A lovely reunion

To read Alexander McCall-Smith's books on Isabelle Dalhousie always feels like coming home to a dear old auntie. The Lost Art of Gratitude was no exception.
The Sunday Philosophy Club is definitely the best of McCall-Smith's series. Every book is a small philosophical wonder in itself, a philosophic bubble with Isabelle in the middle.
Josefine

Title: The Lost Art of Gratitude Auhtor: Alexander McCall-Smith ISBN: 978-0-349-12054-6

A Journey

It was interesting as I read The journey of Ibn Fattouma by Naguib Mahfouz to try to figure out what countries he was talking about in the different stories, was the land of Halba for example really the U.S. Or perhaps Great Britain or France? There were many things that fit all three countries and some things that fitted none. It was a true journey of society and knowledge and Mahfouz ease of storytelling made the journey all worth while.
Josefine

Title: The journey of Ibn Fattouma Author: Naguib Mahfouz ISBN: 978-0-385-40361-5

Harry Potter moves on

It was more than a year since I read the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and marvelled over J.K. Rowling's talent for telling a story.

After finding the third book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at a bargain price at the library sale, I felt I needed to read the second book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secret first.

The Chamber of Secret did not impress me in the same way as the Philosopher's Stone did. This might have to do with the pleasant surprise I got when I first read the Philosopher's Stone, compared to what I already knew about Rowling's storytelling talent when I picked up the second book. But I did think that the story and plot in itself was not as good in the Chamber of Secrets, it didn't keep me as captured and involved as the Philospoher's Stone did.

However, I also have to remind myself that when you read the books as an adult, you need to remember that in its essence it is a children's book, written for children to enjoy.

Josefine

Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Author: J.K. Rowling ISBN: 978-0-7475-

3848-6

Göteborgsvarvet

I'm running today, a half-marathon in the beautiful city of Gothenburg Sweden. When I've reached the finish line I might pick up one of these:

What I talk about when I talk about running by Haruki Murukami

or perhaps

The loneliness of the long distance runner by Alan Sillitoe

Josefine

Changing society?

I recently read two books that through fiction set out to tell the story of a society in change. The Help by Kathryn Stockett talks about the American south in the 1960s where discrimination and racism are everyday occurrences. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas takes us to today's supposedly multi-cultural Australia, and even though the book cover talks more about picking sides when it comes to disciplining children, I do think that there are many similarities with The Help. 
Racism is strife in both countries coming from all directions and it influences how people act and what they do. The fifty or so years of time passing, has still not changed the perspective of many people. It is still US v THEM. Them, still being different, strange, unknown.
Josefine

Title: The Help Author:Kathryn Stockett ISBN: 978-0-14-193001-5
Title: The Slap Author: Christos Tsiolkas ISBN:978-1-84887-356-8

Unsympathetic characters

The problem I had with The Accidental Wife by Rowan Coleman, was the lack of sympathy I felt for the two main female characters Cathy and Alison. Instead it was the third female, minor character, Kirsty who got my vote. When Cathy and Alison were both trapped by the action of the men around them, and unfortunately I don't think Coleman manages to turn it around, which makes it for quite an unsatisfied book, which is a pity because I really liked The Baby Group.
Josefine

Titel: The Accidental Wife Author: Rowan Coleman ISBN: 978-0-09-949307-5