Carsten's (ctpress) 2024 - Take and Read

Judith Appleby (British, 1952–), The Stell Falstone, 2011–14. Acrylic on canvas.

Welcome to a new year of book-sharing, novel-talk, fiction discussion, chit-chat, and/or deep philosophical musings.

I'm living as a single in Copenhagen, Denmark. Working as a journalist, and in 2023, I turned 60. I read and reread many classics, theology, and history - but new literature and modern novels will slip through. I've been in this group since 2010.

I love hiking, watching movies, and my church fellowship.

Currently reading:

Books read in 2024:

May:
18. When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayer by Jerry Sittser (2007) 4,5/5
17. Oz Clark's Introducing Wine by Oz Clarke (2000) 3/5
16. Forsvarlig gudstro? by Jakob V. Olsen (2012) 3,5/5

April:
15. Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor (2017) 3,5/5

14. Sporene af det Skjulte af Peter Halldorf (2019) 3,5/5
13. Ovenlys på Faste og Forbrug by Ingolf Henoch (2009) 4/5
12. The Art of Lent by Sister Wendy Becket (2022) 4/5
11. The Mosaic of Christian Belief by Roger E. Olson (2002) 4/5
10. En smal bro over afgrunden (A narrow bridge over the abyss) by Martin Krasnik (2024) 4,5/5
09. From Giotto to Cezanne by Michael Levey (1962) 3,5/5
08. Septologien 1 by Jon Fosse (2019) 3,5/5

January:
07. History of the Peloponnesian War (Abridged) by Thucydides (-461) 3/5
06. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius (328) 4/5
05. If I Had Lunch with Lewis by Alister McGrath (2014) 4/5
04. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (2019) 3,5/5
03. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) 4/5 (reread)
02. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (2021) 4/5
01. The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (1998) 3/5

I hope I am not too early to come and drop a star here Carsten?

>4 PaulCranswick: No, not too early at all, Paul. Looking forward to a new reading year :)

Welcome back, Carsten!

>6 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. And thanks for the work of putting it together.

Dropped a star Carsten and look forward to following your news and your reading! All the best.

Good luck with your 2024 reading. BTW, I really love Frankenstein.

Great to have you have you back, Carsten! I hope you had a lovely Christmas. I've dropped a star.

>8 mdoris: Thanks, Mary - will look you up as well on your new thread.

>9 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess - Frankenstein is a reread, and so far I'm enjoying it a lot.

>10 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah. It was a very good Christmas with a lot of food :)

Best reads in 2023:

All 4,5/5 or 5/5:

Fiction:
1. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
2. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
3. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
4. The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, Aged 37 3/4 by Adrian Plass
5. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells

Non-Fiction
1. A Confession by Leo Tolstoy
2. God on Mute by Pete Greig
3. Rembrandt Is in the Wind by Russ Ramsey

>12 ctpress: Happy 2024, Carsten. The title of God on Mute made me laugh so hard I scared my roommate. That is one I would buy just to support the author's sense of marketing properly to all segments of the reading population.

Setting my cushion down for the year ahead Carsten.

I really must get to The Wind-up Bird Chronicle in 2024.

>13 richardderus: Ha, ha, it's actually a book on unanswered prayer, Richard.

>14 Caroline_McElwee: It's my first Murakami (or at least his fiction), a peculiar blending of fantasy and reality. I like the mood of the book and the sensation it creates, but have ceased to try to find out what the plot is about.

>16 ctpress: I loved Killing Commendatore a few years back.

Happy New Year Carsten!

>17 Caroline_McElwee: I will definitely try out more by Murakami. He has a unique way of writing stories.

>18 SandDune: Happy New Year Rhian.

A blessed new year to you, to me, and to this poor wounded world.

A good sentence I read this morning in a blogpost by Alan Jacobs.

