Reading is not the problem - (Sir)Thomas 4. Challenge

Happy New Year to all of you and welcome to my thread.

Last year was hard for me, we bought an apartment and moved to it in November.
There were many problems with the construction companies, dates have not been respected,...
So my thread has been neglected - among other things in my life.
But the hardest thing is - in the apartment is not enough space for all of my books.
As always helps here a good book: Feng Shui gegen das Gerümpel des Alltags.

Now we've moved moved and I'm optimistic for 2016 and my fourth attempt.
So lets see....

An overview of my books read in 2016 can be found here:
Books Read in 2016

Welcome back! I hope life settles down for you soon.

Thank you for the good wishes, it feels good to be back.
Our life calms down bit by bit, the apartment has become really lovely, the heater is working now in every room, in the shower the water runs only where it should, the (new) kitchen countertop is repaired,...
All in all we have settled well and the neighbors are nice.
But most importantly, the bookcases are assembled and filled and everything is ready for reading:

Now to the first book of the year:

1. Vier Weihnachtsgeschichten by Charles Dickens
The book contains 4 stories:
Der Weihnachtsabend - A Christmas Carol
-Who does not know Ebenezer Scrooge?
Das Heimchen am Herde - The Cricket on the Hearth
-A story about fatherly love and again purification of a petrified heart
Der Kampf des Lebens - The Battle of Life
-True love waived for love others
Die Silvesterglocken - The Chimes
-Good people find even in hard times their luck if they remain only steadfast
Today they are a little bit talkative, but heartrending and comforting - the right stuff for Chrismas when I started reading.
Charles Dickens is still a great storyteller.

2. In der Hölle ist der Teufel los / A Talent for Violence by Will Manson
A lawyer is working as a special agent and bodyguard to protect 4 scientists. They are working on a new weapon.
The story is told very straight, there are many gun fights and a happy end.
Nice and fast to read for in between.

3. Das Dickicht / The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale
I read the opening sentence - WOW! and the rest is on the same level.
16 year old Jack Parker is on the hunt for criminals who murdered his grandfather and kidnapped his sister.
He is accompanied by a dwarf, a son of a slave and a boar.
A Western? Yes, there are many shootouts, a lot of violence, but dark humor, a story about coming out of age, love,....
Read for yourself, it's worth it! Joe Lansdale is a great storyteller.

I sat in the men corner in a shopping center, a little bit bored and waiting for the return of my wife with a lot of new stuff.
When you have an ebook-reader and are worried about the money, what is your choice?
Mine was

4. Der Geizige / The Miser by Molière
Stinginess makes you lonely and others unhappy.
But in the end the miser is unhappy, but his family finds happiness.
A nice comedy, a little bit old fashioned, a little bit too many lucky coincidences, but good to read.
I'm happy too, I had a stimulating reading and a good looking wife.

A foggy weekend, a hot bath and time to read - two more books:

5. Sie wissen alles: by Yvonne Hofstetter
A book about the dangers of Big Data. I began to read it last summer and today I finished. It is not the right thing for me.
A little bit polemic, a little bit blah, i had problems to stay at the ball.


6. Was verschweigt die Schulmedizin? by Werner Goller
A conglomeration of texts about alternative remedies. Some are interesting and the effect is well founded.
Some seem to be promotional brochures of the manufacturer.
In some texts, I am looking for my tinfoil hat.
In no text is specified, where it comes from and who wrote it.

By the way... it's almost the end of month and my thread is still up to date - hopefully it stays for the rest of the year.

7. Basar der bösen Träume / The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King
The new collection of short stories. Some where published before, some are new, some are breathtaking, a few are so-so.
Great to read.


8. Das älteste Ding der Welt by Willy Seidel
A science fiction story with horror elements published 1923.
Harald von Calmus is a sheltered son of a landed gentry and lives in an idyll until he finds a buried meteorite.
His sense of time changes, he becomes sluggish and is attracted to the location.
He meets an East Asian scholar, Mr. Sze who has long been in search of the meteor
He kidnappes the boy and let him dig out the meteorite.
This is a big mistake, the meteorite is an ancient divinity who thirsts for blood.
Time flies, days go by in minutes.
They try to dig it back, but the boy dies and the demon begins his work, a great war will come.
For me it is a parable of the outbreak of the First World War.

9. Die Sisters Brothers / The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Eli and Charlie Sisters are gunslingers, they are on the hunt after Hermann Kermit Warm.
They meet a weeping man, a witch, whores as ladies and other other quirky types.
A Western with a little bit humour - nice to read, but not more.

10. Der Stich der Wespe / Wasp by Eric Frank Russell
A nice little story, what harm an individual can do in a totalitarian system. A little bit old fashioned, but partially still current.


