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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Mad Women by Jane Maas

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This is a book I found on the book festival a while ago. I love the TV series Mad Men, so it felt natural to read this book about the women who worked there. Jane Maas describes a world very different from a lot of other work places. She, herself, seems to have been very successful, but having to dedicate most of her life to work. It was not a problem for her, since she was lucky enough to be able to work in a world she loved. Having an understanding husband and children seems to have been a must. However, she managed to combine the working world with her private sphere, although the latter got the lesser attention.

From what I understand from her book it was a really challenging, creative and interesting world, in which like minded people met. It seems that the TV series cover the mad world of advertising quite well, and there are only a few areas where Jane Maas does not recognise herself.  It is an interesting compliment to the TV series and it reminds me that I have to see the last season!

It is also a good description of the era from the 60s onwards and is written with humour. If you love the TV series, it is a good compliment to read this tale from a woman's point of view.

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