Carsten, as I said , I 💙you for your Royal work . I heard that perhaps the Queen is abdicating because Prince Fredrick was unfaithful to his wife Mary, and perhaps Mary demanded to be Queen if she was going to stay married to Fredrick . Can I have partial credit if you run with my inside info ? 😉

>22 vancouverdeb: I need to know more about the source of this inside scoop, Deborah - but maybe I can quote "inside sources with knowledge of the Queen's thinking," I can pass it on to my editor. It would be the year's scoop; I must look into it today :) I'll give you partial credit if we run with it.

The Daily Mail in the UK , Carsten , which is newspaper, but a dreadful site of gossip and speculation too .

😉😀

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12915465/Queen-Margrethe-Denmark-abdica...

Here you are, Carsten! :-)

>26 vancouverdeb: Yes, some Danish tabloid media also caught that - one to speculate over, but we need some more certainty - trying to get hold of the wastebasket at Amalienborg for more clues.

Happy reading in 2024, Carsten!

>28 FAMeulstee: And a happy new year to you, Anita.

Book 1. The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
607 pages, audiobook, 3/5 stars.
Date of publication: 1998



This was my first Murakami novel. I liked some parts of it a lot. Especially the first half of the story - a fascinating blend of reality and fantasy. What is real, and what is a dream? But I don't think the different elements of the novel came together and formed a coherent story. All the WWII stuff with harrowing stories, the young girl's ramblings, hiding in the well, etc. What's the connection? I liked Creta Kano and her back story, but she suddenly disappeared from the story without explanation. Well, overall, I liked the feeling it created of loneliness and the inability to know what reality is.

I will try to read more of him. Any suggestions?

>30 ctpress: I have read a few Murakami's in the last years, Carsten, including The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. So far my favorite is Kafka on the Shore, where the main character spends a lot of time in a library.

>30 ctpress: Thanks for the suggestion, Anita. That is one of his I've heard mentioned - taking place in a library already sounds like a good start :)

I've not read anything by Haruki Murakami as yet, but great job reading 607 pages so quickly. ( Okay, listening to 607 pages - which takes even more time! The mystery in Barcelona that you mentioned on my thread - you mean Prince Frederik supposed affair in Madrid? Or were they spotted in Barcelona too ? Even the more staid Guardian is weighing in on that now! I've not yet watched The Crown, because, you know, I'm a bit of an expert on the subject ;-)

Happy new year of reading Carsten! >30 ctpress: I have this one on my shelf to read next by him, so far I've only read Kafka on the Shore.

>30 ctpress: I haven't read it yet to be honest but I did read Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore and would recommend both but possibly found the former book a bit easier going.

Have a great Sunday, Carsten.

>33 vancouverdeb: Well, most of The Wind up Bird I listened to in December last year, so there's always some mixed 2023/24 books in the beginning of the year. Didn't you know the investigation has moved to Barcelona? Ha, ha, well, I had forgotten it was Madrid. Honest, I'm surprised The Guardian is jumping on this one - only the tabloids in Denmark have mentioned it. The Crown is such a well-made series, and besides season 5, I've enjoyed it a lot. The aftermath of Diana's death is also very well made in season 6. But of course, it's make-believe, what would they have said etc. etc. imagination.

>34 WhiteRaven.17: Thanks, Kafka on the Shore keeps coming up, so I might try that one next.

>35 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul - I will make a note of Norwegian Wood, after I read Kafka on the Shore.

Hi Carsten, I polished off season 6 of The Crown too and agree, it was very well done but maybe a little slow and difficult but the sets were amazing.

>36 ctpress: You forget that the affair took place in Madrid and not Barcelona? What kind of reporter are you, Carsten! :-) I mean this is serious stuff. I am having so much fun with this, it is almost as if Nancy ( LitChick) was still with us in spirit. Like you, she had such a great sense of humour. I do miss her . https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/05/digested-week-abdication-denmark...

