Derek Haines

Just finished this book in one sitting and tried to figure out how I felt about the book as I was reading it and ended up pretty inconclusive. The book is split into four sections: Loss, Limbo, Life & Love and those are rather self-explanatory. As I read Loss and Limbo, I thought only of my ex-husband over and over again so I'd say that the emotion provoked by these sections did their job. I was, however, rather emotionless through Life and Love. That said, I was intrigued by the author's personal story and wanted to Google "Derek Haines" to find out more about this long distance romance and how he met his wife-to-be. My research was futile. I did like the change of pace reading a novel in verse but the entire reading experience left me wanting more details.… (mehr)

The story in this book would be an amazing story line for a movie, as I believed the concept to quite original. I have read other stories in where a main character lived the last days of live, but I have not come across a story that is about finding the love of your life during your final days.

The story plays in a hospice care centre, in where the main character Bonnie spends the last days of his existence. After reflecting upon his life, he chooses to become a new person, and in the end even finds love. He transforms his personality from being a rough, cranky Scrooge type into a loving, and caring person, who tries to make peace with the types of people he used to despise.

One thought I had while reading was the fact that this story actually makes you think about how you live your own life. If only the last days of your life suddenly make you realize you could have lived your life much better with more happiness and acceptance, you might already be too late to funny enjoy it. This book makes you reflect on how you treat others yourself, and therefore could help you build new relationships. Furthermore, it might trigger some memories of people who have lost loved-once who passed away while being in a hospice at old age.

This is a story too good to spoil in a review, and therefore I highly recommend this story to anyone who wants to learn how some people might spend the last days of their life. The reader might learn a thing or two as well.… (mehr)

Derek Haines has a definite twisted view of the world. I happen to like his views as he expresses them in this collection of what I imagine to be past blog posts. The life he describes seems idyllic and his approach to writing makes it seem like an ideal pursuit. I find it easy to embrace his views of political leaders and others in authority. I think I understand his anger with all things colonial and expect his taste for beer, great coffee and delightful food made with local fresh produce may stem from his Australian exposure. I can only lament that he found a wage earning wife to support him, share in his eccentricities and supply him with a Swiss citizenship while I must still struggle through life. Pick up this book and treat yourself to the humorous ramblings and pointed examinations of mostly everything he chooses to expose himself to. I found myself smiling and nodding while I was reading and largely jealous of his ability to make such a rewarding "Big" life for himself and his readers. I'm amazed he can think these "Deep" thoughts and not completely distract himself from his writing. I highly recommend this read.… (mehr)