Patos XXXVI - 241130 - Bergs Gård

Bergs Gård MTB Arena, one hour south of Stockholm. Friday to Sunday in Havsstugan. Several different MTB trails were cycled on Saturday - 17 km in 3h - and the adventure ended when we got stuck in a loop on the mountain and had to search for the way down. Aarke Coffee System gave us good coffee and Genelec G One gave us good sound... The sauna was cold, but got hot. The water was cold, and stayed that way.

Book 68 - "Själ" by Klas Elm (2024)

Krister 2 - There was a seed of something but it never started to grow. He killed it with the Stieg Larsson paradox...

Ola 3 - Reading sci-fi in Swedish is not commonplace, but I am impressed by the story's structure and how the sack is tied together - however, there are a lot of details to grind on to reach a higher level...

Anders 2 - Here are some simple tips: 1. Not all characters need to swear all the time. 2. Avoid contemporary references. 3. Stop with the Stieg Larsson technobabble. 4. Don't let your own opinions and experiences shine through. High praise for story and plot. There is great potential for development.

Average rating - 2,33

Book 69 - "The Book of Elsewhere" by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville (2024)

Krister 5 - Damn sharp and well written. The story and backstories equally interesting. I want a Babirusa like...

Ola 5 - A language and a story of its own. Not every day you experience this. Like reading a Babirusa, but just before the tusks grow into the skull, it all ends a bit unresolved.

Anders 4 - Three quarters of it was epic, almost Neil Gaiman "American Gods"-class, but it didn't last all the way. But I'm in love with Keanu, keep it up.

Average rating - 4,66

Patos XXXV - 240928 - Bokmässan

Bokmässan (The Book Fair) is the largest cultural event in the Nordic region and this year it celebrated its 40th anniversary, focusing on two themes: Sápmi and Space. So Patos went there.

God and Jesus were there, and the man who gave Peter F. Hamilton and Alastair Reynolds these epithets - Ola's former boss, Klas Elm, who at the age of 59 retired, re-saddled and became a sci-fi writer - was also there. Three copies of his debut novel "Själ" (Soul) were bought and signed, and will be discussed at the next meeting.

We attended a few seminars - "Fact and Science Fiction", "The Masters of Space Opera" et cetera - but dissed the interview with Peter F. as it was Glenn* who interviewed...

* The owner, or founder, of Science Fiction Bokhandeln would be our guess...

Book 67 - "Man-Eating Typewriter" by Richard Milward (2023)

Krister 1 - I have nothing to say. I have spent enough time on this book.
Ola 2 - Underneath the Polari there is a hint of a seed of a story that could have been entertaining instead of annoying and disgusting.
Anders 1 - "Chickos, this was a filthy book. Not something I´d puff up or ever puss on to anyone. But still, glad I swallowed it. A book where it would´ve been poppish to know it was written in the darlings lingo. Would´ve made it fatter, now I´m both flat and jacked, but a little fuller too. Phew, thank the Gods it´s done!" Spermatozoomer Graffman gives a crossed out wasp.
Average rating - 1,33

Patos XXXIV - 231003 - Bastard Burgers

Rain.

Burgers.

A3-book.

Book 66 - "Nollamorfa" by Johan Jönson (2023)
Krister 4 -  I want coffee, coffee,  cof. What is hungry? Am I hungr. Am I, Am, Ooh (page 29). Not good shit. Good faeces!
Ola 4 - Not an easy read. At times brilliant. Fascinating with an author who hates his readers...
Anders 5 - It makes you glad that such literature exists, and even more amazingly is read - by idiots like us. Don't read it.
Average rating - 4,33

Patos XXXIII - 230210 - John Scott´s

At four we settled into leather armchairs at John Scott's, gulped down a couple of weissbiers and discussed "Girig-Sverige" (Greedy Sweden).

At seven thirty we tried bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) at Saignon Baguette.

Shortly after seven we slipped, for free, into the exhibition "Bowie by Suktia - From London to Japan" at Kulturhuset. It was Ali Boulala (Sweden's most famous skateboarder) who stood at the door and let us in!

Eight sharp we were in the Studio at Kulturhuset (it was a bit tricky to find it, we admit) and it paid off to be on time as Johan Airijoki opened with the amazing song "Tomtebloss" (Sparkler).

We enjoyed the rugged mining rock until one of the three of us suddenly passed out!?

Repair-age here we come!

