Books I read in 2021. And I dearly recommend them.

I won’t disappoint you this year, either. I have prepared a list of the books read in 2021 that I dearly recommend to you.

Should you be curious to read my books, you can find some of them here, here and here.

 

The list of good books I read in 2021 is as follows:

Fragile – Goșu Simona

How Close Are the  Cold Rains – Coșa Bogdan

All the Promises I Made to My Father – Ioana Maria Stăncescu 

The Chestnut Man – Soren Sveistrup

The Little Man in the Wall – Marian Coman

Beloved – Toni Morrison

Truly Madly Guilty  – Liane Moriarty

If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face – Alan Alda 

The Bastard of Istanbul – Elif Shafak

Interpreter of maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri

The Foreigner – Stephen King

The Pyramid – Cristian Englert

The Ballad of the Colorless Strawberries – Zully Mustafa 

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine – Gail Honeyman

The Captives – Debra Jo Immergut

10 Ways of Dealing With People Who Make Your Life Miserable – Lillian Glass

The Snow Child – Eowyn Ivey

The Silent Pacient – Alx Michaelides

Larry and the Dog People – Paul J. Henderson

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats – T.S. Eliot

As If Nothing Had Happened – Alina Nelega

The Kukotsky Enigma – Lyudmila Ulitskaya

Honour – Elif Shafak

Bastian – Dora Pavel

Let’s Talk About Death – Michael Hebb

The Grace Year – Kim Liggett

Britt-Marie Was Here – Fredrik Backman

The Case of the Missing Marquess – Nancy Springer

A woman is no man – Etaf Rum

The Wives – Tarryn Fisher

A Question of Death and Life – Irvin Yalom

Stay Where You Are and Then Leave – John Boyne

Informative Note Written at a Typewriter – Ileana Vulpescu

Fidelity – Marco Missiroli

The Penalty Area – Alain Gillot

Betty – Tiffany McDaniel

This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

Passions – Sofia Nădejde

The Tale of the Good Old Man – Italo Svevo

The Orange Tunnel – Nichita Stănescu

The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman

The Prophecy and Other Stories – Drago Jancar

On Writing – Stephen King

Nomad – Ayan Hirsi Ali

The Doctor King’s Eyes – Haralamb Zincă

The Thing Around Your Neck – Chimamanda Adichie

Brave New World Revisited – Aldous Huxley

Candidates to Happiness – Ileana Vulpescu

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes – Ruth Hogan

The Diary of a Bookseller – Shaun Bythell

It Was Her – Mark Hill

Waiting for Monsieur Bellivier – Britta Rostlund

The Surprises of Captain Apostolescu – Horia Tecuceanu

Four Reflections of the Truth – Ana-Maria Negrilă 

The Empire of Old Maids – Liliana Corobca

The Golden Rule – Amanda Craig

The Diver’s Clothes Lie Empty – Vendela Vida

Three Apples Fell From the Sky – Narine Abgaryan

Prey – Ayan Hirsi Ali

The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak 

Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas – Adam Kay

The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak

When reading this novel, a soothing balm is cast over the reader. Something not at all new for the literature written by Elif Shafak. To my mind, this is a guarantee for the last two novels she wrote – 10 minutes 38 seconds in ThisStrange World, being the other one. These novels are far more healing, melancholic than the others, and this balm is far more soothing.

I hate to give details about the plot of a novel, but I can tell you this – you will relive the magic from The Arabian Nights. And the author’s voice is so gentle while carrying the reader from one character to the other.

I leave below two paragraphs that I find amazing:

‘… Adam and Eve yielded to the allure of a fig, the fruit of temptation, desire and passion, not some crunchy apple. I don’t mean to belittle a fellow plant, but what chance does a bland apple have next to a luscious fig that still today, aeons after the original sin, tastes like lost paradise? ...’

‘Because the past is a dark, distorted mirror. You look at it, you only see your own pain. There is no room in there for someone else’s pain. ...’

The exercise of gratefulness

My Christmas tree was trimmed already. It has squirrels and it is read.

Starting with yesterday, I have been receiving adornments for it. Adornments that have easily found their place in my Christmas tree. I have received them from dear friends, and I was reminded that this week I have not played the exercise of gratefulness.

