February Book Haul ...
In February every year we have a big book sale in Sweden. It is not as much hype about it as it used to be, when people queued up at 7 a.m. to be first for the goodies. These days it is possible to order online and receive the books after the opening of the sales. I put in an order for 14 books, and just to be sure I covered it all, I visited the book shop on February 24, and found another six books, and two Soduko. Plus I found two interesting books at a second hand shop; Simone de Beauvoir - The Second Sex and three books in one by Octavia E. Butler - Dawn, Adulthood Rites and Imago. So many bloggers speak about Butler so I am inspired to read a book by her, although I am not a fan of Sci-Fi.
Ordered on-line
I am still waiting for this batch of books, and can hardly wait. Many favourites here.
Världen efter Ragnarök : essäer om litteratur och kulturhistoria (The world after Ragnarök, essays on literature and cultural history) by Lars Lönnroth
Magnificent Rebels by Andrea Wulf
Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf
Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard
Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages by Dan Jones
Weimarrepubliken : Tyskland mellan två världskrig (The Weimar Republic; Germany between two world wars) by Olle Larsson
Osmanska riket (The Osman Empire) by Dick Harrison
Elsa och Natanael Beskow : en kärlekshistoria (Elsa and Natanael Beskow: a love story) by Annika Persson
Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
Dialogs by Platon
The State by Platon
Le Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Liken vi begravde by Lina Wolff
Bought in the shop
Saladin, Hans liv och hans krig mot frankerna (Saladin, his life and his wars against the Franks) by Baha Al-Din
Corinne by Germaine de Staël
Förbjuden skrivbok (Quaderno proibito) by Alba de Céspedes
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Shadow over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
Some of these books I will read rather soon, others will probably stay a little bit longer on my shelves. Back again with over 200 books to read from my TBR.
The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft
I already finished this book. I have heard so much about Lovecraft but not read anything by him. Having said that, it might depend on the fact that I am not too fond of horror stories. Although, I quite liked this one.
Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American writer best known for stories that emphasise “humanity’s insignificance in an indifferent, unknowable universe”. He was born in 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island, where he also spent most of his life. As a child, he was sickly and introverted, mostly self-educated and he early on developed an interest in astronomy and classical literature. As his family’s wealth declined his life was poor. In 1924 he married Sonia Greene, but they later separated. He held controversial and racist views, which have been widely criticised and assessed in modern scholarship. He published stories in pulp magazines, especially Weird Tales. He also created a fictional universe, Cthulhu Mythos, which featured ancient cosmic beings and forbidden knowledge. His work often contains themes of dread and madness, of which The Shadow Over Innsmouth (1936) is one. He died of cancer in 1937, only age 46. Most of his fame came after his death, and he has influenced authors like Stephen King, filmmakers and game creators. Today he is regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th century. What is not to be excited about his achievements?
The Shadow over Innsmouth is a story about a young traveler who visits the decaying seaport town of Innsmouth, Massachusetts.
The narrator has been warned about the town and its inhabitants. He immediately notices the town’s strange, deformed inhabitants and its atmosphere of secrecy and decay. At a grocery store, he meets a young man who gives him information about the town, draws him a map, and advises him on places to visit. As he explores Innsmouth, he reflects on its dark and mysterious history.
Later, he meets an old man who, after several drinks, reveals the horrifying truth: years earlier, the town made a pact with mysterious sea creatures known as the “Deep Ones.” In exchange for wealth and abundant fishing, the townspeople interbred with these beings. Over time, many residents began transforming into amphibious, fish-like creatures. The town gradually declined and became a shadow of its former self.
Because of unfortunate circumstances, the narrator is forced to stay overnight at a hotel. During the night, he realizes that the townspeople are hunting him. After a terrifying escape through dark streets and marshes, he finally manages to flee the town. Although he survives, the experience continues to haunt him, when he discovers a frightening tie to the town.
There is no real, clear horror in this novel. More like an under current of something being wrong, without being able to put the finger on it. The description of the town, its inhabitants, its gruesome story is so well written, and you are inte the middle of it all. You are relieved when the narrator manages to flee the hunters, but then, another frightening scenario comes up. A very well written horror story, which gives you an urge to read something more by Lovecraft. It is what is not said, that makes this story so great.