"The working theory here is that, post the prince’s alleged dalliance, Margrethe has abdicated to ensure her son is crowned while he is still married to Mary, ensuring that Mary – who is tremendously popular in Denmark, both with the public and her mother-in-law – will be queen."

I got a chuckle out of the columnist calling Queen Margrethe " The Ash Tray Queen" .

>39 mdoris: Have watched a lot this weekend Mary and I only have the last episode of season 6 left, which I will finish today I think. It has always been a pleasure to watch, for the production value is very high. Oh, my how the actress looks and acts just like Diana. Amazing.

>40 vancouverdeb: I thought of Nancy the other day, too, thinking how I miss her chiming in with her humour - we sure had a blast back then. But I love that you're back on LT again, Deborah. Makes it a better and funnier place.

I am still surprised The Guardian picks this up, but citing tabloid media seems far-fetched and mostly having a little fun. The Ash Tray Queen. Ha, ha. Margaret can't run from that. The royals and the media sure have a strained relationship in Britain. I think there is generally more respect for the royals in Denmark.

Book 2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
352 pages, audiobook, 4/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2021



What a page-turner thriller. And with a great plot twist that puts everything into a new perspective. No wonder it was a bestseller.

Book 3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (reread)
245 pages, hardcover, 4/5 stars.
Date of publication: 1818



“I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel…”

The most tragic thing in this gothic horror story is the monster's vain longing for love, for a friendly soul. He doesn’t find it - not even in his creator, the young science student Victor Frankenstein. Instead, the monster turns to a destructive path of vengeance.

It is the third time I've read it. It is such a great romantic tragedy.

Happy New Year to you, Carsten! Oh, I miss Nancy also. Hope you have a wonderful week.

Yes me too thinking about Nancy. I miss her too!

>45 AMQS: Thanks, Anne - and a wonderful week to you also.
>46 mdoris: Yes, I know a lot knew her on LT and her wit and conversations.

>30 ctpress: I read this last year and I think you liked it better than I. This has turned me off of Murakami, but I will always give an author a second chance!

>44 ctpress: I was out book shopping with my mom today, and I picked up Frankenstein, Carsten . I’ve never read it , but last year I read Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill . It was a fictional take of Mary Shelley and her husband and very fascinating.

>48 Tess_W: I can understand that, Tess - it was a very confusing read - I think I will give him another chance to see if I like it better.

>49 vancouverdeb: A great classic for your shelf. She certainly lived an interesting literary life and was so young when she first began writing Frankenstein. Prepare for tragedy, Deborah.

>30 ctpress: I enjoyed Killing Commendatore.

>52 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for the recommendation, Caroline.

I wish you had gotten as press secretary for the British Royal family, Carsten ! I am so curious what is up with the Princess of Wales, abdominal surgery today and 2 weeks in the hospital and then they don't expect her to be out and about until after Easter. I'm guessing maybe something ulcerative colitis that she need surgery for ? Maybe a hysterectomy? If you have any connections, let me know :-)

>54 vancouverdeb: My sources at Kensington Palace don't tell me anything. Everything is shrouded in mystery :) - well, I did report on the short news about it... https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/britisk-prinsesse-sygemeldt-til-efter-paaske-e...

So fun to see your story in print Carsten!

>56 mdoris: Once in a while I get to be royal reporter :)

Book 4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
416 pages, audiobook, 3,5/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2019



By the author of A Man Called Ove. The plot is rather silly, and Backman again tries his formula of tragedy and comedy. The comedy worked (laughed a lot), but I had trouble taking any of the characters seriously.

Book 5. If I Had Lunch with Lewis by Alister McGrath
225 pages, ebook, 4/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2014



The gimmick about imagining having a lunch with C. S. Lewis and talking about different subjects doesn't work that well, but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the "discussion".

It gives McGrath more space here to delve into topics on Lewis' writings and major ideas than in his biography on Lewis.

