(Sir)Thomas wants to read a few books in 2022

These are pictures from our pre Christmas holiday. The first one is a view from our living room.
We found out 4 days before that we would be allowed to drive.
It was beautiful, a very nice apartment, delicious food and snow!

I hope you had a good slide into 2022 - I hope you all stay healthy and the New Year will be a happy one for all of us.

Hi everybody, my Name is Thomas, I am 60 years young and I live in a small town in northern Baden Württemberg, Germany.
2021 was again my best reading year since I am part of this group - 177 finished books.
This is my 10th year in this awesome group, and every year is going better and better with books and friends.

As a Morocco proverb says:
He who reads breaks his boundaries.

and another one by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg:
A book is a printed work from which readers usually read something quite different than the author wrote into it.

My reading performance in this group:
2013: _84 books
2014: 109 books
2015: _78 books
2016: 107 books
2017: 130 books
2018: 127 books
2019: 151 books
2021: 177 books

Reading List for January
1. Tintentod by Cornelia Funke
2. Der Vogelmann / The Birdman by Mo Hayder
3. Tod beim Tee / Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs
4. Mads Don Martin hat Premiere / Mad's Don Martin Comes on Strong by Don Martin
5. Mad in Hollywood / A Mad Look at Old Movies by Mort Drucker
6. Sörensen hat Angst by Sven Stricker
7. Am Ende! Ein Weiterlebensbüchlein by Stefan Schwarzer
8. Identitti by Mithu M. Sanyal
9. Raumstation auf der Erde / Way Station by Clifford D. Simak
10. Das Geheimnis der Eulerschen Formel / Hakase no Aishita Sushiki by Yoko Ogawa
11. Das Krumme Haus / Crooked House by Agatha Christie
12. Rot ist mein Name / Benim Adım Kırmızı by Orhan Pamuk
13. Bis ihr sie findet / She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge
14. Tagebuch eines Buchhändlers / The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
15. Der Junge, der Maulwurf, der Fuchs und das Pferd / The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Books read: 15
Pages read: 4,946 (longest 768 / shortest 48 / average 330)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

England: 4 / 4 / 4
Germany: 4 / 4 / 4
Japan: 1 / 1 / 1
Scotland: 1 / 1 / 1
Turkey 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 4 / 4 / 4

Sum: 15 / 15 / 15

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 7 / 7 / 7
male authors: 8 / 8 / 8

alive authors: 11 / 11 / 11
dead authors: 4 / 4 / 4

date first published:

1940-1949: 1
1960-1969: 2
1970-1979: 1
1990-1999: 1
2000-2009: 4
2010-2019: 4
2020-2029: 2

Reading List for February
16. Der Gesang der Flusskrebse / Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
17. Erzählungen by Friedrich Glauser
18. Quirky Quarks / Quirky Quarks by Boris Lemmer and Benjamin Bahr and Rina Piccolo
19. Moonglow / Moonglow by Michael Chabon
20. Inspector Swanson und der Fluch des Hope-Diamanten by Robert C. Marley
21. Die Kunst, die Eltern zu enttäuschen by Michael Bordt
22. Whisky mit Schuss / Deadly Dram by Melinda Mullet
23. Ein Whisky auf den Tod / Died in the Wool by Melinda Mullet
24. Krabat by Otfried Preußler
25. Böse Häuser by Nicola Förg
26. Sörensen fängt Feuer by Sven Stricker

Books read: 11
Pages read: 3,885 (longest 496 / shortest 96 / average 353)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Canada: 1 / 1 / 1
Germany: 7 / 7 / 7
Switzerland: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 4 / 4 / 4

Sum: 13 / 13 / 12

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 5 / 5 / 4
male authors: 8 / 8 / 8

alive authors: 11 / 11 / 10
dead authors: 2 / 2 / 2

date first published:

1930-1939: 1
1970-1979: 1
2010-2019: 8
2020-2029: 1

Reading List for March
27. Parallele X Sturgeon in Orbit by Theodore Sturgeon
28. Die Verschwörung der Idioten / A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
29. Arsène Lupin, der Gentleman-Gauner / Arsène Lupin, gentleman cambrioleur by Maurice Leblanc
30. Gestickt, gestopft, gemeuchelt by Tatjana Kruse
31. Das Grab in den Schären / I hemlighet begravd by Viveca Sten
32. Böses Blut / Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
33. Die Unschärfe der Welt by Iris Wolff
34. Wer auf dich wartet / Watching from the Dark by Gytha Lodge
35. BLUFF!: Die Fälschung der Welt by Manfred Lütz
36. Das Café am Rande der Welt / The why are you here café by John Strelecky
37. Belgariad - Die Gefährten / Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
38. Das Alter kommt auf meine Weise by Ilse Biberti and Henning Scherf
39. Müll by Wolf Haas
40. Das Chalet / One by One by Ruth Ware
41. Alte Liebe by Elke Heidenreich and Bernd Schroeder
42. Der lächelnde Gott / It Devours!: A Welcome to Night Vale Novel by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
43. Zauber der Schlange / Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings
44. Gwendys Zauberfeder / Gwendy's Magic Feather by Richard Chizmar

Books read: 18
Pages read: 6,246 (longest 1,200 / shortest 128 / average 347)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Australia 1 / 1 / 1
England: 3 / 3 / 3
France: 1 / 1 / 1
Germany: 5 / 5 / 5
Sweden: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 7 / 7 / 6

Sum: 18 / 18 / 17

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 8 / 8 / 8
male authors: 10 / 10 / 9

alive authors: 12 / 12 / 12
dead authors: 6 / 6 / 5

date first published:

1900-1909: 1
1960-1969: 1
1980-1989: 3
2000-2009: 3
2010-2019: 5
2020-2029: 5

Reading List for April
45. The Stranger Times / The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell
46. Spiel der Magier / Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
47. Knochenhaus / The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
48. Mord Elsässer Art by Suzanne Crayon
49. Tagebuch eines sentimentalen Killers / Diario de un killer sentimental by Luis Sepúlveda
50. Was im Verborgenen ruht / Something to Hide by Elizabeth George
51. Lebwohl, mein Liebling / Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
52. Zerrissene Erde / The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
53. Wenn die Zeit verloren geht by Ulrike Strätling
54. Der Alte, der Liebesromane las /Un viejo que leía novelas de amor by Luis Sepúlveda
55. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder /A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
56. NATRIUM CHLORID / Natrium Chlorid by Jussi Adler-Olsen
57. Brennender Fels / The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin
58. Knulp by Hermann Hesse
59. Steinerner Himmel / The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin

And the stats of April:

Books read: 15
Pages read: 5,335 (longest 800 / shortest 79 / average 356)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Denmark: 1 / 1 / 1
Chile: 2 / 2 / 1
England: 2 / 2 / 2
Germany: 2 / 2 / 2
Ireland: 1 / 1 / 1
Switzerland: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 6 / 6 / 4

Sum: 15 / 15 / 12

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 7 / 7 / 5
male authors: 7 / 7 / 6
n/a: 1 / 1 / 1

alive authors: 10 / 10 / 8
dead authors: 5 / 5 / 4

date first published:

1910-1919: 1
1940-1949: 1
1980-1989: 2
1990-1999: 1
2010-2019: 7
2020-2029: 3

Media:
Ebooks: 12
Paperbooks: 3

Genre:
Adventure: 1
Crime fiction: 8
Fantasy: 4
Fiction: 1
Non-fiction: 1

Reading Reason:
This gorgeous group: 1
Own shelf: 4
Mentioned in movie: 1
Review in newspaper: 1
My wife: 1
Random / rummage: 7

