After a summer packed to the brim with reading (July and August), September with its return to school schedules and fall activities was much slower paced. I did, however, return to my yearlong reading challenges with intention which was satisfying. I have now plotted out how to complete the challenges. We’ll see if it works out as planned.
Coincidentally, all three books this month took place in the 1980s – a memoir from South Africa, crime fiction set in Iceland, and literary fiction set in the art world. That was a unique experience!
What have you been reading lately?
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah (2016)
Narrated by Trevor Noah 🎧
This was a captivating account of comedian Trevor Noah’s childhood in South Africa as he navigated life during Apartheid. He was born in 1984 to a White father and Black mother, at the time an illegal interracial relationship, and had a challenging childhood in many ways. Even though it’s in the subtitle, I did not realize this was a collection of stories. The stories jumped back and forth in time a little bit, which was sometimes jarring since he re-introduced aspects and people from earlier years later on as if they were new. The book was an eye-opening look at Apartheid and, at the same time, a moving tribute to his mother. Hearing Trevor Noah narrate it himself was exceptional. ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️
- Book Voyage: Read Around the World: Africa (South Africa)
- #DiversityAcrossGenres: Black / Nonfiction
- #sakprosaseptember: Biography or memoir
- Read My Own Shelf: Owned
Reykjavík: A Crime Story by Ragnar Jónasson & Katrín Jakobsdóttir (2022)
Translated from the Icelandic by Victoria Cribb (2023) 📖
Ragnar Jónasson is a prolific and best-selling Icelandic crime fiction writer. I really enjoyed his Hidden Iceland trilogy, aka The Hulda Series. Reykjavík was written in partnership with the then-current prime minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir (2017-2024) so I was intrigued.
This is the story of a 15-year-old girl’s disappearance in 1956 when she took a summer job as a maid in a prominent couple’s home on a remote island and disappeared without a trace. On its 30th anniversary in 1986, an eager journalist revisits the case and new information comes to light. This coincides with Reykjavik’s 200th anniversary and Reagan and Gorbachev’s summit meeting in Iceland. I felt the book was trying to have a strong sense of time and place, but for me it was just a lot of place names that I didn’t know. And unfortunately, the story was not as engaging as I’d hoped and the translation was somewhat awkward at times. ⭐️⭐️⭐
- Nordic Literature Reading Challenge: Iceland / Nordic Noir
- Book Voyage: Read Around the World: Western Europe (Iceland)
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochilt Gonzalez (2024) 📖
Narrated by Stacy Gonzalez, Jonathan Gregg, and Jessica Pimentel 🎧
I really enjoyed the author’s debut Olga Dies Dreaming (Reading Lately, April & May 2022) and was quick to select this title as my Book of the Month selection, especially after reading, “From campus to galleries, this engrossing tale of two female artists paints a complex portrait of power and privilege.” Also, I’m all in for a nonlinear timeline, multiple perspectives, and a glimpse into a world unfamiliar to me, in this case the art world. I wish I had known in advance that Anita in this story was based on a real Cuban performance artist, Ana Mendieta, who had a very similar life (NY Times article).
This story follows art history student Raquel in 1998 and artist Anita in 1985. While researching Anita’s famous artist husband for her thesis, Raquel discovers Anita, who had largely been erased from the art world. Initially, I started with the audiobook but was quickly turned off by the overly dramatic narration for Anita. I pivoted to reading which was much better. However, soon after I got immersed in the story, Anita came back as a ghost after her untimely and questionable death and this caught me off guard as I was not expecting this element in the story. I powered through and enjoyed the resolution, though I wished Raquel could have sorted out her personal and academic challenges a bit sooner. ⭐️⭐️
- #DiversityAcrossGenres: Latinx / Fiction
- Book Voyage: Read Around the World: USA (Rhode Island)
- Read My Own Shelf: Unread BOTM selection
What have you been reading lately?
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Here’s a chance to see Sweden’s submission to the Oscars for Best International Feature, 
Catch the North American premiere of 
From 
Each year, the auction includes one-of-a-kind folk art by artists working in the Norwegian tradition. There’s also a chance to win an 8-day European River Cruise for two in 2025 from Viking. Many of the pieces in the Benefit Auction are donated by Vesterheim Gold Medalists and exhibition ribbon winners from Vesterheim’s annual judged competition, The National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition. Proceeds from the auction benefit Vesterheim’s Folk Art School, which has provided classes since 1967 in fiber arts, woodworking, painting, cooking, jewelry, blacksmithing, knifemaking, and more. 
