Hello, again. It has been very quiet here on my blog for quite some time. I have been away for a month, travelling in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Lots of travel, many places and sights, lots of good food and nice people. Rather warm and humid so I quite enjoy the chilly temperatures here in Europe for the moment. It will not be long before I miss the sun though. I did manage to read quite a few books during my trip. Perfect for days when you are travelling and cannot do anything else. I have read physical books, e-books and listened to audio books. I managed to go through 14 books. Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini De unga baronerna (The Young Barons) by Birgit Th. Sparre The Doctor's Widow by DanielHurst Den förste (The First) by Marit Furn Död mans kvinna (Dead Man's Woman) by Katarina Wennstam (January) Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier Trust by Hernan Diaz Kungen av Nostratien (The King of Nostratien) by Tony Samuelsson Memoria by David Lagercrantz Post Morten by David Lagercrantz Dottern (The Daughter) by Sara Önnebo The Broken Girls by Simone St. James Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison Believe it or not, but I did like all of the books, and some were really excellent. There are a few thrillers which were some of the best books I have read this year. I hope to do a few small reviews soon. The best book I read this year was Trust by Hernan Diaz. I guess it should be, because it got the Pulitzer prize in 2023, shared with Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It was also named on of the the 10 best books of 2022 by The Washington Post and the New York Times. Well worth it. I would also like to mention these three thrillers which were difficult to put down. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison All of them telling stories about women and peculiar circumstances. Thrilling stories, all going back to past events. Furthermore, endings which come as a surprise. I have continued to read your blog posts, although I did not comment. I see you have been busy as usual, and read a few good books. Several interesting challenges or read alongs, which I, unfortunately, have not time to participate in. The future of the blog During this month of travelling, I have given a few thoughts on my blog. It has been good not to feel obliged to post articles all the time. It has also given me time to consider where I want to go with the blog. How I want to proceed with sharing my thoughts on books, literature and reading. The book blogging community is such a nice place to be. I have come up with some ideas, but they have to mature for a while. I will let you know as soon as I have gathered my thoughts into something sustainable for the future.

No, I am not trying to start a new challenge, I am just, finally, going to Paris. I will spend 12 days in the city and enjoy walking around its small streets, visit cafés and restaurants, museums, palaces and whatever there is to catch my interest. I have saved tips on what to see, and if you have something you think one must see, send me a comment or e-mail. I am staying at a hotel in the 5th arrondisement. As far as I can see it is a perfect spot, from where I can visit a lot of places by foot. Many bookshops also in this area. I will re-read Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, walk in the foot steps of artists and politicians making Paris there home in the beginning of the 20th century. Follow in the steps of Napoleon, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and many more interesting people. I will write my newsletter from there, maybe not every day, but more often than once a week. If you are interested in following me, check out The Content Reader Newsletter and I am so happy if you want to subscribe. You can always, at any time, unsubscribe. Maybe one of you reading this post are also in Paris? In that case, send me a mail/comment. I also found this book which has a very suitable title.

