Lehane, Dennis "Shutter Island" - 2003

Lehane, Dennis "Shutter Island" - 2003

I didn't think I would like this book because I'm not a huge fan of crime stories. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is not the usual thriller or action movie plot, i.e. there is a plot here.

A gripping story that plays games with your mind. And the twist at the end totally left me flabbergasted. Contrary to many other participants, I had not seen the film

However, I don't think this is a great book for a book club, like most stories like this, what are we going to talk about??? Yes, we can talk about mental illness, PTSD, hospital situations, etc. But it all diverges from the story.

Still, a good read.

Quote on page 279 of my edition, something I ask myself often:

"God gives us earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes. He gives us mountains that spew fire onto our heads. Oceans that swallow ships. He gives us nature, and nature is a smiling killer. He gives us disease so that in our death we believe. He gave us offices only so that we could feel our life bleed out of them. He gave us lust und fury and greed and our filthy hearts. So that we could wage violence in His honour. There is no moral order as pure as this storm we've just seen. There is no moral order at all. There is only this - can my violence conquer yours?"

Comments from the book club meeting:

• "The book was very well received by the group, with everyone giving it either 4/5 or 5/5.
• Many of us had not read the book before, but a large number had seen Martin Scorsese's film adaptation. This created an interesting situation because many readers already knew the main twist before opening the book. Despite this, there was broad agreement that the novel remained very engaging. Several members commented that knowing the ending made it easier to notice clues and details throughout the story, although some wondered whether the book would have been even better or perhaps not as effective without that prior knowledge.
• One of the most frequently praised aspects of the novel was Lehane's writing style. Members repeatedly mentioned the vivid descriptive language and the atmosphere he creates throughout the book. The island, the weather, and the hospital all felt convincing and memorable. It was also noted that Lehane does an excellent job of bringing the reader back to the 1950s. The language, dialogue, and attitudes of the characters help create a strong sense of time and place.
• Much of our discussion focused on how the novel is constructed. We talked about the unreliable narration, the clues hidden throughout the story, and the way Lehane guides the reader towards certain assumptions. We also discussed several of the characters and their roles in the story, particularly how differently they can be viewed once the reader knows the truth behind the mystery.
• The themes of trauma, guilt, memory, and self-deception also generated discussion. We debated the hospital itself, its methods, and the ethical questions raised by the treatment of patients. The ending naturally became one of the main topics, with different opinions about Teddy's final decision and how it should be interpreted.
• As we often do in our discussions, we looked for connections to other books we have read. This time the conversation brought up Fight Club and the Finnish novel Rikosetsivien vapaapäivä because of the way both encourage readers to re-evaluate earlier events and question their understanding of what has happened.
• The discussion also touched on Dennis Lehane as an author more generally. Several members noted that a number of his novels have been adapted into highly regarded films, and that Shutter Island is not the only example of his work translating successfully to the screen. The book also inspired a few members to add more of Lehane's work to their reading lists."

"Shutter Island was a satisfyingly chilling tale to read during the discomfort of the most recent heat wave in Ontario, Canada. Smokescreen after smokescreen arose. I enjoyed the layering of circumstances and personalities and clues and interpretations. This is not at all similar to my usual gentler reading and I feel gratefully stretched."

Again, many thanks to our leader Karin who put together a great review.

This was our international online book club read for July 2026.

Book Description:

"An arresting psychological thriller in which two US Marshals hunting for an escaped mental patient unveil a nightmare world of CIA drug trials, Nazi inspired eugenic work, and repressive mind control.

In the year 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate an unexplained disappearance. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept under constant surveillance in a locked, guarded cell. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on the island, hints of radical experimentation and covert government machinations add darker, more sinister shades to an already bizarre case. Because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems."

Dickey, James "Deliverance"

Dickey, James "Deliverance" - 1970

Apparently, this is one of the most important books of the last century. I read that somewhere but can't find that remark anymore. Still, it seems to have had a great success.

When I read the description, I was afraid this wasn't a book for me and I might not like it. But the description is a little different from the book itself. The story is not as much about the natives but about some criminals in the woods.

Still, the book is totally mesmerizing. And tense. There is so much going on, the trip the four men take is about one of the most horrifying stories I ever read.

Thanks to Karin for the minutes which I will include in the spoiler:

"The book club had a very positive discussion about Deliverance. Almost everyone rated the novel 4/5 or higher, and several readers felt it was close to a five-star book. One of the most praised aspects was the translation, which many felt captured the tone, tension, and atmosphere exceptionally well.

