Novellas in November is hosted by Cathy of 746 Books  and Beck of Bookish Beck . I have been on a trip to South Korea and Japan in October/November so I did start a little bit earlier with a few novellas. Völsungasagan by Katarina Harrison Lindbergh (168 pages) - The Völsunga saga takes place in a colorful ancient time with warriors, gods and dragons. The story revolves around Andvar's treasure, which has been cursed. When the young Völsung Sigurd gets his hands on the treasure, he is drawn into the merciless tragedy of gold. It is a thrilling and exciting story that takes you back to the old times in Iceland. Wonderfully written in a modern take on the old Iceland sagas. Epic of Gilgamesh (71 pages) is an epic from ancient Mesopotamia, and one of the oldest known works of literature. Gilgamesh is the powerful but arrogant king of Uruk. The gods create a wild man, Enkidu, to challenge him; the two become close friends. Together they undertake heroic adventures, defeating beasts like Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. When Enkidu dies as punishment from the gods, Gilgamesh is devastated and sets out on a quest for immortality. He ultimately learns that humans cannot escape death and returns to Uruk wiser, realising that one’s legacy comes through human achievements and compassion rather than eternal life. Like all religious writings it teaches you of the right path, even if not everyone is able to follow that path. It was an interesting account of a very old story. We have always lived in the castle by Shirley Jackson (176 pages) - a classic gothic horror, follows Merricat Blackwood, who lives in isolation with her sister Constance and their elderly Uncle Julian after most of their family died from poisoning years earlier. The people in town fear and resent them, thinking that one of them killed the rest of the family. One day their cousin Charles arrives, and disrupts the balance of peace in the house. Their secluded life is suddenly threatened. As tensions escalate and unexpected occurence leave destruction in its wake. A dark, scary undertone is lingering all through the story, with a surprising revelation in the end. A classic tale, and although I don't read a lot of horror stories, I did like this one. The Vegetarian by Han Kang (160 pages) - is a three-part novel set in modern-day Seoul and tells the story of Yeong-hye, a part-time graphic artist and home-maker, whose decision to stop eating meat after a bloody nightmare about human cruelty leads to devastating consequences in her personal and familial life. This is not an easy book to read, and I must admit I did not take to it, or really understood Yeong-hye. It is not so much about vegetarianism, as finding a place in our time. I wanted to read this one while I was travelling around South Korea. I have to try a few other books by authors from this country. These are the novellas I have read so far this month. What comes next? I will probably start with the two first ones, since I have them on my shelves. The other four are on my Nextory app. Thirst for Love by Yukio Mishima (200 pages) Perdu by Paride Rombi (165 pages) Den sista vargen by Laszlo Krasznahorkai (127 pages) - I should try another Nobel Prize winner, or will it be too much? Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin (95 pages) Água Viva by Clarice Lispector (79 pages)

Week 1 (10/27-11/2)   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 ) What nonfiction books have I read so far this year? When looking back I thought I had not read that many, but it turned out to be 25 books. I did not write many reviews this year, but I link those I did. Those connected to Paris are short reviews, in the same post. The rest of them mostly are mentioned in my wrap-up for each month. Jag såg kärleken och döden by Erik Eriksson Vad gör alla superokända människor hela dagarna by Fredrik Lindström ABC-bok för vuxna by Sara The Lost Café Schindler by Meriel Schindler Min bokvärld by Kerstin Ekman The Most Beautiful Walk in the World, a Pedestrian in Paris by John Baxter A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway Talk to the Snail, Ten Commandments for Understanding the French by Stephen Clarke Voltaire in Love by Nancy Mitford Before Wisdom: The Early Poems by Paul Verlaine Otroliga Historier, Ur vår danska historia by Birgitta Petrén The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein Ludvig XIV (Louis XIV) by Andreas Marklund Scott Fitzgerald by Andrew Turnbull Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford 101 World Heroes: Great Men and Women Who Changed History by Simon Sebag Montefiore Lagom finns bara i Sverige, och andra myter om språk by Mikael Parkvall Tamara, Memoirs of St Petersburg, Paris, Oxford and Byzantium by Tamara Talbot Rice Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by david sedaris Nine Parts of Desire, The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks Drakspår by Bo Ericsson Sex with kings, 500 years of adultery, power, rivalry and revenge by Eleanor Herman Gilgamesh Kungar, En världshistoria by Erik Petersson What were