Autumn - Ali Smith

A quirky novel by a Scottish novelist.  A novel of echoes and hidden themes.  Kind of the novel equivalent of Lee Friedlander's photos.  Something there, but half-glimpsed, hidden.  Worth rereading to study the central character, Daniel, in more detail.

The Red-haired Woman - Orhan Pamuk

A novel split in two parts.  The first is an exploration of the concept of father/father figure, which is an important figure in many countries, especially in today's more fascistic political climate.  This is obviously tied to contemporary social and political issues in Turkey, as well as a certain social analysis. 
The second part of the book brings in many issues current is Turkey, especially Istanbul.  The main character becomes a property developer, and many of the shady, insider "trading" elements of behind the scenes Istanbul politics appear in the novel.  Pamuk also continues to chronicle the destruction of beautiful Istanbul - the same property development, the choking traffic.  There is also an exploration of loss of values - egocentrism, luxury consumerism, money obsession, an obsession with the West (or some idealized vision thereof).  He also continues his blending of West and East culturally, with specific artwork from both traditions playing a role in the book. 

Interesting and complex.  Worth the read.  Unfortunately, the first half seemed a better read to me than the second half - the second half tends to be a bit too didactic at times, a bit too artificially a novel of ideas.

Exit West - Mohsin Hamid

Hamid is a brilliant writer and profound thinker.  The book is littered with exquisite short, quotable passages.

Loosely based on the current Syrian refugee crisis, he examines the issues around this from many perspectives - who leaves, who goes, the chaos of where they come from, how life in a state of social siege reduces itself and becomes narrower, the different reactions to the need to integrate into your new society.  How some people move forward to greater liberty, how some move back into a more blinkered state, tied to values of their old world even more tightly than when they lived there.

He has a beautiful image of emigration as locating secret doors and passing through them to a new life.  

Mohsin chronicles a lot of this through a delicately outlined love story - and eventual separation -  between the two main characters, Nadia and Saeed.  

Worth a reread, just to catch and note all the quotable passages.

Fox 8 - George Saunders

Another unusual book by this American author.  Actually, more an extended short story.  Told from the perspective of a fox confronting America's endless urban sprawl.  He renders the voice well.  Also looks at modern american society's relationship to the wild, to nature.

Il riposo della polpetta e altre storie intorno al cibo - Massimo Montanari

Divertente collezione di piccoli articoli sul cibo et la cucina.  Racconta la storia di certi cibi, parla di cibi storici et dimeticati, tradizioni della tavola, etc. 
Vale la pena di leggerne alcuni.

Border - Kapka Kassabova

Part travelogue, part self-reflective inner journey.   I am not sure about this using of place almost as a metaphor for some internal landscape of self-exploration, and self-expression, examination of inner conflict and emotions.
What make this book interesting is the setting - the border area between Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece.  This is an area with a very charged history, from Ottoman times, through the Balkan Wars, and into the 20th C Cold War period.    Kassabova does explore some interesting places in the Rhodopes in both Greece and Bulgaria.  She also explores some interesting sounding areas in the Strandzha area of Bulgaria, and also just on the other side of the border in Turkey.  All places I would like to visit. 
A very topical book, with all the current issues around migration, border crossing, etc.  Much of it currently set in the very area she explores in the book.

La mémoire courte/Short Memory - Eduardo De Gregorio

Un film des années 70 de la France.  Tout l'atmosphère des films de la Nouvelle Vague.  Une intrigue qui développe lentement, beaucoup de prise de vue artistiques (surtout les prises de la voiture qui roule en ville la nuit) et lieux intrigants.  Bande sonore de jazz.  Il faut avoir le goût de ce genre, mais si tu l'as, pas mal comme film.