While in Paris I have come across information on Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. I did not read them now, but some years ago. I will post these article again now that I am in Paris. I start with Sartre. Here the article from 2014, which I read for the Classic Spin. I find it very difficult to give a review of the book. It is probably for someone that know much more of the philosophical world than I do. But, I will make a humble try! First of all, what is it all about? This was Sartre's first novel and according to himself, the best of his works. Sartre was an existentialist and his life's studies and research. This you realise when you read the book. The main character, Mr. Antoine Roquentin, a historian lives in Bouville (a fictional seaport town), where he is trying to write a book about an 18th century, French, political figure. During the winter he is taken over by a sort of sickness he calls nausea. It effects everything he does. He looks at everything around him, how people look, what they are doing, how the trees look, why they are blowing in the wind, the waves of the sea, the cafés, restaurants. He tries to figure out what is existing. A meaning to why they are there. Why he is there. All his questions on absolutely everything happening around him, almost drove me crazy. It is at times very depressing, since however he looks at things, there seems to be no meaning with them. His relationships with various people; an autodidact, Francoise, a café owner and Anny his ex girl-friend, he can't see in a clear light. He is disgusted with everything. While reading I came to think of Kafka. Not that I am an expert on him, but the whole idea of however you turn there is no way out. The book is like a dark, never ending maze and in the end you don't know if you are going to make it through. According to people who know, in the ending of the book he accepts that there is an indifference between the physical world and the aspirations we have on it. The nausea does not necessarily need to be seen as regret but could also be seen as an opportunity. We are free to make our own meaning of life, but this also brings responsibility and commitment. Without it, it will have no meaning. Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964, which he declined, saying it is merely a function of a bourgeois institution. The Nobel Foundation gave him the prize "for his work which, rich in ideas and filled with the spirit of freedom and the quest for truth, has exerted a far-reaching influence on our age." On the contrary to what one would think, at least me, the book is rather easy to read. We follow Roquentin during a few months, his research, his friends, eating, writing and then of course, all the reflections on everything around him. Although all this questioning drove me mad at times, it still gives you something to think about.

During my trip to South East Asia from mid-January to mid-February, I read 14 books. Dividing them into the two months, that makes 9 books for January and 10 books for February. January reading The Doctor's Wife by Daniel Hurst - A fast reading thriller, with turns along the way. Jag såg kärleken och döden by Erik Eriksson - (I saw love and death) A journalist writing about his time in Vietnam during the war. I read it for my trip to Vietnam. Cold Case: Försvunnen by Tina Frennstedt - (Cold case: Disappeared) A new to me author, writing about the area where I live. A good, and thrilling story, hard to put down. Want to read more by her. Vad gör alla superokända människor hela dagarna by Fredrik Lindström - Did not live up to what I expected from Lindström. Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini - A classic tale of pirates. Still interesting to read, but a little bit too many description of battles. De unga baronerna by Birgit Th. Sparre - (The Young Barons) Historical fiction from a rather famous author (in her days). I have never read anything by her, but really liked this story. The Doctor's Widow by DanielHurst - The continuation of "the Wife", continuing the fast paced story of a wife, who got away with it. Or did she? There is a third instalment to go, The Doctor's Mistress. But, I will wait a while with that one. Den förste by Marit Furn - (The First) a story of a famous journalist, deciding to change his life, and move to the countryside. Engaging in a local theatre group is not as easy as it sounds. Död mans kvinna by Katarina Wennstam - (Dead Man's Woman) The second book in this series of women in Stockholm at the end of the 19th century. Highlighting the lack of influence and independence that women faced then. Trying to cope with life and solving murder mysteries. February reading Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier - Another interesting story by Chevalier. Another story of women fighting for a meaningful life. Trust by Hernan Diaz - Four short stories are binding together the life of a man and a woman. Excellent storytelling. Kungen av Nostratien by Tony Samuelsson (The King of Nostratien) Winner of the August prize in Sweden, this is a fascinating story. An author trying to finalise a book by an author in coma, after a heart attack. Fascinating story, but I did not like the ending. Memoria by David Lagercrantz - the second instalment in the series of professor Hans Rekke and police assistant Micaela Vargas. Post Morten by David Lagercrantz - the third instalment in the series of professor Hans Rekke and police assistant Micaela Vargas. Both books are a fast and thrilling read. Every time I finish a book, I want to read the next one. They all end with a cliff hanger. Dottern by Sara Önnebo - (The Daughter) When her mother dies in a car accident, the daughter decides to travel to Finland to try to find out her mother's secret. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James - A great thriller about a past crime. Hard to put down. