August has come to an end, and as the days grow shorter, it's the perfect time to reflect on the books I read in August. Whether you spent your days lounging by the pool, enjoying the breeze in a hammock, or simply curling up on the couch with a good book, I hope August was a good reading month filled with literary adventures. I had a few adventures myself while travelling in Austria in August. If you are interested what I have been up to, you can check out my newsletter The Content Reader (It is a free subscription but if you want to check it out click 'No thanks' and you will come in to the main page). My reading was very slow and I finished just a few books. Partly because of travelling and lots of things to see, or because the novels were rather thick. 1. Antinous: A Poem by Fernando Pessoa It rained outside right into Hadrian's soul. The boy lay dead On the low couch, on whose denuded whole, To Hadrian's eyes, that at their seeing bled, The shadowy light of Death's eclipse was shed. The boy lay dead and the day seemed a night Outside. The rain fell like a sick affright Of Nature at her work in killing him. Through the mind's galleries of their past delight The very light of memory was dim. That is the beginning of Pessoa's poem on a love lost. A beautiful poem and a story of grief and loss. 2. The World of Yesterday: Memories of a European by Stefan Zweig Zweig takes a look on the world as it used to be when he started to writing it in 1934. He had to leave Austria due to Nazi persecution and went into exile in England and later in Brazil. He sent the manuscript to the publisher the day before he and his wife committed suicide in February 1942. It is a nostalgic trip back to how the world looked like during his life time. However, it is not only good memories. As always he has a sharp eye on society and how it works. There are so many insightful comments, valid still today. I think he would have liked how Europe is today, which looks very much like the ideas he had himself so many years ago. A book that all Europeans, and others, should read. A full review will come. 3. The Razor's Edge By Somerset W. Maugham This novel is part of the Classic Club spin, and I am proud to have been able to finish another book off my list. I don't really know what I think about this book. It kept me reading on, although not very much was happening. It is a story reflecting the times, and one man's quest to live a different life. More about it in a coming review. 4. Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sahabattin Ali I read this book for my challenge to read a book by authors from all Europan countries. Sahabattin Ali (1907-48) is a Turkish novelist, short-story writer, poet and journalist. He had a troubled life due to his writing and was imprisoned several times. He died under unclear circumstance close to the Bulgarian border. "His short novel "Madonna in a Fur Coat" (1943) is considered one of the best novellas in Turkish literature." (Wikipedia). It is a fascinating story of love, loneliness and life's twists. Review will come. A shy young man leaves his home in rural Turkey to learn a trade in 1920s Berlin. The city's crowded streets, thriving arts scene, passionate politics and seedy cabarets provide the backdrop for a chance meeting with a woman, which will haunt him for the rest of his life. Emotionally powerful, intensely atmospheric and touchingly profound, Madonna in a Fur Coat is an unforgettable novel about new beginnings and the unfathomable nature of the human soul. (Goodreads) Reflecting on August reading As I wrap up my August reading adventures, it's time to ask myself whether it was a hit or a miss? Did I discover new favourites that will stay with me forever, or did I encounter books that failed to spark my imagination? In spite of the few books I read this month, I will still count it as a hit, due to the books I read. All of them sparked something in me, made me think of the characters and their actions. The characters and stories stayed with me after I had finished the books. I think that is a good measurement. Whether our August reading list was a mix of highs and lows or consistently fantastic reads, remember that the beauty of reading lies in the journey itself. Each book we pick up carries us to new worlds, introduces us to unforgettable characters, and allows us to experience emotions we never knew existed. I can say that these books really lived up to these expectations. Looking Ahead As I bid farewell to August and welcome the crisp days of September, (although since I am travelling south to Sardinia and Corsica, I might be able to enjoy some more sunny days) let's keep the spirit of adventure alive in our reading habits. Let's seek out new genres, discover hidden literary gems, and embrace the joy of getting lost in a good book. I think our blogging world takes us through all of these features. Reviews, recommendations and comments embraces our love for books, and help us find new adventures. So, dear readers, how was your August reading journey? Share your thoughts, recommendations, and reflections in the comments below. And remember, no matter where our literary travels take us, the pages of a book will always be a welcome escape. Happy reading! PS Did you like the writing in this post? It was done with a mixture of AI writing and my own writing. I don't really use AI help, but though I would try it out. Do you use AI help when writing, posts or other things. Please leave a comment.

