Happy New Year - ready for new good books

Welcome to Club Read 2022! I take it your goal is to read one book a week on average? I almost made it this year (47 books). If you would like, please feel free to post on our introductions thread. Happy reading!

1) Det døde hus / The house of the dead, by F. Dostojevskij.
Some years ago I found the complete edition of F.M. Dostojevskij - second hand and for the price of 100 danish kroner. I am half trough. The house af the dead - what a description of the life-long stay in a prision-camp in Sibiria.

Happy New Year to you too and welcome to Club Read!
How are you finding The House of the Dead? I remember struggling with it.

>4 Dilara86: Hey. Oh it was a long book, admitted - it took me some days - more than expected. But still good - the point that power, and power over other humans, will destroy you and will destroy the society - is so important. And then the point that to keep people locked up for so long has no meaning in making a positive difference.
But- now a break from Dostojevskij :)

Welcome to CR, Sune. Enjoyed your comments on The House of the Dead.

Welcome to the group!

2) Et forsvar for storbyen / A defence for the big city by Simon Kjær Hansen. In the book Simon tells the advantages by living in big cities, live close, in small apartments , building tall. Especially concerning sustainability there are clear advantages compared to people living in own houses, with garden, with own heating-system, with the need of 1-2 cars (instead of metro or bike). Interesting, and a bit provocative for me, living in the country-side. But admitted, he has som good arguments.

>8 NduguSune: interesting theme, since a lot of what we read seems to fall under the theme of “reasons to not live in a big city”.

Glad to meet you, Sune. Welcome to the group!

3) Enden på historien The end of the history by Jan Guillou. The tenth and final book in a serie. It tells the history of the last century through 3 borthers, born in Bergen in Norway - later 2 of them stayed in Germany - untill 2ww - then the whole family moved to Sweden. The history is continued, now telling about the children and grandchildren. The point and good about the serie is that Jan Guillou tells a lot about important things in the history of Scandinavia, Europe and the world - but as seen through this family. And as this is his story - well he can let the persons show up rigtht where he wants - and in that way give us sometime a interesting and new way of seeing the history.

4) Min svage tro /My weak faith by Jens Christian Grøndahl. A danish author telling his personal history about his faith and relationship to the church. He his very humble and he has some good descriptions of his journey to belive and to consider the christian faith to be a important part of his life. A interesting part is when he descibes how his daughters confirmation changed him, the talks with her, the going to church together and the talks. A very good book.

>12 NduguSune: I have one of Grøndahl's novels on my TBR.

5) Blomsterdalen / Flowervalley by Niviaq Kornerliussen. This novel won the Nordic Council literature prize last year. The young woman we follow is from Greenland (as the author). She is struggeling to find her way of living. One of her struggles is her being accepted as homosexual. But must more important the novel gives a very tough picture of a society with an incredible high number of suicide. This is a huge problem in Greenland.

6) Løgneren / The Liar by Martin A. Hansen. This novel is surely a classic in Denmark. Written in 1950, and send in the radio, every week a new chapter - and very popular. The Liar is a teacher living on a small island, he is a fantastic teacher, but at the same time lonely and in doubt about his life. Through the book there are some fantastic descriptions of nature, the bird-life, the relation between the theacher and his old dog.
My own father was actually teacher at a small island when young. And during his studies to be a teacher himself he wrote a paper about The Liar. I still have this paper.

7) Hvid Mand /White Man by Peter Freuchen. Freuchen was a danish arctic explorer. He tells a story based on real history - the King send around year 1725 a ship from Copenhagen to Greenland. On board together with soldiers 12 mal prisioners and 12 women, also coming fra prison. The would have their freedom and should bulid a colony there in Greenland. There has already for some years lived a pastor Hans Egede - and of course there will be a struggle and fight -who should be the leader.
Most of their efforts failed. Many dies. One of the prisioners together with his wife make a good contact to the local people, stay with them and learn from them how to live in Greenland.
In that way Peter Freuchen clearly shows his sympathy for the Greenland-people.

>15 NduguSune: I have The Liar on my shelves, waiting to be read. Your review makes me want to get to it sooner. And you have such an interesting personal connection to the book.

>15 NduguSune: That's cool about your father's on the book The Liar. Enjoying your posts.