This experience starts November 1 and is available all month. Looking for a fun way to explore Norwegian culture with your family on your own schedule? November’s Family Handcraft at Home with Patrice Johnson is for you! You’ll get to learn some simple recipes using brunost (brown cheese) and lingonberry jam. Lingonberry jam is a staple of Northern European countries and brunost is regarded as one of Norway’s most iconic foodstuffs, considered an important part of the country’s cultural identity and heritage. Using these two items as the basis of our recipes, join us for a culinary and cultural adventure. The best thing about this class is that you can watch the video and open your kit of materials to explore these recipes whenever it is most convenient to you and your family members!
Join musician and storyteller Renee Vaughan for a journey into the world of the nyckelharpa and the rich folklore of Swedish folk music. Learn about Näcken, the mystical shapeshifter known for enchanting musicians and their instruments, sometimes causing the instruments to play on their own! Experience the tales and tunes of Swedish folk classics like “Hårgalåten” and “Balzar Jungfrun,” and the music of wizards like Byss-Kalle, Gulamåla-Viten, and Olov August Widmark. This course is perfect for kids and their families who love music, stories, and a touch of magic.
Enjoy the relaxing art of needle felting while making a textile as pretty as a painting! Using a piece of felt as your canvas and wool roving as your paint, you’ll work alongside artist Kayla Ann to create an autumnal landscape you’ll be proud to display. You’ll come away with the skills and tools to keep needle felting beyond the online workshop. While the entire class will work on the same fall-inspired vista, Kayla will also discuss how to adapt other images into 2-D felted pictures and where to find supplies to do more needle felting on your own. Suitable for ages 14+.
What is the history behind many of the most important Christmas dishes in Sweden and why is the iconic potato sausage nowadays so rare on a Swedish Christmas table? This lecture will put light on those questions, but also on how the Christmas table was served before and how it is served in a traditional way today. The Christmas dishes are however not free from being influenced by food trends and of course food influencers, so therefore the Christmas table changes over time, in small steps and sometimes almost imperceptibly.
Get excited to jump into a cozy, interdisciplinary experience of all things sheep while making your own custom embellished sheepskin mittens! Explore Scandinavian-style wool-on-wool embroidery using hand dyed wool yarns from the instructor’s sheep on upcycled washed wool fabric. Then, using naturally bark-tanned leather from the instructor’s farm, learn how to stitch shearling sheepskin pelt to create comfy chopper-style mittens. This class is unique in the locally sourced items that will arrive in your kit! Three, small-scale woman-owned operations from rural Wisconsin make each aspect of this project possible — the instructor’s farm raises the sheep, the artisan mill spins and dyes the yarn, and the natural tannery that turns the hides into leather. Savor this multifaceted course infused with cozy stories and warm hands for years to come. While previous wool embroidery experience is helpful, no prior experience is required. Suitable for ages 16+.
Are you curious about the Sámi language and culture? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to the north of Finland, Sweden, or Norway? This two-hour introductory workshop is the perfect way to learn some history of the nine living dialects of Sápmi, get a feel for North Sámi, pick up a bit of grammar, and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic greetings. Families welcome!
Start preparing for the holidays with make-ahead recipes perfect for gifting and entertaining! Kristi Bissell, the creator of the food blog 
Create a festive, quick decoration with needle felting this season! This fun project makes use of cookie cutters you may already have at home to make a felted ornament with clean lines, even shape, and adorable details. Students will work alongside instructor Kayla Ann to learn needle felting basics which are applicable to a range of other projects. Once you get started, felted ornaments become an easy project and the perfect gift to decorate a present or tree!
Welcome back to monthly posts of Nordic events happening virtually and in Southern California. Even though it’s not officially fall yet, it still feels like that as students of all ages begin to return to school.
Time to go wild for apples! In this virtual class, Kristi Bissell of the blog 
Embroidering with wool has captivated imaginations since at least the Viking Age, offering beautiful and textured means for stitched expression. Dive into this world with textile artist Laura Berlage and learn about its many iterations over the centuries with this immersive introductory class, while stitching your own floral piece. During the course, students will learn 14 different stitches, how best to utilize them in a design, and good process discipline while stitching—skills and concepts that you can apply to any number of future embroidery endeavors. Great for beginners or those with some embroidery experience who are looking to master the finer points of decorative stitching with wool. Suitable for ages 16+.