Thus, today I am grateful for all of my friends.

For all the friends that, even if we do not keep in touch on a regular basis, I feel close to. For those that were once very close, but no longer are. For those that insist, regardless of the space we have among each other, to remain close (and sometimes to make such gestures like the ones that helped adorning the tree, as you see above).

Long live the friendship!

Faith

I was speaking (on speaker) with Nephew and my sister about a future test that the Nephew must take at Religion. And so, we inevitably got to the big question.

‘Do you believe in God?’, I asked.

‘Yes. Otherwise, how can the 8 I took at Maths can be explained?!’ he answered.

Saint Nicholas came today!

Yeah, I must have been really good.

Later edit: my nephew called and confirmed that I was good. And this is why he will bring me halvita (it's a type of nougat, but more creamy and tasty; it's almost a forgotten art because few people know how to make it). 

How lucky am I, to be the aunt of a nephew with such golden heart!

Letter to Santa

I was talking with my sister on the phone, and I don’t know why we arrived at the subject about smartphone. Namely, my life without a smartphone. My nephew was listening to our conversation (I was on speaker) and he beautifully showed how much he resembles us by coming forward with a solution – Tell her to write to Santa!

‘Why?’, my sister asked.

‘So that she can receive a smartphone.’

‘She does not want a smartphone.’

‘Well, tell her to write him, anyway’, my nephew added.

 

I’m being a good girl, dear Santa, and I am writing to you. It’s been so long since I last wrote to you that I am a little bit afraid that I won’t be able to express my wishes as I used to. Short, to the point and with no justification. So, please forgive the possible inadequacy in the lines below.

 

Dear Santa,

 

I do not want a smartphone. Ever.

But I do want – really bad – moments like those that you have already brought me in the past. Those when me and all loved ones laugh with all of our might.

 

Have a smooth ride!

The nephew’s auntie

Comments on the Bookster platform

The greatest joy for a writer is to be read. No doubts about this.

If readers enjoy the writings of a writer, it has nothing to do with the writer. She or he gave their most trying to convey their meaning, but the way in which a reader receives and understands the writing varies according to each personality. The personality of the reader, that is.

My online articles (fifteen) on the Bookster platform are read, and this brings me great joy. And most of all, I am happy whenever I read the comments to my articles. Below you can read the latest comment to the article '5 reasons why you should read books'.

(This is a really nice article. Honestly, all the reasons for reading have been highlighted. Books really do help us.)

Thank you, my dear Ana! Thank you for taking your time to read me. Thank you for your comment. The writer feels honored.

The holidays might be coming

 I've got my favorite tea and books to make the winter more bearable.

Four reflections of the truth – Ana-Maria Negrilă

This first historical novel of Ana-Maria Negrilă is a true delight. The descriptions of towns, attire and craftsmanship from Romanian Middle Ages are skillfully and elaborately made.

While reading, my heart went out to Stefan’s destiny, admiring his tolerance, hope and talent as a drawer. Stefan’s story could be anyone’s story, if we should think of it in relation to humans’ longing for discovery and knowledge. Nevertheless, his destiny puts him through a lot of trials when Stefan decides to leave Suceava town and to accompany Miro, an energic but mysterious young man.

Past the twist in the relationship with Miro, Stefan wants to know the truth behind Miro’s decision. It is this quest for finding the truth the essence of all human endeavors, and Stefan vibrates at the call of such quest. Maybe here’s an explanation to the title of the book, juxtaposing in two dimensions four mirrors to cover the length and latitude (given that Stefan wants so much to wander the Earth), the truth cannot escape us.

I am very happy to recommend you this book, which I am sure you will love.

Good Deeds

I feel particularly happy today. I am floating on musical clouds.

My folks brought me some old tapes from home and I spent the last few days listening to old albums and also my recordings. What a time that was! When I used to rewind tapes by using a pencil...

And even more, I discovered audio memories. My cousin and I recorded ourselves while singing. Of course I was the loudest, even from those early times my talent could be spotted.