8) Meter i sekundet / Meter per second by Stine Pilgaard. Quite new novel, and very funny and at the same time with a lot of life-wise words. The author is a young woman living at a Folkhigh-school in a small village in western part of Denmark. The title refeers to the everlasting subject, the wind. Always windy, and the basic for many peoples work/jobs in the windtubine-industry.
Stine Pilgaard, and the I person in the novel is living together with a man who works as a teacher at the folkhigh-school. She herself is busy trying to get a drivers license, it take an enormous number of practice lessons. So funny described. At the same time she is answering letters in the local newspaper.
I really recommend this book, or perhaps wait for the movie. They are right now filming, at the same-same folkhigh school. I look forward to film.
Stile Pilgaard has also some poems in the books, som of them now put into songs. Try to listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aLEDxP9f9w
It is the author who joins in the last verse.

9) Løgstrup & Sygeplejen / Løgstrup & Nursing. The book is written by a Norwegian nursing professor, Kari Martinsen. She makes a presentation of K.E. Løgstrup who was a Danish philosopher and theologian and her task is to see how his theory can by interpreted in the nursing context. Løgstrup talks about the ethical demand, that we as human always has a influence, a responsibility for how other peoples life will be. Very interesting reading for a nurse as me.

10) (Lykke Per) / A Fortunate man by Henrik Pontoppidan. A classic in danish litterature. Per is the boy/man we follw trough his life. He is by education and work a part of the indutrialization late 1800. At the same time he struggles to find out his own identity. His ego and ambitions are huge, but he can not make it come true. He ends his days lonely working in a rural area.
The book has more than 1400 pages, we started last year, I reading loud while my wife is knitting.

>19 NduguSune: I see the film will be released in March 2023. It sounds fun.

>21 NduguSune: Wow. 1400 pages, that's a labor of love.

11) (Jeg løb mod Nilen) / The Republic of False Truths by Alaa Al-Aswany. It is a tough book to read. I have read most of the books by Al-Aswany but this he is very, very clear in the description of the situation in Egypt during and after The Arab Spring. Yes, in the book we meet people standing up against the oppression, but it leaves somehow on depressed on how the future in Egypt will be.

12) Biskoppen og jødeforfølgelserne / The Bishop and the persecutions of the Jews by Martin Schwarz Lausten. Hans Fuglsang-Damgaard was the bishop in Copenhagen during 2WW. This book tells how he tried to help and protect the jews in Denmark. The first years of 2WW the danish goverment tried to coorporate whit the germans - to reduce the harm and damage. The bishop had to be loyal to this politic, although personally against. The documents now shows that he was very active in the protests and was trying to save jews from getting caught by the nazis.
It is a ongoing discussion in Denmark how we reacted under 2WW, allthough resistans officialy we were cooperative for the first 3 years, many look to Norway and compare to their open fight from 9th of april 1940.

>24 NduguSune: I would like to learn more about Denmark during WWII. It's a hole in my WWII reading filled only with Night of Watching and the movie Flame and Citron.

>25 labfs39: Yes it is an interesting subject. Rigth now I am reading a book about - the 6 months from 5th of May 1945 til end october when we had election to the parlament in Denmark. Everyone very busy creating the right history. Clealy disagreement between the resistans movement and the politicians. But more later - when I finish the book.

13) HOMO sapienne by Niviaq Korneliussen. I read ealier Blomsterdalen, Niviags latest book. This one is her debut from 2014. Again Greenland, the capital Nuuk, and the struggle to find a way of living for young people. The book is 5 chapters - and 5 persons history. All 5 are trying to find out about friends, partners. Homosexuality is - like in Blomsterdalen a major subject, actually for all 5 persons. Not easy in a rather small community as Nuuk. A tough book, yes - alcohol, insest, suicides - but in the end also a life-affirming history when the person from the first chapter and the one from the last chapter find each other.

Very interesting reading. Thanks! And a belated welcome to Club Read.

14) Tanker i en skorsten / Thoughts in a chimney by Martin A. Hansen. From my dad I have complete edition of Martin A. Hansens writing. I now have read book number 7 - out of 10. This one contains 20 short stories. Many of them descibes old places and people in the area where Martin A. lived as child. The title refers to the kitchen of an old house, with a big chimney over the open fireplace. He reflects over the many, many women who have worked there, and over how many thoughts and dreams that went up the chimney.

15) Sommerglæder /Summerjoys by Herman Bang. Bang was a danish author, died in 1912. This small novel is a bit different from the rest of his writing. A funny description of one day in a small town near the coast. Nothing happens, but suddenly a lot of holiday-travellers enter. The family at the guesthouse gets busy, and everything is chaos. But the mood is good and everything ends good.

>30 NduguSune: I have The Liar on my shelves. I should pull it out and put it in the read-sooner-rather-than-later-pile.

>32 labfs39: so do I.