PS. Airijoki concluded with "Allting kommer att bli bra" (Everything will be fine). But we missed that...

Book 65 - "Girig-Sverige" by Andreas Cervenka (2022)
Krister 6 - It's refreshing to be both horrified and enlightened. Should be a book you read in school.
Ola 4 - A hard read that pisses me off. That it can be this way...
Anders 5 - Cervenka creates an exciting novel based on dry facts and statistics, with classic heroes and villains. Who is Satoshi Nahamoto? I want to know more.
Average rating - 5

Patos XXXII - 221217 - Södra Teatern

We met at Soldier Svejk where we consumed excellent home cooking and drank Czech beer, where every sip brought pleasure and harmony to the palate.

At Southern Theater it isn't easy nowadays to find a place to sit down, to for example discuss the pros and cons of a book. So we stood.

Ola's unhung brother Peter happened to be present at both restaurant visit and concert - Christmas according to Timo* - but did not contribute any major insights regarding books and reading.

Not so surprising considering that Peter so far has read only two (2) books - Ronja Rövardotter and Bilbo.

* Timo provided a musical journey beyond bells and whistles...

Book 64 - "How The Marquis Got His Coat Back" by Neil Gaiman (2014)
Krister 4 - Even though it was a short story, he gets a four. Neil - you even scream sarcastically...
Ola 4 - It seems like a hell of a coat. The story flows, and you flow with it.
Anders 4 - It is 58 pages long and after 2 pages he had set the whole backdrop. Makes you crave for more of the Nevermore world and the fake marquis. Bonus for "pachydermic presence" and "lagniappe".
Average rating - 4

Patos XXXI - 221130 - Barbro

We had booked a table at Bar Brooklyn, but the place was so shabby that we ate at Barbro (Hornstulls local provider of Asian Cuisine) instead – in the bar. After a few fresh beers and a bunch of small dishes we walked to Debaser and saw David Ritschard play live – fantastic swedish south of south country...

In the middle of the concert, someone in the audience fainted. It wasn't Ola, who had left his seat to feel the atmosphere in front of the stage for a while.

As the next meeting will be held in about two weeks, Krister had purchased three copies of Neil Gaiman's "How The Marquis Got His Coat Back" – 58 pages to read until we meet soon again.

"We remain here my friend

We are then, now and then

And we'll meet soon again"

(David Ritschard)

Book 63 - "Underskottet" by Daniel Sjölin (2022)

Krister 4 - A brilliant AI who condemns humanity. With a fantastic language. "How does a language actually die?"
Ola 1 - One of the most boring books I've read. The language is like barbed wire. Brilliant as a host for Babel, dead as a writer, for me...
Anders 4 - 7 in its rage and condemnation of humanity. But 1 as part of the delivery of contempt for mankind. I give it 4 but would never ever recommend this book to anyone.
Average rating - 3

Patos XXX - 220628 - Långbro Värdshus

And why did we meet at Långbro Värdshus? Because it is the restaurant that is closest to the geographical center of the pathos trio – and we all had to bike about 20 km to get there. Krister biked north-west, Anders south-west and Ola south-east – there are divided opinions about who faced the most uphills and the strongest headwind...

Anders got something to chew at the meeting – the, by Norstedts, rejected book "Siris Djurrim", written and illustrated by Ola's daughter Siri, who at 5 had come further on her literary path than any of Patos members...

Book 62 - "Morgonstjärnan" by Karl Ove Knausgård (2020)
Krister 2 - The first three quarters are five points. The last quarter is one. Pity.
Ola 4 - Top class writing combined with stories that suck you in. In the side tracks, however, he loses some momentum in this book...
Anders 2 - Neither Knausgård nor Auster manage to hold it together when it comes to novels, although that is when they are at their best. First 3/4 epic, last 1/4 poo sausage.*
Average rating - 2.67

* Anders had folded a dog ear on page 1!

Patos XXIX - 210226 - Danderyd

Busy day. For some. 04:49 Vanja was born - Ola's third child - and 14:00 Ola & Krister (and Rungen) popped up in a garden 3 km north of Danderyds Sjukhus, where Ola had spent the night not sleeping, to find Anders looking like a question mark.

There was a surprise party to celebrate Anders 50 laps around our closest star, and Patos had the prime-time slot as we were the first. People arrived in small groups every hour into the early hours, and had to leave within 60 minutes. Pandemic style!