your favourites? Tunnel 29 by Helen Merriman was a fantastic, true story on escaping through the Berlin wall. More fantastic than any story you can make up. Sex with Kings by Eleanor Herman, and Kungar, en världshistoria (Kings, A World History ) by Erik Petersson. Petersson's history of the power of leaders were really interesting and gives a different view on historical events, and they way nations are led. Herman takes us into the bed chambers of kings and the tough life of being a royal mistress. It also fitted well with Mitford's Madame de Pompadour . Drakspår (Dragon trails) is another interesting book looking into the origins of dragons. Have you had a favourite topic? I am mostly interested in nonfiction history books, and that is what I mostly read. It is mixed with biographies, mostly about authors, but also other interesting people. Is there a topic you want to read about more? I stick to history here as well. I would like to do more connected reading. Concentrating on a specific historical era and learning more about that time. Maybe even trying to learn a language connected to it. I am presently travelling in South Korea and Japan. I have downloaded a few books, both nonfiction and fiction, to read during this time. Not much time to read though. The history of South Korea is very interesting, and I don't know very much about this area. We have a great guide, so also get a lot of information about how Koreans live today, and how the society works. It is all very interesting. What are you hoping to get out of participating in Nonfiction November? The great things with this challenge is to discuss nonfiction with other enthusiasts. To see what interested other readers, and how they get around to read the nonfiction they like. The variety of interests from other bloggers. A great month in other words. Would you like to get an email whenever I update my blog? I’ll be phasing out this blog at the end of next year, but I’ll continue sharing my thoughts on books over on Substack. If you’d like to keep reading, please visit My Bookish Corner and subscribe! Are you interested in travel, history, art, and culture — all the things that make life a little more interesting? Then you might enjoy my newsletter! You can choose to read it in English or Swedish. It’s free, you can unsubscribe anytime, and I’d love to have you join. Use the links below to subscribe. The Content Reader Newsletter Den tillfälliga besökaren

The title of this post might explain that I have been very busy lately. Coming home after several months of travelling always generates a lot of administration and other things to take care of. It also makes me tired, so reading is a nice relaxation. Although starting very slowly in September I did read 11 books. Many of them crime novels which I tend to turn to when there are too many other things that need my attention. But, I managed a few other good books as well. Crime Novels I am on a quest to read all of Agatha Christie ’s books, which is why they occur rather commonly. This month I read, or listened to, four books. Mrs McGinty’s Dead, Black Coffee, Dead Man’s Folly and The Second Gong. I usually put them on when I go to sleep. The problem is I fall asleep rather quickly listening to a book, so when I start next time, I have to find the spot which I remember before falling a sleep. All of them are with Monsieur Poirot. Din tid kommer by Carl-Johan Vallgren . For those of you who are not familiar with Vallgren, he is a Swedish author, more famous for fiction. I read his novel Den vidunderliga kärlekens historia (The Wonderful Story of Love) which was published in 2002 and won the August prize in Sweden for best fiction book of that year. I would describe it as magic realism, although not promoted as such. But the story takes place in a world which seems outside the ordinary one. An excellent book. The Jury’s motivation was that the book plays with strong emotions and big ideas with the help of ingenious plotting . An “original and gripping” novel about love that goes from the most intimate feelings to evil, violence and hatred. A strong novel in other worlds. Now Vallgren has written a crime novel. It seems he has already published two crime noir novels under the name Lucifer, which I have not read. Considering his background in other kind of novels, his excellent writing is also visible in this crime story. A couple of young girls disappear mysteriously, and the inspector, and a new member of the team, are trying to solve it. He has created a different kind of investigating team which feels fresh against the usual crowd. The characters are well drawn, the milieu beautifully described, and the suspects leave you guessing until the very end. And even then … did you really get who did it? History Now Face to Face by Karleen Koen A historical fiction which takes place in the beginning of the 18th century. It turns out to be the third in a series, but it was not a problem. Barbara Alderley Devane is a young widow and becomes involved in political intrigue across England, France and colonial American. She has to deal