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica - I found this in a hotel. Another great thriller with a surprising ending. It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison - It seems I found all these exciting thrillers to read in February. Great story and surprising ending. The Harlot by Saskia Walker - An easy read without having to think too much. More erotica than story. Best books I did read a surprisingly number of good books these two months. I liked most of them, but here a few that really stuck out, and was difficult to put down. Mainly thrillers, which I usually don't read so many. Best book this year is Trust by Hernan Diaz. No wonder he received the Pulitzer prize for this book in 2023 (sharing it with Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead. Diaz has said he wanted to "write about extreme wealth and capital". His earlier book is In the Distance and he sees Trust as a continuity from that novel. I have not read his first novel, but is eager to do so now. The novel is mostly set in New York City, focusing on the world of finance in the beginning of the 20th century. The main characters are an elusive financier and his wife. The books is composed of four fictional texts: A Novel (Bonds) An incomplete autobiography (My Life) A completed memoir (A Memoir, Remembered A diary (Futures) It is difficult to talk about the novel without using Spoilers, so I will only say that the book focuses on the same characters, but the story is seen from different angles. In the end, it is up to the reader to determine what is the truth. It is an excellent tale of a hidden world and the people within it. What is the real truth? Who should we believe? The story delves on the secret world of those who have enough money to hide their private lives, and their motives. What do we think happened when we have read the accounts? If you have read it, please leave a comment of what you think. As for the thrillers I can really recommend these three: The Broken Girls  by Simone St. James - A great thriller about a past crime. A young girl disappears from a boarding school. The case is forgotten until many years later. I got totally into this fascinating story with a surprising ending. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica - A fascinating story of missing children and women. The missing child of one of the neighbours engage the whole neighbourhood. Eleven years later the child is found. What really happened those many years ago, and is the girl really who she says she is? Keeps you glued to the book until the very end. It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison - Olivia and Park Bender use fertility treatments and IVF to try to have children. They are both shocked when the police visit them and tell them that a son of Park is suspected of murder. As they are not aware of having any children, Park remembers that he donated sperm to a clinic in his youth. This is not only a story of a crime, but also a story of a couple struggling with their relationship. As the investigation goes on, more terrible truths come to light. It turns out both have dark, past secrets. Also this thriller keeps you guessing to the very end. A good two reading months for me. Just to hope it will continue into March. I have read 19 books so far this year, and seven of them came from my TBR.

Yesterday was the World Book Day. I realised it only in the morning, reading about it in the paper. How could I have missed such an event? Anyway, in Sweden they encouraged people to go out an read a book. Show the surrounding that you are reading a physical book, and hopefully inspire others to read. World Book Day " World Book Day is a charity event held annually in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the first Thursday in March. On World Book Day, every child in full-time education in the UK and Ireland is provided with a voucher to be spent on books; the event was first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1998. The event is the local manifestation of the original, global World Book Day organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing, and copyright, and widely observed on 23 April. Organizers in the UK moved the observance to avoid clashes with Easter school holidays and with Saint George's Day. Book publishers in Ireland decided to bring World Book Day to Ireland a number of years later. " (from Wikipedia) This year it was difficult for me to go out and read, having been down with a food poisioning recently and having just recovered. It was the first day I felt up to something and I had already, before being ill, bought tickets to the Opera to see La Bohème by Puccini. Luckily, yesterday was the first day I felt "safe" to venture out. Since I was going alone, I decided to bring a book to read while waiting for the opera. I sat down in the foyer and took up my book. I do hope that someone saw me reading and got inspired, but who knows? What did I read, you might wonder. I brought with me a book by the great, Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, Thirst for Love. "Yukio Mishima was born into a samurai family and imbued with the code of complete control over mind and body, and loyalty to the Emperor - the same code that produced the austerity and self-sacrifice of Zen. he wrote countless short stories and thirty-three plays. Several films have been made from his novels, including The Sound of Waves; Enjo, which was based on The Temple of the Golden Pavilion ; and The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea . Among his other works are the novels Confessions of a Mask and Thirst for Love and the short-story collections Death in Midsummer and Acts of Worship . After Mishima conceived the idea of The Sea of Fertility tetralogy in 1964, he frequently said he would die when it was completed. On November 25th, 1970, the day he completed The Decay of the Angel , the last novel of the cycle, Mishima committed seppuka (ritual suicide) at the age of 45." (from the book) I loved his book The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea with its sad, but very poetic story (my review under link). This novel seems to have another, unusual love story. " After the early death of her philandering husband, Etsuko moves into her father-in-law's house, where she numbly submits to the old man's advances. But soon she finds herself in love with the young servant Saburo. Tormented by his indifference, yet invigorated by her desire, she makes her move, with catastrophic consequences. " I just had time to read the first chapter. Mishima's books are not for reading fast and skimming over the pages. He forces you to read every word, think about them, turn them around and glory in the beauty of them all.