Reading List for May

Reading List for June

Reading List for July

Reading List for August

Reading List for September

Reading List for October

Reading List for November

Reading List for December

A great idea from Paul Cranswick was A BOOK A YEAR FOR THE FIRST 60 YEARS OF MY LIFE
This is my updated list:
1961 Ein Mann in einer fremden Welt / Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
1962 Die Physiker / The Physicists: A Play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
1963 Platon im Stripteaselokal / Misreadings by Umberto Eco
1964 Am Freitag schlief der Rabbi lang / Friday the Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman
1965 Der Wüstenplanet / Dune by Frank Herbert
1966 Die phantastische Reise / Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov
1967 Die Vergangenheit der Zukunft (Future History) / The Past Through Tomorrow by Robert A. Heinlein
1968 2001 - Odyssee im Weltraum / 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
1969 Papillon / Papillon by Henri Charrière
1970 Und die Großen läßt man laufen / Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
1971 Der Exorzist / The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
1972 Sieh doch die Harlekins / Look at the Harlequins! by Vladimir Nabokov
1973 Momo oder die seltsame Geschichte von den Zeit-Dieben und von dem Kind, das den Menschen die gestohlene Zeit zurückbrachte / Momo by Michael Ende
1974 Carrie / Carrie by Stephen King
1975 Dhalgren / Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
1976 Interwiew mit einem Vampir / Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
1977 Sternentanz / Stardance by Jeanne Robinson & Spider Robinson
1978 Stadtgeschichten / Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
1979 Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis / The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
1980 Der Name der Rose / The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
1981 Cujo / Cujo by Stephen King
1982 Freitag / Friday by Robert A. Heinlein
1983 Christine / Christine by Stephen King
1984 Der Talisman / The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub
1985 Contact / Contact by Carl Sagan
1986 Es / It by Stephen King
1987 Der Elektrische Mönch: Dirk Gently's Holistische Detektei / Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
1988 Fool on the hill / Fool on the hill by Matt Ruff
1989 Hyperion / Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1990 The Stand / The Stand (unabridged) by Stephen King
1991 Sofies Welt / Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder
1992 Fräulein Smillas Gespür für Schnee / Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg
1993 Alpträume / Nightmares & Dreamscapes by Stephen King
1994 Asche zu Asche / Playing for the Ashes by Elizabeth George
1995 Dunkle Kammern / The Dark Room by Minette Walters
1996 The Green Mile / The Green Mile by Stephen King
1997 G.A.S. / Sewer, Gas and Electric: The Public Works Trilogy by Matt Ruff
1998 Wächter der Nacht / The Night Watch by Sergej Lukianenko
1999 Die 13 1/2 Leben des Käpt'n Blaubär / 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers
2000 Das Haus = House of leaves / House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
2001 Jack Taylor fliegt raus / The Guards: A Novel by Ken Bruen
2002 Die Bibel nach Biff : die wilden Jugendjahre von Jesus, erzählt von seinem besten Freund / Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
2003 Ich und die anderen / Set This House in Order by Matt Ruff
2004 Der Turm / The Dark Tower by Stephen King
2005 Olympos / Olympos by Dan Simmons
2006 Am Ende war die Tat / What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George
2007 Der Tod und der Dicke / Death Comes for the Fat Man by Reginald Hill
2008 Das Spiel des Engels / The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
2009 1Q84 / 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
2010 Raum / Room by Emma Donoghue
2011 5 Dinge, die Sterbende am meisten bereuen / The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
2012 Ein plötzlicher Todesfall / The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling
2013 Das Dickicht / The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale
2014 Fiona: Als ich tot war 7 The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham
2015 Opferweg / Saint Odd by Dean Koontz
2016 Lovecraft Country / Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
2017 Und dann steht einer auf und öffnet das Fenster by Susann Pasztor
2018 Von der Kunst, schlechte Nachrichten gut zu überbringen by Jalid Sehouli
2019 Kurt by Sarah Kuttner
2020 Trauer: Der Reiseführer durch ein fremdes Land by Katrin Brunner
2021 Billy Summers by Stephen King

This was also a suggestion from the group: My Nobel Prize list:
1901 Sully Prudhomme - Intimes Tagebuch
1902 Theodor Mommsen - Römische Geschichte
1903 Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson - Meisternovellen
1904 Frédéric Mistral - Mireille
1904 José Echegaray y Eizaquirre - Meisterdramen
1905 Henryk Sienkiewicz - Quo Vadis?
1906 Giosuè Carducci - Gedichte
1907 Rudyard Kipling - Dschungelbücher
1908 Rudolf Christoph Eucken - Sinn und Wert
1909 Selma Lagerlöf - Wunderbare Reise des kleinen Nils Holgerson mit den Wildgänsen
1910 Paul Heyse - Italienische Novellen
1911 Count Maurice Maeterlinck - Das Leben der Termiten
1912 Gerhart Hauptmann - Große Erzählungen
1913 Rabindranath Tagore - Gitanjali
1915 Romain Rolland - Meister Breugnon
1916 Verner von Heidenstam - Karl der Zwölfte und seine Krieger
1917 Karl Adolph Gjellerup - Seit ich zuerst sie sah
1917 Henrik Pontoppidan - Der Teufel am Herd
1919 Carl Spitteler - Prometheus der Dulder
1920 Knut Hamsun - Segen der Erde
1921 Anatole France - Die Schuld des Professors Bonnard
1922 Jacinto Benavente - Der tugendhafte Glücksritter
1923 William Butler Yeats
1924 Wladyslaw Reymont
1925 George Bernard Shaw - Pygmalion
1926 Grazia Deledda
1927 Henri Bergson
1928 Sigrid Undset
1929 Thomas Mann - Buddenbrooks
1930 Sinclair Lewis
1931 Erik Axel Karlfeldt
1932 John Galsworthy
1933 Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin
1934 Luigi Pirandello
1936 Eugene O'Neill
1937 Roger Martin du Gard
1938 Pearl S. Buck - Die gute Erde
1939 Frans Eemil Sillanpää
1944 Johannes Vilhelm Jensen
1945 Gabriela Mistral
1946 Hermann Hesse
1947 André Gide
1948 T.S. Elliot
1949 William Faulkner
1950 Bertrand Russell
1951 Pär Lagerkvist
1952 François Mauriac
1953 Sir Winston Churchill
1954 Ernest Hemingway
1955 Halldór Laxness
1956 Juan Ramón Jiménez
1957 Albert Camus
1958 Boris Pasternak - Doktor Schiwago
1959 Salvatore Quasimodo
1960 Saint-John Perse
1961 Ivo Andric
1962 John Steinbeck
1963 Giorgos Seferis
1964 Jean-Paul Sartre
1965 Michail Sholokhov
1966 Shmuel Yosef Agnon - Nur wie ein Gast zur Nacht
1966 Nelly Sachs
1967 Miguel Ángel Asturias
1968 Yasunari Kawabata
1969 Samuel Beckett - Warten auf Godot
1970 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
1971 Pablo Neruda
1972 Heinrich Böll - Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum
1973 Patrick White
1974 Eyvind Johnson
1974 Harry Martinson
1975 Eugenio Montale
1976 Saul Bellow
1977 Vincente Aleixandre
1978 Isaac Bashevis Singer - Ein Bräutigam und zwei Bräute
1979 Odysseas Elytis
1980 Czeslaw Milosz
1981 Elias Canetti
1982 Gabriel Garciá Márquez
1983 William Golding
1984 Jaroslav Seifert
1985 Claude Simon
1986 Akinwande Ouwoe Soyinka - Aké, Jahre der Kindheit
1987 Joseph Brodsky
1988 Naguib Mahfouz
1989 Camilo José Cela
1990 Octavio Paz
1991 Nadine Gordimer
1992 Derek Walcott
1993 Toni Morrison - Jazz
1994 Kenzaburo Oe
1995 Seamus Heaney
1996 Wislawa Szymborska
1997 Dario Fo
1998 José Saramago - Die Reise des Elefanten
1999 Günter Grass - Die Blechtrommel
2000 Gao Xingjian
2001 Vidiadhar Surjprasad Naipaul
2002 Imre Kertész
2003 John Maxwell Coetzee
2004 Elfriede Jelinek
2005 Harold Pinter
2006 Orhan Pamuk
2007 Doris Lessing - Das fünfte Kind
2008 J.M.G. Le Clézio
2009 Herta Müller
2010 Mario Vargas Llosa
2011 Tomas Tranströmer
2012 Mo Yan
2013 Alice Munro - Die Jupitermonde
2014 Patrick Modiano
2015 Svetlana Alexievich - Tschernobyl: Eine Chronik der Zukunft
2016 Bob Dylan - It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall
2017 Kazuo Ishiguro - Der begrabene Riese
2018 Olga Tokarczuk - Ur und andere Zeiten
2019 Peter Handke - Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter
2020 Louise Gluck
2021 Abdulrazak Gurnah

We celebrated New Year's Eve with a couple (we did not have met since years) in one of our favourite restaurants with a yummy Dinner:
Cucumber rolls and venison fricadelle
Swordfish carpaccio, avocado
Foie gras mousse in tree cake coat, black nuts, field lettuce florets
crustacean essence, sea shrimps, vegetable pearls
monkfish, tomatoe beurre blanc, pea mousseline
Fillet of beef, porcini mushrooms à la creme, Anna potatoes
Macaron, orange, cream, white coffee ice cream

It was a wonderful evening and we could enjoy the evening very much despite the circumstances...

Now I look forward to a new year with books and friends...

This group always helps me to read; welcome back to the group, Thomas.

I wouldn't miss your group!
>1 SirThomas: That really looks like Christmas!

Thank you very much, Paul. I am glad that you are the first!
I will try to follow your advice, but I think it will be very easy for me ;-)
And I'm looking forward to the books I'll get to know new thanks to you and the group.
It was a very nice time in the snow and we enjoyed it very much

Happy reading 2022 :-)

>17 SirThomas: that dinner sounds delicious.

Happy reading in 2022, Thomas!

Looking forward to follow your travels and readings again this year :-)

Happy New Year!

>1 SirThomas: Quite a lovely picture with the snow/ice crystals.