with love, loss and betrayal, as she becomes involved in espionage and colonial adventures. The novel is full of romance and adventure with rich historical detail. Highlighting the difficulties for an independent woman in those days. I really liked the story, the characters, and above all the historical details of this fascinating century. Sex with kings, 500 years of adultery, power, rivalry and revenge by Eleanor Herman Herman’s look into the hidden world of royal mistresses is a fascinating story. She explores their lives, not always as pleasurable as you might imagine, and their roles as political players, cultural trendsetters and ruthless rivals to queens. This well researched book takes you behind the scenes of the passion, politics, and power of royal courts. From Louis XIV and his legendary and famous mistresses to England’s Charles II and his glamorous companions. We soon realise that being a mistress to a king is not always an easy task; the status through wealth, the influence they could gain and how they used it, but also jealousy, scandal, and downfall. You had to protect your position with all means available. A highly entertaining read and full of historical gossip, Sex with Kings paints a portrait of how desire and ambition were part of the royal courts — showing that behind every powerful man often stood a formidable woman pulling the strings from the shadows. The system of royal mistresses seemed most prominent in France and England, though it likely existed across many European courts. Perhaps these two countries were simply more open—or more documented—about their affairs than others. What do you think? Drakspår (Dragon Trails) by Bo Eriksson Dragons are popular these days, not least through fantasy literature. Eriksson shows that they have existed in the human imagination for thousands of years, all over the world. He takes us on a dramatic cultural-historical journey: from the oldest myths in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, via the Fafner of the Viking Age and the bestiaries of the Middle Ages, all the way to Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. So do dragons exist in reality? No, Eriksson is clear here. But why have we humans always lived with the dragon as a symbol and mythical figure? How can a creature that never existed play such a central role in cultures around the world? These are questions he seeks answers to – and much more – in this entertaining book. A particularly interesting aspect is the difference between East and West. In Europe and the Middle East, the dragon became a symbol of chaos, threat and sin – often linked to Satan and the eternal struggle between good and evil. The hero must defeat the dragon to restore order and security; think of Saint George and the dragon, but also countless examples from Nordic and Greek mythology. In the East, however – in China, Japan and other parts of Asia – the dragon developed into a creative and lucky force. It symbolized water, rain and fertility, i.e. life force. There, the dragon became more of a blessed nature creature and a symbol of rulership, especially cherished by the Chinese emperors who saw it as a guarantor of balance between heaven and earth. Eriksson believes that the dragon reflects people’s worldview and values. The West needed an enemy image, the East a protector. There is therefore no “true dragon” – the creature has been given the role that people have had to give it. The book provides a solid overview of the origin and development of the dragon myth. What did the dragon look like? What roles did it have? From ancient times to our own time, we can follow its journey through myths and stories. This makes the book worth reading for anyone interested in history – even those who have no particular interest in dragons. Eriksson writes in a matter-of-fact but accessible manner, transforming the material into exciting stories from different parts of the world. Dragon Trails is both educational and entertaining. In addition to giving us the background to one of humanity’s most enduring mythical figures, it also shows how deeply intertwined our beliefs are with religion, society and culture. Fiction The Dutch House by Ann Patchett is the best book I read this year. Review under the link. Lady Susan by Jane Austen the first book written by her, but not published until after her death. It is an epistolary novel (told through letters). Beautiful, intelligent, and manipulative widow Lady Susan Vernon is on a mission to marry her daughter off to a wealthy but foolish man. It does not end exactly as she hopes, but for the reader it is a satisfying ending. Already here we see Austen’s sharp wit and critique of selfishness and social ambition. It was an enjoyable read, and it will end up by my favourite Austen novels. promenader i natten (walks in the night) by Lina Wolff is a short story collection. As usual she examines the darker sides of man, like loneliness and desire. Through a number of stories she describes relationships characterised by power, shame and a longing for closeness. She mixes everyday realism with somewhat surrealist features, to investigate what lies beneath the surface. I always think her stories borders on magical realism. She takes you to a place where you don’t know if it is real or just in your mind. Would you like to get an email whenever I update my blog? I’ll be phasing out this blog at the end of next year, but I’ll continue sharing my thoughts on books over on Substack. If you’d like to keep reading, please visit My Bookish Corner and subscribe! My Bookish Corner