Book 6. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius
120 pages, ebook, 4/5 stars.
Date of publication: 328



The famous early defence of Jesus' deity against the Arian heresy. It is surprisingly easy to understand Athanasius straightforward arguments.

I also liked C. S. Lewis' introduction. The first half of it he explains the importance of reading old books. A quote:

It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.

>60 ctpress: good advice!

>61 mdoris: I follow his advise most of the time, Mary. Out of six completed this year two are old ones 😊

Book 7. History of the Peloponnesian War (Abridged) by Thucydides
96 pages, hardcover, 3/5 stars.
Date of publication: 431 BC

Read for the War Room Challenge.



The version I read was an abridged edition - 96 pages - old Danish translation that were used for high school. Interesting to read about men doing sports naked, about very detailed description of some sort of plague or epidemic - really horrible - that they couldn't find a cure for. But mostly it was long speeches of peace-negotiations or war declarations with moral arguments on why a city should be spared or everyone killed in it.

Currently reading:

   

Happy weekend to you, Carsten.

>65 AMQS: Thanks, Anne. And a happy weekend to you.

Excellent reading ,Carsten!

>67 vancouverdeb: Yes, it's been a good beginning on 2024.

Hi Carsten. I have a book out of the library right now Scandinavian from Scratch A Love Letter to the Baking of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and oh my goodness there is raspberry square called Hindbaersnitter that looks completely amazing and one that I will have t make. You make a shortbread type base then cover it with raspberry jam and then plop another shortbread base on top and then make a raspberry icing to cover before slicing and then of course down the hatch! Have you ever had this cookie? It is on the cover of the cookbook.

>69 mdoris: Hi Mary. Yes, I've had it many times. It's very sweet, but I like it a lot. Hindbærsnitter is a Danish classic, for sure. Good luck with the cooking.

>69 mdoris: That has my sweet tooth playing up, Mary.

How are you getting along with Jon Fosse, Carsten?

Have a great weekend, my friend.

I loved The Silent Patient and will search out more by that author.

Book 8. Septologien 1 by Jon Fosse
275 pages, audiobook, 3,5/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2019



By last year's Nobel Prize winner. A meditative reflection on art, time, memory, death, and God. Stream of consciousness. There's only a little plot here, but Fosse is great at creating an atmosphere of loneliness and isolation. I'm not sure about the doppelganger motive - "The Other Name" - but maybe more is revealed in the second part - Septologien 2 - which I must read.

>71 PaulCranswick: Septology 1 was a really strange reading, Paul. I'm still not sure what I think of it. He creates a really unique atmosphere, depressing and haunting at the same time. Worth a try, if you haven't read it already.

>72 Tess_W: Absolutely, Tess - I will also try to read more by Michaelides.

Septology 1 sounds interesting , Carsten. I'll look into it. Currently I am slogging along with Wolf Hall , but I'll get there. I hope. I hope life is treating you well and it is nice that we are almost into Spring.

>76 vancouverdeb: Well, Deborah, life has been tough lately. My dad (86) died two weeks ago after a six-week-long stay at the hospital after a major operation. I was in and out every day at the hospital, taking care of my mother (together with my sister), funeral preparations, and other practical things to take care of.

Now I'm back to a more normal routine, but there's an empty feeling right now, relief that there's less tension, but also sadness. Strange how life just moves on as nothing has happened and you have to move along too.

Oh, I am sorry about the passing of your dad, Carsten . That’s so hard . I’m glad you were able to be with your dad so much at the end, exhausting as that is . And such a help to your mom. I’m glad your sister was able to be with you and your family. It is really a hard time . My dad died of cancer when he was 65 , and was so exhausting mentally and physically. I remember looking at him after he passed and finding it hard to believe that such a bigger than life character that my dad was , was silent. I will pray for you and your family , Carsten . I know what you mean about less tension , yet so much sadness. Hugs , Carsten .