16) Byens Spor 4 / Echoes of the City by Lars Saabye Christensen. It is volume number 4 of a triology! What a surprise that Lars Saabye wrote another volume. The book follows Jesper, a boy in Oslo - and his family, neighbours and friends. The time is from post 2ww and up to the 1980s. You just enjoy the way he descibes the daily-life. All 4 volumes I have read aloud for my dear wife, we both loved the book.

17) Den rødhårede kvinde / The Red-Haired Women by Orhan Pamuk.
Strange novel, the thing about digging well reminds me about Murakami, in one of his books a lot of things are happining in a deep well. And somehow the fate of Cem, is clear and it ends where around the well.

>12 NduguSune: I have enjoyed four novels of Grøndahl's in translation. I'm glad to hear this memoir is also good, although I'm not sure it would be something I would read. I think of him as a very empathetic author.

18) Skæbnens blå tråde / The blue threads of fate by Lars Mytting. The second book about the life in a norwegian valley, far from everything. The first book was telling from 1880, this one from 1903. We are following a pastor who lives and works there - and we follow a family - Hekne. This is a feel good book, page turner - and surely there will be a book number 3 later.

19) Rejser fire fortællinger / Journeys by Herbjørg Wassmo. 4 short stories. All 4 about a person who experience a major change in life, f.ex. divorce, partners dead og deadly cancer. I know Wassmo for her very long stories about Dina and her family. But for sure she is also very good in intense short writing.

20) Hans Kvast og Melusine by Henrik Pontoppidan
A small book , quite funny, about af man, Hugo and his fight to compose music and by recognized. Although he behave strange - he succed in the end.

21) Indensognskrønike by Halldór Laxness. In a small parish outside Reykjavik, Iceland one of the 2 small churches have to be removed. The decision taken far away. But the local people will not acept, and the fight against. Funny, good book

22) Arven / The Legacy by Heinrich Böll. A short story from 2ww. Mostly about the behavior, and about to keep on behave as a human in the middle of chaos.

23) Modellen /The model by Lars Saabye Christensen. A story about af painter who struggles to keep on making succes by his art. Now he becomes sick, he will get blind within short time. He choose to get a risky opration, involving a donor - it is absolutly not legally...

24) De opdagede verden They discovered the world by Kåre Bluitgen. The danish journalist has written about 9 men who all made voyages of discovery. Interesting to read, because he draws lines from the one to the others. The issue of buisness and trade was strong. But also how must suffering they brought to the areas the discovered.

>15 NduguSune: How special to have such a personal connection to this book! I've added it to my wishlist as it sounds like a read that I would enjoy.

25) Indblanding ønskes essays / Interference desired by Heinrich Böll. I have read a lot of his novels . Now this is a collection essays, articles and speeches from the early 1970s. Böll was surely a figther for human rights, and he was not affraid to speak against the goverment and other center of power. In the time of berufverbot it was actually very brave and important.

26) Et år med Luther / A year together with Luther by Martin Luther. This is a bit special. We have been more than a year to read this. It is book with 366 small chapters, one for every day - with a small text of Martin Luther. We read it at bedtime, the delay is becaoúse often I was to tired and felt to sleep.

27) Sommeren '45: Fra overmod til mismod / Summer '45: From arrogance to dejection by Per Stig Møller. The author is former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Denmark. He has written a very thorough book about the 6 months in Denmark after 2ww. In the first weeks big celebration and the resistance movement in focus. The movement insisted to have influence and to be seen as the reason that Denmark could join the group of allies against Germany. But at the same time the politicians want to reclaim the scene. The goverment in Denmark encouraged the people to work together with Germany - f.ex. to join the german army in the fight against the russians. It was as late as august 1943, the goverment resigned, and they did it only because the people made a general strike. Now after the war, the , politicians tried to justify them self - by saying that they the whole time have been against the nazi - but in order to avoid totally chaos they choosed to work together with them.
Later in the summer '45 there were lawsuits against the people who had been working together with the germans and those who joined them in the fight. They were given long prison sentences. But the politicians, who encouraged them - they could continue without punisment. Actually most of them were reelected to the parlament late october '45.

>40 NduguSune: After reading Independent People, it's hard for me to imagine Laxness and funny in the same sentence. Maybe I should give him another try sometime. I did not like IP.

>41 NduguSune: >45 NduguSune: I have not yet read Böll, although I have A Soldier's Legacy, which I'm assuming is the one you read, and The Casualty on my shelves. I need to get to them. If only I stopped finding more books, I could get to some of the ones on my TBR!

>47 NduguSune: Ooh, this sounds like something I would really like, but unfortunately I don't think it's available in English. Is there a book about WWII in Denmark that you would particularly recommend? I could add it to my aforementioned TBR...