The time has come for Novellas in November hosted by Cathy of 746 Books and Beck of Bookish Beck . This is the time we have a look at our book shelves, or searching for an e- or audio-novella to enjoy when autumn sets in. Novellas are usual regarded to be books between 70 - 200 pages, but one can be a little bit flexibel. Ten best novellas of all time? This year I have checked out some novellas that are considered to be the ten best one. It is always individual, but I thought I start there. Here is one list (from Irrelevant Matters ). The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville The Stranger by Albert Camus The Turn of the Screw by Henry James Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway The Awakening by Kate Chopin I have read all except Billy Budd and The Awakening which I will try to read during November. Which are my favourites? I would say The Turn of the Screw, Of Mice and Men and The Old Man and the Sea. Great novellas. What are you favourites among these ten novellas? My lists On my shelves I have the following books I want to read. I am travelling during this time so will bring books I don't need to carry back home again. Thirst for Love by Yukio Mishima (200 pages) The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (212 pages) Perdu by Paride Rombi (165 pages) Völsungasagan by Katarina Harrison Lindbergh (168 pages) Gilgamesh (71 pages) ( already read ) We have always lived in the castle by Shirley Jackson (176 pages) I also have a list of e-books that will be easy to take with me. I am afraid there might not be so much time to read though. Anyway, always good to mix novels and novellas. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote The Time Machine by H.G. Wells I am a Legend by Richard Matheson Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville The Awakening by Kate Chopin A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo The Murderbot Diaries, volume 1 by Martha Wells Den sista vargen by Laszlo Krasznahorkai Looking forward to sharing the reading of novellas with you.

It is time for another Classics Club Spin. Here are the few rules. "At your blog, before next Sunday 19th October, 2025 create a post that lists twenty books of your choice that remain "to be read" on your Classics Club list. This is your Spin List. You have to read one of these twenty books by the end of the spin period which is 21 December 2025." Here is my updated list as of 12 October, 2025 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 Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott 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 Let's see what fate has in store for us.

June is here and the 20 Books of Summer challenge has started. The challenge has been taken on by AnnaBookBel  and Emma of Words and Peace . Head over to the their websites for more info. My list of books 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) changed to: Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 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 - Tychonium, 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) I started yesterday with Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. Interesting private thoughts of this wise Roman Emperor, who learned and lived a Stoic life style. It is nothing you read in one go, so I share the reading with Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman. It was recommended by Rennie @ What's Nonfiction and I finally found it this year. Based on a BBC podcast it was made into a book. It is very well written and so exciting. It also describes very well the troubled times of when the wall was built and the devastating effects it had on people. I hope to finish it today. What will I go for next? I will probably continue with dual reading as that is my usual way of reading (can even be five books at the time). I will do a random spin to see which two books I will continue with. Just a second ... ... and the winners are: No. 13 - Johannesson, Jan - Tychonium, Experimentet . A Swedish historical fiction on a secret invention by Tycho Brahe. I have read the first installement and this is the second of a trilogy. Will be an exciting and interesting read. No. 4 - Brooks, Geraldine - Nine Parts of Desire. I have had this book for a very long time, and wanted to read something by her for a while, so I am looking forward to this novel. I am quite pleased with these two novels. Furthermore, all of the books come from my TBR shelves, which is so satisfying. I seem never to come under around 200 books, even if I read about 50 a year. Something is wrong here.