This challenge is hosted by Sue Jackson on Book by Book . My initial list with 8 books has been extended by another couple of books that I have read, making it 12. They are detective stories by Kristina Ohlsson, and I am totally absorbed. I am at the last book in the series now. They are all ebooks so unfortunately they don't lower my TBR shelves. I took a rest from my list to read a couple of detective stories by Swedish author Kristina Ohlsson. I 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. 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 (552 pages) Nattankare by Kristina Ohlsson (512 pages) Skuggläge by Kristina Ohlsson (500 pages) Frälsekransen by Kristina Ohlsson (500 pages)

My first book for the summer challenge is Tunnel 29. It was recommended by Rennie @ What's Nonfiction during a Nonfiction November challenge a couple of years ago. I was so happy when I recently found the book, and it comes with very good reviews. Originally the story was told through a BBC Radio 4 podcast. It gained lots of critical acclaim and has been made into a documentary, movie and now a book. It is one of those stories that are stranger than fiction. Merriman gives us a good introduction, and a short resume of the political situation in Europe from World War II, the peace treaty and the division of Europe into East and West. There is also a short, but scary introduction to life in East Germany, the people who ruled it, and the devastating decision to build a wall dividing Berlin. It is the true story of efforts to flee East Germany once the wall was up. We follow Joachim Rudolph, a young engineering student who, after escaping East Germany in 1961, returned to help others flee. In 1962, Rudolph and a group of fellow students came up with the idea of digging a tunnel beneath the Berlin Wall. The East German authorities had taken measures to prevent people from fleeing above ground and it became more and more difficult and dangerous to try to cross the wall. The group spent several months, facing terrible hardship, to dig the 135-meter tunnel. It was not only the physical dangers, but also dangers of being infiltrated by informants. I will not reveal any more details, but Merriman follows several people simultaneously, making the story read like a thriller. It just happens to be fact based. Merriman's narrative is based on extensive research, including interviews, news reports, and Stasi files. She is giving us a vivid portrayal of life in the divided city. It is also part of the story how television networks started reporting events in a different way. It was the time of the Cold War, and Merriman also gives us some insights in how the politics were working. The sensitive decisions politicians had to make, considering the fear of another war. This is a story for everyone who is interested in European politics and the Cold War era. Excellently written, and more exciting than anything, any author, could make up.

