Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Friday, June 1, 2018

The Reading Life Review May 2018


May Authors 












In May I posted on 18 writers.

12 are living, 6 deceased 

11 are women, 7 men

12 made a first appearance in The Reading Life, 6 are old friends 

Countries of Residence of Authors


USA - 8
Uk -  3
Poland - 2
Ireland - 2
Ukraine- 1
India - 1
Canada - 1

Column 1 (from the left)



  1. David Cesarani  UK. Noted Holocaust Historian
  2. Cynthia Oznick U.S.A
  3. Helen Maryles Shackman. U.S.A Author They Were Like Family to Me, Multi Award winning writer
  4. Janet H Swinney. UK.  Frequently featured writer.



Column 2

  1. Roshell Wiprinsky. Ukraine.  Yiddish Short Story Writer
  2. Charles Zachariah Goldberg. Poland.  Yiddish Short Stories 
  3. Elaine Castillo.  U.S.A. Author America is not in The Heart
  4. Tobias Wolff.  U.S.A 

Column 3

  1. Henry Roth U.S.A  Call it Sleep
  2. Madhurssree Mukerjee India.  Author Churchill”s Secret War on India
  3. Ethel Rohan. Ireland, author of The Weight of Him, and Three Collections of Short Stories 
  4. David Bellos.  USA.  Biographer and translator of Georges Perec 
  5. Jaki McCarrick. Ireland.  Distinguished multi genre writer

Column 4

  1. Issac Singer.  Poland, 1978 Nobel Prize Winner, Yiddish Writer
  2. Mavis Gallant.  Canada
  3. Imogen Hermes Gower.  UK Author The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock
  4. Lillian Faderman. USA. Author Harvey Milk His Lives and Death, authority on LGBTQ history in America
  5. Steven Zipperstein.  USA.  A Leading authority on the history of Eastern European and Russian Jewish History.

Blog Stats for May 2018

Page Views Since Inception. 5,255,469

Three Most Viewed Posts for the Month

  1. “Real Durban” by Jhumpa Lahiri
  2. Paul Celan A Short Story and a Poem
  3. “A Wife’s Letter” by Ravindranath Tagore

Top Home Countries of Visitors

  1. USA 
  2. India
  3. Philippines 
  4. Uk
  5. Canada
  6. Spain
  7. France
  8. Netherlands 

I  brought my blog into full compliance with European Privacy Law.



I am proud this month to have been allowed to publish a wonderful original short story by Jaki McCarrick.  My thanks to her.

I added two works to the Autodidactic Corner, both works on Jewish history.  

I offer my great thanks to Max u for the Amazon Gifts cards that have enriched my reading experience.

I thank all who take the time to leave comments.

Going Forward 

To a large extent, more of the same.  I will continue looking for new to me short story writers.  I see no end to my fascination for Yiddish Literature and Holocaust history and fiction.  I will, I hope, read two American classics in June, Tender is the Night and Moby Dick. I have several European classics in my read soon list.

Book Review Policy.

To publicists and authors, I am very open as to what I’m willing to post upon so if you want my readers to know of a work contact me.  

To my fellow book bloggers, keep blogging no matter what.  If you are very busy or are undergoing difficult times, just blog once a month. My blog helped me get through a long dark period.  It makes me feel much less alone to know there are millions of those into the reading life out there somewhere. 


Mel u





































2 comments:

Buried In Print said...

What an impressive combination for May! Is that more American writers than is usual for you? It seems so, but maybe I am misremembering.

I haven't read either of the classics you are considering, but I did read Sena Jeter Naslund's novel Ahab's Wife (which is also quite a size and not a light read - given that she was putting up with a lot).

In June I will be reading more Louise Erdrich and also finishing my first China Mieville (he intrigues me greatly)!
Good reading to you!

Mel u said...

Buried in Print. You are right about the number of American writers, more than normal. Good reading šŸ“– to you also