Anita (FAMeulstee) reads on in 2017 (8)

More landscape art from Flevoland: Observatorium by Robert Morris in Lelystad.

Left: aerial view; right: sunrise at the first day of spring
 

total books read in 2017: 246
own 150 / 93 library / 3 BolKobo+

total pages read in 2017: 61.562
--

Books read in July 2017 (46 books, 11.485 pages)
book 246: Verdriet is het ding met veren (Grief is the Thing with Feathers) by Max Porter, 122 pages, , msg 240
book 245: De Finklerkwestie (The Finkler Question) by Howard Jacobson, 383 pages, , msg 237
book 244: Hou van die hond (Love that dog) by Sharon Creech, TIOLI #16, 90 pages, , msg 233
book 243: Meer van Mien-yuan (The Chinese Lake Murders, Judge Dee 3) by Robert van Gulik, 222 pages, , msg 232
book 242: Tijgereiland by Daan Remmerts de Vries, 208 pages, , msg 227
book 241: Het complete Rekelboek by Koos van Zomeren, TIOLI #16, 305 pages, , msg 226
book 240: Lange maanden by Imme Dros, 145 pages, , msg 223
book 239: De zonderlinge geschiedenis van Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) by R.L. Stevenson, 84 pages, , msg 222
book 238: Het Chinese lakscherm (The Lacquer Screen, Judge Dee) by Robert van Gulik, 167 pages, , msg 220
book 237: Zwanenzang (Dry Bones that Dream, DCI Banks 7) by Peter Robinson, 272 pages, , msg 217
book 236: Het mes dat niet wijkt (The Knife of Never Letting Go) by Patrick Ness, 479 pages, , msg 205
book 235: Grootvaders reisdoel (When grandfather journeys into winter) by Craig Strete, TIOLI #5, 60 pages, , msg 204
book 234: Engelse rozen (David Austin's English Roses) by David Austin, TIOLI #15, 160 pages, , msg 194
book 233: Max Havelaar by Multatuli, TIOLI #7, 304 pages, , msg 180
book 232: Het herdersleven (The Shepherd's Life) by James Rebanks, 288 pages, , msg 170
book 231: De een van de ander (The One from the Other, Bernie Gunther 4) by Philip Kerr, 368 pages, , msg 169
book 230: De Aran-eilanden (Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage) by Tim Robinson, TIOLI #17, 382 pages, , msg 160
book 229: Kind van sneeuw (The Snow Child) by Eowyn Ivey, TIOLI #14, 383 pages, , msg 159
book 228: De Cock en kogels voor een bruid (De Cock 40) by A.C. Baantjer, 143 pages, , msg 156
book 227: Tot de honden komen (Dog Boy) by Eva Hornung, 272 pages, , msg 151
book 226: Uitgestoten (Outcast) by Rosemary Sutcliff, TIOLI #8, 199 pages, , msg 147
book 225: Lengtegraad (Longitude) by Dava Sobel, 158 pages, , msg 141
book 224: De 100-jarige man die uit het raam klom en verdween (The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared) by Jonas Jonasson, TIOLI #11, 358 pages, , msg 139
book 223: Kleurenblind (Born a Crime) by Trevor Noah, TIOLI #13, 319 pages, , msg 136
book 222: Woensdagkind (Wednesday's child, DCI Banks 6) by Peter Robinson, TIOLI #4, 264 pages, , msg 133
book 221: De heksen (The witches) by Roald Dahl, TIOLI #8, 194 pages, , msg 130
book 220: 1984 by George Orwell, TIOLI #7, 336 pages, , msg 124
book 219: Witte nachten (White Nights, Shetland 2) by Ann Cleeves, TIOLI #3, 322 pages, , msg 120
book 218: De jonge prinsen by Guus Kuijer, TIOLI #2, 112 pages, , msg 116
book 217: Rashomon en andere verhalen (Rashomon and Other Stories) by Ryûnosoke Akutagwa, TIOLI #1, 156 pages, , msg 115
book 216: Schijnbeeld (Past reason hated, DCI Banks 5) by Peter Robinson, TIOLI #8, 314 pages, , msg 112
book 215: Moenli en de moeder van de wolven by Klaus Kordon, TIOLI #5, 252 pages, , msg 106
book 214: Jeugdherinneringen by J.J. Voskuil , TIOLI #17, 61 pages, , msg 103
book 213: De derde man (The Third Man) by Graham Greene, TIOLI #10, 119 pages, , msg 101
book 212: Geen bloemen by Lévi Weemoedt, TIOLI #15, 47 pages, , msg 93
book 211: De honden (The Dogs) by Allan Stratton, TIOLI #6, 304 pages, , msg 88
book 210: De vijfde vrouw (The Fifth Woman, Wallander 6) by Henning Mankell, TIOLI #4, 590 pages, , msg 87
book 209: Soldaat Peaceful (Private Peaceful) by Michael Morpurgo, TIOLI #13, 216 pages, , msg 75
book 208: Hij heette Jan (A Night in Distant Motion) by Irina Korschunow, TIOLI #9, 121 pages, , msg 69
book 207: Bonfire, zoon van de Zwarte Hengst (The Black Stallion's blood bay colt) by Walter Farley, TIOLI #16, 224 pages, , msg 67
book 206: Zout van de zee (Salt to the Sea) by Ruta Sepetys, TIOLI #18, 412 pages, , msg 62
book 205: Reis met een ezel door de Cevennen (Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes) by Robert Louis Stevenson, 138 pages, , msg 57
book 204: Het wonderlijke verhaal van Hendrik Meier (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) by Roald Dahl, TIOLI #12, 203 pages, , msg 53
book 203: Haringen in sneeuw by Remco Ekkers, TIOLI #14, 35 pages, , msg 50
book 202: Waar is onze moeder (Please Look After Mom) by Kyung-Sook Shin, TIOLI #11, 254 pages, , msg 47
book 201: Anna Karenina by L.N. Tolstoj, TIOLI #4, 940 pages, , msg 41