Concerning the title (from Wikipedia). " The novel's title comes from a translation of a verse in the Katha Upanishad, paraphrased in the book's epigraph as: "The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard ." I guess that is what Larry discovers along his path to finding a meaning with life. For once, I am pleased to say, I did finish the spin book. And very early as well. It must have been over a month since I finished it. I have not read a lot by Maugham, only The Moon and Sixpence . I did like that one, my review is under the link. This is a total different kind of book. When I read it, and even when I had finished it, I did not know what to think. Usually, it would be a book that I did not finish, since I found it rather slow, but still, I had to finish it, to see what happened to the characters. Having said that, I am not sure what I think about the characters. Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brillant characters - his fiancee Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. The most ambitious of Maugham's novels, this is also one in which Maugham himself plays a considerable part as he wanders in and out of the story, to observe his characters struggling with their fates. (from Goodreads). Larry and Isabel are best friends since childhood and everyone expects them to marry. When Larry comes back from World War II and its horrors, he is another person. He decides to take a few years 'off' and go to Europe to try to find a balance in his life. Isabel is devastated, but agrees as she loves him. Her mother tries to steer her out of the relationship, but Isabel persists. Isabel's uncle Elliot Templeton is an American expat living in Paris, joining the jet set circles and is a snob, in all things in life. The narrator is Maugham himself, who enters into the lives of these characters from time to time. All characters are wealthy people, are proud of it, or at least takes it for granted. Neither of them, except Larry, can think of living a different life. Larry is the character that eveything circles around. Maybe, because he does take a stand in life, he does not just follow the marked, or trodden, path. He is looking for something else. Something that can explains life and one's soul. I did not entirely take to Larry, found him somewhat vague, even in his way of searching for a higher meaning. However, he definitely stands out in the crowd, at the same time as he is part of every crowd he is encountering. One could maybe call him an adventurer, but it is not entirely right. Everyone is against what he is doing, except maybe Maugham himself, who seems to just listen and note without any critisism. Maybe it is the writer in him. I did find Elliot Templeton a rather loving character. At least he stood up for what he was, a snob and enjoyer of life. I loved how he kept up his life style until the very end. It is a difficult book to review since it goes in so many directions. If you are a fan of Maugham you definitely have to read it. Maybe the story is applicable also today, when there are many people, with a lot of money, but not knowing what to do with their life. I think that is the most important thing, that you have a goal or a path to follow in life. Otherwise, you are lost. I find that several of the characters are lost, except maybe Elliot and his sister. She has both feet on the ground in all situations. Maybe that is why these two characters come out as the only real characters of the story. Or, is it the Larry comes out as the winner? If you have read it, I would be interesting in knowing what you think.

Nonfiction November is coming up. One of my favourite challenges. Thank you so much to the hostesses for this year's event. Here are the topic prompts for each week: Week 1 (10/28-11/1) Your Year in Nonfiction: Celebrate your year of nonfiction. What books have you read? What were your favorites? Have you had a favorite topic? Is there a topic you want to read about more?  What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? (Heather) Week 2 (11/4-11/8) Choosing Nonfiction: What are you looking for when you pick up a nonfiction book? Do you have a particular topic you’re attracted to? Do you have a particular writing style that works best? When you look at a nonfiction book, does the title or cover influence you? If so, share a title or cover which you find striking. (Frances) Week 3 (11/11-11/15) Book Pairings: This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title. Maybe it's a historical novel and the real history in a nonfiction version, or a memoir and a novel, or a fiction book you’ve read and you would like recommendations for background reading. Or (because I’m doing this) two books on two different areas have chimed and have a link. You can be as creative as you like! (Liz) Week 4 (11/18-11/22) Mind Openers:  One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is the way it can open your eyes to the world around you–no plane ticket required. 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? Is there a book that, if everyone read it, you think the world would be a better place? (Rebekah) Week 5 (11/25-11/29) New To My TBR:  It's been a month full of amazing nonfiction books! Which ones have made it onto your TBR? Be sure to link back to the original blogger who posted about that book! (Deb) Usually, I just grab some books, but is really thinking I should have a more planned approach this year. My favourite nonfiction is history and that is what I mostly read. However, maybe I can venture into another subject as well this year. I am looking through my TBR page and have come up with the following books. I don't expect to read them all, but hope to finish a few of them. Evolution Bojs, Karin - Min europeiska familj, De senaste 54000 åren (My European family, the last 54000 years) Desmond/Moore, Adrian/James - Darwin's Sacred Cause, Race, Slavery and the quest for Human Origins Biography Coote, Stephen - John Keats - A Life Lee, Hermione - Edith Wharton History Banning, Tim - The Pursuit of Glory - The Five Revolutions that made Modern Europe 1648-1815 Wesseling, Henk , Imperiernas tid 1815-1919 (Europa's koloniale eeuw. De koloniale rijken in de negentiende eeuw, 1815-1919) Time of Empires Diverse Radden Keefe, Patrick - Empire of Pain Strindberg, August - En dåres försvarstal (Le Plaidoyer d'un fou/the Defence of a Fool Walker, Matthew - Why we sleep - unlocking the power of sleep and dreams Nine books that could be on my list for Nonfiction November.

