My reading

Since I wrote here the last time about my reading I have read some but not as much as I would have liked.

Right now I'm reading a Swedish book called Vetenskapsfilosofi (Scientific Philosophy). It is for a course I'm going to take in a couple of weeks and it is about the more philosophical side of how to approach science and how to prepare for an essay from the point of arguing for your topic, your research and the validity of your results.

In a way it's interesting but I don't have the spark to look forward to the 220 pages I have left. I have read, like, 50. Sigh.

I really need to find that spark because I have about 2000 pages to read before Christmas and most of them are for my exam essay. My finla paper so I can get my diploma.

Finally

Thanks to computer problems I haven't been able to update you on my reading.

I finished The Labyrinth (Labyrinten) about two weeks ago and I feel that I really can recommend it to those of you who are interested in history but don't want it all to be too much facts. A historical context and authorial (is that a word?) liberty to add people to make a good story is about just the best thing I know.

After the book I read two smaller books which are called Breaking and Bad News With Baby Animals and F in Exams. Two really short and funny books.

The first one is full of awfully cute pictures and in the shape of postcards so if you are out of luck you could receive a postcard that says "The meteor can't be stopped" and see a cute baby bunny on the picture. I wouldn't mind bad news that way.

The second one is full of examples from real exams where you can read about History:
Where was the American Declaration of Independence signed?
At the bottom.

Or maybe Classical studies:
Name the wife of Orpheus, whom he attempted to save from the underworld.
Mrs Orpheus

Or what about Religion:
What is a pilgrimage?
It's when lots of people wander off in the same direction fo no apparent reason.

Two of my favourites are:
What were Jesus' closest group of followers known as?
The 12 decibels
And:
Name one famous Greek landmark.
The most famous Greek landmark is the Apocalypse.

These two books are read in about 30 minutes but they are so funny you will read them over and over again. Most of the school topics are covered and if you need a break and read something serious for a while I can tell you that right now I'm reading "Aspie, that's me" (Aspergern, det är jag) which isn't as fun but very interesting. I have only read about 30 pages but I will tell you more when I get into it.

New topic

As I'm supposed to be a teacher in Swedish and English I just thought that I should do some blogging in English also. Not only in my native tongue.

Travels are a passion in my life, as are books. So now I have decided to once in a while blog about books on this page. That might help me pick up my speed in writing on the computer also. My fingers are qiute fast when it comes to Swedish but they are slower in English. I need to be faster.

The first thing I want to mention is that I, last year, read 46 books all in all.

So far this year it has been 9 completed and the tenth is on its way. It is called Labyrinth (Labyrinten), written by Kate Mosse, and takes place in France where I spent last week. It is really wonderful and I can feel how I still walk around in Toulouse and look at the nice church of Saint-Etienne.

The thing is that the story is kind of a thriller story.
It begins with Alice Tanner, who happens to be at an archeological site, working for a team while on holiday. She isn't an archeologist herself but got the opportunity through a friend who is one of the leaders. She finds a cave with a grave in it and finds herself dragged into a historical mystery where she is, somehow, linked to a girl called Alaïs who lived in the 13th century.

It is a thrilling book where you follow both Alice in 2005 and Alaïs in 1205 in their different struggles trying to survive the history about the crusade against the Cathars (katarerna).

I have read about one third of the book and I can already say that if you are interested in history and religion together with thrillers or mystery novels this is a book for you. I hope I still think so when I'm done.