>21 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, the same to you!
And yes, the dinner was delicious and we had much to tell each other, that's why we all stayed awake ;-)
There were very few fireworks this time, because of Corona there was a sales ban - and the restaurant is quite outside.
Good that it was warm, so we had no ice on the streets on the way home.

>22 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita, I wish you and Frank the same.
I will make an effort and report...

>23 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita, I wish you the same.
In reality it was even more beautiful, with the glitter of the sun on the snow.

Dear Thomas, I hope you arrived well in 2022! Happy new reading year - may it be blessed with many great books!

Thank you, Käthe - I am pleased to see you again!

Happy new year! I hope your 2022 is filled with great reading!

Thank you, Jim - I wish you the same!

I have to wish you Happy New Year on your new thread, too!! So glad your trip was a success. Love the pictures up top. Congrats on a great reading year in '21 and here's to more books in '22!

Enjoy your 2022 reading!

Hello Thomas, and Happy New Year!
That topper pic is absolutely gorgeous. I'm looking forward to following you again this year, and to reading about your gourmet meals!

>29 Berly: Thank you, Kim, I wish you the same!
We had a very good time and I am glad you like the pictures.
Maybe this year is not the best in numbers, but with the BB from this gorgeous group it will be certainly a very good one.

>30 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori - I will do my very best!

>31 mstrust: Thank you, Jennifer, the same to you!
Oh dear, because of you I have to read and eat now too - that will be pretty hard for me ;-)

and there were books...


1. Tintentod by Cornelia Funke

English title: Inkdeath
German title translated: Inkdeath

You know that feeling when you're reading a book and suddenly you're no longer sitting on the sofa, but in the middle of the book?
That's what happened to me here, I was caught up in the maelstrom. Years ago I read the first two volumes and now finally the last volume.
The series is about a bookbinder, storytellers, and magical readers who can read you into a book or read you out of it.
The Inkworld is ruled by the Adder's Head, whom the bookbinder Mortimer has immortalized with a blank book in order to save his daughter Meggie. The population lives in fear and our heroes are desperate.
Suspense, adventure, goblins, elves, magicians, robbers, love, death, fairy tales, crime, the legend of Robin Hood - a pleasure to read even for adults!

>33 SirThomas: Oh, I remember this book when it was released. I've read it to my daughters. We enjoyed it very much.

>34 Ameise1: Yes me too, I was totally immersed in the ink world.

Todays quote from my calendar:

Whoever does not read will have lived only one life at the age of 70: his own.
Whoever reads will have lived 5000 years. Because reading is an immortality backwards.

Umberto Eco

>36 SirThomas: 😍 great quote

The Raben Kalender has many great surprises, a quote or cartoon every day - it has been with me for years.

2. Der Vogelmann / The Birdman by Mo Hayder

German title translated: The Birdman

The beginning of a series worth reading, exciting and well written. Sometimes a bit too much of a good thing, but that hardly bothers.
Jack Caffery is called to a discovery of a body - 5 prostitutes with a bird sewn into their chest cavity.
The hunt for a serial killer begins.
But Jack also has his own demons, as his brother disappeared in childhood, he probably fell into the hands of a pedophile killer who still lives in the neighborhood.
Of course, he also has to deal with a racist and incompetent colleague and a rigid bureaucracy.
He investigates on his own and gets on the trail of the killer, but there is more to it than that.
I don't think this will be my last book in the series.

>39 SirThomas: I've read books 3 to 6 of this series and liked it very much.

>40 Ameise1: I own other books in the series and will difinitively return, Barbara.

Yesterday greatly increased my reading rate:


3. Tod beim Tee / Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs

German title translated: Death by tea

A recommendation from Lori (thornton37814) - thanks for that.
Theodosia Browning runs a small tea room in Charleston. When a real estate speculator dies from poisoned tea at an event, she starts investigating herself.
A nice cosy mystery, very enjoyable to read with some humor and lots of tea.
I drank that while reading too....

4. Mads Don Martin hat Premiere / Mad's Don Martin Comes on Strong by Don Martin

German title translated: Mads Don Martin has premiere

I have a little tradition for myself, the birthday book - I check LT Home every so often to see who's birthday it is and then start a book by that author, this time I changed it up a bit, yesterday was the anniversary of Don Martin's death.
I loved the magazine in my youth and bought many paperbacks as well - some have survived.
I love the black humor and drawings

5. Mad in Hollywood / A Mad Look at Old Movies by Mort Drucker

German title translated: Mad in Hollywood

Since I was already there once, the next one right away.
This one is not quite as good, but also brought back fond memories...

And another Calendar Quote:

Normal is an illusion.
What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.
Charles Addams

>43 SirThomas: Oh yes, I loved the MAD magazine as well when I was young, Thomas.
And had a few Don Martin pockets, in English, all gone now.

I too grew up with MAD and loved it. As a kid I bought all the books I could find from a second hand seller.
I happen to have two unread on the shelf that I will get to.

>46 FAMeulstee: That's too bad, Anita, I really enjoyed re-reading it - and the memories....

>47 mstrust: You lucky one, Jennifer - Enjoy them!

There are not only BB's from this great group - I got this recommendation from the radio:


6. Sörensen hat Angst by Sven Stricker

German title translated: Sörensen has fear

Sörensen has generalized anxiety disorder and has not been able to work for two years. To be able to live with it better, he has himself transferred from Hamburg to a small town just outside the Danish border. There where nothing ever happens.
Unfortunately, a body is found the day he arrives - and it doesn't stay with one.
Now he has to cope with the new job, the new colleagues, his fear and the investigation.
Lovingly drawn characters, somewhat melancholic, well constructed plot and Nordic humor. I love the series already after the first volume!

The epigraph alone is wonderful:
"He decided to change his life, to take advantage of the morning hours. He got up at six, took a shower, shaved, dressed, enjoyed breakfast, smoked a few cigarettes, sat down at the work table, and awoke at noon."
Ennio Flaiano

>49 SirThomas: Great review and BB. My library has got a copy of it. I'll try to read it during my winter holiday in the second half of February.

Happy New Year, Thomas, and WOW! on the reading front. That growth in books read is really amazing!

>50 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara - I hope you will enjoy it.

>51 ronincats: Thank you Roni, I am happy to see you.
Two of the books were short cartoon books and a quick read...

For those waiting for food news, the menu plan for the long weekend (we did our own cooking):

Thursday (This was a holiday with us):
Sauerbraten with noodles - we had frozen the roast with the delicious sauce, so it was little effort.

Friday (I had vacation):
Our butcher makes very tasty roast beef, we enjoy the thin slices cold with fermented pepper.
The pepper berries are fermented with sea salt right after harvest - this tastes very delicious with many dishes.
We added a few drops of raspberry balsamic vinegar.
After that we had a plate of potato soup.

Saturday:
My wife had tried a new pizza flour and we made pizza.
Our baking stone in the oven goes 300°C, so the pizza becomes crispy and fluffy at the same time.

Sunday:
Veal tenderloin in morel cream sauce, we seared the veal tenderloin hot, then let it sit in the oven at 80° C for a good hour until the core temperature probe read 57! C indicated - it was wonderfully tender.

Wow, those are some great meals! The veal sounds fantastic.

Thomas, you are a gourmand!

>54 drneutron: Thank you Jim, it was very tasty.
>55 mstrust: I think so, Jennifer.
My wife and I complement each other perfectly.
She loves to cook and cooks very well - I love good food.

This is a very busy month for me at work (despite Febrary, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and December 😉).
So I had a lot of time in front of the monitor and therfore less time for LT.
But there was some time for reading - of course!

7. Am Ende! Ein Weiterlebensbüchlein by Stefan Schwarzer

German title translated: At the End. A booklet for living on

When the author's wife died of cancer, he was left alone with their three young children.
He has compiled his journey in grief in this little book.
The author is a pastor and musician. We became aware of him at a Children's Hospice Service event when he read from his book and played music. It was a very touching and beautiful evening.

8. Identitti by Mithu M. Sanyal

The German is a pun with identity

The book starts breathless but not breastless - to stay with the pun.
Nivedita has a German mother and an Indian father and is active in social media. She is searching for her identity and her place in life. Her great role model is Saraswati, the professor of her Postcolonial Studies course.
When it turns out that Saraswati is not a PoC at all, but is called Sarah Vera, a world collapses for Nivedita. She goes to her place to confront her. But Saraswati turns the tables.
A beautifully written book that entertains and makes you think.

9. Raumstation auf der Erde / Way Station by Clifford D. Simak

German title translated: Space station on earth

Another recommendation from this great group - Thanks Jim (drneutron)!
Enoch Wallace has lived a lonely life in the countryside for over 100 years, since the American Civil War.
He oversees a secret transfer station for space travelers. When he comes to the attention of the federal government, tensions in the galaxy also affect his station, also his neighbors make problems.
Still a timely book, you don't notice his age at all (Except for the communication lines).

