a man hunted by something unnamed. Although he discovers faults with other accepted theories of the day, he is reluctant to put forward his own ideas. He is living in a world of wars and conflicts between kings, princes and the church. His brother is haunting him with his life style; he sees conspiracies all around him, and would most of all like to withdraw from the world. "He found that city (Cracow) strangely altered, no longer the forlorn gloomy terminus he had known during his university years, but a bustling waystation cheerful with travellers and loud with the uproar of foreign tongues. To be sure, the change was not in the city but in him, the traveller, who noticed now what the student had ignored, yet he chose to see his new regard for this proud cold capital as a sign that he had at last grown up into himself and his world, that he was at last renouncing the past and turning his face toward an intrepid manhood; it was all nonsense, of course, he knew it; but still, he was allowed for a few days at least to feel mature, and worldly-wise, and significant." Aldemanns arvinge (Aldemann's heir) by Gabriella Håkansson The story takes place in 19th century London. William Aldermann is an orphan, has inherited a huge fortune and grows up in a palace on Harley Street. His father had an anarchistic tradition of ideas and he has put the continuation of these ideas on the shoulders of his son. The idea is to denounce God, the laws and the state and make a revolution. Old friends to his father are appointed custodians of the legacy. It is just one problem; the father hid his plans for the continuation of the fight to change the world. The society of his father is called Dilettanti. Many of the members are now old and see the world differently. However, there are still a few hardcore members who want to continue the fight. They live in the world of Ancient Greece and surrounds themselves with statues, books and everything that can make that time alive again. I found it interesting since Ancient Greece is a favourite topic. However, the book was far too long, dragged out and all in all, not much happened. It could not really engage me, but I could not just drop it either. It is the first book in a trilogy, but I don't think I will continue reading.

This month, which started out rather slowly from a reading point of view, I read 9 books. Four of them are short stories by Agatha Christie which I got as a present from a friend. Here are the books The Unbreakable Alibi by Agatha Christie (short story) Death by Drowning by Agatha Christie (short story) The Blue Geranium by Agatha Christie (short story) The Horses of Diomedes by Agatha Christie (short story) Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Pakten by Gunnar Svebring Orden som formade Sverige by Elisabeth Åsbrink Back Spin by Harlan Coben A Most Wanted Man by John le Carré I enjoyed the short stories. One of them The Blue Geranium was turned into a Miss Marple mystery. I have just bing watched all of the Miss Marple seasons. Is there anything better to watch than an Agatha Christie when you are a little bit down and out? Lessons in Chemistry I read with a new book club I have joined. I really liked the novel, and its satirical take on a time which was difficult for women. Not all of us did enjoy the Elizabeth Zott character, but I did. I tend to enjoy characters who do what they want, without thinking all the time what other people will think. I see it has been made into a film with Brie Larson and she would be able to do a good thing out of this character. Pakten and Orden som formade Sverige are only in Swedish. The first one a psychological thriller which I enjoyed, as it also took place in areas close to me. The Words that formed Sweden is from a favourite author Elisabeth Åsbrink. She highlights historical aspects that has made Sweden into what it is. A sort of history lesson. I was thinking that this should be an obligatory read for Swedish schools. Young people tend to know so little about our history. And certain traditional aspects we take for granted, but we don't know where they come from and what made them into our ordinary lives. Excellent read. I found Back Spin on the shelves in our garbage room. Yes, we have a book shelf there for the enjoyment of neighbours. Instead of throwing the books away you leave them on the shelf. Corban is a favourite. I am reading a lot of nonfiction for the time being and felt I needed something easy to read in between. This turns out to be one of several books about Myron Bolitar, a sports agent turning detective on the side. This story is about a kidnapping, or is it? A Most Wanted Man is a typical Carré and as such very enjoyable. Here Carré is using modern migration problems as a background to his story of intelligence and police services, throwing in a human rights lawyer, a private banker and an old money contract. Carré is making nothing wrong in this story.