The stargazer was delivered - a miniature, as the real thing was delayed for a little over seven months and arrived late september. The AC adapter was delivered on Anders 51:st birthday... Pandemic style!

Book 61 - "Sirius" by Olaf Stapledon (1944)
Krister 1 - Sit, dog bastard, sit!
Ola 2 - Occasionally beautiful language does not save a thin story.
Anders 1 - As interesting as Stapledon's thoughts about his own self are in Odd John, as oxygen-poor is Sirius*
Average rating - 1.33

* Anders was gonna buy Sirius, but it was sold out everywhere so he bought the double Sirius/Odd John and read both. Rating 1/5.

Patos XXVIII - 201108 - Solö

Ola was hijacked - as he had circled the sun 50 times - and taken to Solö.
Sunday: Sauna, Swedish stove and Dhal.
Monday: Boating to a tiny island where we had an epic book club meeting as the sun set. Back at the stove Ola received a gift. The gift. The New York Trilogy Manuscript, by Paul Auster. Big thanks to Anders, Krister, Jonas, Matti, Christian, Magnus, Niklas and Linus.
Tuesday: The youths did yoga. Ola had a cup of coffee...

Book 60 - "Ålevangeliet" (The book of Eels) by Patrik Svensson (2019)
Krister 5 - The book was like a really nice smoked eel. Prose as poetry...
Ola 5 - Glorious - not least the cover - and well written. Informative and interesting. Not bad...
Anders 5 - Rarely has a book received so many beautiful dog ears as this one. Fascinating knowledge for a reflective human, but best of all is that many riddles remain to be solved...
Average rating 5

Patos XXVII - 200125 - Solö

Not more than 16 months since the last Patos meeting on Solö we are back...
Herring lunch, walk in the woods, sauna, sci-fi & discussion...
Five aces quite simply!

Book 59 - "Born To Run" by Bruce Springsteen (2016)
Krister 3 - The book makes the records and the records makes the book.
Ola 3 - Interesting insight into an impressive journey through life sort of. Hard to grade.
Anders 3 - Magnificient trifle. Some of the best business advice one can get in life...
Average rating 3

Patos XXVI - 190930 - Konserthuset, Stockholm

Last September 2019 two meetings, where the book "Memories of the Future" was discussed, took place. One meeting was arranged in Grünewald room in Stockholm's Concert Hall, where the author of the book, Siri Hustvedt, was interviewed by Annika Norlin.

The other meeting took place in a pub in the vicinity, just after the first meeting was concluded. Only three people attended...

Book 58 - "Memories of the Future" by Siri Hustvedt (2019)

Krister 3 - If we would have listened to her talking about the book earlier the grades probably would have been higher... Memories of the past makes it a bit uneven, but some facts still turns it into an interesting book.

Ola 4 - Not a masterpiece like "What I Loved", but still - on many levels - interesting.

Anders 3 - Sometimes radiant literature, sometimes trivial. Neat to weave young and old memories together and how they shape a human...

Average rating 3.33

Patos XXV - 190524 - Borgvägen, Stockholm

A quartet (!?) spent an evening in a sauna, discussing one book, ten questions and some other stuff.

Book 57 - "Brief Answers To The Big Questions" by Stephen Hawking (2018)

Krister 5 - There is still a lot of theory in theoretical physics. Well done Stephen...

Ola 5 - What a guy!

Anders 4 - Cool to pick ten mundane questions and command hope for humanity... Damn well done, but it does not enthral.

Ola E 4 - Good book, bad humour.

Average rating 4.5

Patos XXIV - 190202 - Hundfjället, Sälen

Patos drove a Volvo for a bit more than five hours northwest from the capital city and went skiing in Dog Mountain, The Seal, Sweden. First day was okay, second was great – in the woodland.

In a magazine we had read that the best restaurant in the Swedish alps was called Frö. It turned out it was located about a hundred meters from our lodge. We did try the dessert and wine there. Top class.

We brought two crates of beer. One returned home with us. We are getting older...

Book 56 - "Pappaklausulen" by Jonas Hassen Khemiri (2018)

Krister 3 - Wellwritten and neat, but it does not affect. The only thing that sticks is the “grandfather who is also a father”.

Ola 3 - Well scripted and extremely high recognition factor for a toddlers dad. But nothing extraordinary.

Anders 5 - Masterful everyday realism without any story line. A must read for everyone about to get a child, and for those with children in the right age.