10. Das Geheimnis der Eulerschen Formel / Hakase no Aishita Sushiki by Yoko Ogawa

Original title translated: The sushi tree that the doctor loved
German title translated: The secret of Euler's formula
English title: The Housekeeper and the Professor

An indirect recommendation from this group, when I was looking through my wishlist, I didn't find the book I wanted, but I did find this little gem.

A housekeeper is hired by an old math professor who, after an accident, loses his short-term memory and forgets everything that happened more than 80 minutes ago. But his joy for mathematics is unbroken. Despite everything, the two learn to get along with each other, and he also takes the housekeeper's 10-year-old son to his heart.
A wonderful story about friendship and joy of life.
And the reader gets some information about mathematics, the Euler formula plays a role, of course, but also prime numbers, perfect numbers and others.

>61 SirThomas: I read this a few years ago and had the same response you did. I'd be happy to read more from the author.
Good to see you finding time to read despite having a busy work month. Doesn't work just get in the way?
Have a great weekend!

Wishing you a splendid weekend, Thomas.

>59 SirThomas: Sounds good, Thomas.
The Dutch translation will come later this year, I will look for it.
Happy Sunday!

>62 mstrust: This is not the last book from the author for me I think.
Work gets in the way of many things, but two things always get past it - reading and good food.
It will soon be quieter again and the time for LT, sports, friends,... will be more again, I hope.
And I'm starting to think about retirement - I could stop working in just under 3 years. A joyful and at the same time somewhat frightening idea.
Have a great weekend too, Jennifer!

>63 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul - I wish you the same.

>64 FAMeulstee: I hope you will enjoy it, Anita.
Have a happy sunday too!

11. Das Krumme Haus / Crooked House by Agatha Christie

German title translated: The Crooked House

In my television newspaper, the review of the film said that it was Agatha Christie's favorite book. I didn't watch the movie, but read the book.
Charles Hayward and Sophia Leonides fall in love in Cairo during WW2. After the war, Charles comes back to England to marry Sophia.
But her grandfather was poisoned and it must have been someone in the family. Since his father is with Scottland Yard, he helps with the investigation.
Everyone in the family has secrets - a very enjoyable read.

>61 SirThomas: Ouch! You got me with a BB!

Have a wonderful Monday!

>69 figsfromthistle: I hope you will enjoy it, Anita!
Isn't this a wonderful place - bullets fly everywhere, many are hit and everyone is happy?

Hello, Sir! Wow, you have been doing some amazing reading -- look at you on #11 and so many of them you've rated highly.

>53 SirThomas: Yum! And I am glad you and your wife complement each other so well -- "She loves to cook and cooks very well - I love good food." LOL

Happy Thursday.

Thank you, Kim - many of them ar BB's of this group - therefore the probability for high ratings is high...

Yes, we both love delicious food.
Yesterday we had something to celebrate. Since we don't really want to go on vacation right now and we don't tolerate a big dinner until late at night very well, we organized the day differently:
First we went to a shopping center and strolled ducrch the stores and drank coffee.
Since I had my eBook reader with me, I was also not bored 😉.
After that, we took home a cooking box at a restaurant with a Michelin star, which we then prepared in the early afternoon.
It was very tasty and we had relatively little effort because everything was well prepared:

delicious nut bread with flavored butter and flavored sea salt (we had to bake the bread for 10 minutes at 180° C).

Greeting from the kitchen - cevice of red shrimp and corn (just unwrap and arrange)

Sashimi of salmon, sweet potato relish, citrus vinaigrette (only unwrap and serve)

Velouté of roasted cauliflower and mace, praline of black tiger shrimp, celery confit with ducca (We only had to heat the praline and soup).

Variation of Origianl Beans Chocolate, Exotic Mango, Vinaigrette of Coconut and Chai Tea (only unwrap and arrange).

Macarons

We refrigerated the main course, it was too much for us, we'll have that for lunch today:

Sole rolls with spinach and ricotta, beet, dim sum, beurre blanc.

So, despite everything, we had a wonderful day.
I wish you also a wonderful day, Kim!

12. Rot ist mein Name / Benim Adım Kırmızı by Orhan Pamuk

English title: My Name Is Red
German title translated: My Name Is Red

Another BB from the group, thanks for that, Paul C.
The book is about a murder of a Turkish illuminator. He was commissioned with others to create a book for the Sultan. One of them must be his murderer.
Books in those days were painted page by page with great attention to detail.
And that's exactly what the author does, he paints a very intricate picture with words. That's beautiful and a strength of the book. But that is also - for me - its great weakness. Sometimes one word is enough for a description, usually 1-2 sentences help. But when it goes on for many pages, it is too much for me.
I can't do much with poetry either, maybe that's why I didn't find the right access to the book. Don't let my rating bother you, the book is wonderful, but unfortunately not for me.

And an impression of our late lunch or early dinner...

Beautiful meals! And you plated them so well.
Glad you had such a good, relaxing day!

Thank you, Jennifer.
There is a saying - "Das Auge ist mit", it could be translated with "you eat with your eyes".

My calendar saying today is again a great wisdom:

"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

There is another theory which states that this has already happened."

This reminds me that I should re-read the Hitchhiker series....

>72 SirThomas: >74 SirThomas: Yummy description and photos!! And, yes, it its easy to find good books to read with all our LT friends advice. : )

>77 SirThomas: LOL!

>77 SirThomas: Yes! One of my favorite quotes!

>78 Berly: Thank you, Kim - we enjoyed it very much.

>79 drneutron: Mine too, Jim!
And if you think about it - it could be why your job is so difficult, varied and interesting....

Talking about quotes- on Wednesday we not only feasted, we also did something meaningful and went to a bookstore.
While browsing I discovered a wonderful book: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Very lovely sayings and marvelous drawings,
Just a small example:

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Friendly, said the boy.

>74 SirThomas: Looks delicious, Thomas, and so nicely arranged.

>76 SirThomas: In Dutch "Das Auge ist mit" is "Het oog wil ook wat": The eye wants something too.

>81 SirThomas: I have had an eye on that book since the Dutch translation was published. The waiting list in the library was long for a long time. I will get to it soon I hope.

Your food does look very nicely plated, Thomas.

Have a delicious weekend.

>82 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita.
I like the Dutch saying very much.
I hope you will get the book soon, it is really marvellous.
I wish you a wonderful sunday.

>83 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul.
I hope I haven't made your diet unnecessarily difficult.
This weekend was delicious, but simpler.
Yesterday we had a homemade vegetable quiche, today we had convenience food - currywurst prepared by the butcher and oven fries.
Have a wonderful sunday.

13. Bis ihr sie findet / She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge

German title translated: Until you find her

I got this recommendation from our daily newspaper.
A bone is found, Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens immediately makes the connection to a case 30 years ago.
Back then, a 14 year old girl disappeared without a trace while camping in the woods with her older sister and her sister's friends. Sheens was a rookie cop at the time and had attended the same school as the clique.
The group at the time are still friends today, which doesn't necessarily make the investigation any easier.
Complex and exciting - well worth reading.
I have already reserved the subsequent volumes.

14. Tagebuch eines Buchhändlers / The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell

German title translated: Diary of a Bookseller

Another BB from Jennifer (mstrust).
A bookseller from Scotland talks about his life.
It's not easy, his big adversaries are Amazon's pricing and Kindle, but he loves it.
He describes many beautiful, unpleasant and bizarre encounters and is a very good narrator.
I enjoyed reading it very much.
My first career aspiration was to be a bookseller, and I had already committed to an apprenticeship, but ultimately my life turned out differently - probably for the better. I don't think I would have had the idealism and the capacity to suffer, although I would have enjoyed the good things.
Due to the fixed book prices in Germany, life as a bookseller is a bit easier, even with ebooks - I always buy mine through the local store, then they get something out of it.
I also buy paper books there, but I usually find the peace and quiet to browse when I'm on vacation.

15. Der Junge, der Maulwurf, der Fuchs und das Pferd / The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

German title translated: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

A beautiful little book about love, friendship and home.
Lots of food for thought and joy with gorgeous drawings.

>87 SirThomas: I reserved De jongen, de mol, de vos en het paard at the library today. There are 12 copies in our province, all out, but I am first in line. So as soon as a copy is returned, it will be for me :-)

>86 SirThomas: I'm so glad you liked it too! I know he has at least two other books, if you want to hear more from him.

>88 FAMeulstee: I am happy for you, Anita.
I hope you will like it.

>89 mstrust: I also think that this was not my last book by this author.

Yesterday, in keeping with the theme, we watched You've Got Mail.
A movie about a small bookstore that is brought to its knees by a big chain. The movie has a happy ending, but I don't think that would be a solution for Shaun.
Jeff Bezos is hardly likely to fall in love with him...