A big part of the conversation focused on how efficiently the novel is built. Compared to many large contemporary literary novels — where hundreds of pages may be spent on background — Deliverance manages to establish its characters, themes, and emotional stakes in about fifty pages. Readers appreciated how tightly the story is framed: first the buildup before the trip, then the intense three days on the river, and finally the aftermath. This clear structure made the story feel focused and impactful.

The characters were widely seen as believable and vividly drawn. We talked a lot about how people react differently in crisis situations: one person freezes while another unexpectedly finds strength, and even serious injury doesn’t necessarily stop someone from acting. The novel felt realistic because the characters make flawed and sometimes foolish decisions in recognizably human ways. Their journey begins partly out of boredom and a desire to escape everyday life, which makes what follows feel even more unsettling.

The discussion also touched on trauma and its aftermath. Rather than being neatly explained, the characters’ experiences linger in ambiguous ways — in memory, in the body, and even in sleep. This subtle psychological impact was something many readers found especially powerful. Several participants noted how the trauma seems disorganized and difficult to articulate, reflecting how real experiences often remain unresolved rather than clearly understood.

Moral questions sparked lively debate. Was it necessary for the characters to hide what happened? Would they have survived if they had trusted the authorities? Would justice have treated them fairly? The novel’s ambiguity — what exactly happened, who was responsible, and how events should be interpreted — kept the discussion open-ended and engaging.

Several readers noticed the careful use of foreshadowing and 'Chekhov’s gun,' where details introduced early gain importance later. The tight pacing and chapter structure were seen as key strengths: nothing feels unnecessary, yet the characters and world feel fully developed.

We also discussed broader themes, including human behavior under pressure, the thin boundary between civilization and survival, encounters with wilderness, and the portrayal of rural stereotypes. Many agreed that the book 'gets under your skin' — even for readers who wouldn’t normally choose this genre.

Notes on the Film Adaptation
Some members had seen the film adaptation and recommended it alongside the book. The movie was described as very effective in showing the physical danger and tension of the river journey. While the novel focuses more on the characters’ inner thoughts and moral uncertainty, the film emphasizes action and atmosphere with the actors even doing their own dangerous stunt work. The group felt the two versions work well together: the book offers psychological depth, and the film adds a strong visual and emotional experience".

Overall Takeaway
"Overall, the group agreed that Deliverance is a balanced, well-crafted novel that combines suspense with psychological depth. Even when it wasn’t stylistically everyone’s personal favorite, it left a strong and lasting impression and proved to be an excellent choice for discussion — a book that continues to provoke thought long after finishing it." 

This was our read in our international online book club in March 2026.

Book Description:

"The heart-stopping classic 1970 novel--an unforgettable tale of violent adventure and profound inner discovery.

Four middle-class men from suburban Altana decide to embark on a three-day canoe trip down a particularly wild section of a river in Georgia. For them the trip represents a break in the domestic routine, a chance for adventure with few real risks, and the last occasion to see a beautiful valley before the river is dammed up. Their leader, an enthusiastic outdoorsman and champion archer, is obsessed by the desire to pit himself against nature.

When two of the group are attacked viciously by sinister mountain men, a mildly adventurous canoe trip explodes into a nightmare of horror and murder. Men stalk and are stalked by other men, the treacherous river becomes a graveyard for those without the strength or the luck to survive, and one man, forced to assume the leadership of the group, must call up his resources to try to achieve deliverance."

Garmus, Bonnie "Lessons in Chemistry"

Garmus, Bonnie "Lessons in Chemistry" - 2022

A member of my German book club had suggested this book  but despite everyone agreeing to it at first, it wasn't chosen in the end. But I had already ordered the book, so I wanted to read it.

It certainly would have been a good choice to discuss. I doubt I would have chosen it, had I only seen the cover. On the other hand, I suppose those people who are looking for a romantic chick lit, might be disappointed.

It's hard to describe this book. I would probably declare it as chick-lit though it has some deeper meanings. However, I did like the protagonist a lot, I wish I would have had an Elizabeth Zott in my life when growing up. Even though I am certainly about a decade younger than her, all those obstacles that were placed in the way of women were still around. And there was nobody, absolutely nobody who supported me in my education, not my parents and definitely not my teachers (except for the one in elementary school but he wasn't there anymore later). On the contrary, all I heard was "you will get married and don't need a job". And my boss got a guy in from outside instead of promoting me. For the same reason.

Same as Elizabeth, I had the feeling my whole life that I worked for men less intelligent than me.

The books is described as humorous and there are certain aspects of humour in it, but overal, the sadness is more important and stays more in our memories.

Maybe this story speaks more to a younger audience, it just brought too many bad memories for me. (Although that speaks in favour of the book.) I wouldn't say I disliked the book completly, but it brought me back to a time I'd rather forget. I would have loved to discuss it with my book club and hear what the other women have to say about it.

