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... " A holiday flirtation that turns out to have a dramatic and traumatic impact on a young, lonely boy, who is proud to get the attention of the older man. After having got the boy's attention, and getting closer to the mother, the Baron sees the boy only as a hindrance in the affair. The boy who, all of a sudden, is somewhat alienated both from his mother and the Baron, decides to take matters in his own hands. It is always a pleasure to read Stefan Zweig. His way of describing the environment is fantastic. Just look at this first paragraph of the novella. " The train, with a shrill whistle, pulled into Summering. For a moment the black coaches stood still in the silvery light of the uplands to eject a few vivid human figures and to swallow up others. Exacerbated voices called back and forth; then, with a puffing and a chugging and another shrill shriek, the dark train clattered into the opening of the tunnel, and once more the landscape stretched before the view unnbroken in all its wide expanse, the background sept clean by the moist wind. " ... and a description of the Baron. " Although not without inner resources, he was a thoroughly social being, his sociability being the very quality for which his friends liked him and for which he was welcomed in all circles. He was quite conscious of his inability to stay by himself and had no inclination to meet himself, as it were, but rather avoided his own company, feeling not the least urge to become intimatelyacquainted whit his own soul. ... Alone he was like a match in a box, frosty and useless. " ... and the boy. " A deep furrow cut itself between the child's brows. He looked almost old as he sat in the carriage painfully cogitating this great mystery and never casting a single glance at the landscapre, which was shading into all the delicate colors of the spring, the mountains in the freshened green of their pines, the valleys in the mistier greens of budding trees, shrubbery and young grass. All he had eyes for werre the man and the woman on the seat opposite him, as though, with his hot gaze, as with an angling hook, he could snatch the secret from the shimmering depths of their eyes. " I also found a movie from 1988, based on the novella; with Faye Dunaway, Klaus Maria Brandauer and David Eberts as the son. Available on Youtube.

We are already on the 3rd of July when I write this wrap-up of my reading during June. I am on the road with our van and as usual it is difficult to find the time and energy to write, after a busy day. However, now we have parked our car in a beautiful spot by a lake in Tiveden National Park and this inspired me to unpack the computer. I only read six books during June. The start was very slow, and although I thought I was reading a lot, I never seemed to finish a book. Probably because I read several books at the same time. Here a short summary of the books. The Heron Legacy by Leona Francome A friend from Brussels who already wrote two books that I have read and loved. She sent me her new book which is now out. Another wonderful historical fiction with dual time lines, and an unexpected ending. As usual her son has designed the beautiful cover. My review under the link above. Det är inte jag, det är du, Att göra slut med Gud av Rosi Hageberg A novella by a lady I met recently for a meditative walk. Her book "It is not me, it is you" (my translation) is about her growing up in a religious surrounding of "free churches". She came to a point when she could no longer live the way her community lived and left the religious circle. It is a very interesting book, and she approach it in a very nice way, not accusing anyone, but explaining how she came to her conclusion. How to be a Stoic - Epictetus/Seneca/Marcus Aurelius Some more stoic wisdom from the experts. Signatures in Stone by Linda Lappin A very interesting and mysterious novel by Linda Lappin about a woman in her middle ages who encounters mysterious happenings in an old Italian walled garden. I have earlier read Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne and Katherine's Wish two historical fiction biographies by her which I loved. This is a different kind of story and a review will come soon. Blood from a Stone by Donna Leon Another book by Donna Leon about Inspector Brunetti. She never disappoints and here we are in for another good story from Venice. Report from the Interior by Paul Auster I recently bought this book from Charlie Byrne's second hand bookshop in Cork, Ireland. Paul Auster is always good, and this time he takes back to his own childhood and how it affected him. He also remembers a couple of films he'd seen which really made an impact on his life. The Shrinking Man a science fiction novel by American writer Richard Matheson which was made into a motion picture in 1957. The other, I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang from 1932. Auster's telling of the stories of these two films, his thoughts about them, and how they affected his life is brilliant. The latter part is based on letters he wrote to his then girlfriend while he was in Paris and she in London. Since Auster is an excellent story teller, even his life as a student become interesting. That was all I managed to do. Now I will be focusing on Paris in July, hosted by Emma at Word and Peace. I have started The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. And, of course, it wouldn't be me if I did not start a second book at the same time, and it is Guillaume Musso's La vie secrete des ecrivains. I am not sure it has been translated into English, but a free translation should be 'The Secret Life of Writers'. Please correct me if I am wrong Emma. The Swedish title is "The Secret of the Island". Let's see if it also makes sense. Hope to see you in Paris in July, 2024.

