Today I have been to St. Pauli church here in Malmö to listen to the Christmas Gospel of Luke, and other related texts, as well as listening to the beautiful choir singing gospels and Christmas songs. A pieceful hour, awaiting Christmas. "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." (Luke 2:1-7)

Today I prepared for my trip to Karlskrona to celebrate Christmas with my family. Days are grey and not very Christmas like. The best would be to enter into a bookish world of Christmas, where it always seems to be snow and merry people. I don't even have such a book. On top of that, reading has been slow lately. That is when I ran into this quote by Maya Angelou. I totally agree. “I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” – Maya Angelou

The day before the big day, at least in Sweden. We celebrate Christmas on the December 24. The evening before used to be the big day of decorations and preparations for the 24th. I think people start earlier these days. Maybe because December is a dark month, and we need light to cheer us up. If you look around you, you se lights from balconies, windows and gardens. It is beautiful. Maybe, later in the evening you can sit down with a good book, or just read before falling asleep. A favourite book? A new book? I have used an audio book lately to fall a sleep. A detective story from the 19th century, where a few women come together to solve crimes. It is also the story of how women were treated in those days. Days when women did not have any rights, and were always dependent on a man; be it a father, brother or husband. The book is Död mans kvinna (Dead Man's Woman) by Katarina Wennstam. It is the second book in a series, and it was nice to meet the characters from the first book again. I am usually not very fond of audio books, and they don't always work for me. These stories do.

Christmas Eve is here. I celebrated with my father, brother and niece. It was a quiet Christmas. As usual we started with Disney favourites and a visit to Santa Claus Workshop. It is a tradition in Sweden since 1960. Then it was time for our traditional julbord (Christmas table) with special food. It was a small buffet this year, but all the favourites were there. Afterwards, we enjoyed a few Christmas presents. I got three books, all Swedish. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. MERRY CHRISTMAS

This meme is hosted by Sheila of Book Journey , and I found it through Nancy at Readerbuzz . It is all about the first book you read during the year. Others are probably more organised than me, and plan what to read. I just go along with the first book I finished. It turned out to be an audio book. I am not all into audio books, but some of them are working out very well. My first book, started already last year, turned out to be one of them. A psychological thriller, with unexpected twists and turns. Here is the main story. The story is told from the wife and husband's point of view. Although we are given what happens from the very beginning, the development of the story from the past months is thrilling. The characters are well defined with both their good and bad sides. Hurst slowly builds up the events until we reach the end. By that time we have been lured into thinking we know the whole story. But we are deceived. Is madness lying beneath a normal appearance? It was an easy book to listen too, maybe because the story is clearly told. By the time I reached the end another twist of events followed. I thought this was the end of it. Left to the reader to figure out how it all ended. But, no. I discovered that this is the first book in a trilogy. Although it was rather late at night, I started the second book; The Doctor's Widow . The third book is The Doctor's Mistress . I can't wait to see where these two books will take the story. About Daniel Hurst Daniel Hurst is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of fast paced psychological thrillers. His most popular titles include Til Death Do Us Part , The Passenger and The Doctor's Wife, the latter title reaching #1 on the Amazon UK Kindle store in February 2023. A regular KDP Select All Star since he became a full-time author in 2021, Daniel prides himself on writing fast, releasing stories often and engaging with his readers. You can visit him at www.danielhurstbooks.com, where you can also download a copy of his FREE thriller ' Just One Second .' (From Goodreads) Plans for 2025 The end of 2024 was difficult for me. Not feeling entirely well, a lot of things to do and plans for Christmas and New Year. Looking at events world wide, the prospects were not so good in 2024. I do hope this new year will make the world a better place. Having written very few reviews, at least at the latter part of the year, I hope to improve in 2025. I will also consider how I want to proceed with the blog and my reading. To start the year, my aim will be to finish the books I am currently reading. Turn out to be eleven books(?). Brook, Timothy - Vermeer's Hat (NF) - Following a story on a Vermeer painting. Camus, Albert - Myten om Sisyfos ( Le mythe de Sisyphe ) (NF) - a book I read while waiting in the car. Difficult. Desmond/Moore, Adrian/James - Darwin's Sacred Cause, Race, Slavery and the quest for Human Origins (NF) - interesting account on Darwin's thesis, and how it changed the world. Ekman, Kerstin - Min bokvärld (NF) - Kerstin Ekman, and which books have influenced her. Eriksson, Erik - Jag såg kärleken och döden (NF) - Swedish journalist who went to Vietnam in the 1960s to write about the war. Reading it for our upcoming trip. Gibbons, Edward - The Rice and Fall of the Roman Empire, I (NF) - A classic and I am always interrested in the Roman Empire. Johannesson, Jan - Experimentet - The second book in a series, based on Tycho Brahe's scientific exploits, and a secret society trying to follow his research some four hundred years later. Nietzsche, Friedrich - Also Sprach Zarathustra, Ein Buch für Alle und Keinen (NF) - A classic tale. Difficult read so it will go slowly. Schindler, Meriel - The Lost Café Schindler (NF) - A family saga of the Schindler family. How a daughter is following in the footsteps of her parents to discover a new world to her. Vincent, Patrick (ed.) - Chillon, A Literary Guide - A guide I bought while visited this castle in Chillon. Byron was here! Walker, Matthew - Why we sleep - unlocking the power of sleep and dreams (NF) - Can this book help me sleep better. One can always hope. In mid January we are heading for South East Asia so my reading will mainly be e-books. I might take with me a few pocket books that I will leave behind. Hopefully, giving someone else a good read. I wish you all a very good reading year.

