When I went through my bloglovin feed earlier this year, a lot of people shared their New Years Resolutions.
And apart from working out and sticking to their blogging schedule, the one thing that popped up over and over again was:
Read more!

Whether it was one book a month, a list of classics, or, more You Tube appropriate, reading along with Essiebutton´s “Buttons Bookshelf” video series, almost everyone was entitled to reading.

I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. And even though I read less books (and way more blogs) than I used to, there is still a long list I recently read.

Reading essentials

The most difficult thing is deciding which books to read.
Many times I read anything my mother gives me. I know and share her taste in books and thus blindly rely on her recommendations.
On other times, I follow blog recommendations. This one is trial and error, but sooner or later you´ll find someone who prefers the same things you do.
And if I am out of both, and stuck in NZ in a Camper-van, just randomly picking one from my “Skoobe” library will do. This one is more error than trial, but at least the book came for free.

To save you some boring reads, I thought I´d share my experiences with you and take advantage from your recommendations in the comments.
It is all about empowering each other to stick to your resolutions, right?

The first installment features “A person of interest” by Susan Choi, a contemporary american author, published in 2008.

(Image Source), German Version

The topic:
Professor Lee, main character and professor of mathematics, leads a secluded and lonesome life. When his office neighbor and shooting star faculty member Professor Hendley is victim of a bomb attack, he slowly turns from innocent bystander to suspect and experiences the full impact of distrust and defamation.
And while the reader knows from start to finish that he was not involved in the bomb attack, the things he has done in the past are slowly revealed, and it becomes obvious that he is guilty in a completely different way.

This book deals with several topics.
One is the way our society has changed after 9/11, and how easy weird behavior can be mistaken for proof of guilt.
Another is the struggle of people leaving the place they were born to live somewhere else, trying to understand values and behaviors completely alien to the ones they grew up with.
Last but not least, it describes the way we sometimes hurt the people we love the most, blinded by something we so firmly believe that we are unable to see what we are doing. And how important it is to forgive and let go.


Did I like it?
Yes.
It isn’t exactly a page turner, nor is it an easy read on the go. But the question what really had happened kept me on my toes from start to (slightly predictable) finish.

Now I would like to say that I picked this one because the changes in society after 9/11 is a topic I am really interested in (I am) or that I wanted to read the first novel translated to german by Susan Choi (she won some prizes for her first two, after all), but truth is, my mother gave it to me and I had no clue what I was reading until I was about half way finished.
Thanks, Mum!

How about you:
Did you read this one, or another one from Susan Choi?
What kind of read do you prefer?
Should I keep up this kind of post or does it bore you to death?