Average rating 3.66

Patos XXIII - 181130 - Stockholm City

Just before three Krister and Ola met at the National Museum in Stockholm, a place that has been renovated for five years (just about the same time that Patos has been in limbo). We had a walk around the awe inspiring premises, had a look at the paintings and a beer.

We had a promenade to the Man in the Moon, where we bumped into Anders and Ola Ekberg and lost ourselves in some beer and food. Content we went to Vasateatern and listened to Timo Räisinen. After that concert we sat down in some fat leather sofas in Grand Central and had a chat about some books...

Book 55 - "Downbelow Station" by C.J. Cherryh (1981)

Krister 3 - The best sci-fi in the world - bullshit. As sci-fi crappy but as a mirror of our time not entirely wrong.

Ola 3 - Wellwritten but not fully committed. There is quite some Space Opera out there better than this...

Anders 2 - From the vantage point of my expectations the grade is a two. Non-technical sci-fi with a poetic parlance that do not reach all the way through...

Average rating 2.66

Patos XXII - 180928 - Solö

Five years - on the day - has passed, and we meet again on the same spot as last time. Patos renaissance.
Three days of relaxation - away from kids, work and women - and we almost got back to being human again...
Ola Ekberg was invited to join us, but he ran...
Beer was drunk and elutriated.*
Food was cooked and consumed.
Sauna was lit and bathed.
Books were read and discussed.

* Palomino & Oktoberfest - a duo that saw its way down the drain...

Book 54 - "Stallo" by Stefan Spjut (2012)
Krister 5 - From the first till the last page it is uncomfortably beautiful.
Ola 5 - Sparkling, occasionally poetic, everyday realism - with mysticism just around the corner all along.
Anders 5 - The best intro ever in a swedish book. Simplicity and amazing parlance brings nightmares. Ajvide can pull something old over himself. This is the way a grindstone is drawn. This could be for real.
Average rating 5

Patos XXI - 130928 - Solö

The three of us went to Solö. Well two and a half went to Solö - as Graffe was still half-a-brain from the aftermath of meningitis.
Sauna, books, food, talks and a couple of beers - liming...

Liming (Wiktionary):
1/ The word is associated with sitting under a lime tree, or having nothing more demanding to do than squeezing limes. It is also thought to originate from "limey", a slang term meaning a British serviceman during World War II (noted for hanging around bars and drinking).
2/ During long voyages at sea, sailors would suffer from a disease known as Scurvy which was caused from a lack of Vitamin C. British soldiers would counteract this by taking limes on board and sucking them periodically. For this, they came to be known as "limeys". During WW2 when many limeys were stationed in Trinidad and Tobago, they would seek amusement from the local prostitutes (Green-Corner, Port-of-Spain was famous for this and there is more than one calypso sung about it eg. Jean and Dinah - Sparrow). The locals would see the limeys hanging out and say that they were "liming", hence, liming became a verb which means to hang out (source: English teacher in Hillview College, Trinidad-and_Tobago early 90's).

Quotation:
Lionel Ritchie - All Night Long (pop song, verse 2): "We're going to party, liming, fiesta, forever."

Book 50 - "Great North Road" by Peter F. hamilton (2012)
Krister 4 - Good, but such a happy ending that the cream goes sour.
Ola 4 - I remember I digged it when I read it, so a four it gets.
Anders 3 - Entertaining, but Peter F:s poorest book. Almost as insignificant as the cover (one of the worst in history) and almost worse than Biggles in Tibet, almost, or better...
Average rating 5 or something...

Book 51 - "Fifty Shades of Grey" by EL James (2011)
Krister 1 - My reading time is too scarce to sacrifice any on this piece of literary masterpiece.
Ola 2 - Better than expected. But not good.
Anders 2 - Significantly more wellwritten than I expected. A strong two, as I had "rhubarb sway" half of the time while reading...
Average rating 1,66

Book 52 - "Världens Sista Roman" (The Worlds Last Novel) by Daniel Sjölin (2007)
Krister 2 - Some parts were really good, but some parts were like walking on crust that won't hold your weight. It feels like he is licking the arse of the cultural elite...
Ola 2 - Sometimes it felt like chewing barbwire. There is potential, but a lack of flow. Over-baked?!
Anders 2 - The hardest book to grade in the history of Patos. At times brilliant, at times ignorant - even though he is a man with Tourettes; damn, damn, damn Knausgård...
Average rating 2

