Book cover of The Hired Man

Book description

Gost is surrounded by mountains and fields of wild flowers. The summer sun burns. The Croatian winter brings freezing winds. Beyond the boundaries of the town an old house which has lain empty for years is showing signs of life. One of the windows, glass darkened with dirt, today stands…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Hired Man as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I was enchanted by this stunning “stranger comes to town” story set in the fictional village of Gost in central Croatia. Duro Kolak lives as a quasi-recluse, numbing himself with rakija and physical labor as he ruminates over past injustices.

When a naïve but hopeful Englishwoman named Laura hires him to restore the old farmhouse she bought, she sets in motion a chain of events that forces him to reexamine his relationship with the past.

I fell in love with these characters, longing for them to make peace with their troubled memories, especially Duro. I also learned a lot about…

From Elizabeth's list on immersion into world history and culture.

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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

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