One of the main goals on what to see during my Paris visit was Shakespeare & Company. I have read so much about the book shop and its time. Although you have to queue to get in these days, it was not more than 15-20 minutes. It is one of these shops that open up to small rooms as you go further into the building. For some reason or another, it was not allowed to take photos inside. The top floor was dedicated to reading and relaxing. All the books up there was only for loan while you were there, not for buying. It looks like you imaging it looked at the beginning of the 20th century when Sylvia Beach was the owner. It was nice to visit in my aim to look out addresses of authors living in Paris at the time. San Francisco Book shop I also visited two other bookshops - San Francisco Bookshop and The Abbey Books. Both were full of books from floor to ceiling with just a small space to move around the shop. They were also with a lot of small rooms, opening up as you walk inside. The Abbey Books The Abbey Books I bought 11 books, some of the somehow connected to France, some not. I am very pleased about the books I found. The books are not cheap, not even the second hand ones, but when you find the right book, you just have to take out your card. Nancy Mitford - Voltaire in Love Nancy Mitford - Madame de Pompadour Stephen Clark - talk to the snail, Ten commandments for understanding the French David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim Irène Némirovsky - Le Bal Charlotte Brontë - Tales of Angria Benjamin Franklin - The Autobiography of Paula McLain - Love and Ruin Paul Verlaine - Before Wisdom: The Early Poems John Baxter - The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, Pedestrians in Paris Duff Cooper - Talleyrand

This is a review from when I read the book back in 2014. I have had this novel for a couple of years and was always afraid to read it, mostly because I was not sure whether it would be so theoretical that it was really above me. On the contrary, it turns out, this is a fantastic book, utterly fascinating. The book is partly based on the relationship between Simone de Beauvoir and her life-long companion Jean-Paul Sartre. To understand the book I think we have to have a short resumé of their lives. Simone de Beauvoir was born in 1908, and was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography and papers on philosophy, politics and social issues. Her best known novels are She Came to Stay, The Mandarins and The Second Sex. She was born into a wealthy family which lost most of their wealth after World War I. She started to study and she was only the ninth woman who received an exam from the Sorbonne. Women had just recently been allowed into higher education. She went on to study philosophy and that is where she met Jean-Paul Sartre, Paul Nizan and René Maheu. She passed her exam as second after Sartre. Beauvoir and Sartre became a couple, but they never married. Beauvoir said later she could not accept his proposal since she had no dowry! The couple always read each others work and there has been discussions who has influenced who and written what in several of their works. Beauvoir was known to have relationships with women. It was rumoured that she seduced her students and in 1943 she was suspended from teaching due to an accusation of having seduced a 17-year-old student. In 1943 Beauvoir published She Came to Stay which was her first novel. It is a fiction of her's and Sartre's relationship with the sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz. Olga was one of Beauvoir's students and she grew fond of her. Sartre tried to pursue Olga but was refused so he began a relationship with Wanda. When he died Sartre was still supporting Wanda and had also supported Olga for years. She later married Jacques-Laurent Bost, one of Beauvoir's lovers. As you see, quite a complicated life. The book is based on this drama, but Olga and Wanda are changed into one young girl, Xaivère. The novel is a fictive metaphysical novel and it treats the questions of existentialistic thoughts about freedom, anxiety and 'The Other'. We have to go to Wikipedia to have an explanation of these things (at least me). Metaphysics is a traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it. Traditionally, it tries to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms: 1. What is ultimately there? 2. What is it like? The Other opposes the Same. Other is identified as "different". It has been used in social science to understand the processes by which societies and groups exclude 'Others' whom they want to subordinate or who do not fit into their society. de Beauvoir changed the Hegelian notion of the Other and used it in describing a male-dominated culture. This treats woman as the Other in relation to man. That indicates that the Other is an important concept for studies of the sex-gender system. In the world of Beauvoir the Other is the minority, the least favoured one and often a woman. Now to the book. The book takes place just before France is forced into the World War II. Françoise is a writer and Pierre a director/writer who sets up theatre productions. They share everything; life, love, secrets, passion for the theatre. They are one, separately they are nothing. They have a free relationship and is closely connected intellectually. Everything works very well until Xavière comes into their lives. It is not clear how Françoise got to know her but at the start of the book she is visiting Paris from Rouen where she lives with her aunt and uncle. She is young, has no education and no work. Françoise and Pierre decide to invite her to Paris and they will pay for her until she can get a job. Both of them are attracted to Xavière and she likes both of them. However, she does not understand their relationship and tries to separate them. Françoise who always was very content with her life now sees that she is the weakest partner. All of a sudden she is just one among the crowd. Her jealousy almost kills her and she must be free, although she sees now how this can be. The book follows them during a little bit less then a year and there is their daily lives, cafés, restaurants, dances, drinks and night-life. How they have the energy to work I don't know! But they do, except Xavière. She doesn't want to do anything. She is not interested in any of the educations that they try to convince her to take, she does not want to work because she is not interested in any work. She tries acting, but tires rather fast. She sleeps during the day and sees them during the night. She is lazy, nonchalant, sloppy and self-absorbed, she has no will or ambition but still wants to become famous. A rather unsympathetic type in other words. The open relationship that Françoise and Pierre have changes when Xavière comes into their lives. The book is written from Françoise's point of view and it is her thoughts on existentialism, anxiety, jealousy and the meaning of life that we come to share. The menage à trois affects all three of them and not in a very positive way. It is difficult to see what it is that makes these two highly, intellectual, freely thinking and independent people so dependent on this young girl. They follow all her whims, all her moods. Even when they are by themselves they discuss how she is and what her moods will be when they meet. Xavière is jealous on Pierre's special love for Françoise. Françoise notices this and feels that Pierre does not care or notice. Pierre spends much less time with Françoise and when he does they seem to discuss only Xavière. The philosophical thoughts in the book about life in general, relationships, the threat of the imposing war is very interesting and gives you something to think about. It is fascinating to say the least. You wonder where this will all lead in the end. Well, for me, it lead in a direction that I could not have imagined! You have to read this book.