And last, but not least, some things have changed but not enough. What do you think???

From the back cover:

"Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.

But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Forced to resign, she reluctantly signs on as the host of a cooking show, Supper at Six. But her revolutionary approach to cooking, fuelled by scientific and rational commentary, grabs the attention of a nation. Soon, a legion of overlooked housewives find themselves daring to change the status quo. One molecule at a time."

"Lessons in Chemistry" has been chosen favourite book of the year 2022 by the German Indepent Book Shops.

Capote, Truman "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - 1958

Capote, Truman "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - 1958

We read this in our international online book club in March 2025.

I saw the film many, many years ago. I always wanted to read the book, but somehow I never got around to it. Of course, too many books, too little time. Now we have read it in our international online book club.

It really is an excellent book, but unfortunately much too short.

The description of the characters, especially Holly Golightly and the nameless narrator, is excellent. You can feel the relationship between the people, the problems that people had back then. Would the book be written like this today, would the characters still live like this today? Certainly not, but that makes the story even more interesting.

Comments by other readers:

I think the book was interesting and well written, but it was not a great discussion-book. We had much to say about the stereotypical set of characters and her relationship types. But not that much else. I found it very sad anyway.

From the back cover:

"It's New York in the 1940s, where the martinis flow from cocktail hour till breakfast at Tiffany's. And nice girls don't, except, of course, Holly Golightly. Pursued by Mafia gangsters and playboy millionaires, Holly is a fragile eyeful of tawny hair and turned-up nose, a heart-breaker, a perplexer, a traveller, a tease. She is irresponsibly 'top banana in the shock department', and one of the shining flowers of American fiction."

Oates, Joyce Carol "Blonde"

Oates, Joyce Carol "Blonde" - 2000

I find it hard to write this review. I love books by Joyce Carol Oates, I think she deserves the Nobel Prize. I am intrigued by the figure of Marilyn Monroe, I read the book "Marilyn" (Goodreads) by Norman Mailer ages ago. I think I was expecting something along that line.

What I got was a description of a child who didn't stand a chance in the world. How she became one of the greatest icons in the film industry? That was a long and arduous way and it didn't bring her any joy.

I had to remind myself often that this was just a book based on the real life story of the film star, even though most of the facts were true.

It was a long and heavy read. Did I enjoy it as much as the other JCO books? I'm not sure but I'm glad I read it.

From the back cover:

"In 'Blonde' we are given an intimate, unsparing vision of the woman who became Marilyn Monroe like no other: the child who visits the cinema with her mother; the orphan whose mother is declared mad; the woman who changes her name to become an actress; the fated celebrity, lover, comedienne, muse and icon. Joyce Carol Oates tells an epic American story of how a fragile, gifted young woman makes and remakes her identity, surviving against crushing odds, perpetually in conflict and intensely driven. Here is the very essence of the individual hungry and needy for love: from an elusive mother; from a mysterious, distant father and from a succession of lovers and husbands. Joyce Carol Oates sympathetically explores the inner life of the woman destined to become Hollywood’s most compelling legend. 'Blonde' is a brilliant and deeply moving portrait of a culture hypnotised by its own myths and the shattering reality of the personal effects it had on the woman who became Marilyn Monroe."

Dickens, Charles "Nicholas Nickleby"

Dickens, Charles "Nicholas Nickleby. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" - 1838/39

For the Classics Spin #39, we received #3 and this was my novel.

I have read most of the books by Charles Dickens by now but there are still a few left. So, I was happy that this number got drawn. So, here was the chance to devour one more of his fabulous books.

And fabulous it was. It had everything a Dickens novel needs: villains and virtues, rogues and good people, a helicopter mother from the Georgian era, just a caleidoscope of people from his time with lots of intrigues. Not to forget the great names he gives his characters: The Cheerybles, The Crummles, Sir Mulberry Hawk, Newman Noggs, Peg Sliderskew, Wackford Squeers, one of them funnier than the last.

Of course, this is a novel against social injustice. And while we might think that is better today, some things never change.

Obviously, a lot happens in the story, much of it is already given in the synopsis, so I wouldn't want to add to that in order not to spoil it for the first-time readers. Therefore, I finish with a quote from Oscar Wilde (in "The Importance of Being Earnest"): "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means".

