I understand that history books need to be read with a critical distance and you have to keep in mind what the author wants to present...but, Khalidi is a historian and that makes it even harder to overlook how biased this book is. I persisted until halfway through, and I allow for the possibility that the tone of the content may change in the second half.

The story of two writers (one very successful, the other not so) offers a satirical insight into publishing, as well as into the creative process of writing itself and highlights the issue of ideas and who has the right to write about specific topics. Fun, interesting... but too theatrical ending for my taste. #audiowalks

I have day off!!! It‘s time to do some #audioknitting ♥️

My carefully curated November list for #BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo

This isn‘t typical history book, it‘s a book explaining (and defending) what means to be Israeli, what is Zionism, what is Hamas and why we are here where we are … well researched history events are intertwined with author‘s personal experience/life and that - with her dynamic perspective and narration - makes this book nutritious food for thoughts.

DNF just because of the narrator‘s high pitched voice … 🤷🏻‍♀️

It‘s that kind of Sunday morning … reading and a lot of sugar for breakfast 🤷🏻‍♀️

Just like When We Cease to Understand the World, this book is also a hybrid between fiction and non-fiction. This time focus is on the Hungarian physicist and mathematician, a Jew who emigrated to America John von Neumann, and his contribution to the Manhattan Project and the development of the first programmable computer. The book is divided into three segments, and the narrators are Neumann's colleagues, friends, relatives, wives... 👇

In this crime novel the main event is when the dead girl is found in the forest with the wolf‘s mask on the face … Second book in the trilogy is still pick, but in comparison with the first book this one is slightly less captivating, just because of the too complicated plot where, at some point, it is hard to be convinced into unfolded events. Still good dynamic, storytelling and writing.

A practical guide on the topic of sexism at the level of microaggression, where the author offers advices on how to act and lead the conversation when we find ourselves in such a situation, which I find rather idealistic and even naive. What did I learn? That I'm a benevolent sexist. #audiowalks

Audiobook is Scribd original and it isn‘t the Litsy library.

An unusual collection that presents 17 more or less famous animals. What makes this collection unusual is the choice of narrative style - different for each 'essay', which undoubtedly brightens up the entire collection, which otherwise could quickly slip into the zone of boredom … but the collection is interesting, playful and well researched. My favourite story is Vogel Staar - story about Mozart‘s starling. Good companion for #audiowalks

This is a crime novel (first book in the trilogy) with interesting and detailed characterization in the foreground, perfectly fragmented timeline with jumps from the past to the present - which, in this case, is an excellent device for building the atmosphere and tension. Plot? A 14-year-old girl is found in the park, beaten, abused and dressed only in the cape of the Red Riding Hood. Very, very good, but unfortunately not translated …

In her works Ernaux perfectly connects her personal experiences with social events/atmosphere in the society. In this book, she looks through her diary on the topic of abortion. She elaborates through her painful experience of a abortion with distance, yet very emotional, and builds that intimate experience into wider social commentary. Excellent. #audiowalks

It‘s time to do some #audioknitting

Noemi is on the mission to check up on her cousin, which is married to a man who is very disliked by Noemi family. Big pick for creepy atmosphere and descriptive, vivid prose, but big pan for final reveal of the haunted house.

Nazi propaganda was 🤢 … while jazz music was banned in Germany, they have band ‘Charlie and His Orchestra‘, which played popular jazz and swing songs, but they changed original lyrics with very offensive and disturbing texts. Songs were then broadcasted on radio for British and US audiences with the purpose to plant the seeds of doubt in people‘s minds. Audiobook includes some of this songs - and that is the strongest part … 👇

My idea of how to spend free day … I will be on the couch all day with the exception on the afternoon - when I have to pick up my library‘s holds. What a glorious day! Hope your day will be/is nice too ♥️

I‘m not ready to think about 2024, but I‘m looking forward for this book #BBGiveAway

Painful, honest and extremely brave … Autobiography, which has structural deficiencies, but this is autobiography where content is much more important than form. #audiowalks

Two books from previous #weeklyforecast and one new audiobook … In this week I‘m expecting two finish audiobook Anna and ebook Here be Iceberg, The Ink Black Heart is in category wishful thinking …

October was good reading month, I even have one #bookspinbingo consisting 5 different books! My favourite is tagged book, which is also my #bookspin and #doublespin (I‘m playing one book=two squares), but the most fun I had with was R.Osman‘s The Bullet That Missed.

I appreciate the historical research behind the story, I loved atmosphere in it, but I wasn‘t immersed in the way I would like to be …. I had the same feelings with the Hamnet, and I assume, that something in O‘Farrell‘s writing isn‘t working for me. Nice, rich story, but not for me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My list for November #bookspin #doublespin #bookspinbingo My reading time is still limited, so I‘m playing one book - two squares 🤷🏻‍♀️

The Marriage Portrait and The Country of Others are my books in progress, the rest of them are just ‘pile of possibilities‘ for the week … but I have two days off, so who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️
#weeklyforecast

If you are interested in cults, than this book is for you. Church of Scientology is institution with horrifying practices, theirs Fair Gaming is upper level of abuse and harassment … you have to wonder how sick are the brains behind this … but, faith is blind sometimes …

Charming and entertaining as were previous books, and I can see that crime/mystery part is evolving with each book in more complicated story. Nice 👌

New on my shelves - I have been waiting for them all year! Reprinted edition with new covers, and I must say that they are gorgeous ♥️

This is auto-fictional novel, intimate story of a woman who is struggling with breast cancer, it is the story about patching the body, soul and personal history, story about the moments when life begins to slip between your fingers. Deep, brutally honest, almost, poetic prose, fragmented story, told in second person feels remote, but this remoteness also allows the author to avoid pathetic and self pity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi

The Bullet That Missed is my current read, Leïla Slimani will be my audio-walks companion, and just in case if I manage to finish The Bullet, I have The Marriage Portrait. #weeklyforecast

Through few years that is my third unsuccessful attempt to read Clarice Lispector ….