This challenge is hosted by Sue Jackson on Book by Book . If you are interested in joining head back to Sue's website for more goodies on this challenge. I co-read with the 20 Books of Summer challenge. Yippee, I have finished my first thick book for the challenge. Tychonium - Experimentet by Jan Johannesson (448 pages). Jan Johannesson: Tychonium, Experimentet (The Experiment) Great cover, isn't it? Jan Johannesson is a Swedish civil engineer and strategy consultant, turned author. His debut novel came in 2022, Tychonium, The Discovery (unfortunately available only in Swedish). Johannesson has spent a lot of his life on Hven, the small island situated in Öresund, between Sweden and Denmark. Maybe that is why he chose to make his historical fiction trilogy about Tycho Brahe, the famous Danish astronomer, who lived on the island at the end of the 16th century. The Experiment  is the second instalment of the trilogy. "The secret society Brahes Familia is put to new tests after the events of Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg in 1905. Now they must find new ways to secure the possibility of carrying out Tycho Brahe's experiment - the explosive discovery that Tycho and his sister Sophie made on Hven in March 1590. At the beginning of the 20th century, society is developing at a furious pace and new ideas are pushing old truths aside. The peace negotiations in the United States to try to end the Russo-Japanese War force Kirsten Rööd-Michelsen to make a choice. No one is left untouched by the uprisings in Tsarist Russia, and when the need for change is greatest, everything is put to the test. Henri Becquerel's scientific abilities are tested to the limit when Brahes Familia must find a way to carry out the experiment while preparing for their most difficult mission. In 1908, the future of the world is at stake, in a time eerily similar to our own. Tychonium – The Experiment is the second part of the Tychonium series, a fantasy-inducing historical thriller about secret societies, power struggles, and great discoveries." As a fan of historical fiction this is a thrilling tale of international politics and power struggles. Both on a governmental as well as on a personal level. Johannesson is well researched in both historical events and in scientific research. I am full of admiration for the scientific parts of the story. Johannesson manages to put his charismatic characters into real world events, and include them, in a realistic way, to real historical persons included in the story. The second instalment of the trilogy is as exciting and thrilling as the first one. We get deeper into the main characters as well as being introduced to new ones. Behind them is the devastating experiment which finally is to take place, far out in the wilderness of Russia. A Russia in turmoil due to the Russian-Japanese war and revolutionary movements. All seen through various characters in Russia, on different levels of society. The Experiment  is not only an international thriller, it is also a lesson in history and science. Mixed with the personal lives of the main characters it is a solid novel, difficult to put down. Is it a story of man's pursuit for scientific development, or a fight for knowledge to gain power? I can't wait for the third instalment.