Ha, not unless he looks really good in a bikini!

🤣

And the first stats of 2022:

Books read: 15
Pages read: 4,946 (longest 768 / shortest 48 / average 330)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

England: 4 / 4 / 4
Germany: 4 / 4 / 4
Japan: 1 / 1 / 1
Scotland: 1 / 1 / 1
Turkey 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 4 / 4 / 4

Sum: 15 / 15 / 15

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 7 / 7 / 7
male authors: 8 / 8 / 8

alive authors: 11 / 11 / 11
dead authors: 4 / 4 / 4

date first published:

1940-1949: 1
1960-1969: 2
1970-1979: 1
1990-1999: 1
2000-2009: 4
2010-2019: 4
2020-2029: 2

>93 SirThomas: You had a good start in 2022, Thomas.
The author nationality numbers are fun with 3 times 4 and 3 times 1.

>93 SirThomas: Great stats, Thomas and a pretty decent start to the reading year.

>94 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita.
The numbers were not planned, but the symmetry is nice.

>95 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul - I try my best.

16. Der Gesang der Flusskrebse / Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

German title translated: The song of the crawdads

This book has been on my wish list for a long time and I'm sure the recommendation came from this group.
And it was worth it again, this is a book that you don't read - after opening it you are like a protagonist in the story and are right in the middle of it.
Kya Clark was abandoned by her family and was known by the people in town as “The Marsh Girl”
She grows up alone and is despised by the community. She has only one boyfriend, who teaches her to read. But when Tate goes to college, she is alone again and seeks refuge with Chase, who abuses her after she ends the relationship.
When he is found dead under a guard tower, she falls under suspicion and is charged.
A wonderful book about loneliness, strength, love and life.

>97 SirThomas: I enjoyed your review, Thomas. It is a book I have seen in the shops so many times and picked up a number of times only to put it back down again. Next time I might just take it to the cashier!

Have a lovely weekend, my friend.

>97 SirThomas: A very good read, Thomas, I read it two years ago. I loved the nature descriptions.
The first edition of Dutch translanslation had a completely different title Het moerasmeisje (The swamp girl), on the second edition it was changed into a translation of the original English title.

>98 PaulCranswick: Thank you very much Paul, I hope you will like it.
Have a wonderful sunday.

>99 FAMeulstee: The translations of the book titles are no better in Germany, Anita.
Whereas Het moerasmeisje still has something to do with the book.
Young Man With a Horn has the german title Ich mag mich irren, aber ich finde dich fabelhaft (I may be wrong, but I think you are fabulous) - It's a quote from a Jazz song (which is not mentioned in the book).
I wish you a wonderful sunday.

>97 SirThomas: I have this one on my shelf. I have been pushing it to the bottom of the pile but your excellent review made me put it closer to the top to read soon.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

>101 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita, I hope you will enjoy it.
I wish you a good start to the week.

Our weekend was at least culinary again very pleasant. Outside it is storming, but, what does that matter when you have books and delicious food.
Yesterday we had banana meat, as we call it. Today roast beef.
For the banana meat you fry lengthwise halved bananas in butter. In a second pan, you fry Corn poulard brisket. This is served with rice and seasoned with hot curry powder.
The roast beef (about 1 1/2 kg) is seared and cooked for 2 hours at 80° in a steam oven (without additional steam), until the core temperature is 55° C. We had morel cream sauce and noodles with it - and of course salad.

>1 SirThomas: Thank you for such beautiful images to begin your thread! And, reading 175 books last year is an amazing feat!

Thank you Linda.
I am very happy that you managed to visit me - All the best!

17. Erzählungen by Friedrich Glauser

German title translated: Stories

This is another birthday book, I wanted a bit of variety and the author's birthday was on this day.
It is a collection of 19 short stories. The first part is about Wachtmeister Studer - I love the stories with him. The second part includes stories from the Foreign Legion, the third part includes stories where the narrator addresses the reader directly and tells him the story.
Entertaining and well written, not a bit old, although they date from the thirties.

The last time was a bit exhausting, I had a lot of work, also our honorary offices needed more time.
Then last weekend our neighbor died.
When I finally found some time to devote to LT, I was distracted by the Valentine's Treasure Hunt.
Therefore the 75's came a bit short - but not the books:

18. Quirky Quarks / Quirky Quarks by Boris Lemmer and Benjamin Bahr and Rina Piccolo

German title translated: Quirky Quarks

2 physicists and a cartoonist explain the universe in a very varied and understandable way.
A few keywords:
Light, rockets, probes.
Kepler, Heisenberg, Einstein, Schrödinger.
Curved space-time, gravitational waves, atoms, quarks.
Big bang, black holes, the presumed end of the universe,...

19. Moonglow / Moonglow by Michael Chabon

Another recommendation from this group - thank you, Kim!
Finally a title and cover to match the book - though actually a lighter would fit better.
I'm not sure I would have liked Grandpa in RL, but he is a very interesting character with strong standards.
He shares a passion for space travel with Wernher von Braun, but totally rejects him as a person after his WW2 experiences in Germany.
I give him credit, however, for not being sure how he would have acted in Braun's place to achieve his goal.
A rich life with many adventures of a strong personality with a lot of heart.
The book is very well written, but sometimes a bit too rambling.

20. Inspector Swanson und der Fluch des Hope-Diamanten by Robert C. Marley

A recommendation from my newspaper
A series of murders of jewelers shakes London, Inspector Swanson tries to find the killer.
Is it related to a bloody robbery of a jewelry store decades ago?
A Sherlock Holemes novel without Sherlock Holmes - pleasant to read, but the original is older, but better.
Robert C. Marley is the pen name of Gerald Hagemann, a german author.

21. Die Kunst, die Eltern zu enttäuschen by Michael Bordt

Another recommendation from this group - thank you, Käthe!
A little guide about the necessity of disappointment - since it was an audio book, my wife and I listened to it together - a new and very pleasant experience for me.
The book helps to question one's own behavior according to motivation, if I do something out of my own desire, disappointment parents (and also others) is ok, but not if I do it out of pure opposition....
The term Ent-Täuschung also means ending a deception
We are disappointed only by people who are important to us.
We must not let feelings wash over us, but allow them, but perceive them as observers and learn from them....
A helpful little book.

22. Whisky mit Schuss / Deadly Dram by Melinda Mullet

German title translated: Whisky with a shot

This series was recommended to me by Barbara (Ameise1)
This time the murders happen in a luxury hotel during a whisky award ceremony.
Of course, Abi investigates again on her own and gets into danger.
She solves the case, of course, though she threatens to lose Grant to another woman just as she admits her love for him.
A very enjoyable read.

23. Ein Whisky auf den Tod / Died in the Wool by Melinda Mullet

German title translated: A whiskey to the death

Abi has sheep and donates the wool to a women's shelter, immediately becoming a board member. When a resident dies, she starts investigating again. The other board members are very shady characters.
Since Grant lost his sense of taste in the last adventure, and is distraught, Abi wants to distract him by launching a new series, a direct-fill from the barrel, not a blend as usual.
I enjoyed the book in the hammock with a glass of single cask single malt.
Too bad it's the last book in the series.

>107 SirThomas: Sorry about your neighbors death, Thomas, and about exhausting times at the office.
Treasure Hunts are always distracting, I can't stop until I have found them all!

>109 SirThomas: I just got Maangloed from the library, looking forward to read it. I read some of Chabon before, and liked/loved them.

Thank you, Anita.
I love the hunts too. And I am getting better at solving the puzzles without the clues, but most of them I can not do without help.
It is exciting, you see many books and get into many corners of LT.

Moonglow is very worth to be read - there is a group read

>115 SirThomas: Thanks for mentioning the group read, Thomas, that is how it came on this months reading list.
I am not very good with contributing to group reads, although I do follow the comments with interest.

You're welcome, Anita.
I like the collected opinions about a book in one thread...

>113 SirThomas: And here is a picture of my reading-hammock:

You have to imagine the single malt and another book.
The one in the hammok is my absolute favourite - Fool on the Hill

>109 SirThomas: BB for me.

>118 SirThomas: What a great reading spot!

Have a wonderful weekend.

>118 SirThomas: :-D Ha, that's fantastic! And it looks very comfortable.

>119 figsfromthistle: I hope you will enjoy it, Anita.

I'm very glad I have it - we had extra reinforcement put in the ceiling because it gets too heavy for plasterboard.

Thank you I wish you the same

>120 mstrust: Yes it is, Jennifer - with boring books, you may wake up a little later...