Time for another spin with the Classic Club . Here are the simple rules. Publish a post on your blog before Sunday 20th October 2024. Add your list of twenty books that you want to read. You should read the book before 18 December 2024. Which book should you read? You have to wait until Sunday, when the spin number will be generated. Here is an updated list from me. My Spin List (as of 16 October 2024) 1. The Master and Margarita by Michail Bulgakov 2. Zadig by Voltaire 3. Daisy Miller by Henry James 4. The Seahawk by Rafael Sabatini.    5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoj 6. Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast by Oscar Wilde 7. Child Harold by Lord Byron 8. Where Eagles Dare by Alistair MacLean 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 13. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster 14. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding 15. The Viscount de Bragelonne by Alexander Dumas 16. Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton 17. The Big Four by Agatha Christie 18. The Brothers Karamazov by Fjodor Dostoevsky 19. The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier 20. The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde Is there any book in general that I wish will come up? Not really, this time I am happy with the list. Although if Dostoevsky would come up, I am not sure I will be able to finish it before the deadline. But, who knows.

End of October and time flies. We are already into Nonfiction November. I am behind with everything for the time being, but I will try to catch up. So here is my post for week one, hosted by Heather at Based on a True Story . The first week's meme is: Week 1 (10/28-11/1) Your Year in Nonfiction: Celebrate your year of nonfiction. What books have you read? I have read 21 nonfiction so far this year in the following genres. Many books in Swedish so I make a short summary History From IX to V. Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns, and Other Prized Professions of the Ancient World by Vicki León Romarrikets undergång by Dag Sebastian Ahlander Augustus by Eva Queckfeldt En sommar med Homeros (Un été avec Homère) by Sylvain Tesson Undsättningen, Det danska fälttåget till Kristianstad 1678 by Stefan Persson and Jimmy Juhlin Alftberg Sveriges stormaktstid by Dick Harrison The Teutonic Knights by William Urban/April Boktjuvarna, Jakten på de försvunna biblioteken by Anders Rydell Garibaldi: frihetskämpe och folkhjälte by Sven Wikberg Three books about the Roman Empire, still a favourite topic. One book about Homer and his influence on the author Tesson. Great book. Two books about Swedish history; one local history and one of Sweden's 'glorious' 17th century. One book about the Teutonic Knights. One book about the Book thieves, the hunt for the lost libraries during WW II. One book about Garibaldi, the freedom fighter for an independent Italy. In connection with my visit to his home in Sardinia. Biography - Memoirs Tankar efter en pandemi - och lärdomarna inför nästa by Anders Tegnell Vi drabbade samman med våra ödens hela bredd : författarparet Moa och Harry Martinson by Ebba Witt-Brattström Orden som formade Sverige by Elisabeth Åsbrink Övergivenheten by Elisabeth Åsbrink Det är inte jag, det är du, Att göra slut med Gud av Rosi Hageberg The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig Anders Tegnell's book about the pandemic and how the health authorities dealt with it, interesting read. Ebba Witt-Brattström's biography about two of our greatest authors and their love/hate affair. Two books by Elisabeth Åsbrink; one on how certain words and expressions formed the way we think of Sweden, one on mother and grandmother and how their lives influenced hers, and not always in a good way. Åsbrink is one of my favourite authors. Rosi Hageberg and her dealing with a religious upbringing. A very personal and touching account. Stefan Zweig's The World of Yesterday where he remembers a world that is lost. Travelling by train Rivieran inom räckhåll, Med tåg till de bästa upplevelserna i södra Frankrike by Kristina Svensson och Maria Unde Westerberg/May A hands on book how to travel by train through Europe. Advice on how to book tickets, where to go and what to see. And ... a few funny anecdotes on the way. Philosophy The Discipline of Desire by Ryan Holiday Lessons in Stoicism by John Sellars How to be a Stoic - Epictetus/Seneca/Marcus Aurelius Handbok i livets konst (The Handbook) by Epictetus Filosofi på 30 sekunder edited by Barry Loewer Yes, I got into Stoicism this year. Trying to live a little bit more like the stoics, learning how to deal with