As I have mentioned recently, I am trying to learn more about Stoicism. I would, ideally, also like to understand more of philosophy, but the more I read about it, the more confused I get. I am still trying. At least it is easier to approach the stoics and their ideas. I have already read Epictetus and am reading Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. I came into Sellars book via Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling s and ordered the book. It is a very good and easy introduction to Stoicism. It is only about 70 pages so you go through it fast. Maybe the best way is to just read a chapter a day and ponder over what you read. John Sellars is a lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London and a member of Wolfson College, Oxford. He has also written The Art of Living. I see in the introduction of him that he is also one of the founder members of Modern Stoicism, the group behind Stoic Week. It seems to be an annual global event where they invite members of the public to 'live like a Stoic for a week' in order to see how it might improve their lives. I wonder ... ? It sounds rather fascinating. Back to the book. It is divided into seven chapters and an epilogue. The Philosopher as Doctor - Epictetus says: " The philosopher, is a doctor, and the philosopher's school is a hospital - a hospital for souls. " What Do You Control? - " The things that we can control - the things in our power - include our judgements, impulses and desires. Pretty much everything else is, Epictetus suggests, ultimately out of our control, including our own bodies, our material possessions, our reputation and our worldly success. " The Problem with Emotions - " We cannot control other people's emotions, because they fall into the category of things not up to us. ... But, Epictetus doesn't just leave it there; he shifts attention to what the man can , namely his own reaction to his brother's anger. " Dealing with Adversity - " Whether one believes in a benevolent deity, pantheistic order or atomic chaos, it remains entirely up to us whether we choose to see an event as a disaster or an opportunity ." Our Place in Nature - " One of the central themes that threads itself through the Meditations is fate. This brings us back to Epictetus's concern with control. Marcus had read the Discourses as a young man, and their influence can be seen throughout his own writings. But whereas Epictetus turned his attention inwards, to focus on what we can control, Marcus looked outwards to contemplate the vastness of what we cannot. Again and again Marcus reflects on his own life as but one tiny moment in the vastness of time, and his own body as a mere speck in the vastness of the universe. " Life and Death - "Perhaps surprisingly, he (Seneca) insisted that all of us have more than enough time, no matter how long or short out lives turn out to be; the problem is that we waste most of it." "First of all we should stop worrying about what others think. Don't try to impress others; don't pursue their favour in order to secure some advantage. To many people care about what others think of them, but pay little their own thoughts. " How We Live Together - " Epictetus's division between what we can and cannot control seems to counsel turning our backs on the outside world in order to focus attention on our judgements." "The Stoics would also agree with Aristotle when he said that human beings are by nature social and political animals. " The Stoics mean that much of the suffering you feel in life is more of the way you perceive it, or think about things (not including physical suffering). Things that often are part of our lives like anxiety, frustration, fear, disappointment, anger and general discontent. Stoicism meets these negative emotions by saying that we are looking at the world in a wrong way. The ability to avoid these emotions is within our control, we just have to face them in a different light. Zeno of Elea (490-430 B.C.) lived in Athens and founded a school that taught what was to become Stoicism. The most famous Stoics were three great Romans; Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, who lived in the first and second centuries AD. " Their works, fundamentally, are about how to live - how to understand one's place in the world, how to cope when things don't go well, how to manage one's emotions, how to behave towards others, how to live a good life worthy of a rational human being. " It seems that the Stoics have a lot to teach us even today. Or, maybe more today, when we live in a world full of stress, social media, fake news and life happening in a higher speed than ever before. I try, when I get agitated or irritated on someone to stop myself, and think of what the Stoics said. I still have to go through the routine of stopping myself, and thinking of my reaction. I hope that one day, my reaction to things upsetting me, will automatically hit my brain, without me having to think further of it. Meaning, not to get irritated or agitated at all. I continue to read about the Stoics. I have The Daily Stoic, 366 meditations , perseverance, and the art of living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. One good Stoic quote a day, and a thought to be considered, to help you start the day