We had a delicious end to the week in our favourite restaurant:

Greeting from the kitchen - vegetable cake

Fish jelly with "grüner Sauce" (a sauce made of 7 herbs) / Kraft broth with semolina dumplings / Paprika almond cream with roasted duck breast

Pike perch in curry sauce with pak choi and black rice

Saddle of beef roasted pink with ham - mustard butter, glazed vegetables and celery puree

Buttermilk mousse with blood oranges and chocolate ice cream

24. Krabat by Otfried Preußler

Krabat is an orphan and comes as an apprentice to a miller, who also trains him in the black arts.
Slowly he realizes that he is in danger, every year one of the 12 journeymen dies and is replaced by a boy. He has to learn who he can trust. Then he meets a girl.
A beautiful story about growing up and the power of love.

25. Böse Häuser by Nicola Förg

German title translated: Evil houses

A commissioner and her partner want to buy a farm, at the viewing appointment a prospective buyer is shot with a drone.
She becomes involved in the investigation and cooperates with the local detective.
A so-called Heimatkrimi (Local crime novel), reasonably exciting and somewhat funny - a light vacation read.
The author has the stars of 2 separate series investigating together here.

>123 SirThomas: That was a favorite of mine, when I was young, Thomas.
In Dutch the title is Meester van de zwarte molen (Master of the black mill).

>122 SirThomas: What a meal! I've never heard of Kraft broth before or thought of combining paprika and almond. Glad you enjoyed it!

>125 FAMeulstee: Unfortunately I only became aware of the book now, Anita - but better late than never.
The Dutch title is not the translation of the original, but fits very well.
German title translations are sometimes rather off-putting...

>126 mstrust: Maybe there could be a translation program misunderstanding, Jennifer.
"Kraftbrühe" is a soup - you take beef, beef bones, soup vegetables, herbs and cook the whole thing for about 3 hours. Then you have a wonderful soup.

The combination af almond an paprika was also new to us - but very tasty.

Yesterday we had a blind date with the author.
In 2019, the Baden-Württemberg Literature Days took place in Öhringen, there were many events and also a new reading series was born - Öhringen reads a book. There are various reading circles and also readings with the author. This time as a blind date, we only found out in the evening who was coming.
It was a wonderful evening, some music - there was a family playing bassoon / clarinet / flutes, short laudation, reading of the author, music, discussion of the author with our bookseller and signing session.

Iris Wolff has a wonderful reading voice - one sentence really struck me:
Memory is a room with wandering doors - I'm looking forward to the book.

So far the books selected have been very good:
2019: Länger als sonst ist nicht für immer - Pia Ziefle
2020 Und dann steht einer auf und öffnet das Fenster - Susann Pasztor
2021 cancelled due to Corona
2022 Die Unschärfe der Welt - Iris Wolff

26. Sörensen fängt Feuer by Sven Stricker

German title translated: Sörensen catches fire

After three months of calm in Katenbüll, Sörensen tries to lower his medication dosage. But then a blind young woman is found on the street, she had been locked up all her life.
The investigation leads to a cult, then murders happen.
I love the series, wonderful characters, great atmosphere, quirky black humor.
A priest with Elvis quiff, who reads out the bad deeds at a funeral after the eulogy of the dead.
A policeman who is a bit cranky, but Sörensen and also the reader finds out that he has completely misjudged him.
A therapist who provokes the patient and is herself involved in the case...

And the second stats of 2022:

Books read: 11
Pages read: 3,885 (longest 496 / shortest 96 / average 353)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Canada: 1 / 1 / 1
Germany: 7 / 7 / 7
Switzerland: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 4 / 4 / 4

Sum: 13 / 13 / 12

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 5 / 5 / 4
male authors: 8 / 8 / 8

alive authors: 11 / 11 / 10
dead authors: 2 / 2 / 2

date first published:

1930-1939: 1
1970-1979: 1
2010-2019: 8
2020-2029: 1

And a new virus is sweeping the world - this time a good one - I have also been infected:
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(wordle.at)

>130 SirThomas: You are going steady, Thomas.
I always love to see the stats appearing at the end of the month.

>131 SirThomas: Are you doing the German Wordle?

Thank you, Anita.

I did it in the austrian version, but now I discovered the german site:
wördle.de #46 - 5/6
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German was harder 😉

>127 SirThomas: Thank you for explaining the soup!

You're welcome, Jennifer.

Another birthday book - it came to my attention on the author's birthday:

27. Parallele X Sturgeon in Orbit by Theodore Sturgeon

German title translated: Parallele X

A collection of short stories - very worth reading.

Der bestgehaßte Mann der Welt (EXTRAPOLATION)
A very good story about what we take as truth - even if we are not lied to, we can draw wrong conclusions because we are missing a detail....
Like here with the attack of aliens supported by a traitor.

Synergie (THE WAGES OF SYNERGY)
Morality and ethics are different things and essential even in science.
A scientist discovers a diabolical poison and stops his research when he realizes it. In search of his girlfriend, who has left him because of his research, he comes on the trail of a plot.

Die Psyche des Parasiten (MAKE ROOM FOR ME)
Empathy can also be felt by extraterrestrial parasites, which has implications for a planned invasion.

Das Herz (THE HEART)
When a love cannot be lived, one hates that which is opposed to it.
But even if hatred is to be used constructively, it is destructive.

Parallele X (THE INCUBI OF PARALLEL X)
When tiny aliens kill the women of Earth, a scientist takes many to a parallel world, but then he dies and his son must take up his inheritance in a barbaric world and defend science against superstition.

Overall, a book that is also quite relevant today...

wördle.de #49 - 5/6
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Finally a sense of achievement again - It could be better!

wördle.de #50 - 4/6
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Is 2 already a series?

>138 SirThomas: I think it is the smallest possible series, Thomas ;-)

I failed the Dutch woordle today :'(

Dropping by to wish you a glorious weekend, Thomas

>139 FAMeulstee: I've had to make this experience as well, Anita.
I know you will succeed again!
I always try again - now I already have a somewhat longer series:

wördle.de #51 - 4/6
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>140 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul - I wish you the same.

wördle.de #52 - 4/6
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wördle.de #53 - 5/6
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wördle.de #54 - 4/6
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There are also a few books - soon, I promise...

After exhausting and stressful weeks we are now finally on vacation and I find some time for an update.
We are now a week on our favorite island in the North Sea and have already recovered well. We have fantastic weather, walk a lot on the beach and enjoy delicious food.
Also reading does not come too short:

28. Die Verschwörung der Idioten / A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

German title translated: The conspiracy of idiots

I became aware of this book through a tip from Jennifer (mstrust), thanks for that.
A collection of whimsical characters, a bit of an acquired taste, but very funny with a serious undertone.
The reader needs some empathy to really enjoy the book.

29. Arsène Lupin, der Gentleman-Gauner / Arsène Lupin, gentleman cambrioleur by Maurice Leblanc

English title: Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar
German title translated: Arsène Lupin, the gentleman crook

Wonderful light-hearted stories about a lovable crook who fools everyone.
A very good distraction from today's world.

30. Gestickt, gestopft, gemeuchelt by Tatjana Kruse

German title translated: Stitched, stuffed, assassinated

Our lovable stitching detective must solve a murder of an actress.
Light, fun with black humor and suspenseful.
A light and enjoyable read.

31. Das Grab in den Schären / I hemlighet begravd by Viveca Sten

Enlish title: Burried in secret
German title translated: The grave in the skerries

A new volume of a good series. A body is discovered during construction work on a small island. Nora is traumatized and frightened by her last case. To distract herself, she tries to help Thomas with his investigation, which he doesn't necessarily like. Her drinking is not very helpful either.
Again, very enjoyable to read

32. Böses Blut / Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith

German title translated: Bad blood

Cormoran and Robin are asked to solve a 40-year-old missing persons case.
Is a serial killer to blame for the disappearance of the client's mother?
Exciting, varied and very well written. I loved Harry Potter, Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott are on par.

33. Die Unschärfe der Welt by Iris Wolff

German title translated: The blur of the world

In 7 chapters, 7 characters tell the story of Samuel, who grows up in Romania and flees to Germany with his friend.
A wonderful language style and very atmospherically written.
A quote:
At the same time, Karline guessed, each story happened in a hundred possible ways, and all of them were equally true and not true.

The book is part of the series "Öhringen liest ein Buch" (Öhringen reads a book), there will also be some reading circles when we are back from vacation. I am looking forward to it.

34. Wer auf dich wartet / Watching from the Dark by Gytha Lodge

German title translated: Who is waiting for you

A student is murdered and her ex-boyfriend becomes a suspect.
Jonah Sheens' team must work hard to unravel the threads.
The second volume of the series is also well worth reading.

>147 SirThomas: I'm glad you liked it! I think I'm only on the second chapter but it's remarkably fun.

It took me a little getting used to the style, but then it was fun.

Beides books, sun, delicious food and Long walks there are some other things:

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Talking about food - our favourite Sushi-Bar has closed, but we found a substitute to take away:

>157 SirThomas: That looks delicious!

Enjoy your vacation :)

Yum! We happened to have sushi at home last night too!

>157 SirThomas: Wow, that looks fantastic!