From the back cover:

"When Nicholas Nickleby is left penniless after his father's death, he appeals to his wealthy uncle to help him find work and to protect his mother and sister. But Ralph Nickleby proves both hard-hearted and unscrupulous, and Nicholas finds himself forced to make his own way in the world. His adventures gave Dickens the opportunity to portray an extraordinary gallery of rogues and eccentrics, such as Wackford Squeers, the tyrannical headmaster of Dotheboys Hall, a school for unwanted boys; the slow-witted orphan Smike, rescued by Nicholas; and the gloriously theatrical Mr. and Mrs. Crummles and their daughter, the 'infant phenomenon'. Like many of Dickens's novels, Nicholas Nickleby is characterised by his outrage at cruelty and social injustice, but it is also a flamboyantly exuberant work, revealing his comic genius at its most unerring."

Here are all the books on my original Classics Club list.
And here is a list of all the books I read with the Classics Spin.

Arnim, Elizabeth von "The Enchanted April"

Arnim, Elizabeth von "The Enchanted April" - 1922

A book club book. My very first novel by Elizabeth von Arnim. I might have chosen another one, I don't know.

The book seems a bit dated in parts, but we had a really nice conversation about it. It's funny, the readers really liked it, and we may read another book by her soon.

The author has led an interesting life, first married to a Prussian nobleman, then had an affair with H.G. Wells, followed by a second marriage to an English aristocrat. Her story reads like a novel.

As for the book, I didn't really identify with the characters, but then again, they lived a full century ago.

Four English women who hardly know each other go on vacation together. They rent a house and, of course, don't get along at all, because everyone has different ideas.

Well, times have changed - fortunately - and women don't see themselves as complete until they have a man in their life.

From the back cover:

"Four women, with very different backgrounds and characters - the artless Lottie Wilkins, the pious Rose Arbuthnot, the cantankerous Mrs Fisher and the haughty Lady Caroline Dester - respond to an advertisement in The Times offering a medieval castle to rent in Italy that April. As their joint holiday begins, tensions flare up between them, but they soon bond over their past misfortunes and rediscover hope and the pleasures of life in their tranquil surroundings."

Lagerkvist, Pär "Barabbas"

Lagerkvist, Pär "Barabbas" (Swedish: Barabbas) - 1950

For the The Classics Spin #33, we were given #18, and this was my novel.

Almost a novella, but this novel needs no more pages. We all know Barabbas, the one in whose place Jesus was crucified. But what do we know about him other than his name? Here Pär Lagerkvist thought about what might have happened to Barabbas afterwards.

The story is believable, many early Christians went the way Barabbas goes in the book. There is the wish to believe, the doubt, the inability to come to terms with what happens. Something that still is in every Christian today, I think.

And even if this is not at all what happened to the protagonist, it's an interesting thought to see what could have been.

They even made a film out of the story, Barabbas was portrayed by Anthony Quinn.

From the back cover:

"Barabbas is the acquitted; the man whose life was exchanged for that of Jesus of Nazareth, crucified upon the hill of Golgotha. Barabbas is a man condemned to have no god. 'Christos Iesus' is carved on the disk suspended from his neck, but he cannot affirm his faith. He cannot pray. He can only say, 'I want to believe.'"

Pär Lagerkvist received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1951 "for the artistic vigour and true independence of mind with which he endeavours in his poetry to find answers to the eternal questions confronting mankind".

I contribute to this page: Read the Nobels and you can find all my blogs about Nobel Prize winning authors and their books here.

By the way, this is where I heard about the book in the first place: The Content Reader.

Gulbranssen, Trygve - Bjørndal Trilogy (Bjørndaltrilogien)

Gulbranssen, Trygve "Beyond Sing the Woods" (Norwegian: Og bakom synger skogene) - 1933
Gulbranssen, Trygve "The Wind from the Mountains" (Norwegian: Det blåser fra Dauingfjell and Ingen vei går utenom) - 1934/35

These books were among the few hardcovers my parents owned and were therefore among the first ones I read. That was more than half a century ago now. When my parents died and we liquidated their house, my brothers decided that the books should be mine. I was very happy about them, because they are a nice memento of my parents and my love of reading, which I discovered early on.

The novels are considered a development, peasant, generational and gothic novel. Let's say it could pass as a tragedy. We also liked to watch the movies when they came on TV.

From the back covers:

Gulbranssen, Trygve "Beyond Sing the Woods" (Norwegian: Og bakom synger skogene)
"The story of three generations of an old-lineage Norwegian family making their life in the northern woods (circa 1750's.) Main themes are the struggle between tradition and innovation, the prejudices of pastoral society, and a study in human nature and man's ability to make peace with it."