11. Die Welten des Magnus Ridolph / The many worlds of Magnus Ridolph by Jack Vance
A great collection of short stories how to fight evil with brain and style instead of weapons.
Very funny to read.

12. Geschichten aus Gavagans Bar / Tales from Gavagan's Bar by Lyon Sprague DeCamp
A great collection of short stories about what can happen in a bar. SF? Fantasy? Horror? Seriousness? Humour?
Who cares? Nice to read before Holiday.

Back from beautiful two weeks at the North Sea with long walks at the beach and a lot of good eating and drinking I am recovered enough to talk about the books I read during my vacation ;-).

A little impression:

And now to a couple books from the public library that I have loaded on my reader for the holidays:


13. Blutiges Echo / Lost Echoes by Joe R. Lansdale
A great thriller with horror elements.
Harold Wilkes has a problem with loud noises. When he heares it he is the middle of the last occurrence of an accident or crime.
He hides himself in his soundproof apartment to escape the horror.
But he must learn to use his curse as a gift and to end a series of murders. He learns to make friends and to live again.
Great to read.


14. Der schwarze Schwan / The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Expect the unexpected, trust yourself, think outside the box.
Our worldview is based on many assumptions, which may be incorrect, the shock comes from an unexpected direction, can not be seen before, but is logically explainable in hindsight. Be open to the black swan and use him.
The book is very helpful, but is always slapping the same line and has too much self-congratulation.

15. Er ist wieder da / Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes
Adolf Hitler awakens in today and makes a career as a cabaret artist or is it serious?
Frightening - the story might work.
Some gags are too fake.
For the holidays quite nice.


16. Traumlieder 3 by George R. R. Martin
A new holiday, a new edition of short stories, most with a melancholic undertone, but also hopeful.
I enjoyed the reading.


17. Schwarze Strömung / A Dark and Twisted Tide by Sharon Bolton
Another thriller about a headstrong cop with personal problemshunting a serial killer who wants to kill her.
A little bit too many plot holes.


18. Der Büro-Ninja / Ninja in ufficio by Lars Berge
Jens does not want to live as before, he goes underground and builds a place to hide in the office building.
But there are several like him, an entire organization.
As satire too serious, it did not convince me.

19. Skulduggery Pleasant Apokalypse, Wow / Armageddon Outta Here the World of Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
The adventures of a skeletton, nice to read, but I felt a little bit too old for it.
So about 40 years or so.

20. Steel Valentine by Joe R. Lansdale
A great short story about survival and revenge.
I love it.


21. Bullets and Fire by Joe R. Lansdale
Another great short story about a revenge after years.
Joe R. Lansdale is one of my favourite writers.

Now to the last two holiday-readings.
No, the weather was good, but there was many time to read beside.

22. Verhängnisvolle Abkürzung by Renate Gatzemeier
A thriller about a serial killer and his psychopatic mother.
Nice to read, but a little jolty.


23. Engelsschmerz by Anna Martens
A thriller about a missing daughter and her desperate mother.
Told from 4 perspectives:
the mother who searches for her daughter
the commissioner, she feels compassion for the mother, but is not actually in charge
the victim, she wants to survive
the kidnapper and killer
A nice holiday-reading, but not always plausible.

The holidays are over, reading goes on:
This book I began reading before, it was better to read it piecemeal:

24. Was uns wirklich trägt by Anselm Grün and Walter Kohl
Essays on various life situations from a priest and a man who had to cope with a hard life, even though he was the son of a celebrity (actually therefore).
Both have found their way to master life.
- We are good enough, we are ok
- trust in God
- trust in yourself
- trust in love

25. Friedrichsruhe: Ein kulinarischer Krimi by Ute Böttinger
A crime story with lots of local color, varied, exciting and good to read.
A star chef disappears a culinary interested Commissioner is looking for him.
Similarities with living persons are intentional.
If you know Hohenlohe you will recognize much.


26. Die Zeitreisenden in Callahan's Saloon / Callahan's Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson
A variation on the theme of number 12, another style but a god reading.


27. Die Wälder am Fluss / The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale
Texas in the 1930's, a boy grows up in a world full of rassism, A serial killer tortures and kills women, no one cares because they are black.
For the people, it is also clear that the murderer must be a Black.
Only Harry and his father are investigating impartially for the killer and are getting problems with the Ku Klux Klan.
A great atmosphere, great to read.


28. Wetterleuchten /The Edge of the Water by Elizabeth George
Elizabeth George is one of my favourite authors, I love the Lynley/Havers Mysteries, but this one is not my cup of tea.
A young girl who can read minds, alone on an island, hiding from step father who wants to kill her, a love story.
A bit of everything, but in sum, too much nothingness.