people and the world around me. Also added a philosopical book that easily explains the different ideas of the philosophers. It did not make me any wiser. I find reading these different philosophies just make me confused. What were your favourites? My absolute favourite was Un été avec Homère (A Summer With Homer) by Sylvain Tesson. This is a book I could always keep with me, and look up when I need to. Absolutley wonderful. The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig also made a big impression on me. Not only the things he writes about, but how he writes it. The letters and words just fill the pages and you go with the flow. Have you had a favourite topic? As always history is my favourite topic. I could refer 11 of the 21 books I read as history, although a couple ended up under Biography/Memoirs. Is there a topic you want to read about more?   I always tend to be drawn towards history, but am also interested in biographies. In a way I guess it is a little bit like history. Travels, cooking and creative stuff are also genres I enjoy. What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? Interacting with all of you who are interested in Nonfiction. I hope to get inspired to go outside my comfort zone and find new interesting topics to read. Thank you to all the hosts for keeping up this challenge. I am looking forward to see what you all are reading.

Behind the cover of box 2 we have - George Saunders. George Saunders is an American writer of short stories, essays, novellas, children's books, and novels. A multi talented man in other words. Since 1997, Saunders he is also teaching creative writing for the Syracuse University and its MFA program. I have read his A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, which is an interesting novel, where he analyses some of the great, classic authors. He also wrote Lincoln in the Bardo , of course, which I still have to read. Saunders has a vivid Substack account, where he talks about reading and writing. One part is The Story Club. Recently, there was a post titled: How Much Do We Need to Read to Have a Chance to Be Good? To be a good reader—or writer—I assume, means having a solid foundation for your reading. Take a look at the article; it's interesting. Among the comments, you’ll find suggestions for people’s favorite reads from each century, spanning from the 1300s to the present. Ultimately, it’s up to you and your own favorites. There are certainly more of mine that are missing from the list. Here is my list : 1300-1350 Divine Comedy (Dante) - The Decamerone (Boccaccio) 1350-1400 Canterbury Tales (Chaucer) 1400-1450 ? 1450-1500 ? 1500-1550 The Prince (Machiavelli) 1550-1600 Hamlet (Shakespeare) 1600-1650 Don Quixote (Cervantes) 1650-1700 Paradise Lost (Milton) 1700-1750 Gulliver's Travels (Swift) / Robinson Crusoe (Defoe) 1750-1800  Candide (Voltaire) 1800-1850 Anything by Jane Austen / Anything by the Brontë sisters / Frankenstein (Shelley) 1850-1900 Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov (Dostoyevsky) / Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Nietzsche) / Heart of Darkness (Conrad) /Madame Bovary (Flaubert) /Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) Moby Dick (Melville) 1900-1950 To The Lighthouse (Woolf) / 1984 (Orwell) / The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) / The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) / Gone With the Wind (Mitchell) 1950-2000 Fahrenheit 451(Bradbury) /To Kill a Mockingbird /Harper) / One Hundred Years of Solitude (Márquez / Lolita (Nabokov) /The Master and Margarita (Bulgakov) / Lord of the Flies (Golding) / The Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway) / The Bell Jar (Plath) 2000 - Wolf Hall/Bring Up the Bodies/The Mirror and the Light (Mantel) / The Sense of an Ending (Barnes) Which of your favorites would make the list? Let me know in the comments! Also, if you have any suggestions for the 15th century, I’d love to hear them. If you are interested in reading my Substack account, The Content reader newsletter, you will find it here: https://thecontentreader.substack.com/ (when asked if you want to subscribe, click 'No thanks' and you will enter into the main page, where you will find a sample of my earlier newsletters. I mostly write about travel, history, art and culture and everything that makes life fun. I do hope you will subscribe. It is free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." From Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoj I have had this book on my shelves for many years. It is an old edition, with illustrations. I have decided that 2025 will be the year I finally read it.

