Swedish Authors: Henning Mankell

You may have heard about the Swedish writer Henning Mankell, his books about the criminal detective Kurt Wallander has been translated into many languages. The Wallander series has what every other crime novels have. A main person, in this case Kurt Wallander, who is a criminal inspector at the police in a small town called Ystad in Sweden. He is divorced and has a daughter. He is not very good with romantic relationships and he seems to be married to work. Have you heard it before? To me it sounds like every other crime novel I have ever read. It is not that the books about Wallander is badly written, they are thrilling and you are not really sure how it will end, but at the same time, it feels like I have read the story before.

I have read many of his books that aren’t part of the Wallander series (some of which I have recommended in this blog). They bring up subjects that are important and touch your soul on a whole other level than a crime novel would do. The most recent Wallander book I read was TeaBag, it brings up the problem of refugees who live underground in Sweden. In Comedia Infantil, Mankell writes about children living in the streets in Brazil. Another book (Vindens son in Swedish, I have yet to find the title in English) tells us the story about a black boy taken to Sweden from Africa during the 19th century and is shown around on different institutions in Sweden like an animal.
All of these books leave an impression in my brain. It was years since I read both Comedia Infantil and Vindens son, but I can still vividly bring up the feeling I had when I read them. There are very few books that move me like that, but when you find them they are going to last forever.
Josefine

My recommendations: Comedia Infantil by Henning Mankell

Lazy reading Sundays

My perfect Sunday starts when I make a big pot of coffee and then go back to bed and spend the whole day in bed reading. No matter the weather outside or piles of unanswered emails unwritten stories, dirty laundry and all other obligations, I can spend a full day in bed. Disappearing into the wondrous adventures of a heroine in need of an adventure or a hero struggling to believe in himself. The books at my nightstand are screaming for me to be read. “Stay in bed, read me, read me. I have something important to tell.” I really should stay in bed.
Or at least, the library calls and want their books back. I am such a hoarder of books. I keep them way past their due date and I keep renewing them. I still have to figure out that I can actually borrow one, return it when I am done with it, then borrow a new. Instead I have to have at least three different books at my nightstand. Depending on which mood I am in, I pick the right one. Except on my lazy Sundays when I try to finish them all.

However, these Sundays don’t come very often. Or rather, I don’t let myself enjoy these Sundays very often. There is too much that have to be done before next week starts. Why are there so many obligations? I should really apply for more free time. Where do you do that?

Yesterday was not a Sunday like that. Even though I wish it were so. This week is the first week back from my vacation therefore there was too many things to prepare. There simply was no time for me to lie in bed all day. But soon, when things are getting back to normal at work, I’ll have a lazy reading Sunday. Can’t wait. Make the coffee pot ready and fluff those pillows. Better stack the chocolate hideout as well.
Josefine

My recommendations: Tea Bag by Henning Mankell