And here I am again playing the game of gratefulness because without a good friend of mine, I could not have listened to these wonders. Long may he live! But especially, I am grateful for those people that, like me, still care for things that are outdated but functional.

And here, a song as a present from this tape.

Apples and pies

They say that one never grows old in the eyes of one’s parents. Not even at 5. Not even at 30. Not even at 50 years old.

When so few things remain the same, it’s such a relief to discover that some things (good ones) never change.

And here it is, the long-time-ago-student still receives packages from her folks (this time, the intermediate being the sister).

Attitude

I'm so very proud of my latest acquisition.

It so happens that it applies to reality more than I initially thought.

How to Be More Organized

My father is a wise man. As time goes by and I’m getting older, I’m starting to realize he is even wiser than I thought.

When I was a child, he always used to insist that I should not leave my things laying around, and that I should always set a place for them and place them there.

 

If you learn to put one thing in its place it’s going to help you a lot, on the long run, because you can always go fetch it and find it there. And you can do that even with your eyes closed.

 

This is true, actually. I took his advice and it turned out to be very useful.

I reckon this is how I developed my organizational skills. By simply applying his piece of advice, I was efficient. Then, I started feeling the need for clarity and planning. A need that I always try to fulfil in my professional and personal relationships.

If things are not clear and well defined for neither of the parties (or even only for one of them), the standstill occurs. And standstill cannot be surpassed by only one party’s efforts.

 

Until recently, when talking about organizational skills, a reference was always made regarding multitasking. There hardly were job interviews without the parties (interviewer and interviewee) making a reference to this magic element.

Fortunately for all of us, in the meantime, researchers have found that multitasking is not quite a great skill. And that, actually, the human brain can only focus on one task at a time, while multitasking means that efficiency and performance are at risk. Regardless of the country of origin of these researchers, I am glad to hear about this discovery and I support it.

If you come to think about it, the truth about multitasking was right in front of us, on American highways (I guess there were on other countries’ highways too, but the first that I heard of were the American ones) – Don’t text and drive! We just could not believe it.

 

Tricks for being more organized

 

Take notes.

It’s good to take notes about what one considers to be important. But keep in mind that we have a particular way in which our brain processes information. When things are not clear enough, the brain has the tendency to fill in the gaps (for unclear or missing details).

Thus, be careful how you take notes!

I am truly comfortable with using Word, and I love to take notes on such a document. But I have friends and colleagues that use all kinds of applications. The important thing is to find what works for you.

 

The calendar

Try taking notes on a day-follows-day approach. That is, write the task to be done tomorrow and continue by mentioning those to be done the next day after tomorrow and so on and so forth. Do not forget to include the date. This really helps me not to forget a task.

For example:

05.02 – must sign document X.

 

To have a better visibility on what's next, as soon as I solve a task from the day I delete it. But you can delete them all at the end of the day.

And if I was not able to deliver on one task, I move it to another day.

I hope this inspires you to better organize your tasks!

Sunday

 

Celebrity

When one writes a text, one’s main mission is to try and be as clear as possible. But one cannot control the interpretation the reader will give to the text.

The other day, I published on my Facebook page the article about reputation. Hearing my sister laugh, my nephew wanted to know why. And so my sister showed him the post.

My nephew:

‘Did she write this? And can anyone read it? … Well, at least she did not give away my name!’

Calculations

The other day, we engaged in a conversation about abacus, and thus about calculations.

Especially, regarding the methods one uses in order to make calculations.

I did not make so much use of the abacus when I was a child, but I do remember one ingenious method that I discovered while I was an English teacher in an afterschool.

I had finished the English class and I stayed in order to keep an eye on 8, 9 years old children doing their Mathematics homework. The management was really clear that us, the teachers, should be very careful not to let the children solve their exercises by using the calculator.

I was thus on a serious mission while surveying the little ones, when one of them drew my attention. I discreetly approached him and asked the little boy to draw out from underneath the desk whatever he was using to solve his exercises. He looked me in the eyes, with a mix of amazement and shame, and pointed towards one of his feet.

I took a better look and saw that both his feet where on the chair. Thus, I asked him to explain to me what he was doing.

Unaffected, he replied that the exercise he was working on needed more than the number of fingers from his hands in order to be solved so he went and used his toes, too.

