Please have mercy on my soul as I attempt to fill Lucky’s shoes.
So what are you all reading? I’ve read/am reading:
I Am Zlatan: My Story On and Off the Field by Zlatan Ibrahimovic (with David Lagercrantz)
(Goodreads Avg. Rating 4.15 | Amazon
Recommended if you’re a soccer/football fan (though perhaps not if you like Pep Guardiola), if you’re interested in the business of European soccer/football, if you simply like Zlatan.
Thoughts: This was a quick, engaging read. The book covers not only his life as an immigrant in Sweden, but also the ins and outs of how business is done in European football/soccer. The ghostwriter, David Lagercrantz, manages to capture his voice well. Though I’m a fan, please note that Ibrahimovic is, shall we say, a strong personality, so he may not be to everyone’s taste.
Dune by Frank Herbert
(Goodreads Avg. Rating 4.12 | Amazon
Recommended if you like science fiction (though chances are if you like sci fi you’ve read this book already), if you want an action and adventure story that is multi-layered and complex.
Thoughts: Though there’s much action and adventure, it’s not a beach read. It’s like a futuristic Lord of the Rings of sorts – Messianic story, world building. The entire time I read this I wondered why I hadn’t read it earlier.
Story of the Stone (Vol. 2: The Crab Flower Club) by Cao Xuequin (David Hawkes translation)
(Goodreads Avg. Rating 4.38 | Amazon
Recommended if you want to really invest in a work of literature, you want a “starting point to understand Chinese psychology, culture and society.”
Thoughts: If you want a quick read with a fast-moving, action packed plot, this is not your book. Essentially the story of life in an 18th century aristocratic Chinese family, it’s twice as long as War and Peace and has 600 characters. It is also known as Dream of the Red Chamber.
Germania: In Wayward Pursuit of the Germans and Their History by Simon Winder
(Goodreads Avg. Rating 3.31 | Amazon
Recommended if you like history, especially European history, and/or travelogues.
Thoughts: Interesting so far, though would be better if the author didn’t inject himself into the narrative so much and let the facts speak for themselves.