Recently, I have not participated in any challenges, due to time restraint, mainly because I have been travelling quite a lot. I think I will have some time in the summer so will join this challenge and try to read 20 books from my TBR. The challenge has been taken on by AnnaBookBel and Emma of Words and Peace . Head of the their websites for more info. Here is the challenge in short. The #20BooksofSummer2025 challenge runs from Sunday June 1st to Sunday 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. Pick your list in advance, or nominate a bookcase to read from, or pick 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. Just enjoy a summer of great reading and make a bit of space on your shelves! Here is a Bingo sheet for thos who wants to get some help on the way. I will be bold and go for 20 books. Here is a preliminary list, which might change. Reading in no particular order. Aurelius, Marcus - Meditations (NF) Austen, Jane - Lady Susan Brook, Timothy - Vermeer's Hat (NF)  Brooks, Geraldine - Nine Parts of Desire Byatt, A. S. - The Children's Book Craike, W.A. - The Brontë Novels (NF) Desmond/Moore, Adrian/James - Darwin's Sacred Cause, Race, Slavery and the quest for Human Origins (NF) Edwards, Amelia - A Thousand Miles Up the Nile (NF) Fitzgerald, Penelope - Edward Burne-Jones - A Life (NF) Franzen, Jonathan - Freedom Gabaldon, Diana - The Scottish Prisoner Geras, Adèle - Ljus och skugga (Facing the Light) Johannesson, Jan - Experimentet Koen, Karleen - Och nu ansikte mot ansikte (Now Face to Face) Laoutaris, Chris - Shakespeare and the Countess Lucas Correa, Armando - De som färdas om natten (La viajera nocturna/The Night Travellers) Merriman, Helena - Tunnel 29 (NF) Oates, Joyce Carol - Blondie Roy, Arundhat - The God of Small Things Talbot Rice, Tamara - Tamara - Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium (NF) This is a mixture without any order. Eight of them are nonfiction and the rest fiction. I have been trying to choose some books that have been on my TBR for a long time. There are a few very thick books here as well. I am not sure I find that many that will fit with the Bingo titles, but never mind. I will enjoy the reading, I am sure, and will feel happy when some of these books leave my TBR shelves. Looking forward to seeing what you are reading this summer.