The Corona pandemic has been a big part of our lives the last couple of years. It has affected our lives in more way than one. Illness and isolation were the key words. Sweden was one of the few countries that did not totally close down, and there has been a lot of discussion on the matter. All in all, when you look back, Sweden did manage better than most countries in spite of this. Anders Tegnell was the person facing the public and he became famous and looked up to, almost like a pop star. He has written a book about what happened during these turbulent years. He told his story to journalist Fanny Härgestam who wrote it down in Tankar efter en pandemi - och lärdomarna inför nästa. Translated it will be something like: Thoughts after a pandemic - and the lessons for the next. It is a very interesting tale on a situation that nobody had experience before. He is a civil servant and physician specialising in infectious disease. He was the state epidemiologist from 2013 - 2022. He starts his story with a background in his education and experience working abroad in Addis Abeba, 1968, Vientiane 1990 and Kinshasa 1995. There is also a chapter on his experience of the Swine flue. We get an insight into how the Swedish Health Agency is working. How the staff started to treat this flue similar to earlier ones. It soon became clear that this disease did not act like something they had seen before. The whole situation was new. They interacted with colleagues around the world to learn from others and give their own experience. All of them had to approach covid as a totally new experience. Very soon countries started to close their borders and go into a lockdown. The lockdown was done under the principle of carefulness. A basic principle to be treated with care, especially when you don't know the consequences. It would probably lower the number of cases of both the illness and death. However, which impact would it have on people's health and life quality. The factors had to be balanced. During the whole pandemic the Health Agency had to balance all these factors. Sweden was also under a lot of pressure since they did not go into lockdown. Sweden against the world. Tegnell says there was not a distinctive time when the decision was made. They looked at the situation as it occurred. To close down society was not an option at any time, and furthermore there was not available legislation to do so. As Tegnell says: "We were not preparing for a hundred meter run, but for a long distance race." As we are coming out of the worst of the pandemic there are a lot on research going on how the pandemic has affected public health. Mental health has deteriorated, both acutely and long term, since people felt worse, also due to worries in general. The Agency's measurements on health the last years have not shown that mental health has changed negatively. Although there are some signs of negative input, Tegnell feels that the pandemic has had more negative consequences on society at large. According to several measurements, over mortality was very low in Sweden. So why did Sweden manage this, although it did not go into lockdown? It will probably take years of studies to come to a certain conclusion. Here are some indicators though. Health care system which is well developed in Sweden with a high capacity. The same was the case in our neighbouring countries. There is research that show that there is a connection between well developed health care, high degree of economical equality and low over mortality. Although it has to be said that many other countries in Europe have a well developed health care, but in spite of this, higher over mortality. Swedes highly trust authorities and did follow the advice of the Agency. Many changed their behaviour, worked from home and kept distance when out in society. A report from Telia (a telecom company) showing the pattern of movement during the pandemic, shows that Swedes limited travelling as much as our neighbouring countries, although they were in lockdown and forced to do so. Swedes did it voluntarily. To keep society open lowered possible risks for depression and other health problems related to isolation. The social protection net could have played a role. People who lost their income, or got sick, got support from unemployment insurances or the social insurance, which probably eased stress and worries. When the vaccin came, it changed the course of the pandemic. After Many countries closed down, travelling more or less ceased in the effort to curb the pandemic. It does not have any great impacts on the transmission of disease. In a crises the countries in the world do not priorities international solidarity. You look to your own country first of all. It might not always be the best way forward. Vaccination is important and there should be a model for distribution, especially to poor countries. Communication is important. The Agency held daily press conferences during the peak of the pandemic. Everyone kept themselves up-to-date with the latest situation. _________________ This is a very interesting book. Tegnell takes us behind the scenes of the Health Agency, their colleagues, their contacts with politicians, journalist and other interested parties. It gives you a clear view on what happened, and also the insecurity the people felt when they realised this is something totally new. All their gathered experience can help, but they have to go beyond what they have seen earlier. One of the things why information and obedience worked very well in Sweden is that Swedes do have a big trust for authorities. Furthermore, the Agency was in charge, not the politicians like in many other countries. You trust the experts, but in most countries there is not such big trust for the politicians. They have another agenda. There might be other people involved in the pandemic in your country that have written books on these hard times? It is interesting to see how it works and this book had it all. Anders Tegnell is a man passionate for his work.

