“look at places like Europe” is the clearest signifier of someone who has never left the States ever in their life.

In Europe, there are 50 countries, over 150 distinct cultures, wildly different economies and styles of government representing each country, and over 746 million people living within European borders. Of those 746 million, 70% own their own home, compared to 65% of US Americans. Your generalization is absolute nonsense and you should probably not respond so confidently with your opinion.

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

I mean, Pillars of the a Earth, almost fits your description. There are no “wars” in the story, and the politics are local and minor to the story, but it is not exactly peaceful. Beautiful story though.

My goal was 52 and I’m about to finish my 51st tonight or tomorrow. So I might actually get to 80+, which is remarkable considering I read one book in 2021 and 32 last year.

Eleven, but two were categorized as novellas. They were under a hundred pages, so if you consider them really long short stories, then nine.