The Content Reader

We are nearing the end of November and are already on week 4 in Nonfiction November challenge. This week is hosted by Rebekah @ She Seeks Nonfiction . I find this weekly challenge difficult. Mainly since I read mostly historical nonfiction, and I am not sure it changes anyones world views. I will probably go a slightly different path, so, let's see where I end up.  Week 4:  Worldview Changers:    What nonfiction book or books has impacted the way you see the world in a powerful way?   I went to my book shelves to check out my nonfiction books. I choose three of them that has impacted me. Maybe not changed my world views but the historical events had a great impact on many people. The Sleepwalkers , How Europe Went to War in 1914  by Christopher Clark This must be the most thorough research and writings on the first world war. Mainly centered on the origins of the war. The main event, we are told, are the shots in Sarajevo killing Archduke Franz Ferdinand, h...

My first post for German Literature Month hosted by  Lizzy’s Literary Life . It is the first time I participate and since I am following another two challenges, I try to combine reading where possible.  Week 1 – First time for everything - The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann  - I really loved this book and Hoffmann's writing. A mystery, dark and spooky tale. The Sandman is a folklore character who is said to throw sand in the eyes of children to help them fall asleep. The protagonist and narrator is Nathanael, most likely suffering from post traumatic stress due to an encounter with the sandman in his childhood. The whole story has a dark, psychological and unreal touch taking us into another world. What is real and what is suggested by our thoughts? Week 2 – Second Helpings - I rarely re-read books and since I have not read that many novellas. I wanted to read Hesse for some time, so will choose (a novella) Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse  - I am still reading this book, a...

We are half way through the Novellas in November, hosted by Cathy of 746 Books and Rebecca of Bookish Beck , and this is my first post. I did manage to read a novella för the first three weeks,  1 – 7 November: Short Classics - The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann - I really loved this book and Hoffmann's writing. A mystery, dark and spooky tale. The Sandman is a folklore character who is said to throw sand in the eyes of children to help them fall asleep. The protagonist and narrator is Nathanael, most likely suffering from post traumatic stress due to an encounter with the sandman in his childhood. The whole story has a dark, psychological and unreal touch taking us into another world. What is real and what is suggested by our thoughts? 8 – 14 November: Novellas in Translation - Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka  -   for someone like me who do not like insects it was a rather terrifying read. What does Kafka want to say with the novel? Alienation: people who are different are loo...

This week's theme is Stranger Than Fiction . When real events are so strange and incredible that no fiction author could come up with such a story.  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 ) I found it rather difficult to come up with something I have read this year. I go back to 2019 when I read Stalin - The Court of the Red Tsar  by Simon Sebag Montefiore. The story of Stalin and how he ran the Soviet Union at the time was an antagonising read. I am sure no fiction author could possibly come up with a character like this. I would also like to add a TV-series that I have been watching on Netflix. It is The Vatican Girl, The Disap...

First of all I want to apologise for, hopefully, temporary problems with the blog. I managed to get the home page working, but it seems that the last post posted will also show up at the top of the labels' pages. I am trying to solve it, but alas, so far no success. Maybe this is an indication that I should look for another provider, and make my own web-site. I am still working on a Wix web-site and might be close to let it go public. If you encounter problems with access, please leave a comment (if possible) what the problem is, or send me an email thecontentreader(at)gmail.com. In the meantime ... Sometimes you are lucky with your choice of books. While visiting my parents I took another look at the common book cases and found one book I could not resist. I have neither heard of the book, nor the author. The summary of the story caught my attention. "On a summer day, a young woman alighted from a bus in the small Cape Cod village of Chatham and took up residence in a cottage...

"The adventure of a young Parisian artist and his dog. A novel of action and reflection; of fidelity and trust; of resilience, love, and the power of art. Jeremy's mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast. Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris. This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn't come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work. Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time ... " We find Jeremy and his dog Leon at a time when Jeremy does not attend school due to a heart condition. They spend their days wandering around Paris, on Île Saint-Louis where they live. His mother is working and they don't have a lot of money. However, they live in an old house which they own, but it turns out that his mother owns the state for inheritance tax. Jeremy lives in his own world with Leon, going for walks, befriending...

  Week 2 of Nonfiction November has started. This week it is time to pair up a nonfiction book with a fiction title, or, if you prefer, another nonfiction. Being in the modern time and age you could also pair it with a podcast, film or documentary. The choice is yours. This week is hosted by Rennie @ What’s Nonfiction I always find this theme rather difficult, but this year I found my perfect match right away. It has to do with history, what else? One of my absolute favourite books are A Gentleman in Moscow  by Amor Towles. It covers the years from 1922 when communism was new until 1954, the year after Stalin died. You might see my pairing here. Simon Sebag Montefiore has written an excellent account of Stalin's life and his deeds. It is mostly scary reading. In The Court of the Red Tsar  you get a detailed, well researched account on his life and times. It seems I did not write a review at the time, maybe because it is difficult to summaries everything that was happening...

Time has come for Nonfiction November. First week is hosted by Katie @ Doing Dewey  We start week 1: (Oct 31-Nov 4) with a a few questions concerning our nonfiction reading during the year.  My Year in Nonfiction Here is what I have read so far this year: (no specific order). That is 21 NF books out of the 96 books I have read so far.  Health and Life Style Chatterjee, Dr Rangan - Feel Better in 5 Antiquity, History and Religion Gilhus, Ingvild S, Thomassen, Einar - Antikens religioner  Gardner, Laurence - The Magdalene Legacy History Harrison, Dick - Kalmarunionen, En nordisk stormakt föds Harrison, Dick - Mordet på Gustav III Blom, Tomas - Dackefejden, Det stora upproret  Blom, Tomas - Sturemorden, ett blodigt maktspel Håkansson, Håkan (Ed.) - Tycho Brahe och hans tid Harrison Lindbergh, Katarina - Nordiska Gudasagor Bengtsson, Ingvar - Kapet av Skåne Laws,  Bill - Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History Autobiographies Bergstrand, Finn - Eftertan...