Better late than never, so here come some statistics from me. I am still travelling in Portugal, and it has turned out that my Ipad Pro, which I brought with me, does not work as well as my laptop. Having said that, I hope that my posts will come out all right. In 2022 I read more books than ever before. I included audio- and e-books on my TBR shelves during the year, which increased the number somewhat. Let’s have a look at the statistics. Books by countries (may include the same author serveral times since I count by the number of books) Sweden: 37 England/Australia/Irland/US/South Africa: 44 France: 6 Norway: 6 Germany/Austria: 6 Finland: 4 Iceland: 3 Russia: 3 Denmark: 2 Argentina: 1 Greece: 1 Interesting stats which gives you a hint of how you are reading in a global perspective. For 2023 I want to read more books from outside Europe. One aim for the next years is to read a book from all countries in the world. Female vs male authors I never really think of the gender of the author I read. I chose from other criteria, but it is still interesting to see how it turns out. Female - 42 Male - 72 Almost the double number of male authors. I don’t put too much into it, but it is importens to highlight. Considering that there are, I think, more female authors than male around the world it sticks out a little bit. My updates I am still travelling in Portugal, and did not bring with me my laptop. I am using my Ipad Pro for the first time updating my new blog site. It turns out the Ipad is not compatible with Wix, so I had a lot of problems updating the site. However, with a big portion of patience, I managed somewhat. That is why I don't even try to and some nice charts to this post. I am just hoping this will turn out ok.

January has reached its end and it is time for a reading wrap up. For January I have two challenges; FINDS hosted by AnnaBookBel, reading Nordic literature, my own challenge, and the Classic Spin (Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence). I have started the book, but am only in the very beginning. Will continue reading though. FINDS Here are my choices for books from each country. Finland - They Know Not What They Do by Jussi Valtonen Iceland - Cold as Hell (1st Áróra series) by Lilja Sigurdadottir Norway - The Ice Palace by Tarjej Vesaas Denmark - Silence in October by Jens Christian Gröndahl Sweden - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald Reading I have read the books from Finland, Iceland and Norway (review to come). I have started the Danish book, but don't like it so will probably leave that one. I have also started the Swedish one, which is great and a review should come soon. My challenge a nonfiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator a fiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator a translated novel outside English- and Swedish speaking countries a classic tale a book from my Wish list I had several books to read for FINDS and a book club, so did not do a random generator this months. I managed, nevertheless, to fulfil the five criteria for the month. Nonfiction from TBR shelves - 1 book: Lochery, Neill - Lisbon, War in the Shadows of the City of Light, 1939-4 Fiction from TBR shelves - 8 books (see Read) Translated novel outside English- and Swedish speaking countries - 4 books (Portuguese, Finnish, Icelandic and Norwegian) A classic tale - 1 book - The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas A book from my wish list - The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas All in all, I am pleased with the outcome of the month. Time to have a look a February. a nonfiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator - History of Europe 1598-1715 by Henry Offley Wakeman (e-book) a fiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator - Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. Why not? As I am reading Women in Love for the Classic Spin, it might be a good idea to read the two books I have by him. a translated novel outside English- and Swedish speaking countries - Royal Highness by Thomas Mann (e-book), German a classic tale - Child Harold's Pilgrimage by Lord Byron (suitable since I visited the Montserrate palace in Portugal which so inspired Byron on his visit, that he added a verse of the beauty of the place in this poem. See The Content Reader Newsletter for more information). a book from my Wish list - The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea (audio book) I also have to read/listen I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy for one of my book clubs. That should keep me busy in February.

FINDS is hosted by AnnaBookBel and the goal is read to read one book per Nordic country during the first five weeks in 2023. My goals for FINDS is: Finland - They Know Not What They Do by Jussi Valtonen Iceland - Cold as Hell (1st Áróra series) by Lilja Sigurdadottir Norway - The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas Denmark - Silence in October by Jens Christian Gröndahl Sweden - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald As of mid January I have just finished Valtonen’s book. It turned out to be rather long, but a very interesting book. Sigurdadottir’s Cold as Hell from Iceland turned out to be shorter and faster to read, so I have finished that one as well. They Know Not What They Do is a more solid story that it lets you imagine from the beginning. First of all, when I checked out the internet for the title of the novel, a biblical