Book 53 - "Flashback" by Dan Simmons (2013) - A Bonus Book... for the first time!
Krister 4 - Dan Simmons worst book, but at least there is no Peter F. Hamilton ending...
Ola 3 - Exciting on the personal level, but the overall story feels like it was pencilled by a twelve-year-old on a coffee break.
Anders 2 - Dan Simmons weakest. Really a four, but gets a two due to the anti-Islamic drivel. If you want entertaining Sci-Fi you are better off reading about Greg Mandel or Takeshi Kovacs...
Average rating 3

Patos XX - 121013 - Norrpada, Stockholm archipelago

Anders & Ola set out on the friday and after six hours of pottering Malin's sailboat left the dock at Solö at six o'clock sharp. Three hours later the irongenua had taken us to Fejan,where we berthed in the pitch-black night as the sole boat at the jetty.

The Milky Way was seen in all its splendour this starry night. Saturday morning Krister joined, after having successfully haggled his ticket on the ferry due to lack of cash. The trio set sails for Norrpada, where it turned out the anchoring cord was a couple of meters too short - so we had to do it again and do it right... Firewood was tossed ashore and we went for a walkabout on the island, located on the outermost part of the archipelago.

During the day we managed to consume the two standard meals - herring & potatoes and spaghetti & mincemeat sauce - plus listen to this summer's best, by far, radio host Daniel Sjölin (author and ex-anchor in Babel). After dinner we found time to read, talk and relax - and as it unfortunately was cloudy we skipped the bonfire on the rocks. Come sunday and we hid the firewood on the island - to be used upon our next visit - and sailed to a marina in the Norrtälje region where the boat was to be lifted out of the sea and dressed in wintergarb. Then we drove home - in three cars...
Before we split up we were in agreement that till next Patos meeting we will read the following delectable trio:
* Great North Road - Peter F. Hamilton
* Fifty Shades of Grey - EL James
* Världens Sista Roman - Daniel Sjölin
A space opera, some aunt-filth-kiosk-literature and a pretentious swedish novel - one could say...

 

Book 47 - "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami (2008)
Krister 3 - Many platitudes and some words of wisdom. One gets very tempted to start running.
Ola 3 - Life reflections and path choices in running form.
Anders 3 - The World's finest trifle, and I am looking forwards to him freestyling like Karl Ove!
Average rating 3

 

Book 48 - "The Tortilla Curtain" by T. C. Boyle (1995)
Krister 1 - It is sooo bad...
Ola 2 - I thought it would be a new Robbins, Hiiasen or Moore - and it turned out to be nothing but boring. It would be cool to have a beer with said authors, but should I see Boyle at the bar I would drink my beer elsewhere...
Anders X - I read ten pages. It was enough.
Average rating 1,5 kinda

 

Book 49 - "Winter Journal" by Paul Auster (2012)
Krister 3 - Mr Auster, I have read this before, but I will never skip a piss.
Ola 3 - Nothing new under the sun. Oracle Night 2?
Anders ? - will read it till next meeting...

Patos XIX - 120526 - Danderyd, Stockholm

A sunny afternoon at the end of May, six months after our last meeting - on the dot, Patos got together at Anders's place; no longer an apartment but a house! Charlie* joined us as member number four and he took the lead when we relocated to Anders's parents place a few kilometers away - where Patos was founded just about eight years ago - and the quartet hit the sauna... Back at Anders's place we barbequed - Krister worked wonders with the commodities and the meat turned out spic and span. That bull had not ran in vain... Eurovision Song Contest was watched from beginning to end - and Loreen whopped everybody with "Euphoria", a fact that even swedish television's commentators grasped eventually! Baku (Azerbaijan) seems to be a truly faboulus (!?) place - as Anders's neighbour pointed out via SMS, asking when we are going there - the land of the poets, artists, horses et cetera et cetera et cetera intemperance. "Comics - hotter than ever" was a headline in the latest issue of "Our Kungsholmen" - so our choice to read Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" felt - in hindsight - pretty good...

* a respectably beefy dog - one-eyed after a fight with an anteater in Trinidad...