>78 vancouverdeb: Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, Deborah. I was with him for the last 24 hours at the hospital, and I had the same reflections as you because my dad was also so full of life, laughter, and optimism. It was hard to watch him draw his last breath and all that life gone. Still, amid it, there's thankfulness for his long life and our loving relationship - also having the time to say farewell (but of course, in the resurrection-hope of meeting again). But yes, "exhausting mentally and physically."

>58 ctpress: I read quite a few by Backman but the timing fo this one was to great so I abandoned it.

>77 ctpress: I am so sorry to hear about your father. My condolences (( hugs))

Hello Carsten, What very sad news about your dad and I am sorry. Yes you have had some very demanding weeks and you will no doubt greatly feel his absence. I am thinking about you and your family.

>80 figsfromthistle: I would like to read more of him, but this one was a bit disappointing.

Thanks for the condolences, Anita.

>81 mdoris: Yes, I do feel his absence, Mary. A lot. Thanks for your thoughts. It is strange that I can't call or visit him anymore.

>77 ctpress: I'm very sorry to hear that Carsten.

>84 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian.

Book 9. From Giotto to Cezanne by Michael Levey
324 pages, hardcover, 3,5/5 stars.
Date of publication: 1962

 

Unfortunately, my Danish edition of this book has very poor-quality illustrations, which lessened the reading experience. The book mentions a lot of artists but uses very little space to describe their work - it could have been better if he focused more on the most significant artist and their work. Still, I enjoyed the book a lot.

>77 ctpress: Condolences on the loss of your father. May you grieve and recall the happy times.

>87 elorin: Thanks, Robyn. I can recall many happy times with my father, and I'm thankful for that.

Book 10. En smal bro over afgrunden (A narrow bridge over the abyss) by Martin Krasnik
200 pages, audiobook, 4,5/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2024
Read for bookclub

 

The Danish Jewish journalist Martin Krasnik has written a much-needed book in the debate after the 7. October-terrorist attack.

As a Jew, of course, personally involved and enraged, he is still able to see the nuances - both a critique of especially the hypocrisy of the left when it doesn't condemn Hamas, the antisemitism he and his family and Jews around the world faces, but also in his critique of Israel's disastrous policy under Netanyahu and civilian casualties in Gaza. There's also a good historical examination of the root of the conflict. There are no easy answers here.

>89 ctpress: That sounds like a very good and interesting book Carsten!

>90 mdoris: He is one of my favorite Danish writers in journalism. Unfortunately, it is not translated into English.

>44 ctpress: I aim to read this one soon. I just read an essay about it by Rebecca Solnit and it piqued my interest.

>73 ctpress: I wasn't sure about the doppelganger either, Carsten. I haven't gotten to the next book yet, as reading is very slow at the moment, so can't fill in there. Will look for your thoughts on the next books.

>77 ctpress: So sorry to read the sad news of your fathers passing, my condolences to you and your family.

>77 ctpress: So sorry to read of the passing of your father, Carsten. I well remember the empty feeling that you carry around with you due to the loss of a close relative. It does get better dear fellow.

>92 LovingLit: It's a great classic.

>93 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I was together with some friends the other night. Two of them had read the whole series, and say it just get better and better, so I might read on soon.

>94 PaulCranswick: Thanks for your thoughts, Paul. It is a strange time at the moment, but yes, time heals and it will be easier to live with.

Book 11. The Mosaic of Christian Belief by Roger E. Olson
367 pages, e-book, 4/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2002



What are the essential core beliefs of orthodox faith that all Christians can say yes and amen to? Well, Roger E. Olson tries to give it a shot, and I like the effort to find a consensus of teaching that unites Christians with all the diversity that exists. I wouldn't recommend reading this from cover to cover, but it's a good handbook whenever a specific subject is to be explored.

Hello Carsten, sending you wishes for a very Happy Easter. The Easter hymns are my all time favourites. Hope you are having a good weekend!

>99 mdoris: Thanks, yes, it's been a good time with family and friends this Easter.