quote came up. Of course, once seeing this I do understand the title of the book. Maybe because it is in English, I did not make the connection to the biblical quote. The quote is from Luke 23:34: “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus also used these words when he was crucified as regards the people who sentenced him. “On the surface, Joe Chayefski has it all. A great job, a beautiful wife and two perfect daughters. But when the lab he works in as a neuroscientist is attacked, Joe is forced to face the past and reconnect with the son he abandoned twenty years earlier. As Joe struggles to deal with the sudden collision of his two lives, he soon finds he needs to take drastic action to save the people he loves.” The main characters of the story is Joe and his first wife, Finnish Alina and their son Samuel. Joe never really comes to turn with living and working in Finland. He has partly given up his academic career to be with his family. The story starts around 1960s or 70s before the explosion of global access via computers and internet. He leaves his family to go back to the States when his son is just a few months old. Unfortunately, for all involved there is no contact between father and son. The mother, Alina, is a somewhat unreliable character. It is difficult to get a grip of her. Unsure of herself, in her early motherhood, it takes years for her to find a meaning in life. She seems not to encourage a relationship between her ex husband and son. Samuel grows up with an over protecting mother, who also instills a certain ambivalence in him. Although never talking about it, he does miss contact with his father. He has inherited his interest for natural science and is doing very well at school. However, on his first job, he happens to see something that totally changes his direction in life. The father, Joe, is making a great, academic career when he returns to the state. He marries Miriam and they have two daughters. Both of them are successful and have a great life. From time to time he thinks about his other life, but it does not make in impact in his present life. Not to reveal too much of the quite intense story that starts out like a normal love affair, but twenty years later turns into a nightmare. Valtonen has managed to include a lot of societies problems today into this family drama; the climate question and its impact on, above all, young people, scientific research and its moral dilemmas, the IT explosion and its intrusion into the private sphere. He is doing it very well, highlighting the focus from different sides of the spectrum. The drama is evolving in a thrilling way, as we follow Joe, Alina and Samuel and their attempts to control their surroundings. It is a very good story, although I thought it slightly too long. But he keeps up the tension to the very end, and you really want to know how it ends. The ending is somewhat surprising, or … maybe not. An excellent thriller about the world of today. If I would summarise the main point in one word, I would say it is about communication. Or the lack of it.

FINDS is hosted by AnnaBookBel and the goal is read to read one book per Nordic country during the first five weeks in 2023. This is a new to me Icelandic author, and this is the first book in her Aróra series. "Icelandic sisters Áróra and Ísafold live in different countries and aren't on speaking terms, but when their mother loses contact with Ísafold, Áróra reluctantly returns to Iceland to find her sister. But she soon realizes that her sister isn't avoiding her … she has disappeared, without trace. As she confronts Ísafold's abusive, drug-dealing boyfriend Björn, and begins to probe her sister's reclusive neighbours – who have their own reasons for staying out of sight – Áróra is led into an ever-darker web of intrigue and manipulation. Baffled by the conflicting details of her sister's life, and blinded by the shiveringly bright midnight sun of the Icelandic summer, Áróra enlists the help of police officer Daníel, as she tries to track her sister's movements, and begins to tail Björn – but she isn't the only one watching…” I liked the summary of the story and thus choose this novel for my Icelandic FINDS. It did not really engage me like my favourite Icelandic authors Arnaldur Indriðason and Ragnar Jónasson. The story with the missing sister seems more like a sideline as Áróra flies to Iceland to look for her. She gets involved with an Icelandic criminal. It turn out that she is a private financial investigator so goes into investigating him. She also meet Daniel, a police on holiday, sort of relative who agrees to help her out. It seems to be less the story of the missing sister as the story of her professional life and her love life. Parallell we follow the neighbour of her sister, a man with a peculiar life. As the story evolves we slowly find out what happened. However, the people who investigate does not get very far with the case. On top of this, the story ends with them finding knowing the sister is dead, (no spoiler since the reader knows this from the very beginning) just to get a hint that Áróra will investigate what really happens in book #2. A female protagonist who is tough in an unusual business, made me feel this was something I would like. Unfortunately, the story is a little bit too thin to engage me. Maybe it would go along as a story about a young woman with an unusual profession, but hardly as the thrilling Icelandic murder mysteries we are used to.

