A lovely meme to help us catch up with ourselves and others, as hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. I only get a chance to join in once a month, and what a difference a month makes!
The three Ws are:
- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think you’ll read next?
Currently reading:
Lou Sarabadzic: La vie verticale
I met Lou at the Asymptote Book Club meeting last month and completely fell in love with her wit, erudition and style. Then I discovered that we both lived in virtually the same place (not at the same time) in France. Her novel, available in e-book format from her French publisher, Publienet, is about overcoming OCD and depression, and about rebuilding your life abroad.
Rein Raud: The Death of the Perfect Sentence, transl. Matthew Hyde
My Estonian contribution for the #EU27Project is an experimental spy thriller, if you can imagine such a thing, set in the dying days of the Soviet empire and the rise of the Estonian independence movement. Fascinating, oddly familiar and yet also completely new insights. Very funny too in parts.
Just finished:
S.J.I. Holliday: The Lingering
An idealistic, isolated community, suspicious villagers, an abandoned hospital teeming with ghosts, a couple trying to run away from their troubles… Wicker Man meets The Turn of the Screw with elements of The Lovely Bones thrown in for good measure.
Petra Hammesfahr: The Sinner, transl. John Brownjohn
After seeing the first two episodes of this US crime series (1st season), I was very curious to read the original German novel that it was based on. There are significant differences between book and TV adaptation, but both are excellent at keeping your adrenaline on high alert. You can read my full review on Crime Fiction Lover.
Up next:
I don’t usually like Christmassy reads, but am quite fond of wintry scenes, so here are a couple of escapist books I am considering for my next read:
Antonio Manzini: Black Run
Well, who doesn’t dream of perfect snow conditions on the perfect black run? The Aosta Valley in Italy sounds idyllic, it’s just on the other side of my beloved Mont Blanc, and anything to do with skiing makes me happy, especially since I know I won’t be doing any skiing this year. I suppose I can also use it for Italy for #EU27Project.
Sigrid Nunez: The Last of Her Kind
I’d been reading about The Friend, the latest book by Sigrid Nunez, which won the National Book Award in the US this year. But I thought I’d start with this earlier book by the same author, about a complicated college friendship between two young women of very different social backgrounds (against the backdrop of 1968, the 1970s and then decades later).
I’d love to hear what you’ve got planned for reading over Christmas. Above all, I hope you get some time to read!
findingtimetowrite 
Lots of suspense in these books, Marina Sofia! And it’s interesting that they all build it in different ways. For some reason, although I usually don’t go at all for ghosts and hauntings and such, the Holliday appeals to me…
Your Goodreads note sold me on The Sinner. Onto the list it went.
The Lingering sounds right up my street!
i don’t go for ‘Christmas’ themed books either but do like to read either a good crime story or a classic at this time of the year. Fortunately the Classic Club did one of their ‘spins’ recently so delivered one to add to my reading list (The Vicar of Wakefield)….
I’m not one for Christmassy reads either. La vie verticale appeals, but my French is just not up to reading it! And I like the sound of The Lingering with its mix of scary stories.
An eclectic list as always! I’ve done with Christmas themed reading I think (BL Classics Crime). I feel the need to really get my teeth into something but I’m not quite sure what…
No Christmasy stories here either. My family had Chanukkah and Christmas, but then I moved away and celebrated just fun parties for the winter solstice with food and gifts. But I did just read The Linden Tree by Cesar Airi, a lot of fun and perceptive, too. And I read the confusing Transcription by Kate Atkinson. Do rich Nazis actually ask, “Would you like tea and cake, and by the way, the Jews are ruining the world?” while being charming. Is this true or satire? I need to know.
I’m reading Val McDermid’s terrific book with Karen Pirie that goes back tothe 1984 miners’ strike, A Darker Domain. Love the true history here, am learning more, and about the Weymss Caves, Pict cave paintings, and more.
Next I either read McDermid’s new book “Broken Ground” or Barbara Kingsolver’s “Unsheltered,” or “Not of the Fold,” about Utah Mormons. I am “spoilt for choice,” as British people say. And even more is lurking. like Keigo Higashino’s new book, which I have from the library. (I’ve read everything this year for the meme, except I can’t find a book by anyone under 30.)
Ah, sounds like a lovely settling down to read properly over the holiday period. I haven’t read Transcription yet, but I cam imagine the Nazis being very well able to have a disconnect between the life they lead and culture and tea etc. and being very nasty indeed to others. To be honest, I see that with rich people all the time – that isolation in their protective bubble.
Very good observation about rich people. And it’s said here by privileged people about the desperate refugees at the border, devoid of empathy. And some rich people support the current White House regime, either in spite of or because of its bigotry.
Have a great holiday and look forward to a new year of books. I suppose peace and wishes for an end to the lunacy in this government is too much to ask. So I’ll ask for good books.