"The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life" by Anu Partanen

This non-fiction title caught my eye as soon as I saw the cover. I have always thought of Scandinavian countries as places that naturally moved beyond capitalism in the American sense of the word and have successfully implemented social protection policies. Anu Partanen is originally from Finland but is now an American. She’s had the opportunity to observe both systems first-hand. In Finland, as in other Scandinavian countries, people enjoy free public education from early childhood daycare through university, generous maternity/paternity leave policies, long vacations, free health care, guaranteed pensions, and other benefits. All of them I must say are financed through taxes and are run by the government.

To an outsider, like myself, living in the United States, this resembles socialism, or at the very least some sort of wealth distribution system. I am also very skeptical of a government agency’s ability to run anything efficiently (just think of your most recent visit to a local DMV). However, I do see problems with the US system, and Ms. Partanen does a great job pointing them out. I agree that sky rocketing health care costs and the absence of any kind of social net for young parents or the elderly who need end of life care make the United States look like the Wild West compared to the structured and generous social policies of some other developed nations such as Finland. So I read this book in the hopes of glimpsing some way that the US could move forward in both preserving the healthy competition of the market place while also making life for its citizens a little better protected by creating a reliable social net that could help them bounce back after childbirth, or a serious illness, help them get old gracefully, and ensure that youth has adequate access to education.

Unfortunately, this little book, as one would guess, does not provide solutions to these complex issues that scholars, politicians and social policy experts have been debating for decades. What Partanen does well in her book is describing the social protection benefits available to all in Finland and pointing out where the US falls short in corresponding areas. It is by no means an in-depth analysis of both systems. You will also not find any recommendations for how the US could, for instance, provide maternity leave to all. Partanen simply states that other developed countries do it, why can’t the US. What she does not go into is what practical steps the US could take towards implementing such a huge in scope social protection policy change. Finland is a lot different from the US in terms of population size, economy, geo-politics, etc. So what works in Finland might not be necessarily transferrable to the US. She cites sweeping policy changes that were implemented in Finland shortly after World War II. Such drastic revamping would not be easy in this country.

To sum up, it was good to get an overview of the advantages that citizens of Scandinavian countries enjoy. But I did feel that the author was bashing the US too harshly. I was also getting tired of seeing the author overuse the phrase “the Nordic theory of love.” I think we all would like to live in a better world free of disease and hunger, and it is always healthy for any country to aspire to a better quality of life for its citizens. Partanen’s book does just that – paints an image of what the US could aspire to or set up as a goal. She does not however have any suggestions to how to get there. And that is the crux of the issue. 4 out of 5 stars.

"Golden Hill" by Francis Spufford

Golden Hill is a historical fiction novel set in New York in 1746. A stranger arrives from London and shows up on the doorstep of a counting house with an order for one thousand pounds, a huge amount of money for such a small place as colonial New York. Mr. Lovell the owner of the counting house is rightfully suspicious and makes the stranger (Mr. Smith) wait a few months until his order can be confirmed. Thus, Smith finds himself temporarily stuck in town without any ability to transact his business and travel along. His precarious position is further exacerbated by the fact that most of his cash is stolen on his first walk through town. Now he has no choice but lodge and board on credit and hope that his order will be confirmed and paid as planned.

Through the eyes of Mr. Smith, the reader gets acquainted with the local society, their customs, gossip and intrigues. Mr. Smith gradually albeit unwillingly gets embroiled in the local politics and goes through a series of crazy ups and downs from being thrown into a local jail to being celebrated as someone whose influence and means could sway the power balance in New York.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was a bit slow, but then about midway through the novel, the events start moving at a rollercoaster speed with a seemingly unending succession of unexpected twists and turn along the way. For a while, the reader along with the citizens of New York, keeps wondering whether Mr. Smith is a fraud. Once that question is answered, we are still kept in the dark as to his true purpose in town. He does not reveal it to anyone until the very end of the novel. And even after the big reveal, the reader has another surprise awaiting them in the very last chapter of the book.