Reading plans in July 2017

All my reading plans for July completed including the July TIOLI sweep (read a book in every challenge).

from the library (25-7):
De gelukkige krijgers (The Happy Warriors) - Halldór Laxness
Judas (Judas) - Amos Oz
Kat & muis (Knots and Crosses, John Rebus 1) - Ian Rankin
Blindeman (Hide & Seek, John Rebus 2) - Ian Rankin

Books read in June 2017 (26 books, 6.592 pages)
book 200: Zondeval (DCI Banks 4) by Peter Robinson
book 199: De rommelkist van grootvader by Elfie Donnelly
book 198: Wiele wiele stap by Miep Diekmann
book 197: De griezels by Roald Dahl
book 196: De GVR by Roald Dahl
book 195: Schrijver (My Struggle 5) by Karl Ove Knausgård
book 194: Spoo Pee Doo by Dimitri Verhulst
book 193: Mijn naam is Bud by Christopher Paul Curtis
book 192: De brug van San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
book 191: In plaats van een vader by Kerstin Thorvall
book 190: De blikken trommel by Günter Grass
book 189: Het mooie lijk (Sir Baldwin 4) by Michael Jecks
book 188: Kroniek van een aangekondigde dood by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
book 187: Arenden vliegen alleen by Tonny Vos-Dahmen von Buchholz
book 186: Aan de verkeerde kant van de aarde by Jean Fritz
book 185: Candy, kom terug by Meindert DeJong
book 184: Het grauwe huis by Charles Dickens
book 183: De verloren brief aan Thomas Mann by Maxim Biller
book 182: Hellehonden by Jan & Sanne Terlouw
book 181: Steeds verder weg : de verzamelaar op reis by Boudewijn Büch
book 180: Ravenzwart by Ann Cleeves
book 179: En Appels aan de overkant by Henri van Daele
book 178: De verschrikkelijke man uit Säffle by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
book 177: De Wilg aan het Begin van de wereld by Alet Schouten
book 176: De langschepen by Frans Gunnar Bengtsson
book 175: Blauwzuur by Arnaldur Indriðason