Are you curious about the Swedish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Jean Hanslin is the perfect way to get a feel for Swedish, pick up a bit of grammar, and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.
Join Vesterheim and celebrated Norwegian storyteller Johan Einar Bjerkem to hear folktales and sing some songs from Norway. You will meet trolls, princesses, and maybe even the character Askeladden! Bjerkem will also share the history of the stories and tales he tells.
Journey back to the Viking Era or earlier Iron Age and learn the same techniques those before us have used in decorating and embroidering their socks, mittens, and other nålbinding garments. In this class, you will be adding embroidery to your mittens. You will learn to add a little structure to the fabric of the nålbinding mitten, plan a design to embroider either using a pattern that is in your kit or making your own pattern, and learning embroidery stitches and techniques to make a mitten that has some beautiful embellishments. No embroidery experience needed. You will need to supply your own mittens by either purchasing or making your own nålbinding mittens.
Join Swedish textile artist and educator Kerstin Neumüller for two online sessions to design and start weaving a repp band on a small rigid heddle style band weaving loom. The first session will focus on how to create different patterns in woven repp bands, a style in which warp threads tightly cover the weft threads. Kerstin will share a variety of possible patterns, giving students a starting place for designing their own band. Students will then use any small rigid heddle style loom they have on hand and their own yarn to prepare the warp and weft for weaving a repp band in the second class. This virtual class is an excellent option for students who need a refresher on band weaving, or for anyone who owns Kerstin’s book 
For a long time, the only aquavit an American could get was imported from either Denmark, Norway, or Sweden. In the mid 2000s, there was a surge of American distillers who began making the classic Scandinavian spirit for the American market. With this new batch of distillers came a new outlook of how aquavit could be enjoyed. No longer limited to drinking it straight with traditional meals, bartenders and spirit enthusiasts began playing with the use of aquavit in cocktails. Join co-founder and CEO of Vikre Distillery, Emily Vikre, as she shares the story of aquavit’s rise in popularity, as well the story of Vikre Distillery’s founding and its early life making a name for itself in the world of spirits.
Hearty Danish rye bread (rugbrød) is one of the classic Scandinavian breads, often used for open faced sandwiches. While this bread can be hard to find outside of Scandinavia, it’s actually quite simple to make at home, even for novice bakers. Join Kristi Bissell, creator of the blog 
Learn how to carve a spoon from a fresh-cut tree using traditional Nordic carving techniques. Over Zoom, Jess Hirsch will lead students through the process of carving a spoon, using a prepared wooden blank. We will cover tree anatomy, axing out a blank (roughed out spoon shape), knife holds for the hook and sloyd knife, drying, and finishing – from tree to spoon! This class is great for the beginner or the person wanting to learn sloyd-style carving. Together, students will go through safe knife holds and the steps to carve their very own cooking spoon! Carving is just as safe as cooking at home – students only need good hand strength and flexibility to carve their own spoon. Please wear pants and close-toed shoes. This class includes a kit of materials.
Embroidery is a beautiful way to make an everyday object feel special. Inspired by traditional Nordic embroidery designs, explore the world of wool-on-wool embroidery with a variety of stitches and learn how to transform the fabric and liner into a miniature purse, along with attaching the kiss clasp like a pro. All the steps and techniques featured in this course are great skills to learn if you are considering making a full-scale traditional purse in the future; and we’ll explore beautiful examples from across history and regions as we go. Finished coin purses will be approximately 4.5”x 4” wide. Students will have the option to select from a variety of wool fabric colors for their project kit and use embroidery yarns from the instructor’s own sheep. This class is a great way to explore wool-on-wool embroidery for both beginners and those with some embroidery experience. Suitable for ages 16+.
This is the finale to The Climate Quartet, a loosely connected series of books that each explores a different climate issue. This one is about seeds and features the Global Seed Vault located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The story takes place in 2110 and is about a small group of people living there. They live in isolation having cut off contact with the rest of the world where, due to climate issues, hunger is a constant concern. I loved being immersed in the setting of Svalbard and it was interesting to see how subject matter and characters from the earlier books come together in this one. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Traveling to Sweden soon or just thinking about it? Want to know the essential phrases to use with your friends and relatives? Have some questions about what to see and where to go once you get there? This language and travel course taught by Gregg White will get the traveler to Sweden off on the right foot. This course is helpful for those not ready to commit to a full language course but want a brief introduction to Swedish and the lovely country where it is spoken. This class meets twice a week for two weeks.
Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a regular bokprat (book group), discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. June’s discussion is a twist on the usual format and features a discussion of Netflix’s new film adaptation of Ann-Helén Laestadius’s novel Stolen. This spellbinding Swedish story follows a young indigenous woman as she struggles to defend her family’s reindeer herd and culture amidst xenophobia, climate change, and a devious hunter whose targeted kills are considered mere theft in the eyes of the law. Based on real events, Ann-Helén Laestadius’s award-winning novel Stolen has been adapted into a film by Netflix that is part coming-of-age story, part love song to a disappearing natural world, and part electrifying countdown to a dramatic resolution—a searing depiction of a forgotten part of Sweden.
Join Goldsmith Liz Bucheit for a story of an almost lost sølje that was restored through tireless work and artistry. From a house fire to the workshop, learn about the process that a master goldsmith had to go through to help bring the beloved family heirloom of Norwegian silver jewelry back from the ashes to its rejuvenated beauty. Liz will tell a story of trials and tribulations, as well as elbow grease. She’ll show photos of the piece and process as it was restored from charred remnants to the cherished family heirloom that it once was.
Welcome to a lecture on Karin Larsson – an artist and interior designer who was married to the artist Carl Larsson. This lecture, hosted by Liz Stopka, will cover Karin Larsson’s accomplished life, with a focus on her contributions to interior design and clothing fashion. The virtual slide presentation will be conducted in English and is intended to complement the ongoing exhibit at ASI, 
Ready to tackle a showstopper of a summer dessert that is secretly easier than it looks? Kristi Bissell of 
Let there be light! Revel in the enchanting Nordic Midsummer with two handcrafted cocktails and a refreshing alcohol-free option. This class will discuss the history and traditions of Sankthans, the Norwegian celebration of the summer solstice, and incorporate ingredients that will bring the magic of the season to your homes and palates. This Vesterheim cooking class is designed as a small-group cook-along, and we invite exchange between the instructor and students in order to build community around food traditions.
Join Scandinavia House for a virtual book talk with author Helen Russell to celebrate the launch of The Danish Secret to Happy Kids. This book shares what Russell has learned first-hand and through talking to Nordic psychologists, sociologists and teachers about rearing well-balanced children. In doing so, she dives into the parenting culture of Denmark and other Nordic nations, from parental leave to school structure to screen time. Combining intellectual curiosity and research with observation, this is a positive, thought-provoking parenting book for readers curious about cultural differences.
How does immigration influence the pizzas served in Norway and Sweden? Join Vesterheim and Patrice Johnson for an evening of surprising tastes and fun twists on Nordic pizza. We’ll make our own dough, and then top it with the modern flavors of sweet corn and shrimp, white sauce with caviar, and Flygande Jakob (Flying Jacob). We’ll also toss a traditional pizza salad and shake up a couple of New Nordic-inspired beverages.
Explore the beauty and fun of beading on a loom in the Scandinavian tradition! Inspired by designs from Nordic bandweaving, this class will take you from start to finish for making your own sparkly beaded bookmark. Learn about the historic use of loom beading and how a remarkably simple process can transform seed beads into delightful designs.
Have you heard the saying: You have to learn to walk before you can run? That thought is the same for rosemaling. Before you paint, you can learn a few things to help you on your rosemaling journey. Join others for five evenings of learning some basic, yet helpful concepts. This class is a mixture of discussion and hands-on experiences to reinforce the learning. Topic will include styles of rosemaling, woodenware, oils vs acrylics, brushes, and basic paint palettes. This class is intended for first-time rosemalers; no previous experience is needed.
In August, join beloved rosemaling instructor Lise Lorentzen to explore basic rosemaling techniques and paint rocks that you can use in your garden or give to friends! Inspired both by a painted rock in Vesterheim’s collection and by the groups that paint rocks to hide in nature, this class is the perfect way to explore the traditional handcraft of rosemaling as a family. This program has been designed for families to experience on their own schedules. The $30-per-family price covers the cost of a special folk art class kit designed for two participants to explore rosemaling.
Let the garden lead the way in this virtual cooking demo that celebrates all things dill! Kristi Bissell of 
Tomatoes might not be the most typical Nordic ingredient you think of, but they are treasured by northern gardeners with long summer days. Allow Kristi Bissell of 
Join instructor Hannah Garry (owner and manager of 
