By Valarie Budayr
This winter has been a real winter with much snow and wind. With this brings the on slaught of reading many books and drinking many coffees.
Over the last couple of years I've discovered, as probably many of you have, the novels of Linda Olsson. When I first opend "Astrid & Veronika" I thought I would be reading a quaint "Swedish" story but as the story unravelled layer by layer with it's honest and clear prose I couldn't put the book down. She has an uncomplicated view of human relationships and a gorgeous clarity which grabs you. The story caught me hook,line, and sinker.
When "Sonata for Miriam" came out it was like a meld between my best friend Suzy and myself. Both of us have family in Sweden. Suzy is Jewish and we have been to Germany to find out what happened to her family in WWII and I'm the musician, luckily still living. Along with an intrinsic review of the human story comes the added element of ones personal history. If one doesn't know their story is it possible to move forward? I've seen so many war survivors going back and piecing together their stories. I've seen so many people with Swedish heritage doing the same thing. Tracing their stories from the point of Exodus to the US and back to Sweden again. This story again has that incredbile clear prose which left me sitting in one place for hours until I finished the book. Because the story goes back and forth between time periods and situations I would get confused for only a small moment and then I could pick it up again quickly.
I've recently just discovered that Linda Olsson has her very own blog. While I was reading her posts I also discovered that we share something else in common and that is Visby. Her Swedish publisher sent her to a little house in Visby to write. I wish I could be sent to Visby to write. Honestly, not much would get accomplished because of all the family and goings on. So that's a dream for another person in a another life. I am so glad she made it to Visby.
I really like Linda Olsson's books and she just cannot get them out quick enough for me. So here I wait on this snowy day for Linda Olsson's next book. I hope it's coming out soon.