When I was young I read many novels. I read every book about indians in the local library. Then I covered all sci-fi novels. I didn't manage all detective stories, but consumed everything by Ed McBain and Alistair McLean and lots more. Maybe that's why I get bored as soon as I even hear the now so popular term crime novel ("deckare" in Swedish). Crime stories are for kids.
Then I got busy studying and didn't have time to read as much novels as before. But through the years I have read quite a lot and a few of those books got stuck on my mind. They are:
John Irving - The Cider House Rules
My first and most memorable out-of-body reading experience. It was a rainy summer and I had sat in my old brown easy chair reading for days, already many hours this particular day. I was absorbed by the book, there didn't exist anything but the world of St. Cloud's orphanage. But then I see myself, the book in my lap, sitting in the chair, happily smiling.
Gabriel García Márquez - 100 år av ensamhet (Cien años de soledad)
After years of singlehood, a couple of relationships had followed. And crashed. Not leaving a mess behind, but a man confused about life and love. Then I read this book and regained the belief in love again, stronger than ever. The big difference now from earlier is that not only do I understand how precious and tender love is, but also that I cannot waste my love. It was fun for a while, but it consumed more than it gave. Now, what I want to find is that special soul, the one that knows my innermost thoughts, I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
Shell get my support
She will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general
Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
Shell hear me out
And won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact shell often disagree
But at the end of it all
She will understand me
I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and
With every breath
Someone wholl help me see things
In a different light
All the things I detest
I will almost like
I dont want to be tied
To anyones strings
Im carefully trying to steer clear of
Those things
But when I'm asleep
I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
I'm sorry, back on track:
Carl-Johan Vallgren - Den vidunderliga kärlekens historia
I haven't read it all through yet, but I was stuck from the first sentence. The beauty of the language, the melody, the fascinating story about - again - love. A love so true and pure that it lives through what feels like eternal darkness and horror.
For all you unfortunate souls that do not read Swedish, here's a short resume:
It's about a freak, who's mute and deaf, has hardly any arms at all, is roughly a metre tall, has a huge head, is extremely ugly with no hair on his head but a fur on his back. And a gift - he can read the thoughts of others. This is actually his only way of understanding other people. He's born by a whore who dies due to his hugh head. At the same time a beautiful girl is born in another room in the same brothel. The kids are inseparable, but life 200 years ago was tough and eventually she's sold and he ends up in the asylum to die. But he survives and for 13 years he looks for his love, all over Europe. And eventually she stumbles over him, slowly dying in a cemetery in Berlin. Again he survives and they are united. She's married by now, to a gentle, rich man who fought to get her out of the asylum where she was put to die buy an evil man who had done things to her too terrifying to write in any book. The freak - Hercule Barfuss - makes the beautiful woman - Henriette - pregnant and she gets an equally beautiful daughter. The husband thinks it's a miracle, he was sterile! But he's o so proud.
And that's only half-way through the book! :) Maybe I'll come back one day and tell you the rest...