To my own surprise, I have made a strong start with this challenge, hosted by Annabel at   AnnaBookBel  and Emma of Words and Peace . Since my last update, I have read four more books. One of them I started before June, so I am not sure if it counts? I am including it anyway. Also, three of the books were not on my original list. Surprise, surprise. The books Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford - I bought this during my trip to Paris in May, and a review will follow as part of Paris in July. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie - I listened to this one, wonderfully narrated by Hugh Fraser. It is a typical Christie novel, full of scattered clues that make it diffult to identify the culprit until the end. I found it a bit confusing, probably because I listenen to it while falling asleep and had to rewind frequently after dozing off. Still, it is another tick on my goal of reading all, or most, of Agatha Christie's books. (This book is not on my list.) 101 World Heroes: Great Men and Women Who Changed History by Simon Sebag Montefiore (NF) - Montefiore is one of my favourite historians, and this book is excellent for reading in bits and pieces. Each figure gets a two-page spread (the format is quite large), and another page is related to a historical event or context. It is engaging and accessible, perfect for readers who might not be deeply into history but want an overview of important figures across time. Highly recommended. (Also not on my list.) Isbrytare by Kristina Ohlsson - I recently discovered this Swedish thriller writer, and she is fantastic. Isbrytare is the second book in a series featuring August Strindberg - a young economist who leaves Stockholm for a small village on the west coast, where he opens a second-hand shop. Yes, he share a name with the famous author, but that is all. Ohlsson's murder plots often goes back to events from 20-30 years ago, adding a rich layer of backstory. The local police team - one man and one woman - are great characters: strong friends who complement each other well, each with flaws and private challenges. But refreshingly, they break the typical characters in such books (not your usual middle-aged, depressed man or overwhelmed single mother). I loved the first book, and after reading this second one, I have already downloaded three more in the series. Some of her other series have been translated into English, but unfortunately, it seems this one featuring Strindberg hasn't - yet. Statistics Including Montefiore's book which I started before June, I have read seven books so far. I am pleased with the outcome, and my hope, being able to read 20 books this summer, looks promising. How are you doing with your 20 books of summer reading? 20 books of summer - June to August Aurelius, Marcus - Meditations (NF)
 Austen, Jane - Lady Susan Brook, Timothy - Vermeer's Hat (NF) Brooks, Geraldine - Nine Parts of Desire Byatt, A.S. - The Children's Book Craike, W. A. - The Brontë Novels (NF) Desmond/Moore, Adrian/James - Darwin's Sacred Cause (NF) Fitzgerald, Penelope - Edward Burne-Jones, A Life (NF) Franzen, Jonathan - Freedom Gabaldon, Diana - The Scottish Prisoner Geras, Adèle - Ljus och skugga (Facing the Light) Johannesson, Jan - Experimentet Koen, Karleen - Och nu ansikte mot ansikte (Now Face to Face) Laoutaris, Chris - Shakespeare and the Countess Lucas Correa, Armando - De som färdas om natten Merriman, Helena - Tunnel 29 (NF) Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford Oates, Joyce Carol - Blondie Roy, Arundhat - The God of Small Things Talbot Rice, Tamara - Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium Not on original list One Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie 101 World Heroes: Great Men and Women Who Changed History by Simon Sebag Montefiore (NF) Isbrytare by Kristina Ohlsson

As mentioned in my earlier post, I will use my 20 Books of Summer list to go through this challenge. It is hosted by Sue Jackson on Book by Book . The list Big Book Summer Challenge The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (615 pages) Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (562 pages) The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Galbadon (507 pages) Facing the Light by Adèle Geras (403 pages) Tychonium - Experimentet by Jan Johannesson (448 pages) Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen (586 pages) Shakespeare and the Countess by Chris Laoutaris (416 pages) Blondie by Joyce Carol Oates (862 pages) Isbrytare by Kristina Ohlsson (548) So far I have read two books, although the last one was not on the list from the beginning. I wanted to read something easy going and had Kristina Ohlsson's Isbrytare on my shelves. I read the first book in the series, featuring economist August Strindberg who leaves his busy life in Stockholm to settle in a small village on the west coast. More under link above. So far so good, and I am pleased with reading any of all the thick books I have on my shelves. I