The Ten Greatest Books Ever Written? Every year various literary connoisseurs publish lists of the best books ever written. Some of them, divided into genres, fiction and nonfiction and whatever theme you are happy with. In the end it is a matter of personal references. Just for fun, I searched for the ten best books and found a website called The Greatest Books . I choose Global Canon, but there are other search criteria if you are interested in checking it out. The List 1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I have read this book twice, and I must admit that I never really fully understood its greatness. I have also seen two different film versions ... did not help. 2. Ulysses by James Joyce - I have not read this one, and I am pretty sure, I will not read it. Joyce is a difficult author, at least that is my idea. That is all I have to say about it. 3. In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust - I have not read this one either, but somehow want to. I imagine it is too difficult for me, but I still might give it a try. 4. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez - I have read this novel and liked it very much. It is a difficult novel to review, I think you just have to read it, and get immersed into the astonishing family of Buendía. 5. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger - I have read this classic novel, but could not really see the greatness. I just felt an irritation with the protagonist. Maybe I have to reread it? 6. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - I have also read this, and liked it. Even if the subject is sensitive. Maybe, because of the writing. Which makes me want to reading something else by Nabokov. 7. Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell - I read this many years ago, when I was younger. I think it might be time for a re-read. A classic story of a world we never thought we would be living in. 8. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy - I have not read this classic tale, but I have it on my book shelves. I hope to read it next year. Somehow, I am sure I will love it. 9. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - One of my own favourite books, which I have read at least three times. It is definitely one of the best ten books ever written ... on my list. 10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - another classic that I have read several times. Love it. What is not to love with Jane Austen? Results 7 - Read 1 - Will Read 2 - Will (probably) Not Read

Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) was an Austrian author, born in Vienna in the then Austrian-Hungarian Empire. In the 1920s and '30s, at the height of his career, he was one of the most translated and popular writers in the world. He studied philosophy and started his writing career early by writing newspaper articles and essays. His work consists of historical biographies of literary and historical persons, fiction and plays. His fiction is mostly in the form of novellas or short stories, the most famous being Letter from an Unknown Woman, Amok, and Chess Story . He also wrote librettos for the German composer Richard Strauss, whom he admired. In 1934 he had to leave Austria due to the rise of the Nazi Party, and he emigrated to England. In 1940 he moved to New York and then on to Brazil where he settled with his second wife Lotte Altmann. Over the years Zweig became disillusioned and saw no hope for the future of Europe. He and his wife committed double suicide in February 1942. He started writing his memoirs in 1934 and added the last chapter the day before the suicide. The book was first published in German in 1942, by a publisher in Stockholm. To Zweig’s chagrin his own books were by then banned in Germany and Austria. A European memoir "I was born in 1881 in the great and mighty empire of the Habsburg Monarchy, but you would look for it in vain on the map today; it has vanished without trace. I grew up in Vienna, an international metropolis for two thousand years, and had to steal away from it like a thief in the night before it was demoted to the status of a provincial German town. My literary work, in the language in which I wrote it, has been burnt to ashes in the country where my books made millions of readers their friends. So I belong nowhere now, I am a stranger or at most a guest everywhere ." (my bold mark). The World of Yesterday is Zweig's personal remembrances of life in Vienna at the start of the 20th century. It is the last days of the Habsburg Empire, a world that soon will be gone. Zweig starts his retrospectic journey with a look at his childhood, teenage years, the education system and a view on sexuality, totally changing people's attitude as the psychoanalysis of Freud (who was a personal friend) was introduced. He studied philosophy at the University of Vienna, and later in Berlin, but has nothing good to say about the teachings. Already early on he finds his way to literature and the arts by his own efforts and studies. He traveled the world to learn from other authors, artists and cultures; Berlin, Paris and other