The Classics Club have had another spin. This time the wheel stayed on #8. The number eight on my list is House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. Since I will be travelling in May, and I have it on my ipad, I might be able to read the choosen book this time. Let's hope.

I am popping in to wish you all a Merry Christmas on this Christmas morning. We are in Lisbon for a week, enjoying the old city and its small alleys and cobbled streets, beautiful squares and historical monuments. On Boxing day we rent a car and continue north towards Porto for another two weeks of exciting scenery and history. Thank you all for a wonderful blogging year, with exciting challenges and new blogging contacts. Via the challenges I have discovered several new blog sites with great content. I will probably not post too much on this blog until I am back in Sweden mid January. I have a few literary encounters connected to Lisbon to tell you about. If you, in the meantime, are curious and want read more about it you can register for my newsletter - The Content Reader Newsletter - which comes out every Friday at 10 a.m. (CET Europe). It is free and you can unscubscribe at any time. Next Friday, 30 December, there will be a piece about how I stumbled on not only one, but two famous Portuguese authors. If you don’t know what to cook for New Year’s dinner you might be inspired by the last newsletter. A Merry Christmas to all of you.

I can't believe it is this time of the year again. It hit me as I read Rennie's latest post @ What's Nonfiction. It is time for one of my favourite challenges, or memes, of the year, Nonfiction November. Exciting as ever and Rennie has teamed up with Katie, Christopher, Rebekah and Jamie to make this a wonderful month, guiding us with different themes each week. Head over to their blogs for full information. Nonfiction November themes Week 1: (Oct 31-Nov 4) – Your Year in Nonfiction: Take a look back at your year of nonfiction and reflect on the following questions – What was your favourite nonfiction read of the year? Do you have a particular topic you’ve been attracted to more this year? What nonfiction book have you recommended the most? What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? (Katie @ Doing Dewey) Week 2: (November 7-11) – Book Pairing: This week, pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title (or another nonfiction!). It can be a “If you loved this book, read this!” or just two titles that you think would go well together. Maybe it’s a historical novel and you’d like to get the real history by reading a nonfiction version of the story. Or pair a book with a podcast, film or documentary, TV show, etc. on the same topic or stories that pair together. (here with me, Rennie @ What’s Nonfiction) Week 3: (November 14-18) – Stranger Than Fiction: This week we’re focusing on all the great nonfiction books that almost don’t seem real. A sports biography involving overcoming massive obstacles, a profile on a bizarre scam, a look into the natural wonders in our world—basically, if it makes your jaw drop, you can highlight it for this week’s topic. (Christopher @ Plucked from the Stacks) Week 4: (November 21-25) – Worldview Changers: One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is learning all kinds of things about our world which you never would have known without it. There’s the intriguing, the beautiful, the appalling, and the profound. What nonfiction book or books has impacted the way you see the world in a powerful way? Do you think there is one book that everyone needs to read for a better understanding of the world we live in? (Rebekah @ She Seeks Nonfiction) Week 5: (November 28-Dec 2) – 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! Pro tip: Start this draft post at the beginning of the month and add to it as your TBR multiplies. (Jaymi @ The OC Bookgirl) Happy to see the beautiful logo for this year's challenge. N.B. One thing I must remember this year: I must note which bloggers make recommendations I am interested in. Earlier years I have only noted title and author, and totally forgot who recommended the book. Coming to the end of the month ... yes, stuck with no information.