Book 44 - ¨"My Struggle/A Death In The Family" by Karl Ove Knausgård (2010)
Krister (!?**) 5 - Now it is time to write the whale of a novel, so one has something to look look forward to.
Ola 5 - This man can write. About anything. Period.
Anders 4 - He is a great thinker and I wish that I someday will find time for such reflection.
Average rating 4,66

Book 45 - "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami (2011)
Krister 3 - It is good but I am not impressed.
Ola 5 - Surprisingly easy-to-read. And long. And good. Murakami has explicitly dampened his excesses and refined his style.
Anders 5 - I was gonna speedread it, but it is too good for that - so I will get back to you... 121013 Anders said the following: A masterpiece of dignity, but then again it is about space - with two moons one can never go wrong...
Average rating 4,33

Book 46 - "The Sandman Vol 1: Preludes & Nocturnes" by Neil Gaiman (1989)
Krister 3 - It is a pity it is cartoons...
Ola 4 - Somewhat swaying, but filled to the brim with potent moments. Hope!
Anders 5 - Death and The King of Dreamers as rockers - it does not get better than that...
Average rating 4 - Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

** After 8 years all of a sudden Anders is not the default opening marker...

Patos XVIII - 111126 - Kungsholmen, Stockholm

It has been a year - and then some - since Patos last got together... Cap turned up at one and a couple of hours later Graffe joined us and the trio focused hard on relaxation. Bedarö bitter was imbibed and books were read in the white leather sofas... Ola read the bible and finished the quartet of books that was supposed to have been read before this meeting - something no other member were able to do... Graffe dozed off in the couch, a book on his belly, and Ola let the Masi Amarone breathe while preparing a humble meal to go down with it. The (energy) efficient freezer was deemed responsible for sending grandmas old spoon to the happy hunting-grounds, ie the ice cream was deep-frozen. Despite double espressos the trio passed out prior to midnight...

Addendum: During the day we discussed the criticism of Karl Ove Knausgård (whose "Min Kamp" was one of the books that should have been read before this meeting, but as not all three had managed that task the grading and discussion was advanced until next meeting - a Patos first!) Other topics on the agenda were the articles "the classroom is no church" and "we will sing psalms" (Dagens Nyheter) and it turns out Cap in his anything but sly way has managed to influence the education system to some degree... Jenny Lindh (Dagens Nyheter) replied to a letter to the editor named "Paul Auster for beginners" in what could be percieved as a condescending fashion - describing Paul Auster as high culture for people not really into high culture... Ola sent her a letter - asking for books to read that she thinks are better books than those penned by Mr Auster. So far there has been no reply...

Book 41 - "Sunset Park" by Paul Auster (2010)
Anders 4 - Well reiterated but not more than that. It is starting to get to be a classic Auster. Good literature.
Ola 5 - A well penned feelgood novel. Does that mean Auster is feeling low at the moment? Maybe not after all - as the ending is anything but merrily...
Krister 3 - Three iPhone itches on the scrotum. Not enough notebooks.
Average rating 4

Book 42 - "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin (1996)
Anders 5 - If only he would have held it together on an A4 it would have been a 6. A plus in the margin for all the dwarf-sex.
Ola 5 - Proper storytelling in a fantasy framework. Nuff said.
Krister 2 - Fantasy for the populace. Bolibompa!
Average rating 4

Book 43 - "The Bible - the book of Acts of the Apostles" by Luke!? (ca. 60)
Anders 1 - I started with the seven first pages in The Bible, then moved on to the five first pages in the book of Acts of the Apostles. I do not understand how a single person in one's right mind can get anything at all out of reading The Bible. I will read the entire thing in order to be able to argue against all irrational people.
Ola 1 - The book of Acts of the Apostles is flooded with scaremongering of the cheapest sort. I am not surprised, I am pissed...
Krister 1 - Glory, glory, hallelujah! ("God is so evil that his only excuse is that he does not exist", Georg Klein, Physician and author.)
Average rating 1

Patos XVII - 101009 - Borgvägen, Stockholm

Following a few hectic days (Ola had for example put in 46 hours of work the last three days in order to meet a deadline - and he was the one who had had a breeze) it was a delight to have a book club meeting, in peace and quiet, where it all began six years ago - Borgvägen in Stockholm. Accompanied by nuts, cabbage, apples, sausages and spareribs - naturally with a full dozen bottled beers - Patos spent four good hours in and around the wood-heated sauna. The water was cold but the air was unusually warm for this time of the year. Anders surprised by producing a strictly limited edition bottle of Absolut Brooklyn, which proved suberb as foundation for drinks. After dinner (chanterelle toast as starter, followed by the obligatory pasta and mince meat sauce) the books were dealt with, and Kristers newly purchased - and big - saw came in handy... Before eleven all three dropped off - in the middle of trying to decide what books to read until next meeting - and close upon midnight we awoke, made our beds and fell asleep. None needed rocking...