>48 labfs39: Laxness: Yes he can be quite serious, I read once Guds gode gaver, he tells very straight forward about the overconsumption of nature - how f.ex. the fishing of herring during 2ww twas without control and the fish disappeared from the ocean around Iceland - just because of the hunt for quick profit.
Böll: I really think you should read something from Böll. Huse uden fædre ; Hvor var du, Adam? He has several short novels telling about 2ww.
Books in english oabout denmark and 2ww - not easy. But Tage Skou-Hansen has written some novels about a group of very young people who get involved in resistance. Some of the books are translated.

28) Civilsamfundet - mellem stat og marked The civil society - between state and market by Knud Vilby. Knud Vilby is an old nestor, he has been active in international development work and social policy for many years. He now sees limited space for the civil society and the organisations involved. Traditionally the development work in Denmark has been grounded from these organisations - and they have during the years been strong advocates for aid and support. But the last years - especially from 2000 the goverment has changed its view and politic - the support has been less and the role of the civil society has been limited.

>49 NduguSune: Thanks, it looks like I should be able to get The Naked Trees by Skou-Hansen.

29) En forfatters dagbog by Dostojevskij. I found some years ago in a garage sale a complete edition of Dostojevskij - 24 books for a price of 100 kr - less than 20 euro. Since then slowly working my way through. Now this one was different, not a novel but several smaller articles from his monthly magazine. Especcially interesting h.is comments on the russians identity and the fasination for Europe. To read this in a time of war in Ukraine - it is really thought-provoking

30) Sidste søndag i oktober by Jan Sonnergaard.. A danish autor, he wrote few books before he died, only 52 years old. The short stories are in a very special language, the sentences are as spoken, short and very direct. I will try to find other books from him.

31) Den gode væver by Jørn Riel. Jørn Riel is a popular wrtiter, or he was for many years, especially for his "Skrøner" - funny short stories about some fur hunters in Greenland. But this book are different - 9 short stories form around the world. Not funny as the "Skrøner" but very wellwritten. Sorry - I do not think there is a translation.

32) Kalak by Kim Leine. Oh, this one is up to now one of the best this year. Kim Leine tells his own story - born in Norway, grown among Jehovah's Witnesses. He moves to Copenhagen to his father - but the father abuses him sexually. Kim becomes a nurse, and together with wife and children they move to Greenland. He works as a nurse, a very good nurse - but at the same time he starts to use medicin, and becomes dependent. He loose his authorization as a nurse. Now today he is a wellknown author, especially about Greenland.

33) Hvorfra? Hvorhen? by Thit Jensen. She lived from 1876-1957. She wrote some very good historical novels - and then she was a strong figther for rigths for women. But this book is different - She writes biograficaly about her life - her brother was Johannes V. Jensen who won the Nobel Prize for his writing. But she mange to finish the book without mention him. They could not stand each other. Futhermore she was spiritualist, quite special to read about. To be honest I prefer her historical books.

34) Hjertets dannelse / Formation of the heart by Erling Jepsen. His first book Kunsten af græde i kor was guite popular - made into a movie also. Again here its a story from the border area in south Denmark, very near to Germany. To admit, disappointment. The story was not well connected- to many jumps. The funny part was that beside the story he put in a travel of H. C. Andersen, let him visit the same village and area.

>56 NduguSune: But she mange to finish the book without mention him. How odd. Makes me wonder what else she left out.

35) Jakkels vandring The walking of Jakkels by Svend Åge Madsen. Svend Åge Madsen has written a lot of books, all concentrered around Århus and the east of Jylland. At the same time he is always in a a strange reality - fantasy - jump back and forth in time. Now in this book there are 7 small stories - telling the same history about Jakkels life. But the 7 stories are told by 7 different people who was around him. The parallel to Jesus and his walking around is clear. But Jakkel has no clear message - so it is in no way blasphemy, but rather a warning not to accept everything you hear, to be critical. At the same time quite funny.

36) Kur mod onde Ånder /Cure against evil spirits by William Heinesen. WH was a author from the Faroe Islands, with out the most famous. He has written som very good historical novels. And about the life, farmers, fishermen and whalers and the dailylife around the smallest capital in the world - as he always call Thorshavn. Some books of him are translated.

37) Kat og mus /Cat and mouse by Günter Grass. Some boys life during second world war living in Danzig. The war experienced through these boys are a different, but interesting way.

38) Rytteren by H C Branner. Small book, the story cover 24 hours of the life of Susanne. Telling her dilemmas, has been partner to one man, now he is dead and she is together with an other. The speciel thing is what these men represent and the choice she has to make. Quite okay book.

Some interesting books here. I just looked up William Heinesen and see that he has been translated into English, so will look for some of his work.