Another month has passed, it is time to talk about the books I read in the meantime:


29. 999 Festmahl des Grauens / 999: New Stories of Horror and Suspense by Al Sarrantonio
A great collection of short storys by various authors, I loved the reading.


30. Bedenke, was du tust / A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George
Barbara Havers is back.
She is forced to adapt what's hard for her - Is personal change really that bad?
A great story, developing characters, a pleasure to read.
Such books are the reason that Elizabeth George is one of my favorite authors.


31. Mordsrausch by Barbara Edelmann
Another crime story with lots of local color of Allgäu / Bavaria.
Crime, sex and fun, nice to read.


32. Du sollst eventuell nicht töten by Simon Borowiak
Schlomo, a hypochondriac and his blind friend Mendelssohn are moving into a new neighborhood.
The neighbors are nice, but a little bit strange, then there is a corpse. What is to do?
It should be funny, but I couldn't laugh enough.


33. Der Seidenspinner / The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
The second adventure of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott.
The background of them is getting clearer, the story is a pleasure to read.


34. Das Rad der Ewigkeit by Tibor Rode
A patent attorney with heart in search of the perpetual motion machine, supported by a beautiful woman, hunted by secret societies.
Dan Brown sends his regards.
Some twists are simply too unbelievable.

As time goes by, the next books:


35. Der Tod heilt alle Wunden / A Cure for All Diseases by Reginald Hill
I love the stories about Dalziel and Pascoe, it is a pleasure to read.


36. Küstenmorde by Nina Ohlandt
Murder on Amrum, a nice holiday-reading, unfortunately, I have just no vacation.


37. Der Flug der Störche / The Flight of the Stork by Jean-Christophe Grangé
Quite drastically, sometimes a bit implausible, but well written.


38. Die Knochenuhren / The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
A great story about a war behind the scenes, told by different people, a pleasure to read.

and the next ones:


39. Wölfe der Nacht / The Wilding by Benjamin Percy
A story about a family hunting trip and self-discovery.
A stalker and murderer is also there. The German title fits, wolves play no role in the book.


40. Mörderischer Mistral by Cay Rademacher
A police officer is in the country demoted and lives on. The story is not bad, but read many times before.


41. Die Wahrheit über den Fall Harry Quebert / The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker
A crime story with many twists, a pleasure to read.

Now 10 books at a time.
2014 I did an Inspector Jury marathon, which led to that I am possessing no more book of this series.
This year I tried the Martin Beck series.
All books remain on the shelves, they are great.

42. Die Tote im Götakanal / Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
43. Der Mann, der sich in Luft auflöste / The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
44. Der Mann auf dem Balkon / The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
45. Endstation für neun / The Laughing Policeman by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
46. Alarm in Sköldgatan / The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
47. Und die Großen läßt man laufen / Murder at the Savoy by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
48. Das Ekel aus Säffle / The Abominable Man by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
49. Verschlossen und verriegelt / The Locked Room by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
50. Der Polizistenmörder / Cop Killer by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö
51. Die Terroristen / The Terrorists by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

and the next ones:


52. Die Anstalt / The Madman's Tale by John Katzenbach
A great story about a serial killer in a lunatic asylum, told by an inmate.


53. Verblendung / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

54. Verdammnis / The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

55. Vergebung / The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
What should I say? Three great books!

Now to another books:


56. Fremder in einer fremden Welt / Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
A human, grown up on the mars and educated by the Marsians, must settle on the earth.
He has supernatural powers and becomes a kind of Messiah. A little bit old fashioned but still up to date.
Great to read.


57. Shining / The Shining by Stephen King
What should I say...
A Favorite book from my Favorite author.


58. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Danny has to face the demons of his childhood and tries to save a child from the True Knot. They are killing children with the shining and feed themselves with the steam that results from it.
A worthy continuation.

Back to the summer of trilogies:


59. Die Tribute von Panem 1. Tödliche Spiele / The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
60. Die Tribute von Panem 2. Gefährliche Liebe / Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
61. Die Tribute von Panem 3. Flammender Zorn / Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Great - even in the second run


62. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
63. Finderlohn / Finders Keepers by Stephen King
The story of Bill Hodges and Brady Hartsfield (in the second book in a secondary role).
More crime less Horror, a pleasure to read.

And again I lost the track of the books I read:

64. Eiskalt erwischt / Hardcase by Dan Simmons
65. Bitterkalt / Hardfreeze by Dan Simmons
66. Kalt wie Stahl / Hard as nails by Dan Simmons
A trilogy about a hardboiled private eye by by one of my favourite authors.
Sometimes a little bit nostalgic, but great to read.

67. Mind Control / End of Watch by Stephen King
Another trilogy by by one of my favourite authors.
Not so much horror, but Stephen King is a great storyteller in every genre.