Book 39 - "Black Hills" by Dan Simmons (2010)
Anders 4 - Sickly good book, but something is missing, just as it is in the concluding quotation: "It's a good day to live..." Had I read this one before "Drood" the ratings would have been reversed.
Ola 5 - A fascinating tale, from the moment the ghost enters via the arm till the hills is blasted to smithereens - or not...
Krister 5 - A book that contains it all, and had it not been for the Bolibompa-ending it had gotten a six.
Average rating 4,66

Book 40 - "The Shack" by WM Paul Young (2008)
Anders 1 - Tragically bad book, that tries to indoctrinate people in their time of need.
Ola 1 - One third poor crime novel, two thirds cliché laden defence speech for belief in god - and the real purport of it is settled in less than half a page, where the principal character's anger towards god turns to dissociation from himself.
Krister 1 - This is a study of religious fanaticism. The only thing differentiating the author from a Taliban is that the Taliban has bombs and Young has a laptop. Full stop.
Average rating 1

Patos XVII (almost) - 100815 - Åkulla, Halland

The day after Hanna & Viktor got married (congratulations to the great couple - Patos was there) we were supposed to have a meeting at the same place as the wedding was held - which turned out to be the exact spot where Ola did some orienteering while attending compulsary school a few years back. The pastor (Anna) who officiated at the wedding - and who sat beside Ola during the wedding dinner, amicably conversing about faith et cetera - was almost going to attend the Patos meeting as a first time outsider - as she had also read one of the books up for discussion: The Shack. But the pastor had to leave early in the morning so she couldn't make it. After dancing in gentle rain at dawn it was easy to sleep in, and when Kristers pregnant girlfriend Kristina steered their car north Anders and Ola were barely awake. So the meeting was postponed...

Patos XVI - 100620 - Vejbystrand

We took friday and monday off in order to stretch the weekend and feel the calm. Crown Princess wedding, World Cup football and books (plus graphic novels in the form of Inkalen and a couple of Agent X9 purchased at "The Wave") when Patos once again had a book club meeting in Vejbystrand. After a couple of hours in a car we almost succeeded in tucking away one kilogramme of minced meat during friday evening's classic pasta and mincemeat sauce. Saturday we had pouring rain and claps of thunder, so we celebrated with a herring luncheon in front of the telly. The actual book club meeting took place "At Jonas" on the sunday - as we, after two evenings at home, felt compelled to dine out...

Book 37 - "Metro 2033" by Dmitry Glukhovsky (2007)
Anders 2 - Damn beauteous idea for a sci-fi but it never even leaves the launching pad. Grade two to a sci-fi - I myself am amazed.
Ola 2 - A wretchedly dreary linguistic usage combined with a repetetive exposition unfortunately puts the potential to death.
Krister 2 - He serves himself a fantastic smash ball during the first third, and then he doesn't even manage to leave the dressing room second and last third...
Average rating 2

Book 38 - "Inkalen" by Moebius & Jodorowsky (1981-85)
Anders 2 - Grade two that could have been grade four if only the language had been better and the story kept together. The effort is worthy of great praise.
Ola 3 - A graphic novel!? The plot is driven onwards in a varied fashion figuratively, but the structure of the language (the translation?) leaves a great deal to be desired.
Krister 5 - The wheel has come full circle. I get altogether happy at heart when reading.
Average rating 3,33

Patos XV - 100417 - Zermatt "John's Book Exchange"

A dozen friends - including the three Patos members depicted as birds above - sat soaking sunbeams at John's Book Exchange in Zermatt while eating their bakery baguettes, swallowed down with water from plastic bags. The bookbox was shovelled forth from the snow and when opened we rejoiced at the content, as someone (we found out later it was Pocket - cheers dude) had put quite a number of Heineken bottles in it. The beer was fairly well frozen but thawed out decently in the sun and was quaffed with genuine pleasure. In the bookbox we also found Paul Auster's "The Brooklyn Foolies" and in it Krister discovered the missing notes from Patos meeting on the same spot almost exactly four years ago. It turned out that John's rating (his last unless "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami also will be retrieved in the future) of the book was a solid 5. A trifle scary that the two last Patos books John read was "The Brooklyn Follies" and "Norwegian Wood"... When all but the Patos trio had scattered there was a not so heated discussion - ie none was steamrollered - about the four books up for rating and then we came up with a lot of suggestions for what books to read next. Before we could make up our minds what books to choose we had to say bye to the mountain and lay down some elevens in order to catch the last lift towards Zermatt - business as usual...