Books read in May 2017 (38 books, 10.225 pages)
book 174: Problemski Hotel by Dimitri Verhulst
book 173: Frank, of hoe je vrienden vindt by Klaus Kordon
book 172: En de zwakken ondergaan wat ze moeten ondergaan? by Yanis Varoufakis
book 171: The Chessmen by Peter May
book 170: Nacht (My struggle 4) by Karl Ove Knausgård
book 169: Kaas by Willem Elsschot
book 168: Alles op één kaart by Cynthia Voigt
book 167: De verloren vader by Cynthia Voigt
book 166: Flame, de hengst van het eiland Azul by Walter Farley
book 165: Wilhemina Smits by Cynthia Voigt
book 164: The Lewis Man by Peter May
book 163: De hardloper by Cynthia Voigt
book 162: Het verhaal van Dicey by Cynthia Voigt
book 161: Samen onder dak by Cynthia Voigt
book 160: Onder de blote hemel by Cynthia Voigt
book 159: Niemand anders dan ik by Cynthia Voigt
book 158: Het Midden Oosten by Bernard Lewis
book 157: De Rode Pimpernel by Barones Emma Orczy
book 156: Toen de wereld nog jong was Jürg Schubiger
book 155: Cybele's geheim by Juliet Marillier
book 154: Bijna jarig by Imme Dros
book 153: Dwaalsporen by Henning Mankell
book 152: De jongen met de gele ogen by Margaret Mahy
book 151: De trimbaan by Imme Dros
book 150: Overvloed en onbehagen by Simon Schama
book 149: Het laatste bevel by Peter Aspe
book 148: Na het baden bij Baxter en de ontluizing bij Miss Grace by J.M.H. Berckmans
book 147: Die stad komt nooit af by J.A. Deelder
book 146: De vertrapte pioenroos by Bertus Aafjes
book 145: Oorlog op Kreta '41-'44 by Wes Davis
book 144: De tolbrug by Aidan Chambers
book 143: Orkaan en Mayra by Sonia Garmers
book 142: Het jaar dat de zigeuners kwamen by Linzi Glass
book 141: two editions of De Blauwe Boekanier by Tonke Dragt
book 140: Djingo Django by Sid Fleischman
book 139: Een huis met een poort en een park by Henri van Daele
book 138: De ontdekking van de hemel by Harry Mulisch
book 137: De vuurtoren by Jan & Sanne Terlouw

Books read in April 2017 (36 books, 7.825 pages)
book 136: Koude berg : onthechting als weg by Han Shan
book 135: De stad van goud by Peter Dickinson
book 134: Een stinkdier is een prachtig beest by Daniil Charms
book 133: Wildewoud by Juliet Marillier
book 132: ... en de zon werd koud by Jean Coué
book 131: Just kids by Patti Smith
book 130: Tirannen by Aidan Chambers
book 129: Het geheim van de grot by Aidan Chambers
book 128: Leven en lot by Vasily Grossman
book 127: De rode kous by Elfie Donnelly
book 126: Fantoom in Foe-lai by Robert van Gulik
book 125: Aurelio en de wilde hengst by Helen Griffiths
book 124: Dichtbij ver van hier by Tonke Dragt
book 123: De plaats van de ster by Patrick Modiano
book 122: Je moet dansen op mijn graf by Aidan Chambers
book 121: Tot aan het bittere eind by Werner J. Egli
book 120: M-train by Patti Smith
book 119: De weg naar Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson
book 118: Begin een torentje van niks by Ted van Lieshout
book 117: Dan ben je nergens meer by Miep Diekman
book 116: Tobbe by Mikael Engström
book 115: De robot van de rommelmarkt ; Route Z by Tonke Dragt
book 114: Federico by Helen Griffiths
book 113: Jij zegt het by Connie Palmen
book 112: Het einde van de rode mens by Svetlana Alexijevitsj
book 111: Het spookklooster by Robert van Gulik
book 110: Matilda by Roald Dahl
book 109: Abels eiland by William Steig
book 108: Een grapje van God by Margaret Laurence
book 107: Lieveling, boterbloem by Margriet Heymans
book 106: Een heel lief konijn by Imme Dros
book 105: De poorten van Anubis by Tim Powers
book 104: Boris by Jaap ter Haar
book 103: De levende doden by Keiji Nakazawa
book 102: De boten van Brakkeput by Miep Diekmann
book 101: Oorlog en terpentijn by Stefan Hertmans
book 100: De Cock en de dood van een profeet (De Cock 39) by A.C. Baantjer

