Blogging Anniversary - 10 years

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A while ago I checked when I did my first blog post, in order to celebrate with an anniversary post. Well, that day came and went without any reaction from me. Better late than never, so here a reminder of my very first blog post from 24 October 2012.  The book was New Finnish Grammar  by Diego Marani. Marani is an Italian novelist, translator and newspaper columnist. While working as a translator for the European Union he invented a language ‘Europanto’ which is a mixture of languages and based on the common practice of word-borrowing usage of many EU languages. It was a suitable book to start with, being a book about letters, languages and memories. With a beautiful prose, the novel went directly to my heart.  "One night at Trieste in September 1943 a seriously wounded soldier is found on the quay. The doctor, of a newly arrived German hospital ship, Pietri Friari gives the unconscious soldier medical assistance. His new patient has no documents or anything that can ide...
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European Reading Challenges 2013 and coming up 2014

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Rose City Reader hosted this challenge during 2013. This is the first challenge I have finalised so I think it will take a little bit of celebration. I chose the challenge Five Star (Deluxe Entourage): To read at least five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries. My five books are:

1. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris (UK). One of my favourite authors. She never disappoint you.
2. Spöksonaten (Ghost Sonata) by August Strindberg (Sweden). One of our most famous writers and dramatists. This is not his easiest play and I remember seeing it on the theatre in Sweden many years ago. I was not any wiser after reading the book! Miss Julie is more to recommend if you want to try Strindberg.
3. Min önskelista (La liste de mes envies - My Wish List) by Grégoire Delacourt (France). A very nice book easy to read. It is about a lady who wins the highest price on the lottery and what happens to you in such situations.
4. All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues) by Erich Maria Remarque (Germany). The classic tale from the horrors of the trenches during the First World War. A remarkably fresh book and not so heavy as I had imagined. A true classic since it is a delight to read it even today.
5. The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Spain). This is one of his first books which he wrote for young adults. As with everything he writes it is a joy to read...and what a magic beginning 'I'll never forget the night it snowed over Calcutta.'

For 2014 I continue with my present challenges; A Century of Books and Book beginnings on Friday and I have enrolled in two new challenges; 2014 Monthly Motif Challenge and the TBR Pile Challenge.

Good luck with your own challenges!

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