On 2020 my aim was to keep going on to read books in Finnish, English and Swedish plus one fat magazine in German. I decided that I can buy only Swedish book. The other books need the be the ones I own already; unless I got some as a gift or recycled / second hand.
I must confess and use COVID-19 as an excuse: on 2020 I bought few new books .... as a gift ... to reward myself ... from the hard work ... and to empower me ... to keep going on my studies to reach the final aim some day ...
This year I didn't reach my reading challenge aim actually. I didn't read (or buy) a Swedish book, neither English one, because I just didn't have the time. Studying has taken so much time. Also COVID-19 has shown up in my work as a hard extra pressure while many people have lost their jobs: temporary or permanently. I am so sorry for them.
I have read a lot; because of the studies and COVID-19. But I've read just 8 novels and 1 German magazine what comes to the reading challenge. I still am not thinking failing in this challenge. I think at least I managed to find the time to read all these free time books. It is positive thinking and being merciful to myself. It is mental health care.
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The 2021 reading challenge is really a challenge. I won't change the fact all the books must be in different languages I know (Finnish, Swedish, English and German) and German magazines are count. But the real challenge is to read at least 12 books. On 2021 I aim -finally- to finish all my studies. But before that happens I'll be merciful to myself. After finishing all my studies I want find the longed and desired time to read those lovely books I have in my library just waiting me to pick them up. To live through the adventures they tell...
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See what I read on 2020:
On 2020 I've read one fat magazine in German pus the novels below.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (in Finnish, mine). This book or author doesn't need any introduction. I just need to say how charming it was read this story from 1847. The life and world was so different though the human nature stays the same. It is also sad -as we know today- that many themes of the book are unfortunately true and still daily life to some ones we easily forget.
Professor by Charlotte Brontë (in Finnish, mine). Unbelievable but true, this book was originally published already on 1857 but translated in Finnish on 2009 for the 1st time!!! This was a good book because Charlotte Brontë is a good writer. But, after finishing this book I suddenly realized why it -despite of well written story- has not reached similar glory like Jane Eyre for example. In this novel Charlotte Brontë describes the world through male eyes and experiences of life. She has written this before her marriage or becoming a mother of boys. On that time, in the middle on 1800 the only experience of males were her experiences of her own father and brother. The story is not written in superficial way but it stays a bit hollow and for a very understandable reason. It all is just how she images a man to see, feel and experience. How she could have more experience about that in her time? Compared to that she succeed very well but it is no miracle it was rejected (by male publishers I assume) for several times. It is a well written story but the deeper experience is missed. Also because of that it is very interesting to read this book. It describes quite well how female on 1840's images the men are and experience the life. Still, worth of reading; there are worst ways to spend your time than read this book.
Lauma by Jouni Tikkanen (in Finnish, mine). It is originally Finnish book about a small wolf pack that killed children at 1880-1881 in Turku region, south Finland. The book is written objective and gives the voice also to the wolves who had very hard time on those years in Finland because there was not much natural big game for available. It bases and stays in historical and scientific facts without passion for or against wolves.
Sää joka muutti maailmaa by Marcus Rosenlund (in Finnish, mine). It is a book about the weather that changed the world. Marcus Rosendlund writes a bit like Peter Wohlleben whose books I read on 2019 and 2018. The book is a science book but written more like a novel. It tells about the things and reasons that has lead to climate change -during all the ages. He proves the climate has changed all the time and is doing it also now. The reasons might be different, same or they have something in common. He connects it all very well also to the history of human beings. Definitely worth of reading if it will be translated into your language.
The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg (in Finnish, mine). A heart warming and tear dropping story about it that we should never think we know someone truly. This book is a good remind about it that elder people may have memories, experiences and things to tell us. They may also have things they don't want to tell us but we desire to hear. If you are a curious person and interested about the stories of the life: read this.
The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George (in Finnish, mine). This book title is translated also as The Little French Bistro in some English countries. It must feels as an insult for the Bretons because the books scene is in Bretagne (Brittany). This book scene brings me back to my childhood dream travel to Bretagne in some day. A good story about it how we all should remember to cherish it what is important to us. Nina George is a good novelist but I must confess this book is a bit too much about lovers and escapades. If you get annoyed by that choose some other book. But if you can read on without concentrating too much on it then this is a good read.
The Book of Dreams by Nina George (in Finnish, mine). Well written story about a man in coma. If you are not comfort with deep death themes, skip the book. If coma and such themes make you feel anxious, skip the book. It is a well written story about life and death but it makes you to think at the end that she wrote it more for herself than for you. Which actually is true because she says she had the need to write about the death because of personal issues. In this book is also a theme about escapade & betraying your partner. If you dislike it and have not much time to read, skip also this story.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire (in Finnish, mine). This book tells the biography of Wicked Witch of the West in Land of Oz. Quite fascinating but around the page 160/461 I started to feel it reminds quite a lot about Harry Potter books. Right after I realized this was publisher on 1995 and the 1st Harry Potter a year after. Oops. I really had to push myself to read this book and give it the value and respect it deserves. At first the reading turn out very slow but then I learn not to care about the actions and scenes which brought up Harry Potter world too alive into my mind. Every now and then I had to remind myself this was publisher first. This is a very good book, not any kind of children story, but very interesting to read especially when warned beforehand about the connection to Harry Potter actions and scenes.