Gulbranssen, Trygve "The Wind from the Mountains" (Norwegian: Det blåser fra Dauingfjell and Ingen vei går utenom) - 1934/35
"In this second volume of the trilogy, we meet Dag again, who is now slightly older. He is now Old-Dag. His son, Young-Dag, is married off to Adelheid Barre, an officer's daughter, something her urban office-holding family is not immediately thrilled about. But Old-Dag makes a grand impression on them at the wedding, and the objectors fall silent. Adelheid's life at the farm is different than she expected. Her marriage is especially difficult to comprehend. She grows close to Old-Dag, and finds much joy in his company and in long and deep conversations with him. Young-Dag is in many ways a stranger both to her and the family. A tragedy prompts him to run away from the farm, into the woods - all the way to Death Mountain. From there, nobody returns. But he does anyway, and the experiences become a turning point in the relationship between Young-Dag and Adelheid."

"Det blåser fra Dauingfjell" and "Ingen vei går utenom" was collectively translated under the English title The Wind from the Mountains.

Perry, Matthew "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing"

Perry, Matthew "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" - 2022

Do you like F.R.I.E.N.D.S.? If you do, your favourite character might be the same as the one of many: Chandler Bing.

I knew he had a problem with alcoholism. I wondered how he still managed to play such an upbeat character.

Matthew Perry opens up, he tells us everything about his life. While some might find this a little too much, I think this is a great book for those trying to understand this illness. Because that's what it is, an illness. I suffer from migraines and I've heard a lot of things about it, like just taking an aspirin, ignoring it, can't be that bad etc. Anyone suffering from a chronicle, invisible illness can tell you about that. But suffering from alcoholism or drug abuse is different, a lot of people blame them for what they are "doing", not feeling compassion for what is happening to them!

I think when reading Matthew's autobiography, you can understand how hard it is to battle such an illness and that comments like the ones above don't help but hinder.

   

This was a book my son gave me for Christmas. He knows how much I love F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Actually, my whole family does. Say anything and we can answer with a F.R.I.E.N.D.S. quote, we can actually have whole conversations with F.R.I.E.N.D.S. quotes. We have lots of gadgets with F.R.I.E.N.D.S. quotes, coasters, glasses, cups, plates etc. We once gave the boys cushion covers with the quote "The Cushions are the Essence of the Chair" and they both have them in their apartments. Would he have given it to me if he had read it himself beforehand and had known about all the details? I don't know but I hope he would have and I am glad he did.

There is a lot of Matthew in Chandler and a lot of Chandler in Matthew, as could be expected. Reading this memoir makes me love him even more. This is probably one of the saddest story I will read this year. So dark, so devastating.

The book is so honest, you feel the author talks to you personally as his very best friend whom he can rely on. I wish Matthew Perry all the best in the future.

From the back cover:

"The BELOVED STAR OF FRIENDS takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this 'CANDID, DARKLY FUNNY...POIGNANT' memoir (The New York Times)

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK by Time, Associated Press, Goodreads, USA Today, and more!
'Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.'

So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell - and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it - Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening - as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for."

Buck, Pearl S. "A Bridge for Passing"

Buck, Pearl S. "A Bridge for Passing" - 1961

This is arguably one of the author's most personal books. She talks not only about her stay in Japan to witness the shooting of "The Big Wave", but above all about the death of her husband and how she is trying to come to terms with it.

Ultimately, she finds solace in Japan, the people and country are very helpful.

But the story of the film adaptation of her book is also very interesting and probably offered the author some distraction in these difficult times.

From the back cover:

"While in Japan to observe the filming of one of her novels, Pearl Buck was informed that her husband had died. This book is the deeply affecting story of the period that immediately followed - the grief, fears, doubts, and readjustments that a woman must make before crossing the bridge that spans marriage and widowhood."

Find other books by Pearl S. Book that I read here.

Pearl S. Buck received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938 "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces".

I contribute to this page: Read the Nobels and you can find all my blogs about Nobel Prize winning authors and their books here.

Dürrenmatt, Friedrich "The Judge and his Hangman"

Dürrenmatt, Friedrich "The Judge and his Hangman" (GE: Der Richter und sein Henker) - 1950

I read this story at school, one of our required readings in German class. But I've enjoyed all of our readings, well, except for very, very few.

This is no ordinary crime thriller. Inspector Bärlach is dying. Forty years earlier he had bet with the criminal Gastmann that he could commit murder without being able to prove Bärlach. Now Bärlach is facing his last case and is trying to convict Gastmann.

In this novel we don't just find a classic crime thriller, we also find an attempt to come to terms with the past. The book was written by a Swiss auhtor shortly after World War II.

The book was filmed several times, which probably speaks for the story. And while I'm not a big fan of crime fiction, this is a very readable book.

From the back cover:

"Inspector Bärlach is dying. But not fast enough for his arch-enemy.