It was quite some time since I had a look at the books I keep on my shelves after reading them. Due to lack of space I have come to the conclusion that I can only keep books I really love. I seldom re-read books, but I like to be reminded of those I love and therefore keep them. It is nice to take them out from time to time and remember the stories. Mostly, I do keep nonfiction books, since they are always useful when you want to look up a fact of some kind. For the letter K, referring to the first letter of the author's surname, I have kept six nonfiction and three fiction. Nonfiction The Women I Think About At Night by Mia Kankimäki Påven som kom ner på jorden by Kristina Kappelin Shah of Shahs by Ryszard Kapuscinski Imperium by Ryszard Kapuscinski On Writing by Stephen King Ett hemligt liv by Martin Kylhammar The Women I Think About At Night is a wonderful, low toned book by Finnish author Mia Kankimäki. Here she blends her interests in travelling and biography and follow in the footsteps of earlier female travellers and pioneers. She asks the reader: "What can a forty-something childless woman do? Bored with her life and feeling stuck, she leaves her job, sells her apartment, and decides to travel the world." She takes on her her trips and meetings with remarkable women, blending it with thoughts about life in general. It is a rather interesting tale. Påven som kom ner på jorden means "The Pope who came down to earth" is Kappelin's story of the present pope. The book came out as he was rather new in office and she recalls the story of his life and missions. Kappelin was, for many years, a freelance correspondence in Rome and is well acquainted with the Italian, and Vatican societies. She is now head of Villa San Michele on Capri, once built by Swedish doctor Axel Munthe, and still a very popular tourist spot these days. Shah of Shahs and Imperium are two of Ryszard Kapuscinski's excellent books on people and politics. Many years since I read them, but still remember them as excellent in analysing the Shah of Iran and a Soviet Union seen from another perspective. Well worth a read. On Writing I think does not need any further introduction. It is the bible on writing for anyone interesting in the task. Ett hemligt liv (A Secret Life) the story of the love affair between Swedish author Werner von Heidenstam and Danish socialite Kate Bang. A love story that had to take place privately, in spite of the very public von Heidenstam, since they were never married. Kylhammar has done extensive research and also had access to new, private papers. Excellent biography of one of the national idols of Sweden and a remarkable woman, far ahead of her time. Fiction Pirater och vulkanutbrott på Island and Mysteriet med guldgubbarna by Kim M. Kimselius The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova Kimselius book are for young adults and she writes about two teenagers Theo and Ramona who travel in time to exciting historical places. She is very popular in Sweden, and I read the books since I took a writing class by her. Her books are well researched and a pleasure to read. The Historian is a vampire kind of story. It is a mix of genres going into the Gothic, adventures and detective fiction, mixed with a lot of history. Partly based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, but I would say a story entirely by itself. It took me quite a while to read it, but it had so many elements of history and folklore so I found it very interesting. Have you read any of the books? Or any of the authors? Please let me know what you think.

Another month has gone by and it was a rather slow one for me. Weather not inspiring and I feel I have hardly done anything. Easter passed by with a couple of excursions, otherwise weather kept me in. For a reader it is really not a big problem. I did read 12 books, and some from my TBR shelves so happy with that. The books The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima En sommar med Homeros (Un été avec Homère) by Sylvain Tesson (NF) Handbok i livets konst (The Handbook) by Epictetus (NF) Dora Bruder by Patrick Modiano Lessons in Stoicism by John Sellars (NF) Augustus by Eva Queckfeldt (NF) (Audio) A Lost Man by Jane Harper Gruppen by Sigge Eklund Undsättningen, Det danska fälttåget till Kristianstad 1678 (NF) by Stefan Persson and Jimmy Juhlin Alftberg Sveriges stormaktstid by Dick Harrison (NF) De försvunna by Magnus Carling The Lion's Skin by Rafael Sabatini Three of the books above have individual reviews. Half of the books are nonfiction and the other half fiction, of which three are classics, Mishima, Modiano and Sabatini. Still reading a lot of history nonfiction, of which the Roman Empire still holds a fascinating. Two stoic novels this month and a biography of Emperor Augustus. All very interesting. The fiction books A variety of books, which could put under a common title of 'Searching for someone or something'. The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima is a love story, but the three main characters are all looking for something. Dora Bruder by Patrick Modiano is not one of his typical books. His characters are always seeking something, mostly memories. In this book he ventures into, if I understood it correctly, a real story about a girl who disappeared during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Still looking for something. A Lost Man by Jane Harper, where the mystery is a man who died in the desert like wilderness in Australia. Gruppen (The Group) by Swedish author Sigge Eklund is a newly published novel about a young girl looking for something not revealed. She is getting attached to a group of young jet setters in Madrid, which leads to a surprise revelation at the end of the story. De försvunna (The Disappeared) by Swedish author Magnus Carling is a very different kind of detective story. The main protagonist, a police, is badly injured during a call to a flat suspected of domestic violence. While recuperating, and morning his dead daughter, he 'hears and sees things' which leads him to an old case of disappearing children. Slightly super natural tones in this book, and a different approach to a case which I found interesting. The Lion's Skin by Rafael Sabatini, a classical adventure author. I have not read anything by him earlier, and I think the story does not really stand the test of time, although I slightly enjoyed it. A man looking for the father he has never known, and promising his stepfather to revenge his mother. He is setting off from France to England, but life comes in between and the revenge? Well, you can always change your mind. Especially, if love is in the air. Best books The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima and En sommar med Homeros (Un été avec Homère) by Sylvain Tesson (NF) will also be on the list for best books this year. Excellent, both of them, in different ways. Jane Harper is always good and with A Lost Man she is at her very best. I have read Force of Nature, The Dry, and The Survivors by her. I still think the first one I read, Force of Nature, stands out, but A Lost Man comes a good second. What about you? Have you read any of these books?