metropoles, as well as countries outside Europe. It became more challenging as the political landscape in Europe was changing due to the two world wars. As always, Zweig has a sharp eye on society and how it works. But, he gives us a very personal view on his own work and thoughts, and the pleasure he felt with likeminded friends. There are many insightful comments, still valid today. I think he would have liked the Europe we have today, which looks very much like the ideas he himself had so many years ago. " My today is so different from all my yesterdays; I have risen and fallen so often, that I sometimes feel as if I had lived not just one but several completely different lives." It is difficult to summarise his book. It reads more like a dictionary. Each chapter covers a topic, a certain time and you can open it wherever you want. This is a book I could think of having with me all the time. The same feeling I had with Sylvain Tessin's book A Summer With Homer (Une été avec Homère ). I can see myself making a small package with these two books and keep them close by, to open up anywhere, and start reading. Maybe you can even compare Zweig with Odysseus, who travelled the world trying to get back home. Unfortunately for Zweig, once he left, he never came back to Austria. A life lived The book is translated by Anthea Bell (2009) and from the translators note I quote the following. " Their double suicide raises another point: there has been discussion of the reason for it, since at that date, when the United States had just entered the war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941, there were clear signs that the tide was turning against Hitler. Talk of final victory and a 'wonder weapon' may have sounded persuasive in Germany and Austria, where a heavy propaganda system was brought to bear, less so outside those countries. One surmise, with which I concur, is that Zweig's underlying reason may have been a sense that whether the war was won or lost, the world of civilised culture in which he had lived and worked was gone for ever. I concur merely on the grounds that the close work of translation brings one close to an author's mind - as Zweig, who often worked as a translator himself early in his literary career, and knew what translation sets out to do (...) might, I think, have agreed. " Stefan Zweig left behind a testament of a time gone by. He does it with splendour, giving us an insight into his world, his thoughts, and his achievements as an author and literary giant, and the creative world of literature and art in which he lived during his younger years. You only wonder what he could have achieved and produced had he lived on. We have to be grateful for the rather many writings he left behind, which we can still enjoy today. His language and prose is still at the higher end of literature, and Zweig's writings are based on a sharp eye and intellect making him a master in story telling. I am happy to note that I still have quite a few books left to read, especially his many literary and historical biographies. I have read Letter from an Unknown Woman, Amok, and Chess Story including a few other short stories, as well as the biography of Marie Antoinette , and Messages From a Lost World.

I went for 100 books to read this year. I did not really make it, but did read 86 books . Of these, 43 books came from my TBR shelves. Even so, the shelves ended up at 211 books still to read. I never seem to come under 200 books, although I do read around 50 books from my shelves every year. Will 2025 by a different year? This year I read 3 nonfiction and 55 6fiction, of which 28 were thrillers. Many Agatha Christie and Donna Leon. Somehow, I felt I needed a lot of easily read books this year.. My favourite books 2024 The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima En sommar med Homeros (Un été avec Homère) by Sylvain Tesson  (NF) A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Krysalis  by John Trenhaile La vie secrète des écrivains/Öns hemlighet  by Guillaume Musso The World of Yesterday  by Stefan Zweig (NF) Madonna in Fur by Sahabattin Ali/August Kala  by Colin Walsh The Princess of Burundi  by Kjell Eriksson Faust  by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe/September Prinsen av Vasa - Den siste gustavianen by Harald Hultman (NF) 12 books turned out to be favourites of mine. The rest were good, so overall, a pleasing year. I read books by authors from the following countries: Sweden - 29 Great Britain - 23 USA - 14 France - 4 Ireland - 3 Germany - 3 Antiquity - 3 Japan - 1 Australia - 1 Portugal - 1 Austria - 1 Turkey - 1 Italy - 1 What to read in 2025 To start with I will try to finish the around seven books I have already started. I will go for a month long trip to SE Asia in mid January and will have to see how far I have reached by then. On the trip I will probably mostly read on my ipad, e-books and audio books. Random spin will also be an option in 2025 in order to read from my TBRs. On my TBR list I have 60 fiction books and 109 nonfiction ones. I wish you all a Happy New Year and a lot of good reading for 2025.