>158 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita - the first week is already over, but we enjoy the time very much.

>159 mstrust: So we have not only the good taste in books in common, Jennifer.
Sushi is one of our favourites - I hope yours was also very tasty.

>160 drneutron: It also tasted like it looks Jim!

Dropping by to wish you a lovely Sunday, Thomas.

Thank you, Paul - I wish you a good start into the week!

I found this book in the vacation apartment:


35. BLUFF!: Die Fälschung der Welt by Manfred Lütz

German title translated: BLUFF!: The counterfeit of the world

We are all Truman Burbank and live in a fake world. We need to be aware that we are being manipulated for all sorts of reasons.
A true statement, but unfortunately the book doesn't have much else to offer.

36. Das Café am Rande der Welt / The why are you here café by John Strelecky

German title translated: The cafe at the edge of the world

The author ends up in a small café during a life crisis and has philosophical conversations that will change his life.
A beautiful little book that gives food for thought about your own life.

Another recommendation of this gorgeous group:


37. Belgariad - Die Gefährten / Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings

German title translated: Belgariad - The Companions

Garion grows up carefree on a farm, his aunt is cook there, she is his only relative.
Suddenly he has to set out on a dangerous journey with her and old Belgarath. They are hunted by sinister figures. The wonderful beginning of a great series.

Besides reading, walking and eating there are some other things:
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Phew - This one was hard: MÄẞIG

Every single day in my life I am getting a little bit better to be me.

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Another book in the vacation apartment:


38. Das Alter kommt auf meine Weise by Ilse Biberti and Henning Scherf

German title translated: Age comes my way

Ilse Biberti writes how she tries to write the book I would have liked to read.
She is totally overwhelmed with caring for her parents when she meets Henning Scherf at a book launch and wants to write a book about aging together with him. She writes quite well, but the book does not describe the subject, but rather the process of how the book came about. Henning Scherf is also involved only as an interview partner, not as an author.

39. Müll by Wolf Haas

German title translated: Garbage

I love the series. Exciting and full of humor.
Simon Brenner works at the recycling center when a body is found in pieces. Of course he starts to investigate and the mischief takes its course. I had to laugh out loud several times while reading the book.

40. Das Chalet / One by One by Ruth Ware

German title translated: The Chalet

A remote chalet, a group of company employees, An avalanche, a dead body.
Who is the murderer, it must be one of the guests, the chalet is cut off from the outside world.
Different narrative perspectives, well written and exciting.

Another book in the vacation apartment:


41. Alte Liebe by Elke Heidenreich and Bernd Schroeder

German title translated: Old Love

Lore and Harry have been married for 40 years and live side by side. When their daughter marries for the third time, they begin to reflect on their lives and their love. Written alternately from his point of view and hers.
Humorous and heartwarming, I found ourselves in the book at times.

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Phew, vacation with chilling, eaiting and drinking it not so good for thinking...

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A little bit better.
Tomorrow we will go Home. Today we will have long walks at the beach and in the sun to have many good memories....

>151 SirThomas: Completely agree, Thomas.
I hope there will come a next Comoran soon.

>157 SirThomas: Looking good!

We were also away for a week, returned home last Friday.

I'm glad to see that you like the Mullet books.

Happy Sunday, Thomas

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead, Thomas

>177 FAMeulstee: Me too, Anita.
The sushi was very tasty!
I hope, you enjoyed your vacation as well as we...

>178 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara - I hope the series will continue.

>179 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul - we do our best!

So, the vacation is over, work has started and I was mentally elsewhere, but now I'm back here...
The books were never gone, so now it's time for an update:

42. Der lächelnde Gott / It Devours!: A Welcome to Night Vale Novel by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

German title translated: The smiling God

The world is threatening to end, but that's normal. Another great book that is completely true to reality - but which one?
I love it - thank you Jennifer for the reminder.

43. Zauber der Schlange / Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

German title translated: Magic of the snake

Another step on Belgarion's way to save the world - I love the series.

44. Gwendys Zauberfeder / Gwendy's Magic Feather by Richard Chizmar

German title translated: Gwendy's Magic Feather

The sequel to a good book he co-wrote with Stephen King. The first was better. In the fall comes the third volume - again with both authors - Let's see...

And the stats of March:

Books read: 18
Pages read: 6,246 (longest 1,200 / shortest 128 / average 347)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Australia 1 / 1 / 1
England: 3 / 3 / 3
France: 1 / 1 / 1
Germany: 5 / 5 / 5
Sweden: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 7 / 7 / 6

Sum: 18 / 18 / 17

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 8 / 8 / 8
male authors: 10 / 10 / 9

alive authors: 12 / 12 / 12
dead authors: 6 / 6 / 5

date first published:

1900-1909: 1
1960-1969: 1
1980-1989: 3
2000-2009: 3
2010-2019: 5
2020-2029: 5

The first three months:

Books read: 44
Pages read: 15,077 (longest 1,200 / shortest 48 / average 343)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Australia 1 / 1 / 1
Canada: 1 / 1 / 1
England: 7 / 7 / 6
France: 1 / 1 / 1
Germany: 16 / 16 / 16
Scotland: 1 / 1 / 1
Sweden: 1 / 1 / 1
Switzerland: 1 / 1 / 1
Turkey: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 16 / 16 / 14

Sum: 46 / 46 / 42

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 20 / 20 / 18
male authors: 26 / 26 / 24

alive authors: 33 / 33 / 30
dead authors: 13 / 13 / 12

date first published:

1900-1909: 1
1930-1939: 1
1940-1949: 1
1960-1969: 3
1970-1979: 2
1980-1989: 3
1990-1999: 1
2000-2009: 7
2010-2019: 17
2020-2029: 8

And April had books too:

45. The Stranger Times / The Stranger Times by Caimh McDonnell

Hannah starts working at an obscure newspaper, but she has to realize that the most abstruse news has a real background.
Wonderfully told

46. Spiel der Magier / Magician's Gambit by David Eddings

German title translated: Game of the magicians

The series continues great, Belgarion slowly realizes how important his mission is.

>182 SirThomas: I'm so glad you liked that one too!

And I'm glad you reminded me.
That's the awesome thing about this group - lots of glad people and lots of good books

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Not so bad at all...

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Not too bad, but at wordle.at I failed...

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Phew...

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YAY!

>194 SirThomas: A good one :-)
I haven't dared to try the German Wördl, Thomas. I will keep it at Dutch and English.

Thank you very much, Anita.
My foreign language skills are not good enough to try.
I just manage the Austrian version ;-)

And there were books...


47. Knochenhaus / The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

German title translated: Bone house

Another atmospheric mystery with forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway.
Bones of a child are found in a building pit, Ruth begins to investigate together with Harry Nelson.
In the process, she herself is threatened...

48. Mord Elsässer Art by Suzanne Crayon

German title translated: Murder Alsatian style

The mayor of the neighboring community is beaten to death. Retired inspector Jean Paul Rapp begins to investigate.
Of course he solves the case, of course he meets a woman, of course he loves good food...
Somewhere there must be a construction manual for culinary regional thrillers....

The next book is a bit thicker again - finally there is a continuation of one of my favorite series Lynley & Havers! - 21 books - and all excellent.

Dropping by to wish you all the best for the coming week, Thomas.

>199 SirThomas: Happy tome reading! And wishes for a wonderful week ahead. : )

Dropping in to wish you a wonderful weekend!

>200 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul - we had a good week with a literature circle, unfortunately there were only 4 visitors, but it was very interesting.
The whole city reads a book and there are several events about it.

>201 Berly: Thank you, Kim - the reading was a pleasure. More Infos soon.

>202 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita - we had - with sun, books, walks and a birthday party at the house.

Sorry for the delay.
Lately I am quite low on energy.
The CORONA time has put a psychological strain on me and the Ukraine war has made it even worse.
Last week I finally had a check-up appointment with the urologist (at my age check-ups are a must).
Thank God everything is fine, but I have a very low vitamin B12 - value.
Maybe it is also related to this. Next week I go to the family doctor and do something about it....

>204 SirThomas: Low vitamin B12 made me very tired, Thomas, so it could be the main cause of all.
For years now I take injections once a month, and that made a big difference.

A few years ago I had such low values and the injections helped very well.
I think my family doctor will treat me accordingly.

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After some brain jogging I will update my readings ..

49. Tagebuch eines sentimentalen Killers / Diario de un killer sentimental by Luis Sepúlveda

German title translated: Diary of a sentimental killer

An elderly hitman takes his last job to retire. He has violated his convictions and had a lover - she recently left him.
Now he chases his victim around the world, trying to understand why he should kill him and get over his heartbreak.
A beautifully ironic short mystery.
A recommendation from my daily newspaper.

50. Was im Verborgenen ruht / Something to Hide by Elizabeth George

German title translated: What rests in secret

Another amazing book in the series.
A policewoman is murdered, she is involved in investigations to proceed circumcisions of women.
Is her death related to this? Linley and Havers begin to investigate. An exciting story about a horrible subject, wonderfully written, volume 21 in the series and still not boring.

