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:

With Fire and Sword by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Blurb from Goodreads

This powerful novel, “a Polish Gone with the Wind” (New York Times Book Review), is set in the 17th century and follows the struggle of the kingdom of Poland to maintain its unity in the face of the Cossack-led peasant rebellion. Foreword by James Michener.

Why I Want To Read It

Just like that, it is Monday again. Now that the weekend is over, I hope everyone is having or had a great start to the work week. I know, it is rare to find a person who loves Mondays; I am among those who dislike Mondays. I still feel sluggish especially since I just came from our company’s outing. On top of this, the heat continues to be oppressive although, thankfully, there are occasional showers. Nevertheless, I hope you are experiencing better weather than we do here in the Philippines. I hope that the work week will go smoothly for everyone. I hope you are starting the work week on a high. Here’s to a great work week ahead; may it be filled with good tidings and positive energy. More importantly, I hope everyone is doing well, in body, mind, and spirit.

To kick off another blogging week, I am featuring a fresh Goodreads Monday update; this has become customary. After spending two months reading exclusively the works of female writers, I am finally pivoting to regional literature, starting with European literature with an emphasis on the works of Nobel Laureates in Literature. I have already commenced this toward the end of my April reading journey. I am building on this momentum. I am now currently reading my second novel by German writer Thomas Mann; I am reading his debut novel and the novel that gained him the Nobel Prize in Literature, Buddenbrooks.

But back to the theme of this blogging update. Since I am in the midst of a foray into the works of Nobel Laureates in Literature, I have decided to align my Goodreads Monday update with this theme. With this, I am featuring a work by the 1905 Laureate, Henryk Sienkiewicz. This is in contrast to last last week’s featured writer, Jon Fosse, the most recent awardee. Admittedly, I don’t have that much idea about the earlier awardees. Sienkiewicz piqued my interest because he was among the first novelists on the list that was dominated by poets. Further, besides 2018 laureate Olga Tokarczuk, I have yet to expand my foray into Polish literature. Among Sienkiewicz’s works, I have chosen to feature With Fire and Sword.

With Fire and Sword was originally published in Polish in 1884 as Ogniem i mieczem. It is also the first of a trilogy referred to as The Trilogy by the Poles; the other two books are The Deluge and Sir Michael. Further, the book is a work of historical fiction which is just right up my alley. By reading the book, I am hoping to learn more about Polish history; this is on top of my expanding my understanding and appreciation of Polish literature. I just hope I get to obtain a copy of the book or any of Sienkiewicz’s books for that matter. 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!