Time for the June Wrap-up for 20 Books of Summer challenge. It is hosted by AnnaBookBel . I did a rather good start, and am pleased with my reading. I must admit that not all books I read are from my original list, but that is life. I needed something easier to read so found some very good Swedish detective stories, and an Agatha Christie. A must summer read. I read 9 books in June. Books read marked in bold. Here is my adapted list: 1. Aurelius, Marcus - Meditations (NF)
 2. Austen, Jane - Lady Susan 3. Brook, Timothy - Vermeer's Hat (NF) 4. Brooks, Geraldine - Nine Parts of Desire 5. Byatt, A.S. - The Children's Book 6. Craike, W. A. - The Brontë Novels (NF) 7. Desmond/Moore, Adrian/James - Darwin's Sacred Cause (NF) 8. Fitzgerald, Penelope - Edward Burne-Jones, A Life (NF) 9. Franzen, Jonathan - Freedom 10. Gabaldon, Diana - The Scottish Prisoner 11. Geras, Adèle - Ljus och skugga (Facing the Light) 12. Johannesson, Jan - Experimentet 13. Koen, Karleen - Och nu ansikte mot ansikte (Now Face to Face) 14. Laoutaris, Chris - Shakespeare and the Countess 15. Lucas Correa, Armando - De som färdas om natten 16. Merriman, Helena - Tunnel 29 (NF) 17. Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford (NF) 18. Oates, Joyce Carol - Blondie 19. Roy, Arundhat - The God of Small Things ( Not finished ) 20. Talbot Rice, Tamara - Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium 21. One Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie 22. Isbrytare by Kristina Ohlsson 23. Nattankare by Kristina Ohlsson 24. Skuggläge by Kristina Ohlsson 25. Frälsekransen by Kristina Ohlsson Emma @Word and Piece helps us highlight what we read with a questionnaire. 1. If your #20BooksofSummer25 TBR were a beach, what’s the most surprising thing you’ve unearthed so far – a hidden gem, a total shipwreck, or something unexpectedly delightful? I took a rest from my list to read a couple of detective stories by Swedish author Kristina Ohlsson. I had read the first in the series a while ago and really liked it. A little bit different set-up of characters than the usual ones. It takes place by the sea a little bit north of Gothenburg, on the west coast of Sweden. There is a murder where the story goes back many years and affect people today. Water, harbours and beaches are always within reach. The stories are so well built up, and for all of the books the stories get more and more exciting. As you near the end it is impossible to put the book down. I am now on the fourth book, which is the fifth(!) (I missed out no. 5 and thought it was no. 3, so already read the last one). They can be read in which order you want, but relationships do develop through book. Very good, easygoing reads this summer. A good start. 2. Imagine your reading progress as a summer road trip. Which book has been the scenic route, which has been the highway, and is there a rest stop book you’re looking forward to? The scenic route is definitely the books I talk about under no. 1. The highway would be Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman . The adrenalin was pouring all through this very exciting, real life thriller. My review under the link. The rest stop book I am looking forward to is Lady Susan by Jane Austen. 3. If one of the books you’ve read this month was turned into an ice cream flavor, what ingredients would it have, and what would it be called? It would be Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford. A subtle, regular flavour like vanilla, which is also my favourite flavour. I can see Madame de P eating ice-cream in her parlour, or maybe in the garden to her private palace or gazebo. 4. If you could swap places with a character from one of the books you’ve read this month, purely for the summer, who would it be and what items would you absolutely take with you? Maybe swap with Madame de Pompadour, to be able to live in France in the 18th century. Live in a palace and feel the atmosphere, and the bad smell, as it seems to have been. I guess I don't need to bring a perfrume to take away the odour. I can't really think of anything I could take with me, going back in time, but probably would have to take with me my medications. 5. “Plot twist!”: If your summer reading challenge were a book, what unexpected event just happened to shake things up? Or did life get in the way of your reading plans? Well, I am heading towards a holiday with our van. Although I do bring books, there always seem to little time to read them. We are heading to Norway to visit our son and girlfriend, so a few busy days in Oslo. Then on to discover the southern part of Norway. I do hope to have time to continue my 20 Books of Summer. A nice way to wrap-up the June reading for this challenge. Looking forward to July reading, which will also compete with Paris in July. I see you there as well.