68. Hexagon der Finsternis / by Georg Bruckmann
Six little fine horror-stories for in-between.

69. Kurze Geschichten für Zwischendurch / by Stefan Stern
84 short stories from 84 authors.
Some of them great, most of them nice to read.

70. Himmelhorn / by Volker Klüpfel and Michael Kobr
Kommissar Kluftingers 9th case.
Nice to read but the series has worn out a bit.

71. FUP / by Jim Dodge
A great little story with great drawings from Atac.

72. Eisbach / by Nadine Petersen
A story about the hunt for a serial killer in Munich. Good for a quick holiday-reading. - But I had to work.

End of last year we moved to a flat. This year I had to sort my books into the shelves and I had to sort many books out, because we have less rooms, no cellar no attic :-(.
It was a hard time, but I discovered old treasures too:

73. Alle Roboter-Geschichten / The Complete Robot by Isaac Asimov
74. Die Stahlhöhlen / The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
75. Die nackte Sonne / The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov
76. Aurora oder der Aufbruch zu den Sternen / The Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov
77. Das galaktische Imperium / Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov
78. Radioaktiv / Pebble in the Sky by Isaac Asimov
79. Sterne wie Staub / The Stars, Like Dust by Isaac Asimov
80. Der fiebernde Planet / The Currents of Space by Isaac Asimov
81. Die Rettung des Imperiums / Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov
82. Das Foundation- Projekt / Forward the Foundation by Isaac Asimov
83. Der Tausendjahresplan / Foundation by Isaac Asimov
84. Der galaktische General / Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov
85. Alle Wege führen nach Trantor / Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov
86. Auf der Suche nach der Erde / Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov
87. Die Rückkehr zur Erde / Foundation and Earth by Isaac Asimov

The history of a galactic empire - good old SF, I loved the reading and the memories of the reading in my youth.
By the way 75 books are read YAY!

And the rest:

88. Todeszimmer / The Kill Room by Jeffery Deaver
Another Licoln Rhyme story, not the best of thhe series, but a good reading.

89. Inferno by Dan Brown
Another adventure of Robert Langdon - The knitted pattern is always the same.

This seems to be my year of series:
90. Am Freitag schlief der Rabbi lang / Friday the Rabbi Slept Late by Harry Kemelman
91. Am Samstag ass der Rabbi nichts / Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry by Harry Kemelman
92. Am Sonntag blieb der Rabbi weg / Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home by Harry Kemelman
93. Am Montag flog der Rabbi ab / Monday the rabbi took off by Harry Kemelman
94. Am Dienstag sah der Rabbi rot / Tuesday the rabbi saw red by Harry Kemelman
95. Am Mittwoch wird der Rabbi naß / Wednesday The Rabbi Got Wet by Harry Kemelman
96. Der Rabbi schoss am Donnerstag / Thursday the Rabbi Walked Out by Harry Kemelman

Father Brown in jewish, but with more background story - a pleasure to read.

And the beginning of a new series:
97. Wallanders erster Fall und andere Erzählungen / Pyramid: And Four Other Kurt Wallander Mysteries by Henning Mankell
The first five cases of Kurt Wallander. The books are better than the short stories, but they are great nevertheless.

And I am up to date - YAY!!!!

With only a little delay:

98. Mörder ohne Gesicht / Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
99. Hunde von Riga / The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell
100. Die weiße Löwin / The White Lioness by Henning Mankell
101. Der Mann, der lächelte / The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell
102. Die falsche Fährte / Sidetracked by Henning Mankell

Great Crime Stories and more.
Policy, Society Criticism and an investigator with self-doubts - I love the reading.
Kurt Wallander is a great continuation of Martin Beck.
Every story stands for itself, it never comes bored.

By the way
Again over 100!

To say it with Michael Jackson (slightly modified):

I'm a reader not a writer.

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

This would be great!
Thank you and best wishes back.

Late but I hope not too late the last books I read in 2016:

In a little short Pre-Christmas holidays Kurt Wallander had a little time to regenerate.
I found some books at the hotel:

103. Der zweite Mord / Night Rounds by Helene Tursten
A murder is happening in the hospital, but the murderer has been dead for 50 years.
Or is this just a trick?
Nice little holiday-reading.

104. In blindem Zorn / Past Reason Hated by Peter Robinson
A murder story with inspector Banks, nice to read.

105. Es geht noch ein Zug von der Gare du Nord / The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas
The first book of the Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg series - I don't think I need more of theese.

After my holidays, Kurt Wallander is at work again:

106. Die fünfte Frau / The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell
107. Mittsommermord / One Step Behind by Henning Mankell

See >32 SirThomas: there is nothing to add.

So 2016 is gone, all books are listed.

I wish everyone for the New Year four wonderful seasons and time for reading.