I have read another two books for the 20 Books of Summer challenge. The challenge is hosted by Annabel at   AnnaBookBel  and Emma of Words and Peace . The two books are Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Tychonium, The Experiment (my translation) by Jan Johannesson. Two rather different kind of books. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) - the man Marcus Aurelius was the last of the "Five Good Emperors" (the others being: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrianus, and Antoninus Pius). He is the epithet of a Roman emperor, but he was also a philosopher, often remembered as the ideal Stoic ruler. Born into a prominent Roman family, he was adopted by Emperor Antoninus Pius as part of a succession plan. which was drawn up by Emperor Hadrian. It was quite common in the Roman times to adopt a person you wanted to inherit your fortune, or position in society. Marcus was already from a young age, drawn to philosophy, particularly Stoicism, and its emphasises on rationality, duty, and self-discipline. Marcus Aurelius became emperor in 161 CE. His death in 180 CE marked the end of the Pax Romana. Marcus was a wise ruler and just leader. It is probably due to his education and the philosophical ideas which he tried to live by. He spent most of his reign on military campaigns, had to face the Antonine plague which killed millions and constant rebellions against the Empire's borders. Despite these pressures he managed to focus on virtue and reason, rarely allowing personal interest to take precedence over his public duty. He lived his whole life by Stoic principles and believed in controlling the self, accepting fate and acting with justice. He was thoughtful, modest, introspective, and duty-bound. He also lived a simple life despite his power, in contrast to many influential people during the Roman era. Meditations His Meditations was his personal writings, never meant for publication. They were written in Greek during his military campaigns. The aim was to help him, and clarify his self-reflections and moral improvement. They are based on the Stoic philosophy of controlling one's emotions, accepting fate, and doing one's duty. It is also a reflection on mortality and the nature of life. Even if you live in external chaos, you should stay true to reason and virtue. Marcus' reflections are personal, often meditative and sometimes stern. Avoid distractions, pleasures and vanity. They are repetitive, as you have to remind yourself of the virtues. They are easy to forget as you go through daily life, and you have to regularly contemplate their values. It might be difficult to think you can follow these rules today, but that is not the case. Many of them are eternal values for whatever society you live in. We have something to learn from them, also in our daily lives. Here are two famous quotes which I try to think of in my daily life. “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” Marcus Aurelius reflections on life are still remembered today, and widely read and respected. There is something in his meditations for everyone. He embodies the ideal leadership based on ethical self-discipline and inner clarity. This is something that should inspire leaders today. It might be good for all of us to write down a few reflections of our day; what did we do? did we act in a good way to our fellow beings? were we true to ourselves. " For nowhere does a man retreat into more quiet or more privacy than into his own mind, especially one who has within such things that he has only to look into, and become at once in perfect ease; and by ease I mean nothing else but good behaviour . " From Meditations, IV.3 Jan Johannesson: Tychonium, Experimentet (The Experiment) Jan Johannesson is a Swedish civil engineer and strategy consultant, turned author. His debut novel came in 2022, Tychonium, The Discovery (unfortunately available only in Swedish). Johannesson has spent a lot of his life on Hven, the small island situated in Öresund, between Sweden and Denmark. Maybe that is why he chose to make his historical fiction trilogy about Tycho Brahe, the famous Danish astronomer, who lived on the island at the end of the 16th century. The Experiment is the second instalment of the trilogy. What a wonderful cover "The secret society Brahes Familia is put to new tests after the events of Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg in 1905. Now they must find new ways to secure the possibility of carrying out Tycho Brahe's experiment - the explosive discovery that Tycho and his sister Sophie made on Hven in March 1590. At the beginning of the 20th century, society is developing at a furious pace and new ideas are pushing old truths aside. The peace negotiations in the United States to try to end the Russo-Japanese War force Kirsten Rööd-Michelsen to make a choice. No one is left untouched by the uprisings in Tsarist Russia, and when the need for change is greatest, everything is put to the test. Henri Becquerel's scientific abilities are tested to the limit when Brahes Familia must find a way to carry out the experiment while preparing for their most difficult mission. In 1908, the future of the world is at stake, in a time eerily similar to our own. Tychonium – The Experiment is the second part of the Tychonium series, a fantasy-inducing