January is at its end. Since I will not be able to finish another book today, here a short summary of what I have read during the month. I have mostly concentrated on the challenges I am following. Wanted to start the new year with a little bit of discipline and finish what I had envisaged. It has worked out very well indeed.
The Unread Shelf hosted by Whitney Conard is aiming at reading anything on your shelves. She is guiding you through e-mails and thoughts on how to get through your piles. If you are interested to join go to her website. So far I have read two books; The January book was 'A book with high expectations' and I choose In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway. His first short stories concentrating on relationships and man's relation to nature. I was not overenthusiastic but will continue to read two more short story collections; Men Without Women and Winner Take Nothing, before going over to his novels.
From my Top TBR for 2021 I choose My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman. He has a sharp eye for what is going on in society and it is always a pleasure to read his books.
Back to the Classics is hosted by Karen at Books and Chocolate. I started with number 5 on the list - 'A classic by BIPOC author; that is, a non-white author' and choose The Prophet by Khalil Gibran (1923). Looking at various situations in life the Prophet tells us what is important. It is all beautiful and thoughtworthy.
The Classic Club Spin in December gave us number 14. My book was C.G. Jung's The relation of the ego to the unconscious. Not entirely easy to read, but rather short. There were some interesting studies though that one could follow - more or less.
The Anne Tyler re-read project is hosted by Liz Dexter at Adventures in reading, running and working from home. I have loved all books I read by Anne Tyler, and it is not that many, so I decided to join the project. I am happy to say that I managed to read the first two books for January; If Morning Ever Comes (1964) and The Tin Can Tree (1965). I did like them both and a review will follow.
Apart from challenges and projects I read all the Bridgerton novels by Julia Quinn, starting in December and finishing in January. A nice, relaxed reading with a little bit of romance, to make our present-day dread a little bit easier. Also enjoyed the Netflix TV-series.
Finished two books for my on-line book club; The Past by Tessa Hadley and, for the upcoming meeting, Judgement in Stone by Ruth Rendell. Two different kinds of books but both enjoyable. The Past about family relations and how they turned out, looking back on childhood memories. I used to read a lot by Ruth Rendell when I was younger. Always excellent and thrilling reading. So is this one about a housekeeper trying to hide a life long secret.
I don't have a lot of patience with audiobooks. However, I have a few downloaded from an earlier subscription and would like to finish them. I just don't know when to listen and it seems to take forever to finish the books. One I had listened to for quite a while, and which is really good, was The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley. I really wanted to finish it, so downloaded an e-book copy from my library and finished it in an hour. Felt really good. Eager to read also the following books, but I feel I have too much at hand for the time being.
Since I am now in Austria with my husband, I decided to finally read The Lonely Princess by Joan Haslip. A nonfiction account on the life of Sisi, Empress Elizabeth, married to Emperor Franz Josep. A very interesting account on her life, as well as her families, against a backdrop of the turbulent times at the end of the 19th century. A review will follow.
That was a summary of my reading for January. A good way to start the year I feel. Let's see how February will turn out. For my challenges, I will read Ernest Hemingway by Carlos Baker, Kristuskvinnan by Stoika Hristova, The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham, An Ice-cream War by William Blake, The Sibyl by Pär Lagerkvist, and A Slipping Down Life and The Clock Winder by Anne Tyler. At least, that is the plan.
How are you doing with your reading and possible challenges?
You had a busy reading month! I hope February is as good or better!
ReplyDeleteYes, it turned out quite good. Sometimes reading goes smoothly.
DeleteSome interesting reads there last month. I have read "The Prophet" but that's it. But I've read a historical novel based on Sissi's life. Elizabeth I by Margaret George. Would be interesting to compare those two.
ReplyDeleteSame as me, you seem to read more English than "native" novels. There are just so many more of them, right?
Have a good stay in Austria.
It seems The Prophet is quite a popular books, rightly so. It is always interesting to compare biographies. I will have a look into Margaret George's book. Haslip's book turned out to be very good, although written already in 1965.
DeleteSince it was easier to get hold of English books abroad, I have tended to read more in English than in Swedish. I seem to read many more Swedish books now. However, I prefer to read books in their original language, if possible. Only with English I am afraid. It would take me forever to read a book in German.
That is a similar reason for me. It's always easier to get English books - unless you're in Germany. LOL. No, the larger bookshops in cities carry a large selection but in the smaller towns it's quite difficult. But I also have a problem with newer German books, it takes ages until they are published in paperback. Is that the same in Sweden?
DeleteIf you want to read some German books, start with some easy ones, my first English books were those I read with my son.
In any case: Happy Reading!
I think books are published in paper backs rather quickly in Sweden. I think these are the books that sells the most, so I am sure they are eager to get them out.
DeleteHere in Innsbruck too it is difficult to find books in English. There are some, but mostly only very popular, easy going books. Even in Sweden the range is somewhat limited. Mostly, if I buy a book in English I buy an e-book. Easy to read, quick to get.
I have a book in German, written by a friend of Martin. It is a book about a local area of Innsbruck, and I think it should be rather easy to read. I am concentrating on that for the time being. But you are right. One has to choose books which are for children och young people.
It depends where you are in Germany. Bigger towns with many book shops, especially chain shops, offer quite a selection. But I always find most when I visit my son in Amsterdam, they have a Waterstones which is just as large as the large ones in the UK and an American shop called ABC, also just as huge. And I have two strong male companions who can carry my purchases. LOL
DeleteI really don't like e-books which is a handicap, I admit. But as long as I can get most books somehow, I try to stay away from them.
I love these big English book shops, but they are not everywhere. I have a problem with audio books, just can't get used to them, and it takes for ever to listen through a book. When we were in the West Indies last year, I did listen to a couple of books while travelling, and that was fine.
DeleteWith e-books you can choose the size of the letters, make bookmarks, and other small features which I think is great while reading. But, it is not for everyone.
Same here, I really can't get around audiobooks. But ebooks are not much better for me. Well, if all else fails, I have a huge TBR pile. ;-)
DeleteYou are seriously on a roll! Tremendous productivity -- far more than I. And some interesting ones there, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you. From time to time the reading goes smoothly.
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