I had no idea who Jennette is and what she represents in pop culture, but the praises of her book are everywhere and I, of course, have to read it too. Reviewing autobiography is always a problem to me, because readers are judging how/in what way someone has decided to share their private life with the world. I sympathise with Jennette, but … this autobiography feels like a exercise she had to do on therapy, and self-reflection and … 👇

This story about fairytale world and classic fight between good and evil feels like YA adventure story. I was listening audiobook, it was fun experience … but I think that physical book would be DNF for me. Pick for the first part of the book, and pan for adventure part of the book.

The way to treat yourself during the covid … I‘m only one chapter in, but already very intrigued.

My life is currently divided between a lack of time and a reading slump, and for that reason, my October #bookspinbingo is adapted to the current situation and I feel that is still too ambitious …
#bookspin #doublespin

The tagged audiobook is in progress (so far interesting), the left one is Slovenian translation of Piranesi and the right one is by Slovenian author (autobiographical novel, my translation of the title - At the Creation of the World). I will finished the audiobook, but I don‘t expect to finish both of the ‘real‘ books. #weeklyforecast

My plan for this cold and rainy evening is simple: knitting a simple shawl, reading the newest book from most beloved Slovenian author, enjoying in tea (black/almond) and dessert (grape pudding with whipped cream). Enjoy in your Saturday 😘

I‘m planning to visit library tomorrow, but here is my #weeklyforecast Audio companion for the walks is in the progress (2 hours from 19) and I really like it so far, later today I‘m starting with tagged book by Bosnian author (autobiographical novel about her experience with breast cancer).

New in my library - beautiful collection, and first time translated into Slovenian language❣️ If I have to make the list of my favourite books, I always include Durrell‘s Alexandrian Quartet as one of them … but till now, I never thought to read his Avignon Quintet.

Although, I haven't been able to read the entire longlist this time, I can't to miss #BookerPrize2022 prediction party. I finished 8 books, After Sappho and Nightcrawling have the current status ‘in the progress‘, Case Study and Booth are on the waiting list, while for Glory - I‘m not sure if I'm going to read it at all. So here's my shortlist …

My current reads are ebook Death Comes for the Archbishop (will finish it today) and audiobook Insomnia. Everything else is pile of possibilities for next week. #weeklyforecast

It's hard not to compare YM with SB because the basic story is the same - a dysfunctional family, a complicated relationship between an alcoholic mother and children, in this book - Mung's older brother, who is brutally violent, a sister who sees a way out to the better life - but this means giving up Mungo in a way, and ultimately Mungo himself - with his sexual identity and all the problems posed by homosexuality, queernes in a very toxic … 👇

Double review: One book by #Czech writer - set in France, and one by American author - set in Prague.
I‘m not Milan Kundera fan, although I find his books good, especially on the level of the individual sentences, but his overall writing style is too philosophical for me … and this book isn‘t exception. In this story he is playing with the idea of personal/intimate identity, the identity of partner/husband, how perception can reverse with the … 👇

I can‘t … 15 hours was enough 😔
#AuthorAMonth

I‘m playing for #BookSpinBingo #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin and I‘m quite pleased with my June selection.

May was good reading month for me, although no #BookSpinBingo but I did manage to finished #BookSpin and #DoubleSpin book. I DNF one book (P. Highsmith: Her Dairies and Notes), and my favourite was Maršalinja by Zora del Buono.

I never thought that I will like book about fish … but I did. Till 1938 scientists were convinced that Coelacanths were extinct. Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer was curator in the small museum, always in the hunt for unusual species, and as soon as she saw to her unknown fish, she contacted the ichthyologist JLB Smith… and the treasure hunt has begun. Surprisingly readable, even a tense story about the fish that is supposed to be a missed link 👇

P. Highsmith, Her Diaries and Notebooks is audiobook for #AuthorAMonth , Death Comes For the Archbishop by W. Cather is from Jenny‘s GR to-review shelf #rememberingJenny , How High We Go in the Dark is my current read (and I love it) #campLitsy , and Katarina Sienska isn‘t for any challenges, but just because …. #weeklyforecast

My Saturday afternoon - ebook and cherry pie with vanilla sauce. The main theme in my current read is family legacy through stories and its effects … sad story, but perfect for rainy day. #weekendReading

The author describes in these memories, both her growing up in Zimbabwe, as well as traditions, believes and the problems/obstacles that she had to overcome to achieve her goal - work for the UN and to create changes in society/world. This book is a perfect example of strong will, determination and what it means to live with purpose. #ReadingAfrica2022 #Zimbabwe
#NonFiction2022 #Survivor

Justin Alexander Shetler was restless soul, determinant to find deeper meaning of existence through nature and eastern philosophy. He went to India, Parvati Valley, where numerous adventures went missing … and that's what happened to Jastin too. Very detailed, well written, compelling story about young man on the way to live differently.
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