Here we are again in Paris in July. Thank you to Emma @ Words and Peace who is hosting this event this year as well. We are already guided into the various themes of this year. Head over to Emma's website for more information. I was actually in Paris in May this year. I had 12 days, all to myself, to wander around this wonderful city. Visiting museums, author houses and in general following in literary foot steps. I will take you along on the ride and hope you will enjoy these scenes from Paris. If you are interested in following my trips, my interests in history and anything cultural, travel etc, I am writing a newsletter (once a week at its best) about my travels and my interests. Head over to The Content Reader Newsletter on Substack if you are interested. You can check it out without subscribing, but I would be happy if you do. It is free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. But now it is all about PARIS. Finally in Paris. I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time. I arrived in style, ordering a car to pick me up at the airport. It took one hour 20 minutes to arrive at the hotel. It is nicely situated in the 5th arrondissement and close to many of the things I want to see. The first evening I just took a short walk in the neighbourhood, saw Pantheon (closed) but it is also mighty to look at from the outside. I visited the Église Saint Etienne du Mont. A beautiful church with quite unique decorations. Here you find the shrine of St. Geneviève, who is the patron saint of Paris. From there I went to a restaurant on a nice street where you could sit outside. The food was nothing special but the wine was good. Then a short walk back to the hotel. Jardin de Luxembourg The next day was May 1, so most of attractions and shops were closed. I decided to take a walk and started with the Jardin de Luxembourg, a popular park, only about a km from the hotel. The first thing I saw when entering the park was this sign. It is so nice to see a sign with what is permitted! It is a very popular park for running, walking or just sitting down on the grass or on chairs that are placed all over the park. It was Marie de’ Medici, then widow of King Henry IV, who constructed the Palace at one side of the garden, as her new residence. Today the garden is owned by the French Senate, which meets in the palace. It is a nice place for recreation in the middle of Paris. The Senate, former palace of Marie de Medici Saint-Germain-des-Prés This is an area well known to Swedes, since our greatest football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic played here for some years. It turns out to be a lovely area, with small cosy streets, lined with restaurants and bars. It is know as the Latin quarter, but stretches outside SGPs limits. Here you find famous cafés like Les Deux Magots, Café de Flore, le Procope, and the Brasserie Lipp. Famous for being the hangouts for artists and writers at the beginning of the 20th century. Later on it was the centre of the existentialist movement, which is associated with Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. In other words; a lot for me to discover in this area. Champs Elysée I continued down to the Seine and walked along the river on Quai d’Orsay. It is surrounded, on both sides, by impressive and elegant buildings, many of them museums today. I passed by the French National Assembly before crossing the bridge Pont Alexandre III, passing by the Grand and Petite Palaces, museums today. Continuing on to Champs Elysée and starting the long road up to the Arch de Triomph. You pass by all the elegant shops and restaurants, where you find the most famous, and expensive brands. I was hoping to be able to take a photo, not having to walk all the way up, but alas. Trees are planted along the road and hide the arch until you are standing in front of it. I crossed over to the other side and had a faster walk down this elegant road. At the end you come to Place de la Concorde. Place de la Concorde This square is the largest in Paris. In the old days it was a place for public executions, including this of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Maximilien Robespierre during the French Revolution. In those days it was called Place del la Révolution. It got its current name in 1795 as a gesture of reconciliation. Place de la Concorde means ‘Harmony Square’. Place de la Concorde. One of these places where it is impossible to take a good photo From here I walked towards home, and could not find anywhere to eat until I reached Jardin de Luxembourg again. I found a nice restaurant, sitting outdoors, with a view to the gardens. I think I forgot to say that it was a hot day, around 28 degrees C (82F). Tired after a full day of walking, I slowly made it back to the hotel. I did 15 km that day.

