I always wondered why the international community, and above all, the U.S.A. with their high standards about democracy  and personal freedom, did not really act against the rise of Nazi Germany. This book explains a lot.
As a last resort, in 1933, President Roosevelt appointed history professor William Dodd as Ambassador to Germany. Although well respected and known as being upstanding, he had no experience in the "Corps Diplomatique". His only qualification was the fact that he spent several years in Germany as a student.
This is the story of how Ambassador Dodd, his family, and, in particular, his flamboyant and flirtatious daughter, slowly but surely became convinced of the wrongness of the Nazi regime, engulfing Germany in a reign of lies, racism and pure terror. Unfortunately, his reports were largely neglected by  the State Department. Was it because Ambassador Dodd did not belong to the circle of the "well-to-doers"  or was it because the repayment of Germany's debt to the U.S. bankers had more importance than the well being and the freedom of a whole population.
It chills me that the same techniques of misinformation and spreading fear are still used by some politicians in democratic countries ...

Holy Jussi, what a thriller did you create! What a police mystery, what suspense; a top 10 nail-biter. Bye by tattooed girl, welcome grumpy, nasty, detective Carl Morck and smiling Assad.
To get rid of Carl, a highly respected detective but burned out after a traumatizing shoot out, the powers that be promote him to Chief of a new nation-wide investigation bureau for cold cases better known as
Department Q. Sounds great, but Carl works all alone; he gets some help only from a Syrian immigrant, Assad, assigned as “minor” office help.
Although Carl does not intend to work even a little bit, Assad pushes him into an investigation of the disappearance years before of a young promising female politician .
While we follow Carl’s (and Assad’s) research, we also follow the story of the victim’s gruesome fate. Will she survive or not - you’ll bite your nails off!
Gripping, thrilling, captivating, human and regularly very ironic if not straight out funny.
One of the best mysteries I have ever read.

What a masterpiece! I was at first a bit hesitant to read further because of the elaborate Victorian writing style. But very soon - it took me only a few pages - I was completely seduced by the beautiful prose, the witty thoughts, and the compelling story of Palma's novel.
The novel starts as a typical Victorian romance, a young rich man falls in love with a beautiful but working-class girl...and from there on it spirals in every possible direction: mystery, history, science fiction and even steampunk. Be assured, it is a wonderfully enjoyable mix.
Going back in time to save your beloved from Jack the Ripper; finding the perfect man in the future, and saving the literary fame of three well-known authors ... it all happens with the help of none other than H.G. Wells,
A book to read and re-read; it will have a place of honor on my bookshelves.

Among the many dystopian books “Divergent” might become  a worthy successor to the “Hunger Games.”
In a society where people live in different neighborhoods , depending on their nature, teenagers at age 16  have to choose the section they feel they should live in from then on. whatever your choice might be, even if you stay in the section in which you grew up, you have to go through a training and pass tests. Failure means losing your place in society; it is like becoming homeless.
From the moment that Beatrice takes her decision every minute of her life is filled with physical and emotional challenges.
Once you start reading you won’t put it down.