We are just back from three weeks in Portugal, where we spent the holidays. As we arrived in Lisbon we walked out of our hotel, very conveniently situated centrally in the old city, to get a feeling for our surroundings, and to find somewhere to eat. We did not find anything to our immediate liking so in the end we let someone drag us into an old restaurant, Café Martinho da Arcana (funded 1782) at the corner of the Praca do Comércio, down by the sea. Turned out to be a marvellous, old restaurang with dark wood from the floor, half way up the wall, painted walls above, light yellow as they liked it in the old days. Table with white table clothes, which made us feel going back in time. We got a small table in an alcove, ordered fish and a bottle of vinho verde and sat down to enjoy. The waiter who told us that the restaurant was the favourite place of author Fernando Pessoa. He came more or less every day, and they even keep his table free to this day. It is decorated with an espresso cup, a glass of water and a bowl for sugar. There is also a number of his books on the table. As you see from the picture I was allowed to sit down in his place. Fernando António Nogueira Pessoa (1888-1935) was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher and philosopher; one of the most significant literary figures of the last century, and considered one of the greatest poets in Portuguese. Very prolific writer as can be imagined when you see all his professions above. I had his book The Book of Disquiet , but let go of it after just a few pages, it seemed far more than I could grasp. Maybe I should try another of his books, or poetry for that matter, now that we have shared the same seat. Back at our table again, the waiter pointed to a photo on the wall behind me, and said, there is another Portuguese writer who used to come here. He received the Nobel Prize in literature, and he used to sit here. I realised that I had taken the seat of José Saramago. Even more funny since I brought his book The History of the Siege of Lisbon with me. I have been trying to read that one for a long time, but it is not an easy book either. However, having shared his seat, I just have to finish it. José de Sousa Saramago (1922-2010) won the Nobel Prize in 1998 for his "parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony with which he continually enables us once again to apprehend an elusory reality.” Maybe a reason I find it difficult. Walking around Lisbon the following days we found traces of Pessoa's Lisbon. We bought a lottery at his favourite tobacco shop ”Boa Hora” and saw his tomb in the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. Two of the most famous Portugues authors and I ran into them in one day. There are small things in life that can make you happy. I did manage to finish Saramago's novel about Lisbon. I don't know if it was the atmosphere of Lisbon and the area where he used to live, or the novel improved half way.

November is at an end and time to wrap up the three challenges I participated in this year. Apart from German Literature Month I had a go at Nonfiction November and Novellas in November. German Literature Month is hosted by Lizzy’s Literary Life . It is the first time I participate and I will just have to see how many books I can read. Hopefully, at least one a week, according to the schedule: Week 1 – First time for everything - The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann - gave me a new favourite author. Week 2 – Second Helpings - I rarely re-read books, but choose Herman Hesse's Steppenwolf. I have not yet finished it, but have a feeling I have already read it. Fits well in other words. Week 3 – Firm Favourites (Author or Publisher, if stated) - nothing to fit here . Week 4 – Something Different - Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka - can't say I entirely understood this novella, but that happens sometimes. Week 5: Read as you please / group read - The Life and Opinions of Tomcat Murr – E T A Hoffmann - wanted to follow this since Hoffmann is the new favourite, but could not find it quick enough. For the future. I do read German authors from time to time, so I take the opportunity to mention some of the books here. They are all some of my favourite books. Buddenbrooks is at the top. I love Robert Seethaler's 'A Whole Life' such a wonderfully, sensitive book. Stefan Zweig is always a treat, but most of the books here can be recommended. Fallada, Hans - Alone in Berlin Handke, Peter - A Sorrow Beyond Dreams: A Life Story (Wunschloses Unglück) Krien, Daniela - Kärlek i fem akter (Liebe im Ernstfalle/Love in Five Acts) Mann, Thomas - Buddenbrooks Mann, Thomas - Death in Venice Mann, Thomas - Mario and the Magician Mann, Thomas - Tonio Kröger Mann, Thomas - Tristan Neuhaus, Nele - Snow White must die (Schneewittchen muss sterben) Neuhaus, Nele - Big Bad Wolf (Böser Wolf) Roth, Joseph - The Radetzky March Schlink, Bernhard - The Reader Schlink, Bernhard - Homecoming Seethaler, Robert - A Whole Life Sendker, Jan-Philipp - The Art of Hearing Heartbeats Süskind, Patrick - Parfymen (Das Parfum, The Perfumer) von Goethe, J.W. - The Sorrow of Young Werther Von Schirach, Ferdinand - Fallet Collini (Der Fall Collini/The Collini Case) Zweig, Stefan - Amok