Refugee life in Denmark

I just read this artilcle in The International Herald Tribune and am appalled. Seriously, is this how Danes want to treat people who have helped them? Is this how they want to be perceived by the world? And most importantly, why isn't this news story in Danish media?

You can read the article at: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/26/europe/denmark.php?page=1.

Danes love to talk about how they have an equal society and how they have no poverty, blah, blah, blah. What they don't like to talk about is how they treat immigrants like dirt and believe that they're right in their treatment. Denmark should simply say they will accept no refugees and make a law to stop Danes from marrying foriegners. That way none of us have to suffer at the hands of this crazy government and the racist Danish People's Party.

Instead of calling Denmark "the oasis of Europe" they should simply say "only for white people and only for vacations and long weekends." I'd like to see how the Danish economy handles that, especially now when there is a serious labor shortage. Right now when you go shopping in Copenhagen, you will be hard pressed to find Danish-speaking people across the counter. You go to a restaurant, it's easier to speak in English or Swedish.

I just find it heartbreaking that Danes treat foriegners the way they do - that they let their government get away with this behavior.

THE SOUND OF LANGUAGE IS ON SALE NOW!!!

I absolutely dislike the day of publication, especially when you live in Denmark and the book comes out in the US. I also am absolutely excited when a book of mine comes out, even if I live in Denmark. So here is a list of what's good and what's not...

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK RELEASE

• The book has already garnered pretty good reviews (except for that terrible one from PW that we will all try to forget about)
• Danish and Dutch rights for the book have already been sold, even before the book was releasedThe cover is absolutely gorgeous
• My friend, Meredith is planning a surprise for me to today to celebrate the release of the book

WHAT I HATE ABOUT THIS BOOK RELEASE

• I can't walk into a book store and see the book on the new books table and have a good cry
• I haven't seen the book yet; in all this Christmas mail hoopla, the books never arrived
• I don't know how this book will do in sales and future reviews
• General fear that this is the last book of my career

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, so now get those gift certificates out and get a copy of THE SOUND OF LANGUAGE. I promise you, it will lift your spirits.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world - Vienna

I meant to write about my trip to Vienna but have been distracted with Christmas and book release stuff. Suzan Abrams reminded me and I thank her for it. The delay, by the way, was also caused by the fact that I have no pictures, am waiting for friends to send it over.

First and foremost, I did what I have been wanting to for many, many years. Since the first time I owned a chocolate cook book and read about the mystery of the sacher torte, I have wanted to taste the real thing. And I did. I went to Cafe Sacher, which is in Hotel Sacher, right next to the Vienna Opera House and indulged in a large piece of sacher torte with whipped cream. Heaven must serve this torte - because it was fabulous. I even bought one to go for my husband.

Christmas Markets

We do have a Christmas market or two in Copenhagen, but really they're pretty lame, when compared to what I saw in Vienna.

My friend Berni has in the past lived in Vienna for years and makes it a yearly ritual to go there with her parents for Christmas. We are four friends who went to Vienna in the end of November - and Berni was one of them. So Berni took us to the cool Christmas markets.

First, they are everywhere. Some small some big. You can buy Christmas figurines, ornaments for the tree, Pashmina shawls for 8 EUR, you name it. There are a lot of people at these markets - some tourists, some locals. I indulged in "punsch" which is basically mulled alcohol, I believe and lots of spatzli. You can get these and eat them at the market from the many food stores around.

Food and lodging

Vienna is a beautiful city - one I recommend you should go to if you can. I live in a house that is over 100 years old and see buildings as old or older all the time in Copenhagen. But in Vienna it's a sprawling mass of antiquities. The palace in itself was amazing. It was huge and impressive. I went to Sissy's palace and the Spanish Riding School and was impressed with the opulence and the historical drama.

Oh and then there were the cafes. We ate very well in Vienna and didn't pay as well as we do in Copenhagen. Vienna isn't as cheap as Prague - but then nothing is as expensive as Copenhagen.

We stayed at the beautiful Radisson SAS Palais Hotel, which is the combination of two palaces. We indulged in some drunken debauchery, but not as much as we had in Prague (we believe we have aged since we went there this January).

The Vienna Opera House must be visited. It's an amazing place and I had tears in my eyes as I looked at the stage, getting ready for a premier night. They were going to play Wagner and even though we could have gotten tickets for that, my friend Berni pleaded that we not spend four and a half hours with Wagner.

Next time I'm planning my long weekend in Vienna around Puccini.

I recommend Vienna to you. If you're in Europe, to hell with Copenhagen and Stockholm and Berlin and what you have it - go to Vienna. Of course, if the choice is between Vienna and Paris, then it's a no-contest, Paris it is.

Hmm...maybe next girl's weekend, we should try Paris...

Another review of The Sound of Language

I know I'm taking the easy way out by sticking pre-publication reviews in the blog--but it's Christmas time and it's crazy time. And since it's Christmas, I will be sending out signed bookplates for anyone who wants them. So just send me an email with your mailing address and I will get one to you...hopefully, before Christmas.

And here is another very nice review of The Sound of Language (I'm so relieved that there are good reviews) at Corblue's Closet. Corey was very kind to read my book and also love it. You can read the review at: http://flycorey.blogspot.com/2007/12/sound-of-language.html.

Her's is a great blog for book lovers...so it could be another place for you to visit.

Booklist review

A decent review from Booklist for The Sound of Language

Malladi’s fifth novel portrays a woman, Raihana, whose husband was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. She is granted asylum in Denmark, where a distant cousin and his wife agree to sponsor her, and travels to Skive, a rural village now home for 14 other Afghan families, to restart her life. Raihana’s Danishlanguageteacher arranges for her to fulfill the required apprenticeship by working with Gunnar, an elderly beekeeper still mourning his wife, who died unexpectedly just months earlier. Though superficially they have little in common, Raihana and Gunnar can each relate to the other’s despair at being suddenly alone. Raihana’s enthusiasm for learning the intricacies of beekeeping gradually brings Gunnar out of his shell, and he in turn bolsters her fragile self-esteem. The author deftly surrounds this basic plot with a probing look at Gunnar’s changing relationship with his grown children after their mother’s death and the prejudice Raihana feels as a Muslim woman in this insular Danish village. A thoughtful glimpse at some of the problems facing an increasing number of refugees worldwide.

--Deborah Donovan, Booklist