historical thriller about secret societies, power struggles, and great discoveries." As a fan of historical fiction this is a thrilling tale of international politics and power struggles. Both on a governmental as well as on a personal level. Johannesson is well researched in both historical events and in scientific research. I am full of admiration for the scientific parts of the story. Johannesson manages to put his charismatic characters into real world events, and include them, in a realistic way, to real historical persons included in the story. The second instalment of the trilogy is as exciting and thrilling as the first one. We get deeper into the main characters as well as being introduced to new ones. Behind them is the devastating experiment which finally is to take place, far out in the wilderness of Russia. A Russia in turmoil due to the Russian-Japanese war and revolutionary movements. All seen through various characters in Russia, on different levels of society. The Experiment is not only an international thriller, it is also a lesson in history and science. Mixed with the personal lives of the main characters it is a solid novel, difficult to put down. Is it a story of man's pursuit for scientific development, or a fight for knowledge to gain power? I can't wait for the third instalment. In the meantime I have finished another book, outside my 20 books list. Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford. A review of this nonfiction account on her life will be published during Paris in July. I am to start the next book to read for this challenge; Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks. Since I always need a couple of books to change between, I did another spin from my list, and got: Tamara - Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium by Tamara Talbot Rice. That is four books in total so far, of which I am very pleased. I hope you are doing well with the summer/winter reading?

I found these questions @ Read with Stefani , to wrap-up my half year reading in 2025. They are from 2024, but will fit well into 2025 as well. Best book you’ve read so far in 2025? Trust by Hernan Diaz, a 2022 novel by Argentine‑American author Hernán Díaz. It won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (shared with Demon Copperhead). A book which is a little bit difficult to get into, but improves with the four short stories it contain. It is beautifully put together in the end. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2025? I don't often read series, but I read a thriller, Stormvakt, by Kristina Ohlsson in 2022. I liked it so much and it was just by chance I found the following 2-5 in the series. I read them almost in one go, because they are so good and exciting. A perfect summer read as it takes place at the west coast of Sweden, by the sea. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to. I don't often look for new releases, since I have enough of books to read which are already out. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year. See above Biggest disappointment. De kommer att drunkna i sina mödrars tårar by Johannes Anyuru. A much anticipated read, it has won a prestigious prize in Sweden, but I did not like it at all, or even understood it. Biggest surprise. Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman. A true story about people trying to flee from East Berling, when the wall was built. So exciting and touching, beats any fictional account. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you). Hernan Diaz - looking forward to reading his first book In the Distance . Newest fictional crush. Must be Ray-Ray in Kristina Ohlsson's Strindberg series. He is a criminal investigator, never seen before. Totally charming. Newest favourite character. See above. Book that made you cry . I cry easily, but can't really remember. I probably did cry a little bit reading Dottern (The Daughter) by Sara Önnebo. It was a time wise sad story where a secret is kept to long, and there is no time to talk about it with the persons concerned. Book that made you happy. Shooting Butterflies by Marika Cobbold. I did certainly cry here as well. A beautiful, but sad, love story covering several generations. A wonderful book, highly recommended. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received). See above. That is really a beautiful story. I found it in a small street library, and is one of the books I kept after reading it. What books do you need to read by the end of the year? Reading about books from book bloggers there always pop up a lot of books I want to read. My idea is to plan my reading a little bit more this year. I am participating in 20 Books of Summer, Big Book Summer Challenge and Paris in July, so the reading for these three months is already planned. For the autumn, I would like to read the great Russian authors; Tolstoj and Dostoyevsky, possibly The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann. In other words; classics. However, I don't need to read any special book. That was a little bit of my mid-year wrap-up. I have read 56 books the first six months, of which 29 came from my TBR shelves. I am pleased with that. I hope you have also had a wonderful first half year of reading your favourite books, finding a new author, and possibly a new favourite character.