Read Around Europe Challenge
Read at least one book by an author from each country in Europe.
Best books from Europe (2604)
1491.
The Ice Palace by Tarjei Vesaas EN
NorwayDescription:
In winter, the black ice cracks like a gunshot across the lake, growing thicker and darker every night. Nearby, a frozen waterfall transforms into a fantastic, baroque structure with dripping buttresses, flying spurs of ice and translucent, sparkling towers. The schoolchildren call it the ice palace. When eleven-year-old Unn arrives in the village, she avoids the other children- she lives alone with her aunt and nurses a secret grief. But her boisterous classmate Siss refuses to be ignored and the two girls strike up an intense friendship. That is, until Unn decides to explore the Ice Palace o... continue
1492.
Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen EN
Description:
In this drama Ibsen has touched issues that were severely sensitive. The characters drawn in detail are deeply embedded in the plot. The themes of infidelity, illegitimate children and incest have been touched upon that were taboo topics of the time. He proved his mettle as a brilliant and bold writer as he delves into the psychology of the main characters and discusses their troubles.
1493.
My Men : A Novel by Victoria Kielland EN
Description:
"My Men is a stylistic tour de force . . . It reads like an expressionist prose-poem penned by a stark-minded zealot . . . Kielland is clearly a gifted writer, and My Men is an impressively realized creation." —Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal "This fascinating, off-kilter novel about a female serial killer is an unexpectedly thrilling read.” —Karl Ove Knausgård, author of My Struggle and The Morning Star "Kielland’s dense, lyrical novel offers both insight and opacity . . . Despite the subject matter, this novel is not your typical thriller. The language, in Searls’ translation, is dense, p... continue
1494.
Description:
A man starts driving without knowing where he is going. He alternates between turning right and left, and ultimately finds himself stuck at the end of a forest road. It soon grows dark and begins to snow. But instead of searching for help, he ventures, foolishly, into the dark forest. Inevitably, the man gets lost, and as he grows cold and tired, he encounters a glowing being amid the obscurity. Strange, haunting and dreamlike, A Shining is the latest work of fiction by National Book Award-finalist Jon Fosse, the Beckett of the twenty-first century" ( Le Monde ).
1495.
Sovietistan : Travels in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan by Erika Fatland EN
Description:
An unforgettable journey through Central Asia, one of the most mysterious and history-laden regions of the world. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan became free of the Soviet Union in 1991. But though they are new to modern statehood, this is a region rich in ancient history, culture, and landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world. Traveling alone, Erika Fatland is a true adventurer in every sense. In Sovietistan, she takes the reader on a compassionate and insightful journey to explore how their Soviet heritage has influenced these countries, with governments e... continue
1496.
Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun EN
Description:
The story of an elemental existence in rural Norway.
1498.
Description:
Troubled by an inability to find any meaning in his life, the 25-year-old narrator of Naive. Super quits university in an attempt to discover a raison d'etre. He recounts a series of anecdotes, which culminate in a trip to stay with his brother in New York. He writes lists. He becomes obsessed by time and whether it actually matters. He befriends a small boy who lives next door. He yearns to get to the bottom of life and how best to live it.
1499.
The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am (Norwegian Literature Series) by Kjersti A. Skomsvold, Kerri A. Pierce EN
Description:
The highly acclaimed debut of one of Norway’s brightest talents. Mathea Martinsen has never been good at dealing with other people. After a lifetime, her only real accomplishment is her longevity: everyone she reads about in the obituaries has died younger than she is now. Afraid that her life will be over before anyone knows that she lived, Mathea digs out her old wedding dress, bakes some sweet cakes, and heads out into the world—to make her mark. She buries a time capsule out in the yard. (It gets dug up to make room for a flagpole.) She wears her late husband’s watch and hopes people will ... continue
1500.