Happy Easter, Carsten! I am heading out to a family dinner soon . 🐣🐰🥕

>101 vancouverdeb: Hope you had a good easter family gathering, Deborah.

I usually don't follow Lent as in fasting and giving up things, but this year, I did read three devotional books that all contained a short devotion for each day of Lent - there was a lot of focus on silence, contemplation, simple living, frugality, warnings of the dangers of riches, and I also realized that it's a big theme in both The Old and New Testament.

Book 12, 13 and 14:

   

>77 ctpress: My mother passed quite suddenly 3 weeks ago, and I have the same feeling(s). I just quite can't believe it's "real" yet. Some days I see an ad on TV for a gospel concert (which I "drove miss daisy" to frequently) and think I need to call mom and see if she wants to go.........I am sorry for your loss.

>104 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess - and I'm sorry for your loss too. I can relate to the feeling of it not feeling "real." I keep playing scenarios in my head of what if it didn't happen this way, my father would have survived, etc. Well, I hope it will get easier with time to live with the loss.

I did have a lovey family gathering for Easter, thanks Carsten. I don't give up things for Lent either, but this year church encouraged the idea of a social media fast. I tried it for just a day or two and in a way it was quite freeing and reminded of the good old days before Facebook, Instagram, checking the new on line etc.

I'm glad you got the three devotionals in. It does get easier with time, but I still think , what if my could see the grandkids now, one he never met, or now he has 4 great grandchildren. Or, I wonder what advice he might have given with different issues or what his take would be on the news. I remember when 9/11 happened and I was quite shocked of course, and I called my dad and he said , I won't be surprised if it was Bin Laden. And he was correct. I had never even heard of Bin Laden. He was always up the news, among other things.

>106 vancouverdeb: Yes, a break from social media is a good thing, Deborah. It has become increasingly natural for me not to use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. it is rather freeing. Oh no, is Librarything social media :)

It's true that our dear ones live on with us, so to speak. We can't help it, but it is also important to remember the good memories we have had with them. There's still some regret that I didn't do this or that with my father or that I should have said this or that. But there's no helping it now. I must focus on the positive things we had together and talked about, and fortunately, there was a lot of that.

Book 15. Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor
400 pages, audiobook, 4/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2017



A novel during WWI written in letters between childhood friends. It was rather melodramatic, but I was quickly hooked and involved in the drama.

Wishing you a great weekend, Carsten.

>109 PaulCranswick: Thanks for that - although it's been a while since my last posting :)

Book 16. Forsvarlig gudstro? by Jakob V. Olsen
135 pages, paperback, 3,5/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2012



A defense for the belief in God based on the emergence of New Atheism (Dawkins and his crew). The Danish author tackles fundamental questions about the relationship between religion and science. I especially liked his discussion of intellectual freedom and religion in the public space.

Book 17. Oz Clark's Introducing Wine byOz Clarke
144 pages, hardcover, 3/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2000



This is a good introduction to the world of wine, its different grapes, and its most famous regions. He avoids most of the snobbery there's generally too much of in the wine world.

Book 18. When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayer by Jerry Sittser
224 pages, ebook, 4,5/5 stars.
Date of publication: 2007



Jerry Sittser's exploration of prayer answers, or the lack of it, is deeply personal. More than a decade ago, Jerry Sittser prayed for the protection of his family, yet three of his loved ones - his daughter, his wife, and his mother - died in an automobile accident.

I've always thought many Christians are very quick to give God credit for this or that wonderful thing that happens, sometimes making God some sort of magician. Sittser doesn't give out easy answers but explores this important question at length.

>113 ctpress: That sounds like a very interesting book Carsten. Faith must be truly tested at such very difficult times.

>114 mdoris: You're right, Mary. His faith has indeed been tested. His first book was more of an autobiography about how he coped with loss - A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss - I also liked his book about spirituality: Water from a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from early Martyrs to modern missionaries.

Thanks Carsten, those look good!