Late as usual with my posts. I have been five days in Oslo to visit my son. There were so many things to do, so not so much time for literary achievements. Rebekah reads and writes about social justice, atheism, religion, science history, and more on She Seeks Nonfiction . Week 4 (11/20-11/24) Worldview Shapers: One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is learning all kinds of things about our world which you never would have known without it. There’s the intriguing, the beautiful, the appalling, and the profound. What nonfiction book or books have impacted the way you see the world in a powerful way? Is there one book that made you rethink everything? Do you think there is a book that should be required reading for everyone? Time to look at your reading and answer a few questions. What nonfiction book or books have impacted the way you see the world in a powerful way? I don't read a lot of contemporary nonfiction. I think it just affects me so much, since, most of the time, it is about bad things. You just have to go to the news for this. However, I should go deeper into contemporary history and time, to know more in depth about our world. But, for now, it is all about history and some author's biographies. For the time being I am reading a lot about Ancient and Classic Greece and the Roman Empire. It is the ground of which our Western Society is built, and makes a big impact on our world today. The more you read, the more you realise that many of the words we use today, many things within culture and tradition come from these faraway times. Furthermore, we can still go around and have a look at what they built thousands of years ago. Still here for us to enjoy. Is there one book that made you rethink everything? I don't really know. I come to think of Darwin and his thesis. I think he was very brave at the time, to publish his research and thoughts. I have on my TBR Darwin's Sacred Cause, Race, Slavery and the quest for Human Origins by Adrian Desmond, and James Moore. Time to read now? If we look at biology there is the Swedish biologist Carl von Linné. I have a book about his life and achievements; Jag tänker på Linné, Han som såg allt (I am thinking of Linné, He who saw everything, my translation. Unfortunately, does not seem to be translated in English) by Karin Berglund. He arranged the nature and gave plants and flowers a name. Do you think there is a book that should be required reading for everyone? I can't really think of any specific book. Although, I think that all people should read about history and politics of their own country. It is always a good way to start. Then you can continue with the world and our whole existence. Does this sound a little bit overwhelming?

I have hardly ever managed to read any of the spin books, but I am always hopeful. There are a few very thick books on the list, but I am hoping for a thinner one. Here is my list. 1. The Master and Margarita by Michail Bulgakov 2. The Bride of Lammermoor by Sir Walter Scott  3. Daisy Miller by Henry James 4. The Seahawk by Rafael Sabatini.    5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoj 6. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster 7. Child Harold by Lord Byron 8. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton 9. The Red and the Black by Stendhal 10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 11. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak  12. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James (last spin) 13. The Grand Hotel by Vicki Baum 14. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding 15. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway 16. Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton 17. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham 18. An Appetite for Violets by Martine Bailey 19. The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier 20. The World of Yesterday, Memoirs of a European by Stefan Zweig Have you read any of these books? If I decide to read one in between the spins, which one would you recommend? Good luck with your lists and I hope you get a favourite one.