>63 SassyLassy: I tried to find Noatun, but to no avail. The Lost Musicians seems to be available in English more readily, having been published by Daedalus.

>64 labfs39: Thanks - I didn't find that one either, but did see about half a dozen on Book Depository.

39) Kunsten at finde den medfødte bøn / Find the prayer that already exist by Martin Modéus. It is my poor translation. To reach my goal of 52 books this year I have to take them all here. This book is wtritten by the Archbishop in Sweden. It is a book of 47 short chapters, all about to pray. He writes very good and in a way so I get along and understand - even without being a theologian. We read it together, my wife and I - one chapter every night before bedtime - it was quite good.

40) Efter åndemaneren by Kim Leine. Sorry I give up the translation. Leine has written a triology, this is the last part. It is about Greenland and Denmark - how the history together, from the time before the first danes arrives up to the 1950´s. In many many ways we have done a lot of bad things in how we have affected Greenland. But the fact is that our lives are connected - and we have to accept that.

41) Den serbiske pige by Sigfried Lenz. I have read most novels by Lenz - but this one is short stories. Good, but I prefer his novels.

42) Mexicaneren by Jack London. I have a lot of books by Jack London, bought in second hand many years ago. I remember from my childhood The call of the wild. Now I try to read some of the books. This one is some short stories - they are surely good.

43) Paa gjengrodde stier by Knut Hamsun. I have read this before. But fine to read again. My norwegian uncle died - 99 years old. He met Hamsun just after 2 ww. This book is Hamsuns diary from these years. He is very old and weak - but his mind is so clear and he writting is just wunderfull. His last book, but one of the best.

44) Naar naturen kalder by Jack London. Next book by London - beside The call of the wild some short stories. But all from Alaska and Canada. I have read Jørn Riel - a danish author who writes funny short stories from the hunters in Greenland. Now after reading Jack London I guess Riel have been inspired from London.

45) Livets røst Knut Hamsun. I have most of his writing. But this is short stories - in my opinion not the best - his novels are better.

46) Søn af de sorte by Richard Wright. Oh, its a tough book. But I guess at the same time an important book, pointing on a ever lasting issue. I got 2 more by Richard Wright.

47) Den der ser by Herbjørg Wassmo. Last part of the serie about Dina and the family. For me also interesting because most of the story is around the granddaughter, admitted in a mental hospital in the late 1800.

48) Mærkedage Jens Smærup Sørensen. A very good book. Telling the story about 2 families during 60-70 years. Both families are farmers, the 2 big and important farms in a small society/village. But as times go by, things change - farming is not the most important anylonger. A very interesting thing is that the whole story is told during 3-4 "mærkedage", days of celebration - a son´s confirmation, a 60th years birthsday, a silverwedding.

49) En Klondike helt by Jack London. Okay, a bit different from other books by Jack London. The first part from Alaska, somehow wellknown. But then the change when Harnish realised that the hunting more profit will not make him happy. A somehow a romantic ending.

50) Hvad skal der dog blive af den dreng? Eller: Et eller andet med bøger by Heinrich Böll. Quite a good little book, a biography concentrating about the age from 15 to 19 years old. It is the time where Hitler took power and so much changed in Germany and the world.

51) Midaqgyden by Naguib Mahfouz. I found this book in a second hand store. Very good book, one of the best read this year. Clearly that Aswany got some of his inspiration from here to Yacobians House. A small part of Cairo, during 2ww, good descriptions of the people and daily life. For sure I want to read more by Mahfouz.

52) Den 8. dødssynd by Ole Hartling. From Thomas Aquinas and others we know the 7 deadly sins. Ole Hartling is a old man, retired doctor and wery active in the public debate especially about euthanasia, he is very much against. In this small book he formulates a 8th deadly sin as materialization. It means to see a person as a think with a certain value, and to handle him or her in that view. It means also to value someone now not fit for living, to much pain, no core ect.
The debate on euthanasia continues in Denmark - when we look to Belgium nearly 5 %, perhaps even more of all deaths are now euthanasia. We need to discuss this.

So - newyear - and 52 books read :)
I will just wait a bit with target for 2023 - we see
Happy new year

Are those the books you read this year? I love it!

I have a favor to ask. I am curating a thread for the Reading Globally theme, Reading from the Baltic Sea region. If you get a chance, could you look at my selections for Denmark? I would love any suggestions for books available in English by Danish authors, particularly any that give a sense of place. You are the resident Club Read expert on Denmark!

P.S. When you create your Club Read 2023 thread (and I hope you do), you might want to include your name or moniker in the thread title so that people can find you more easily. Cheers!