I definitely liked all the unexpected events and surprising reveals that happen in the story. I also really enjoyed learning about the colonial New York of 1746. The book is filled with references to the city’s Dutch roots and provides interesting insights into the religious, social and administrative customs and arrangements of the day.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. I read an advanced reader’s copy provided by Netgalley.

"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train was immensely popular when it first came out two years ago. The concept of utilizing an unreliable narrator seemed intriguing and new at the time, and readers ate this book up. I waited for all the hype to die down and only recently decided to give this a go in an audio book format. I did enjoy the audio book and do highly recommend it. The book is written from the perspective of three different women and three different narrators read their parts. I thought the actresses did a great job through voice and inflection, portraying the three distinct characters:

1. Rachel: a heart-broken alcoholic who tends to drink herself into oblivion most days and who most likely "saw something" that could help solve the case of a missing woman but unfortunately can't remember much,
2. Megan: a troubled and impulsively promiscuous young woman who's gone missing, and finally
3. Anna: a self-righteous and supercilious "other woman" and now the wife of Rachel's ex-husband, who is partially the reason why Rachel is on the path of self-destruction.

Overall, I rated this book 3 our of 5 stars. I enjoyed all the characters, and the author kept me guessing. The suspense was also good. But I did not think it was as great as everyone made it out to be. It was a decent murder mystery/thriller, quite entertaining and fast-paced. There is a lot of heavy drinking in this book as the key narrator is an alcoholic. The author did a great job getting into the mind of someone struggling with addiction and showing the misery and utter horror of losing oneself to drink. But the overall murder mystery plot was nothing to write home about. I would recommend it to everyone who likes the mystery/thriller genre. I for one am planning to read Paula Hawkins' next book and see how she does there.

"The Ship Beyond Time" by Heidi Heilig

The Ship Beyond Time is the sequel to The Girl from Everywhere, a time traveling adventure which I read and loved last year. In this second installment Nix and her crew go on another wild adventure after she discovers that she is destined to lose at sea the one she loves. Nix desperately tries to change the future by meddling with the past, and in the process meets another navigator who is determined to change the course of history.

As with the previous book, Heilig draws her inspiration from both myths and historical events and weaves everything into a fast-paced and original story of her own. I cannot say much about the plot without spoiling book 1. Let me just say that if you like time travel, adventures, tall ships, and mythical places, look no further. I also do really like the characters in this book. Nix is a great character: strong, stubborn, but also fiercely loyal and kind. Her father is damaged by personal loss and despair, but is a loving parent and an inspiring leader. Kashmir is a quintessential honest thief. He reminds me of Disney's Aladdin. And Blake combines in himself a 19th century gentleman and a hopeless romantic, ready to lay down his life for the cause he believes in no matter the outcome. This book was a lot of fun. 5 out of 5 stars. 

"The Idea of You" by Amanda Prowse

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. It is a quintessential chick lit. I am not a big fan of this genre as a whole, and am more likely to occasionally pick up a chick lit novel with a bit of self-deprecating humor a la Sophie Kinsella or Helen Fielding. The Idea of You is more of a "pull at your heart strings, but everything is honky dory in the end" kind of book. Our main character Lucy Carpenter is a successful 40 or 41 year old career woman, who meets and marries the love of her life and now desperately wants to have a baby. Getting pregnant is not an issue, however, she ends up having several miscarriages in the early stages of her pregnancy. I thought Prowse did a great job describing Lucy's feelings, her longing to be a mother, and the devastation she suffers with every failed pregnancy. I was a bit apprehensive in the beginning of the story that the entire book would center on miscarriages and Lucy's suffering in connection to that. However, the plot did develop a bit more. Her husband's teenage daughter from his previous marriage comes to stay with the Carpenters and from that point on I did enjoy the book a little more. I did like the twist about Lucy's past, and the development of her relationship with the stepdaughter. The novel does get a bit too sugary in places, but overall it is a solid 3-star read. I am glad I read it. It was definitely not boring, and if chick lit is your thing, do check it out.