51. Lebwohl, mein Liebling / Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

German title translated: Farewell, My Lovely

Marlowe follows a huge man into a pub and witnesses him shoot someone.
Since the police are not very interested in the murder of a "shoeshine boy", he begins to investigate himself.
Hard-hitting, laconic, suspenseful, simply the original.
Thanks Jennifer for the recommendation.

52. Zerrissene Erde / The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin

German title translated: Torn earth

Mankind lives in fear of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which has destroyed the culture several times. There are people who can affect the earth with their spirit. They are on the one hand salvation, on the other hand danger.
When a volcanic eruption tears the continent apart, a mother is in search of her daughter, whom the father kidnapped after killing his son. Both children had the dangerous gift. In parallel, the story is told of a gifted child who is being trained and a young woman who gets her first assignment to shape the earth.
Great epic fantasy!

53. Wenn die Zeit verloren geht by Ulrike Strätling

German title translated: When time is lost

As the subtitle says, it is practical tips for relatives of people with dementia.
A small book for people who come into contact with the subject for the first time. A good introduction to the subject, which also takes away some of the fear of it.

54. Der Alte, der Liebesromane las /Un viejo que leía novelas de amor by Luis Sepúlveda

English title: The Old Man Who Read Love Stories
German title translated: The Old Man Who Read Love Stories

An old white man lives near a settlement in the jungle. When a hunting party wounds a predatory cat and it now kills people, he has to hunt it himself.
Again a beautiful little novel about life, happiness and death.

55. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder /A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

5 years ago Andy disappeared, her boyfriend Sal committed suicide after confessing via text message that he had killed her.
Since then, the family has been ostracized in the village.
Pippa doesn't believe he did it and starts her own investigation for a school project. She is helped by Sal's brother Ravi.
They uncover many things that have been hidden and get into danger themselves.
A very well written YA novel.

>210 SirThomas: I'm glad you liked it!
Does the German translation have the murdered man as a shoeshine boy? In English he was the bar owner.

In the german translation Mr. Montgomery is called the boss.
The police officer calls the case a shoe shine murder - in the book, people of color are condescendingly referred to as shoeshine boys, especially by the (white) police officers.

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Pretty good today...

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A very good start into the day ..

Just dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Thomas.

Thank you so much Paul, I wish you the same!
We are in the process of enjoying it.
On Friday I finished work early, then we went to the gym. We are testing different options right now, this time EMS - it was short but tiring, today we have sore muscles....
Yesterday my wife had an appointment for an MRI of her knee, we left early and shopped at the Italian supermarket.
After the exam we briefly visited our neighbors, they bought a house near the clinic and are renovating, We are a little sad that they will be moving away.
At home we had delicious bressaola - very thinly sliced air-dried country ham, with lemon, olive oil and arugula on top.
With it we drank a glass of champagne, we treated ourselves to a new armchair, we had to inaugurate it ;-)
Today it finally rained, I got up a little earlier than my wife, sat in her new armchair, read a book and looked at the rain.
After that I helped peel asparagus and am now looking forward to lunch, asparagus with kratzete (a kind of omelet) and hollandaise sauce - Yummy!

And it was yummy:

>220 SirThomas: Then we both have sore muscles, Thomas. I was inspired after visiting the Floriade, went to the garden center and bought some plants. Planted them, and realised there was some overdue work in the garden... Still a lot of work to go.

>221 SirThomas: Looks yummy!!

Oh, that looks great!

> 222 Gardening is something enjoyable, we have a few flower tubs on our terrace with lots of herbs that we use for cooking. That's not quite as exhausting to work on as a whole garden. I hope your muscles are feeling better.

Thank you very much, it was very tasty.

>223 drneutron: Thank you very much Jim, it was - especially since I was able to contribute a tiny bit.
We have a steam oven, it's great for asparagus and vegetables.

and there were books:

56. NATRIUM CHLORID / Natrium Chlorid by Jussi Adler-Olsen

English title: Natrium Chloride - WOW, the title is identical in three languages, which is rare - usually the German translation is garbage 😉

The new volume of the series didn't convince me that much.
Carl's boss brings an old case to his attention in which a small child died. Now his mother has killed herself on her 60th birthday.
The team starts to investigate, however there are difficulties, CORONA brings contact restrictions, Hardy is in a clinic and barely responsive. Carl is being investigated for the case where they were shot and a colleague died - Carl has to go into hiding and continues to investigate.
Assad has problems with immigration and his traumatized family....
Despite everything, they get on the trail of a series of murders that reach into the present.
I felt like the author really needed a new book, didn't know exactly what he wanted and threw a lot of ingredients into the pot, like a stew of leftovers, but I could be wrong.
The book is not bad, but there are many in the series that are better.

57. Brennender Fels / The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin

German title translated: Burning rock

The story of the fifth season is told further, this time Essun's daughter Nassun comes more to the fore.
Slowly, some connections become clear to the reader, which interest groups are tinkering with the future of the world.
Exciting, imaginative, well written - an absolute reading recommendation!

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Dropping by to say hi, and you just so happen to have a food pic- it must have been calling to me!
I've been very busy with my gardening too. I replanted a top heavy salvia this morning. We've had lots of wind lately and the poor thing kept getting blown over. One of my tiny cactus has been blooming for the first time.

I do everything to lure you here, Jennifer 😉
Cactus flowers are beautiful - botanically and as a movie.

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I've been better before...

I see you have been busy Wordling!! And nice job catching up on reviews. I need to do some of those....Hope your B12 is fixed soon. : )

Thank you, Kim - I have been given pills of high dose vitamin B12 and feel like Stanley Beamish 😉.
The translation of the German title of the series is "Whenever he took pills"...
I feel a little better, let's see what the blood results will show in a few weeks.

58. Knulp by Hermann Hesse

English title: Knulp

This time no recommendation from this great group, we watched a nice comedy on TV, it was the favorite book of a protagonist.

Beautifully written short stories about a bon vivant, philosopher, vagabond who is highly intelligent but unable to stay settled.
Pleasant to read and despite the brevity food for thought.

>233 SirThomas: I don't believe I was aware of that one. I thought I had read everything by Hesse! BB for me.

I'm glad to be of service and hope you enjoy it, Anita.

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Could be better...

I just stopped online by my local library and browsed through the new arrivals from April. I reserved 2 books, but I have to be patient:
Der Tote aus Zimmer 12 by Anthony Horowitz - available 2022-12-24 - ok then I already do not have to buy myself a Christmas present.
Sörensen am Ende der Welt by Sven Stricker - available 2023-03-05 almost a year...

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Today it was close twice...

And the last book of April:

59. Steinerner Himmel / The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin

German title translated: The Stone Sky - Wow, the title fits ;-)

The conclusion of a wonderful series that brings the story to a good conclusion.
Many powers with different interests try to fix past mistakes and bring back the moon. The origin of the Steinessers also clears up a bit - the idea of Father Earth is great.

And the stats of April:

Books read: 15
Pages read: 5,335 (longest 800 / shortest 79 / average 356)

Personal rating:
average rating
highest rating
lowest rating

Author nationalities:

Denmark: 1 / 1 / 1
Chile: 2 / 2 / 1
England: 2 / 2 / 2
Germany: 2 / 2 / 2
Ireland: 1 / 1 / 1
Switzerland: 1 / 1 / 1
USA: 6 / 6 / 4

Sum: 15 / 15 / 12

Counting mode: All authors of the books / Main Author(s) or Editor(s) per book / Only different authors

Gender:
female authors: 7 / 7 / 5
male authors: 7 / 7 / 6
n/a: 1 / 1 / 1

alive authors: 10 / 10 / 8
dead authors: 5 / 5 / 4

date first published:

1910-1919: 1
1940-1949: 1
1980-1989: 2
1990-1999: 1
2010-2019: 7
2020-2029: 3

Media:
Ebooks: 12
Paperbooks: 3

Genre:
Adventure: 1
Crime fiction: 8
Fantasy: 4
Fiction: 1
Non-fiction: 1

Reading Reason:
This gorgeous group: 1
Own shelf: 4
Mentioned in movie: 1
Review in newspaper: 1
My wife: 1
Random / rummage: 7

>240 SirThomas: Going well, Thomas.
I like the addition of "Reading Reason". That would be TIOLI challenge for me in most cases :-)

>240 SirThomas: Excellent stats!

Have a wonderful Sunday

>241 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita - Maybe some day I will join the challenge, but there are so many books on mount TBR without these book mountains...

>242 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita.
We had a good day, a long breakfast together,
a nice walk, a delicious lunch (veal filet sous vide, morel cream sauce, pasta and salad - did I mention that my wife is a wonderful cook?), a restful nap and books in the sun.