When a member of the Bern police force is shot dead on a Swiss country road, the enigmatic Inspector Bärlach and his colleague Tschanz are intent on tracking down the killer. But the ailing Inspector doesn't have time to lose. Soon the pair discover that the victim was murdered on his way to a clandestine party at the home of a wealthy power broker - so why was a local policeman socialising with some of Switzerland's most influential men? Who was his shadowy host? And why has Bärlach's past returned to haunt him in his final hours?

The Judge and His Hangman is a thrilling tale of lifelong rivalry, and of two men chained together by a wager that would destroy them both.

Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist, most famous for his plays The Visit and The Physicists, which earned him a reputation as one of the greatest playwrights in the German language. He also wrote four highly regarded crime novels: The Pledge (adapted for a 2001 film starring Jack Nicholson), Suspicion and The Execution of Justice, are also published by Pushkin Vertigo.

Inspector Bärlach forgoes the arrest of a murderer in order to manipulate him into killing another, more elusive criminal. This is a thriller that brings existential philosophy and the detective genre into dazzling convergence."

They spell it Barlach in the translation though it is spelled Bärlach in the original edition.

Dürrenmatt, Friedrich "The Visit"

Dürrenmatt, Friedrich "The Visit" (German: Der Besuch der Alten Dame) - 1956

The real translation of the title is "The Old Lady's Visit". But they shortened it for the English edition.

A witty story, which is also very philosophical and interspersed with a lot of humor.

One of the books we had to read in school. Which is still read in schools today. And rightly so. Not only is the narration well written, it also contains many themes. How much people can change when it is to their advantage. Especially to the negative. What are people willing to do for money?

This is one of the most important questions asked and answered here. The book is more than half a century old, but it could just as easily take place today.

I rather watch plays than read them. I saw this play not only at my son's school, where it was performed by the seniors - and very well indeed, I've now also been able to enjoy it as a musical. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely take it. And of course read the book.

From the back cover:

"Friedrich Dürrenmatt is considered one of the most significant playwrights of our time. During the years of the Cold War, arguably only Beckett, Camus, Sartre, and Brecht rivaled him as a presence in European letters. In this ALTA National Translation Award-winning new translation of what many critics consider his finest play, Joel Agee gives a fresh lease to a classic of twentieth-century theater. Dürrenmatt once wrote of himself: 'I can best be understood if one grasps grotesqueness,' and The Visit is a consummate, alarming Dürrenmatt blend of hilarity, horror, and vertigo. The play takes place 'somewhere in Central Europe' and tells of an elderly millionairess who, merely on the promise of her millions, swiftly turns a depressed area into a boom town. But the condition attached to her largesse, which the locals learn of only after they are enmeshed, is murder. Dürrenmatt has fashioned a macabre and entertaining parable that is a scathing indictment of the power of greed and confronts the perennial questions of honor, loyalty, and community."

Leroux, Gaston "The Phantom of the Opera"

Leroux, Gaston "The Phantom of the Opera" (French: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) - 1910

 

This is my ninth Classic Spin and we were given #5. And it also coincides with another challenge I take part in: Paris in July.

My niece gave this to me. Thank you, Jessica. She had received it from a friend and said she'd never read it. I said I love classics and would gladly read it. And I am always interested in reading any classic book and loved most of them. So, I put the book on my classics spin list and the number was drawn. Looks like it was the right time for it.

The description of the story says that it's riveting. Maybe I already heard too much about it before but I thought I misunderstood the word. But no, it is supposed to be completely engrossing; compelling. Well, it is a little too "fantastic" for me, a little too gothic.

Well written and the characters come to life, though I didn't really care for any of them. I love the French language and I really like the French but I seem to struggle with their literature. I have no idea why.

I like a few of the songs written for the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber but I have never watched it. There must be a reason.

We read this in our international online book club in November 2023.

Some remarks from the discussion. The meeting was started with listening to the Phantom of the Opera signature song by Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley to make a suitable gothic atmosphere. 

The original story was much more a book than expected. It had a backstory, very visual storytelling, and a scary villain. Of course with old stories like this, it had not aged so well in terms of gender equality, but the mechanics and psychology of the phantom was quite interesting.

We were happy to know the original story now, compared to just the Lloyd Webber musical version.

From the back cover:

"First published in French as a serial in 1909, The Phantom of the Opera is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine Daaé. Her father, a famous musician, dies, and she is raised in the Paris Opera House with his dying promise of a protective angel of music to guide her. After a time at the opera house, she begins hearing a voice, who eventually teaches her how to sing beautifully. All goes well until Christine's childhood friend Raoul comes to visit his parents, who are patrons of the opera, and he sees Christine when she begins successfully singing on the stage. The voice, who is the deformed, murderous 'ghost' of the opera house named Erik, however, grows violent in his terrible jealousy, until Christine suddenly disappears. The phantom is in love, but it can only spell disaster.