It is during moments like these when a teacher really discovers the beauty of her/ his profession.

Scenes from buying books

This summer, we visited Slovenia.

It was quite a beautiful experience and we enjoyed the scenery and the people.

Ljubljana is indeed very beautiful, but it was Maribor where I could actually find books written by Slovenian writers translated into English.

I entered a beautiful bookshop in Maribor and asked the shop assistant to direct me to the shelf of translated Slovenian writers. She was quite puzzled and when I got to the counter to pay for these books below, the shop assistant said:

‘Oh, you only bought Slovenian writers' books. Are you a teacher here, coming to teach English?’

‘No’, I said. ‘I am a tourist, but I am really interested to discover writers from everywhere I go’.

That smile. A mixture of pride, humbleness and joy. That is something one can never take for granted.

And to embellish them all, I found a keychain with my favorite dogs breed.

(I love my West Highland White Terrier)

Measure your words

In a world where we are all communicators, whether we like it or not, it’s important that we do not lose track of the meaning of words.

In Romania, most of us use the English language at work more than the Romanian one. This is how the Rom-English language appeared, and words in Romanian are butchered constantly.

 

Sometimes, we use English words without knowing the proper meaning to them. For example:

‘I thought you were a professional, so I do not need to explain what I want.’

Well, you do. Everybody does. No one, not even those with a lot of personal or professional experience, can guess what’s in your head. You are the one that must direct them to what you need or want. This is how speech appeared, to facilitate the understanding among people. The more explanations, the better. Trust me!

 

Try and make an effort and think about what words you use and how you use them. It will go a long way for your business or personal relationships.

Autumn in the garden

Autumn has already beautifully colored our balcony. Sure, if it was not for the great gardener that took care of it, the harvest would have been less rich.

Queen

Real music never dies. It stands out so easily from the noises in fashion.

The other day, my cousin showed a picture of Freddie Mercury to my nephew and the latter admitted that he did not know who that man was. And maybe it’s not at all that bizarre given that when I was 12 years old I did not know how John Lennon looked like. But I did know that song. 

Once I arrived at home, I started listening to Queen’s albums, one after the other. Inevitable, I have my favorite songs.

Who wants to live forever?! 

Who does not get goosebumps when listening to the song above?!

The Speech

(Photo Copyright - IMDB)

If you must see a movie this year, let it be The Speech.

A great comedy, with funny lines and monologues that are, from time to time, tender and touching.

It is a while since I laughed the way I did while watching this movie. And I must add that some theater techniques used in the movie give it a special charm.

Until you go see it, here’s a line to ponder on:

‘You will fall a couple of times and you will get hurt because life is a bicycle with no training wheels.’

First article in English on Bookster

You already know that I have some works published on the Bookster platform (and you can also borrow one of my books - the bilingual edition of 'Adventures of tourists').

Thus, there are 16 works of mine to be borrowed by you, and starting from today you can also find there an article written in English.

Happy reading!

What Are You Grateful For?

I am grateful for my 12-year-old nephew who insists I sit next to him at the table whenever we see each other. And when I take him by the hand, his fingers gently cover mine in a way that confirms that love does not need too many words and the feeling of security is right in this simple touch.

Oh, and I am also grateful for his emotional intelligence. I witnessed so many situations when his way of dealing with certain situations brought my joy and admiration in a way I could never explain.

I think we owe it to ourselves to do emotional gymnastics once every few days. To just stop and think about what brings us joy, what moves us and motivates us to continue with our daily activities. I suggest a couple of exercises:

1. The exercise of gratefulness.

There must be a thing or a person in your life for which you are grateful. Stretch the memory muscle and let yourself be embraced by relaxation.

2. The exercise of joy.

Regardless if you are or not happy in this moment, look towards a moment in the past that made you happy or amused you. Take a deep breath. Laugh as if it would happen to you right in this moment.

3. The exercise of playing hide-and-seek.

Look out of the window to a distant point. Hide your worries behind that point as if it would be a heavy bag that you have been carrying on your shoulders. Then, move from the place you were.

 

Make sure to alternatively repeat the above exercises. But make sure to do it often.