November is a very busy month when it comes to challenges. I am not sure why everyone wants to put their challenge in November, when we have so many other beautiful months in the year. Furthermore, the challenges are so interesting so I really would like to join them all. But, alas, not possible. I will go with my usual ones though, of which Novellas in November is one. The other two are Nonfiction November and German Literature Month. Novellas in November is hosted by 746 books and Bookish Beck . Thank you so much for keeping up the tradition. Here are a few very simple rules, but head over to their websites for more info. A novella is usually referring to a book of anything under 200 pages (even nonfiction). There will be one Buddy Read during the month which is Orbital by Samantha Harvey. It has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Personally, I rarely find the Booker Prize listed books interesting (but there are exceptions), but this sounds like a book I would like to read. It is about six astronauts on board a space station orbiting earth. There are no official themes or prompts giving us readers a free hand to choose. They suggest us to start with: " My Year in Novellas retrospective looking at any novellas you have read since last NovNov, and finish it with a New to My TBR list based on what novellas others have tempted you to try in the future. " Here are my retrospective year in Novellas. Novellas read since last November When I started looking for the novellas I have read since last November, I did not really imagine I would find any. To my big surprise I did read 12 novellas, six fiction and six nonfiction. A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr  The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima Handbok i livets konst (The Handbook) by Epictetus (NF) Lessons in Stoicism by John Sellars (NF) Rivieran inom räckhåll, Med tåg till de bästa upplevelserna i södra Frankrike by Kristina Svensson och Maria Unde Westerberg (A guide to train travel in Europe) (NF) Det är inte jag, det är du, Att göra slut med Gud by Rosi Hageberg (the authors story of how she stopped believing in God) (NF) How to be a Stoic - Epictetus/Seneca/Marcus Aurelius (NF) Antinous: A Poem by Fernando Pessoa The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie The Queen of Darkness and other stories by Grazia Deledda Garibaldi: frihetskämpe och folkhjälte by Sven Wikberg (about Garibaldi who fought for the freedom of Italy) (NF) Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie The best novellas were two: The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima and A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr  Which novellas will I read this November For any challenge I try to find books on my TBRs so these three novellas come from there. Frauen, die lesen, sind gefährlich und klug by Stefan Bollman (also for German Literature Month) (Women who read are dangerous and smart) - a small book I found in the museum at Schiller's house in Weimar. He relates to paintings of women reading or in close proximity to a book and write a short reflection around it. The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope - haven't we all loved this movie. It will be interested to read the original story. On the Shortness of Life: Life is Long if You Know How to Use It by Seneca. Isn't the cover just fantastic? couple of extra books in case I can find a copy ... and have time, which will be doubtful. But there is always another novella challenge. Come Rain or Come Shine by Kazuo Ishiguro Jakob von Gunten by Robert Walser I am eager to see what you choose to read during this month. I am sure I will be inspired by your choices.

I should not add any more books to my TBR, but when they are free it is difficult to resist. The sound came out here in the afternoon, and since I had to pick up a parcel at the post office, I took my bike and headed to the village. Took a little bit of an extra tour and happened to pass by the The Little Black Library , a street library not so far from me. There were not that many books there today, but I managed to find three books which sounded interesting. One favourite author Donna Leon, and two authors which I have not heard of before. Through a Glass Darkly by Donna Leon Donna Leon does not need any further introduction. This book is for my challenge to read all of her books, and I was lucky enough, not to have read this one. Shooting Butterflies by Marika Cobbold Looking up the author I see to my surprise that she is Swedish. When she was 19 years old she moved to Great Britain and lives in London. "By the time Grace is eighteen, she has been orphaned, moved countries and lost touch with her only brother. Talented, awkward and a little fierce, she can't help thinking that she's managed to lose anything she's ever loved. So she decides to revisit her past in America, and she's brought her camera - she's going to catch these memories." Goodreads Sounds intriguing enough for me to grab the book. Lyckliga människor läser och dricker kaffe by Agnès Martin-Lugand Martin-Lugand is a French author who gained fame with this book; Les gens heureux lisent et boivent du café (Happy People Read and Drink Coffee). "Diane seems to have the perfect life. She is a wife, a mother, and the owner of Happy People Read and Drink Coffee, a cozy literary cafe in Paris. But when she suddenly loses her beloved husband and daughter in a tragic car accident, the world as she knows it instantly vanishes. Trapped and haunted by her memories, Diane retreats from friends and family, unable and unwilling to move forward. But one year later, Diane shocks her loved ones and makes the surprising decision to move to a small town on the Irish coast, finally determined to heal and rebuild her life alone—until she meets Edward, the attractive yet taciturn Irish photographer who lives next door. At first abrasive and unwelcoming, Edward initially resents Diane’s intrusion into his life of solitude . . . until he can no longer keep her at arm’s length, and they fall into a surprising and tumultuous romance. But will it last when Diane leaves Ireland, and Edward, for the home she once ran away from in Paris? At once heartbreaking and uplifting, Diane’s story is deeply felt, reminding us that love remembered is love enduring." Goodreads Three new exciting books it seems. Have you read any of them? Or any of the authors? Please let me know what you think.