They say, that “the world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page”. But don’t be disappointed, if you are currently stuck at home, reading books from all over the world instead might be just the best medication for your wanderlust. The BBC Radio4 Reading Europe series collected the best artworks that will keep you busy in 2017.
From Italy: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
The famous author, traveler, and journalist, Elena Ferrante tells the story of a nation, a city and a neighborhood as it transformed, through the storyline of a friendship. The reader is introduced to Elena and Lina, the protagonists who’s extraordinary lives in Naples he follows from the 1950s.
From Greece: The Final Reckoning by Petros Markaris
The dark and funny story of a serial killer is inspired by the financial collapse, where the readers’ morality is questioned as they find themselves cheering for the killer. The bestselling author here is not only a thriller writer, but a social commentator, as he follows the work of a fictional killer, who kills tax-dodgers, millionaires who caused the crisis.
From France: Three Strong Women by Marie NDiaye
A touching story about women who dare to say no. The young authoress explores the fine line between good and bad, poor and rich, the difference between cultures, social groups, and the reasons for miscommunication and loneliness.
From Germany: Look Who’s Back – Bestselling satire by Timur Vermes
The novel explores the idea of Hitler staying alive, and living in the era of social media. The fact that Vermes used to work as a women’s magazine editor, and tells the story like if it was about a celebrity, makes it even more hilarious and a must read.
From Norway: Karl Ove Knausgård’s A Death in the Family
The first book in a series of six is a fictionalized autobiography, that became phenomenally successful in Norway, and is now ready to do so across the world. The story of a young goth poet, who later becomes a middle-class father and wakes up wanting to write again, is brutally honest and engaging, and leaves no wonder why some workplaces had to declare Karl Ove Knausgård-free days in Norway.
Source: BBC