Book 33 - "Vi, De Drunknade" (We, The Drowned) by Carsten Jensen (2008)Anders 5 - It is almost as if I would like to be one of the characters myself. They were hard bastards them Danish seamen.
Ola 4 - If only history had been this entertaining.
Krister 6 - An epic tale about love, the ocean and Danish bastards.
Average rating 5

Book 34 - "The Steel Remains" by Richard Morgan (2008)
Anders 5 - "I'm with the faggot!"
Ola 5 - "I'm with the faggot!"
Krister 4 - "I'm with the faggot!"
Average rating 4,66

Book 35 - "Drood" by Dan Simmons (2009)Anders 5 - I look forward to book number two, the sci-fi sequel where Drood has taken over the world.
Ola 5 - Quality from the first to the last page. Many pages. And long ones...
Krister 5 - It's a conundrum that such an ardous book can be that grand.
Average rating 5

Book 36 - "Invisible" by Paul Auster (2009)Anders 4 - Damn well writ, but why can't the old bugger acquiesce in telling a story - without x and y...
Ola 6 - As an Auster fan it feels lovely that he is back in good old form.
Krister 5 - Now he has let go of the sideboards and I look forward to him zeze...
Average rating 5

Patos XIV - 091219 - Kungsholmen

Time passed without the two remaining books getting read by all three Patos members. Not finishing a Patos book means you get to treat the other members to a dinner, which is what Anders did on the 19:th of December - a christmas buffet. Select beers and Underberg helped us wash down our delicacies, and many books were discussed - eventually even the ones that were supposed to have been read till this meeting... These three books (Människohamn included) came close to ruining Patos. We will revise our regulations... Until next meeting we will read four books, and that is a new thing. Another new thing is that two of us have already read one of them books, and two other of us (sort of) have read another one of them books. Evolution.

Book 31 - "Förbländningen" (Auto-da-Fé) by Elias Canetti (1931)
Anders X - It feels good to serve dinner instead of squandering my time.
Ola 2 - I have yet to quit a book till I have reached the last page, but here it was close. Arduous without recompense.
Krister 2 - Pure hell to read.
Average rating 2

Book 32 - "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski (2000)
Anders X - Maybe a masterpiece that I will maybe finish sometime in my life. Black. Tape-recorder. No sound.
Ola 5 - A book about a guy who knows a guy that finds sheets of paper at a dead man's place. These sheets of paper contains a story about a man who has made a film in a house with an inside that is bigger than the outside. Different and arduous, but rewarding.
Krister X - Lovely. Now that I have read Ola's comment I needn't read the book.
Average rating (?) 5

Patos XIII - 090628 - Vendelsö

Anders and Ola left Kungsholmen and travelled south for an hour (by tube, bus and foot) to pay Krister a visit in order to celebrate Patos Fifth Anniversary! At Krister's place a wall-to-wall carpet has recently been fitted, and the bookshelfs raised and filled, in the library and upon arrival Krister - having the morning after - makes a great impression by serving newly baked sponge cake... As the swedish summer succeeded the all but non existing spring very early this year we took Krister's new wheels for a spin to the ocean where we cooled ourselves for a while. We visited the local pizza cook for replenishment and then returned to the apartment where we - despite the fact that some people say there is no accounting for tastes - for the first time in the history of Patos awarded a book an average rating of 1!

Book 30 - "Människohamn" by John Ajvide Lindqvist (2009)
Anders 1 - Marginally better than horse manure. It's a pity to foster swedish people according to this when there's great literature just around the corner. Missus Rosing is as subtle as the description of Larsson's Mac OSX and 1.5MHz Processor and all the other pastisch characters. What the hell was the guy thinking about - if he likes Linda Rosing he can buy Expressen...
Ola 1 - Marginally better than Stieg Larsson. This book stole six hours of my life. Hours I will never get back...
Krister 1 - What a fucking bunch of crap! Had I not been hungover I would have returned the book to the author.
Average rating 1