Leroux's work, with characters ranging from the spoiled prima donna Carlotta to the mysterious Persian from Erik's past, has been immortalized by memorable adaptations. Despite this, it remains a remarkable piece of Gothic horror literature in and of itself, deeper and darker than any version that follows."

Tucholsky, Kurt "Rheinsberg"

Tucholsky, Kurt "Rheinsberg - a Storybook for Lovers" (German: Rheinsberg - ein Bilderbuch für Verliebte) - 1912

This is a lovely little story about a young couple in love, nothing less, nothing more. It was written in 1912, when nobody thought about war but young people tried to enjoy their lives. While it is not an autobiography, it carries snippets of the authors life. But he also criticizes the society at the beginning of the 20th century that showed the world an image of Kaiser Wilhelm's times.

The book was a scandal. An unmarried couple on holidays together for a weekend, pretending to be married, sharing a room. But it has been a favourite among German readers ever since, still more than a hundred years later. It was also turned into a nice little film in 1967 (see here).

This was Kurt Tucholsky's first success, he had many more, the most popular "Schloß Gripsholm", similar to this story but published later, in 1931. Then, he had to feat something worse than the outrage of prude readers, he was not only left wing, a pacifist, anti-military (especially after having to serve during WWI) and definitely anti-Nazi, he was also Jewish. He wrote with many different pseudonyms, e.g. Peter Panter, Theobald Tiger, Ignaz Wrobel but mostly Kaspar Hauser. Still, he fled to Sweden where he died of an overdose of his painkillers and there is a dispute whether this was intentional or accidental.

Kurt Tucholsky has given the world some lovely stories but, even more important, he has set an example that we shouldn't be quiet if we think something is not right. If there were more Tucholskys and fewer Nazis, the world would be a better place.

From the back cover:

"One summer before World War I, a young couple escapes on a romantic weekend getaway to the small German town of Rheinsberg, north of Berlin, in the midst of a rural landscape filled with country houses and castles, cobble-stone streets, lush forests, and dreamy lakes. The story of Wolfie and Claire, told with a fresh, new style of ironic humor, became Kurt Tucholsky’s first literary success and the blueprint for love for an entire generation.

Kurt Tucholsky was a was a brilliant satirist, poet, storyteller, lyricist, pacifist, and Democrat; a fighter, lady’s man, one of the most famous journalists in Weimar Germany, and an early warner against the Nazis. Erich Kaestner called him a small, fat Berliner,' who 'wanted to stop a catastrophe with his typewriter'. When Tucholsky began to write, he had five voices - in the end, he had none. His books were burned and banned by the Nazis, who drove him out of his country. But he is not forgotten."

Sampedro, José Luis "The Etruscan Smile"

Sampedro, José Luis "The Etruscan Smile" (Spanisch: La sonrisa etrusca) - 1985

The Etruscan Smile is set in Italy but written in Spanish by a Spaniard. It is about an old farmer in Calabria who was a resistance fighter in his youth. Now he is ill and has to go to his son in Milan. From the South to the North. The transition is pretty tough.

But this way he also gets to know and love his grandson. Through him he finds the meaning of life. He mixes the little boy's problems with his experiences from the war. He learns many new emotions, especially to forgive his enemies, but also to see the good in people.

An excellent book, very touching and heartwarming.

Book Description:

"A tough old farmer from southern Italy takes pride in his time served as a partisan during World War II. Due to a serious medical condition, he must move in with his son and daughter-in-law in Milan. While disliking life in the northern city, the relations between the old man and his tender grandson evolve, transforming his life during his final days."

I took the picture from the movie they made where they have changed the location but you can find the English text of the book here.

Agus, Milena "From the Land of the Moon"

Agus, Milena "From the Land of the Moon" or: The House in Via Manno (Italian: Mal di pietre) - 2006

An interesting tale about the life of a woman who cannot break out of the prescribed path. One would like to leave immediately for Sardinia. Or at least to Milan. Definitely to Italy. 

This is a short but very powerful story about family history, told by the granddaughter of the woman in question.

The original title is "Kidney Stones". The unnamed married woman is sent away to treat her kidney stones and then she meets the love of her life. They even turned it into a film in the meantime, see here.

