Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme that was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners but is now currently being hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog. This meme is quite easy to follow – just randomly pick a book from your to-be-read list and give the reasons why you want to read it. It is that simple.

This week’s book:

The Censor’s Notebook by Liliana Corobca

Blurb from Goodreads

A fascinating narrative of life in communist Romania, and a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of literature and censorship.

A Censor’s Notebook is a window into the intimate workings of censorship under communism, steeped in mystery and secrets and lies, confirming the power of literature to capture personal and political truths.

The novel begins with a seemingly non-fiction frame story—an exchange of letters between the author and Emilia Codrescu, the female chief of the Secret Documents Office in Romania’s feared State Directorate of Media and Printing, the government branch responsible for censorship. Codrescu had been responsible for the burning and shredding of the censors’ notebooks and the state secrets in them, but prior to fleeing the country in 1974 she had stolen one of these notebooks.

Now, forty years later, she makes the notebook available to Liliana, the character of the author, for the newly instituted Museum of Communism. The work of a censor—a job about which it is forbidden to talk—is revealed in this notebook, which discloses the structures of this mysterious institution and describes how these professional readers and ideological error hunters are burdened with hundreds of manuscripts, strict deadlines, and threatening penalties. The censors lose their identity, and are often frazzled by neuroses and other illnesses.

Why I Want To Read It

As the song by The Bangles goes, it’s just another manic Monday. But I do hope that your Monday is really not that manic. Sure, mine was quite busy, I mean busier than usual. Still, I am looking forward to the challenge before me. This is despite the fact that I am still feeling a little sluggish. I still wish weekends were longer. No wonder Monday is the least favorite day of the week by most. But hey, it doesn’t always have to be that bad. Mondays also present opportunities to learn and grow. It opens a door for starting over again. As such, I hope that everyone will have a productive and great week ahead. On another note, we are really approaching the final stretch of the year. I hope that the remaining days of 2023 will be filled with nothing but good news and blessings. I hope you will be repaid for the hard work you poured in this year.

Reading-wise, I did not expect that 2023 is going to be another record-breaking year. Not only is it the second consecutive year that I have read over 100 books but I have also reset my record for most books read in a year. I am currently reading Nobel Laureate in Literature José Saramago’s Raised from the Ground, my 113th book this year, further extending my record-breaking year. Take note, the year is also not yet over which means that I have more opportunities to extend my personal record. Apart from this, I have read my 1,000th and my 1,100th novels this year. Still, I have quite a lot of goals I want to achieve. I am, unfortunately, lagging quite behind, especially on my reading challenges. Nevertheless, it is my goal to complete these reading challenges; this is my goal for the remaining two months of the year.

The book that I am featuring in this week’s Goodreads Monday update, however, is not part of any of these reading challenges. Nevertheless, Liliana Corobca’s The Censor’s Notebook is a book that I am looking forward to. Actually, I was planning to read the book as part of my foray into European literature this year. However, due to time constraints, I have been focusing on books that are part of my reading challenges. Prior to this year, I have never heard of Corobca nor have I read any of her works. It was during one of my excursions to the bookstore that I came across the book. I wasn’t too keen on buying the book at first. However, after coming across it several more times, I eventually relented.

What drew me toward the book was its subject. From the synopsis, I can glean that it explores dictatorship and communism in the writer’s native Romania. I admit that my knowledge about Romania is quite limited, particularly its history. This is another factor why I wanted to read the book. I do, however, know about its previously being behind the Iron Curtain. I have also come across Nicolae Ceaușescu; he was referenced in other books. I assume that his regime was the focus of the novel. From the title alone, one can also glean that the book is about dictatorship. I am curious about how the story will pan out. I am also excited about the prospect of exploring a body of work I had not explored previously.

How about you fellow reader? How was your Monday? What books have you added to your reading list? Do drop it in the comment box. For now, happy Monday and, as always, happy reading!