"Between Shades of Grey" Ruta Sepetys. It is interesting to reflect that, in contrast to the crimes of the Nazis, there is little popular culture on the horror of the Soviet gulags - at least in my experience. I feel I imbibed it in a vague and abstract way, without much in depth explanation or … Continue reading 13. Lithuania
Category: Art
8. Denmark
"LUCKY PER (LYKKE PER)" - Henrik Pontippidan. Translator Naomi Lebowitz. I awarded this 4 stars on my Goodreads review. 4 stars grudgingly given, drawn out of me as Per’s long, frustrating quest for self-knowledge was dragged out of him. This is a coming-of-age tale scandi-noir style; the antithesis of every Hollywood movie, laced with Northern … Continue reading 8. Denmark
7. Ireland
"The Green Road" - Anne Enright. What do you expect from an Irish story? Family, guilt, so many words spoken but so much left unsaid, a grim, hope-crushing ending. Maybe this is just my inherited Celtic Catholic sensibilities. But this is what you got with the Green Road. The novel is about a family in … Continue reading 7. Ireland
6. Portugal
"Perreira Maintains" - Antonio Tabucchi. Translated from the Italian by Patrick Creagh. I had intended to only pick authors who were from the country I was reading, however, not only is the author something of an expert on Portugal, this was recommended to me by a Portuguese friend whose taste I trust. It felt like … Continue reading 6. Portugal
5. Spain
"Books Burn Badly" - Manuel Rivas. Translated from Galician by Jonathan Dunne. I found this book by chance after browsing in Daunt's bookshop in Marylebone, London; the only place I know where books are divided by country and those with a geographic reading list can search for gems with little previous knowledge. It was a … Continue reading 5. Spain
3. Belgium
"War and Turpentine" - Stefan Hertmans. Translated from Flemish: David McKay This was a sweet, nicely written account of one man's life, Hertmans' Grandfather - Urbain - based on, inspired by and transcribed from Urbain's memoirs, feverishly written at the end of his life and entrusted to Hertmans for publication. Hertmans' narrative goes further than … Continue reading 3. Belgium
The European Reader 