Reviewing March makes me happy as I feel that I have accomplished a lot of things. As you may know, one of my goals for 2017 is to read 52 books. In March I read a total of nine books, including a couple of Nobel Prize laureates and one book on normative ethics (non-fiction!). Language-wise I read one book in Spanish, one in Finnish, four in Swedish, and two in English. These books also took me on a journey around the world – from Iran and South America to Sweden and Sicily. Sometimes you don’t have to leave your house in order to see the world.
What else happened in March? Spring arrived! I have also enjoyed fantastic breakfasts, visited the Parliament, and spent quality time with family and friends. It was an eventful month indeed.
Reviewing March: the Books I Read
🇸🇪 Albert Camus: Främlingen (L’étranger)
This philosophical piece is said to represent Camus’ philosophy of the absurd and existentialism. It is a quick read that raises many questions and thoughts. Albert Camus won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1957.
🇫🇮 Mario Vargas Llosa: Traversuras de la niña mala
Another Nobel Prize winner, Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian writer. His The Bad Girl is essentially the story of a lifelong obsession and love story. It is also a description of Europe and the world from the 1960s onwards.
🇸🇪 Zinat Pirzadeh: Fjäril i koppel
Zinat Pirzadeh is an Iranian-Swedish comedian and writer. Her novel about a butterfly in a leash is a thought-provoking narration of how a young girl grows up in Iran before and during the revolution.
🇸🇪 Katerina Janouch: Första året
Some facts about the first year of life.
🇫🇮 Jojo Moyes: Parillisia ja parittomia (The One Plus One)
I like reading Jojo Moyes when I need to escape reality for a while. This book works well for that kind of escapism.
🇬🇧 Paula Daly: The Mistake I Made
Described as a page-turner and a thriller, this book mainly inspired me to read more about the Lake District.
🇬🇧 Paula Daly: The Trophy Child
I don’t even know why I read this book. Well, actually, I had an advance proofreading copy (we get them from work sometimes) and this was an easy read.
🇸🇪 Torbjörn Tännsjö: Grundbok i normativ etik
Normative ethics is a branch of philosophical ethics that investigates the set of questions that arise when considering how one ought to act, morally speaking. If my brain had some rest while reading some of the other books in March, this kept it awake. This piece was a good introduction to philosophical questions that we all face.
🇸🇪 Andrea Camilleri: Terrakottahunden (Il cane di terracotta)
Andrea Camilleri is a famous Italian writer of crime stories. The Terracotta Dog is the second book in a series about popular Sicilian detective Inspector Montalbano.
Reviewing March: Happy Thoughts
Let’s conclude this reviewing March with some happy thoughts. I kind of like going back and thinking about all the things that made me happu. In March I especially enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and colleagues. It really is a great feeling to know that so many good people surround me.
Last but not least, a quote from Albert Camus.
