October 23 lets look backat the month.

1. The city of the living by Nicola Lagioia
2. Without Waking Up by  Carolina Schutti
3. The rider by Tim Krabbé
4. My Friend Maigret by Georges Simenon 
5. The most secret memory of men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
6. Autumn Quail by Naguib Mahfouz 
7. Big Sur by Jack Kerouac 
8. Conversation with three wayfarers by Peter Weiss
9. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck 
10. Maigret and the Saturday Caller by Georges Simenon 
11. Shining by Jon Fosse 
12. Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 

Well, it was a great month I managed to review 12 books, including A Murder in Rome which shocked that city. To a girl growing up and not feeling in place. Then a man is in the middle of a cycle race, describing the race and his memories of being a rider. Then the first of two Maigret’ this. Month sees a man claiming to be his friend a fake picture, and an inspector from Scotland Yard. Then a young writer from Senegal finds a lost book and a lost writer and sets out to find more about him, Then a man caught up in the revolution in Egypt. A writer goes mad slowly from drink, drugs and fame in Big Sur. Then a story from three brothers that drifts through time and place. Then we Follow John Steinbeck on his way around a bygone America. Then back to Maigret and a man sees him on a Saturday to only disappear a few days later, leaving his wife and her lover and his former employee. The month started with Jon Fosse winning the Nobel and ended with me reviewing his latest short novella, where a man gets stuck in the woods and then follows some lights in the woods. Finally, it was Halloween yesterday, and I decided to review Hound of the Baskervilles, a creepy novel with lots of Atmosphere.

Book of the month

The Most Secret Memory of Men by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr the Senegalese writer, is a rising star of Francophile writing this is his second book and won the Prix Goncourt a fictional take on the true story of a fellow sub-Saharan writer. A book that came out just before the second world war and a writer that just vanished what did he do after a scandal about his debut Novel.

Non-book events

We’ve watched a few series this month firstly Them is a creepy show set in the 50s when a couple moves to a mostly white neighbourhood and strange things start to happen both in real life and in their minds. Then a new series based around Goosebumps, which saw the children of parents who had done something in the 80s attacked by a spirit. I also found an 80s Nick Cave Vinyl, not the reissue, which was great. I think autumn is always a time I like to read more.

Next month

I plan to get a number of books I have been sent reviewed I have a collection of short stories from Iceland. poetry from  Bosnia, novellas from Japan and A quirky Finnish Novel. Also, the latest from Jhumpa Lahiri which is one of the books I have most wanted this year. I had hoped to get the New Peter Nadas books but I will have p[ass them as my darling wife lost her job and we need to watch the pennies a little the next few months. How was your month and what are your plans for next month . Oh I forgot it is also German lit month so expect a couple of more books from German. Not sure which yet!