Thank you to Emma @ Words and Peace who hosts this fantastic challenge. I continue my sightseeing through Paris by making a visit to the long awaited Père Lachaise cemetery. I wanted to visit this cemetery for a long time. Many famous people are buried here. It reminds me of another beautiful cemetery, the Highgate Cemetery in London. Père Lachaise is a big park and you can stroll around, sit down here and there on a bench (although I think they could have more opportunities to sit down). At the entrance I received a map over the most famous people. It is a list of 86 people. Not possible to visit all, but I made a note for the most interesting and started walking. It was a beautiful, sunny day and a perfect place to slowly stroll around. Although you have a map, it is not always easy to find the tombs/graves you are looking for. Many graves are very old, and not cared for, but it gives a certain ambiance to the place. According to the information on the map, there are nearly 10,000 funerals every year. It is still today a cemetery in use. It was designed by A.T. Brongniart in 1804 and its purpose was to replace unsanitary parish cemeteries. The park is the largest green space in Paris with its 43.20 hectares (4,32 square km). There are 70,000 graves and many commemorative monuments. Which graves did I visit? I concentrated on cultural people, that is writers and artists of different kinds. Honoré de Balzac - Georges Bizet - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin - Jean-Francoise Champollion - Frédéric Chopin - Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette - Eugène Delacroix - Jean de La Fontaine - Michel Legrand - Amedeo Modigliani - Jean-Baptiste Molière - Yves Montand - Jim Morrison - Èdith Piaf - Camille Pissaro - Marcel Proust - Georges Seurat - Simone Signoret - Gertrude Stein - Oscar Wilde A suitable memorial, an Egyptian obelisk, for Champollion who was the one who deciphered the hieroglyphs. It might not sound much, but it took around 3-4 hours to stroll around. If you are in Paris I can highly recommend this visit. If not, just for the beauty of the place, the tranquility and the surrounding nature.

March was a busy month. My father celebrated his 100th birthday and we had a family gathering. He is healthy, and live by himself, taking care of everything in the household. It is good to see. Back home again, I got a sinusitus infection and was mostly in bed. I did recover in time for my five day trip to the Basque country with a group of former colleagues. If you are interested you can read about it on my Newsletter . I have not had the time, or energy, to do a lot of reviews, so here a wrap-up of the books I read during March, which was six books. Read in March The Gentle Spirit by Fyodor Dostoyevsky - I felt it was time for a novella by Dostoyevsky and found this one. It is a typical Dostoyevsky story about a man and a woman and complications arising between them. Mostly the fault of the man, I think, who could not, or dared not, follow his feelings. As always, there is a sad note lingering above the story. The Burning Secret (Brennendes Geheimnis) by Stefan Zweig - Zweig never disappoints and it is amazing how he can make a rather thrilling story out of simple actions. " The suave Baron, bored on his holiday in an Austrian mountain resort, begins a flirtation with a beautiful woman. When his advances are rejected, he seeks a new way to her heart - by befriending her twelve-year-old son. To the Baron all this is a game, but he cannot begin to imagine the effect he is having on the boy's life... " Review will follow ABC-bok för vuxna by Sara Lövenstam (NF) - Sara Lövenstam has written several books about grammar, and she does it in such a humourous way, that it is a pleasure to read. Here we get the roots, and background, of the letters of the alphabet. Great read. The Lost Café Schindler by Meriel Schindler (NF) - In Innsbruck there used to be a Café Schindler. Meriel Schindler is the granddaughter of the last owner. Being Jewish they lost the café during WWII. She grew up in England, and it is only when her father dies, and she goes through his old photos and pappers, she becomes interested in the family saga. Personal account on what the buisness meant for the family and the tragic way in which they lost it. Min bokvärld by Kerstin Ekman (NF) - Kerstin Ekman, famous Swedish author and former Academy member is a great writer. Here she looks back on her life and the books that made an impact on her. Interesting reading. ​Simmaren (The Swimmer) by Joakim Zander - found this in a second hand shop and it turned out to be an interesting thriller and story. " Klara Walldeen, orphaned as a child and brought up by her grandparents on a remote Swedish archipelago, is now a political aide in Brussels. And she has just seen something she shouldn’t: something people will kill to keep hidden. On the other side of the world, an old spy hides from his past. Once, he was a man of action: so dedicated to the cause that he abandoned his baby daughter to keep his cover. Now the only thing he lives for is swimming in the local pool. Then, on Christmas eve, Klara is thrown into a terrifying chase through Europe. Only the Swimmer can save her. But time is running out..." Excitement until the very end, and you really did not know how it would end. Great story. Turns out to be the first book in a series, so I have downloaded the next two. At the end of the week, I am heading for another trip, to Crete this time. I will read Zorba, the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis. He was born in Crete and is buried in Heraklion, the biggest city of the island. It seems he rests on one of the bastions of the city wall. We will also visit Knossos, where King Minos ruled. I have already read Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, so know the story behind.