From the back cover:

"But what do we really know about other people? In this international bestselling novel, a young unnamed Sardinian woman explores the life of her grandmother, a romantic, bewitching, eccentric figure, and a memorable literary creation. Her life has been characterized by honor and fierce passion, and above all by an abiding search for perfect love that has spanned much of the twentieth century. Ever in the background of this remarkable woman's story is the stunning Sardinian landscape, the deep blues of the Mediterranean, the rugged mountains of the Sardinian back-country dotted with charming villages lost in time.

With warmth, great humor, and deep insight Milena Agus writes about the customs and the beauty of her native Sardinia, about love, family, immigration, war, and peace. From the Land of the Moon is the moving English debut of one of Italy s most important new literary talents."

Eliot, George "Silas Marner"

Eliot, George "Silas Marner" - 1861

I have read several novels by George Eliot and liked them all. So, it was no surprise that I also enjoyed reading about Silas Marner and his life. There are a lot of books set in this location and time-frame (English Midlands, French wars of the early 1800's) and I always compare this author to Charles Dickens who lived at the same time and described similar lives.

But, you can tell that this is a woman who wrote the book, she makes different observations, I don't want to say they are deeper or better, just different. And thereby, she adds a lot to the understanding of people from that era.

Maybe we could say this book is about karma. As Oscar Wilde said: "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily That is what fiction means." Stories like this one confirm this.

I will certainly have to read more books by George Eliot (pen name of Mary Ann Evans).

From the back cover:

"Although the shortest of George Eliot's novels, Silas Marner is one of her most admired and loved works. It tells the sad story of the unjustly exiled Silas Marner - a handloom linen weaver of Raveloe in the agricultural heartland of England - and how he is restored to life by the unlikely means of the orphan child Eppie. Silas Marner is a tender and moving tale of sin and repentance set in a vanished rural world and holds the reader's attention until the last page as Eppie's bonds of affection for Silas are put to the test."

Singer, Isaac Bashevis "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy"

Singer, Isaac Bashevis "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy" (Yiddish: נטל בחור ישיבה/Yenṭl der Yeshive-boḥer) - 1983

I am a huge Barbra Streisand fan and have seen quite a few of her films. And one of my favourite movies ever (not just by and with Barbra) is "Yentl". So, I was surprised to only now find out that it was based on a book. Of course, I could have guessed, such a great story, even if they changed quite a few important parts from the story in the film. So, it's probably a good thing I saw the movie first.

Unfortunately, it's only a short story, I'm sure Nobel Prize winner Isaac B. Singer would have had more ideas to describe Yentl and her life. But, nevertheless, it is a fantastic story and I hope to read more by this brillant author.

From the back cover:

"Recognizing that Yentyl seems to have the soul and disposition of a man, her father studies the Torah and other holy books with her. When he dies, Yentyl feels that she no longer has a reason to remain in the village, and so, late one night, she cuts off her hair, dresses as a young man, and sets out to find a yeshiva where she can continue her studies and live secretly as a man."

Isaac Bashevis Singer received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1978 "for his impassioned narrative art which, with roots in a Polish-Jewish cultural tradition, brings universal human conditions to life".

I contribute to this page: Read the Nobels and you can find all my blogs about Nobel Prize winning authors and their books here.

Shakespeare, William "Much Ado About Nothing"

Shakespeare, William "Much Ado About Nothing" - 1598/99

As many of you might know, I am not the biggest fan of reading plays. I love seeing them in the theatre or even on TV and I always say that's what they were written for. However, from time to time, I really want to read a Shakespeare play, especially since it has been almost impossible for me to watch anything in the theatre since the beginning of Covid.

One of my favourite shows on TV is "Much Ado About Nothing" by and with the great Kenneth Brannagh as Benedick with his then-wife Emma Thompson (of whom I am also a huge fan) as Beatrice.

Some time ago, I found the "No Fear" reading version of the play and thought, that sounds interesting. The lovely thing with this is, you don't just get a modern version of the play, you get the original wording right next to it, on the left-hand side with the new one on the right. Plus explanations of old expressions etc. Brilliant. Especially for people who are not used to reading classics.

Of course, having seen the play helped a lot in understanding what was going on. But I might try to read some more of the Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon from this publisher.

Description:

"In Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare includes two quite different stories of romantic love. Hero and Claudio fall in love almost at first sight, but an outsider, Don John, strikes out at their happiness. Beatrice and Benedick are kept apart by pride and mutual antagonism until others decide to play Cupid."

From the back cover:

"No Fear Shakespeare gives you the complete text of Much Ado About Nothing on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right.
Each No Fear Shakespeare contains:
The complete text of the original play
A line-by-line translation that puts Shakespeare into everyday language
A complete list of characters with descriptions
Plenty of helpful commentary"