Paperback Friends

This week on Paperback Friends, we have a very "Paperback Friends" episode where I think I mange to hit on some really interesting stuff in Muriel Barbery’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog. This is a novel about identity, class, what we choose to share, and what makes life worth living.We follow Renée, a concierge hiding a rich intellectual life behind an unassuming exterior, and Paloma, a twelve-year-old girl convinced that the world around lacks so much beauty that life may not be worth living.I found a lot to admire here: strong ideas, interesting characters, and some genuinely beautiful moments. But, behind all its intelligence and culture it’s missing some refinement.Type: Review | Book: The Elegance of the Hedgehog | Writer: Muriel Barbery

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jakob Örneberg, the BookToker known as Bokerian. We had a delightful discussion about what motivates Jakob to do what he does, some of his favorite books, and his thoughts on reviewing books.It was really fun to hear his thoughts on reviewing since I've had many similar experiences with my own book podcast.Jakob is great at TikTok and social media, and he makes it seem effortless. If you're one of my many Swedish listeners, you should definitely check him out.Books mentioned (most of them)Mistborn — Brandon SandersonGreven av Monte Cristo — Alexandre DumasStoner — John WilliamsCarrie — Stephen KingThe Shadow of the Wind — Carlos Ruiz ZafónI Who Have Never Known Men — Jacqueline HarpmanJakob’s linksTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@bokerianInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bokerian_jakobDiscord: https://discord.gg/t2Ay5dntH2Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/167114547-jakob-rneberg (avg. 3.5)Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bokerianType: Interview | Book: N/A | Writer: N/A

This is a long promised episode that came about because of me often ranting at bad author bios that only seem to focus on “book awards” rather than the other themselves. I find these types of bios to be very tedious, but let’s leave actually dig deeper here, and do the “Paperback Friends’ thing” and analyse something thoroughly to see if there is something more to these awardsAre book awards a prestigious recognition of literary excellence, or just another marketing tool? That’s what we aim to find out in this episode. We take a look at why book awards exist, who decides the winners, and whether they actually matter? Specifically focusing on the Hugo and Nebula Awards.I award you, thanks, for listening to this episode =)Type: General | Book: N/A | Writer: N/A

Martha Wells brings the first major arc of The Murderbot Diaries to a close with Exit Strategy. Ending it with another fast-paced rescue mission, and a story that brings its growing relationship with freedom, identity, and the people around it into sharper focus.We look at why this series continues to work so well for me despite some increasingly noticeable flaws, from the repetitive hacking to the thin supporting characters. Four books in, Murderbot remains a fantastic protagonist, and Wells has built a world I genuinely want to spend more time in.But why this series over many others that I reject completely? One of many questions we answer in this week’s episode of Paperback Friends.Type: Review | Book: Exit Strategy | Writer: Martha Wells

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Andreas Hedberg from the National Library of Sweden. Andreas is a researcher at the National Library.We managed to cover quite a lot in this episode. How much of a book comes from the writer, and how much from the interpretation? Why are some books worth researching, and what tools can we use to better understand novels? We also get to know Andreas a bit better.I had a blast doing this, and would love to welcome Andreas back at some point as I think we have a lot more to talk about!Books and authors mentionedGeorge Eliot – MiddlemarchVirginia Woolf – To the LighthouseViktor Rydberg – “The Tomten”Viktor Rydberg – SingoallaJ.R.R. Tolkien – The SilmarillionMary Shelley – FrankensteinHomer – The OdysseyAuthors and researchers mentionedAstrid LindgrenAlgirdas Julien Greimas – narratologyGérard Genette – narratologyWayne C. Booth – narrative theoryViktor ShklovskyFor more goings-on at the Kungliga biblioteket (National Library of Sweden), you can visit their website here: https://www.kb.se/eng.htmlType: Interview | Book: N/A | Writer: N/A

Why did George Orwell write?In this episode of Paperback Friends, I take a look at Orwell's essay Why I Write, where he explores the four motivations he believed drive writers: ego, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, and of course the aspect that made his own writing so famous.But this episode is about more than Orwell's reasons for writing. We also talk about how his early ambitions shaped Burmese Days, why reading this essay felt like Orwell had reached across time to respond to one of my own reviews, and why this old kook continues to mean so much to me.Type: General | Book: Why I Write | Writer: George Orwell

In this episode, we take a look at Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, a hugely popular Swedish novel about grief, loneliness, friendship, and finding a reason to keep going.The emotional beats are not bad, and the novel manages a tender moment or two, but Backman comes to represent a type of writing that is fundamentally disagreeable to me. He favors the plot over the narrative, and that lights a fire in me.This is one of the worst novels we have ever read on this podcast, not because my opinion is right, but because this is how this novel made me feel. Regardless how you feel about it, it’s all good we are just adding to the greater conversation about this book!Type: Review | Book: A Man Called Ove | Writer: Fredrik Backman

In this episode of Paperback Friends, we dive into one of the most beloved science-fiction novels ever written: Dune by Frank Herbert. I have to tread lightly on this one, to avoid the drum sand and the fans…While Dune has inspired generations of readers, I found myself struggling to connect with some of its biggest ideas. Why did the political intrigue and character work captivate me, while the themes of prophecy, destiny, and messianic power left me feeling disconnected?Sometimes the question isn't whether a book is great, or not, it’s what it can offer us as individuals.Type: Review | Book: Dune | Writer: Frank Herbert

Martha Wells continues to prove why The Murderbot Diaries has become one of modern science fiction's most beloved series. In Rogue Protocol, Murderbot infiltrates an abandoned research station to uncover the truth behind GrayCris's illegal operations,but beneath the action lies a surprising story about identity, freedom, and friendship.In this episode, we explore why Wells's writing is so consistently engaging, why Miki becomes the emotional center of the novella, and why this series continues to impress me... even as one recurring element is beginning to hold it back.This is a fantastic series, and Wells does not disappoint, but the bar is being raised.Type: Review | Book: Rogue Protocol | Writer: Martha Wells

Can ambition be moral?In this episode, I review Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman—a book arguing that too many of us spend our lives chasing status instead of solving meaningful problems.We talk about how Bregman builds his case through history and biography, why his arguments are surprisingly compelling, and whether he succeeds in answering the biggest question of all:What do you actually do after hearing the call to make a difference?Type: Review | Book: Moral Ambition | Writer: Rutger Bregman