Books read in March 2017 (32 books, 7.901 pages)
book 99: De Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
book 98: De laatste wildernis by Robert Macfarlane
book 97: Klokken van Kao-yang (Judge Dee 3) by Robert van Gulik
book 96: Het zwaard van de Islam by Peter Carter
book 95: De stenen engel by Margaret Laurence
book 94: De weglopers by Victor Canning
book 93: De dag van de geitenman by Betsy Byars
book 92: De gebroeders Karamazow by F.M. Dostojewski
book 91: Stilte by Shusaku Endo
book 90: De blauwe tweeling (Reders & Reders 4) by Jan & Sanne Terlouw
book 89: Tegenstroom (DCI Banks 3) by Peter Robinson
book 88: De gehangene van Dartmoor (Sir Baldwin 3) by Michael Jecks
book 87: Hoe schilder hoe wilder : Haarlem by Miep Diekmann
book 86: Hoe schilder hoe wilder : Leiden by Miep Diekmann
book 85: Het laatste lijk (Cadfael 2) by Ellis Peters
book 84: Blote handen by Bart Moeyaert
book 83: De geest op de rotswand by Ann O'Neil Garcia
book 82: De Boeddha in de wereld by Pankaj Mishra
book 81: Winterdieren by Bibi Dumon Tak
book 80: Zoon (My struggle 3) by Karl Ove Knausgård
book 79: Chocolade oorlog by Robert Cormier
book 78: Boris Beer by Dick Bruna
book 77: Lieve oma Pluis by Dick Bruna
book 76: Het dansende licht by Tonke Dragt
book 75: Tegenvoeters Bill Bryson
book 74: Aan de rivier by Steven Herrick
book 73: Balthasar by Henri van Daele
book 72: De man in het bruine pak by Agatha Christie
book 71: Rokus en het Tiende Leven by Alet Schouten
book 70: Heraios en de beker by Sacha Burger
book 69: De zwerfkatten by Betsy Byars
book 68: Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow

Books read in February 2017 (34 books, 7.778 pages)
book 67: Kinderverhalen by Mies Bouhuys
book 66: De Cock en het duel in de nacht (De Cock 38) by A.C. Baantjer
book 65: Het bittere kruid by Marga Minco
book 64: De vloek van Woestewolf by Paul Biegel
book 63: Lang zul je leven : bakerrijmpjes by Ienne Biemans
book 62: De kleine kapitein by Paul Biegel
book 61: Nachtlicht (DCI Banks 2) by Peter Robinson
book 60: Bij nader inzien by J.J. Voskuil
book 59: The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan
book 58: Kwaad bloed by Marita de Sterck
book 57: Laatste verhalen van de eeuw by Paul Biegel
book 56: Heerlijke nieuwe wereld by Aldous Huxley
book 55: Dief van de duivel by Mikael Engström
book 54: Wie is Julia by Alyssa Brugman
book 53: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
book 52: Ver heen by P.C. Kuiper
book 51: Misdaad en straf by F.M. Dostojewski
book 50: Van den vos Reynaerde by Willem, transl H. Adema
book 49: Lasse Länta by Cor Bruijn
book 48: Man zonder land by Kurt Vonnegut
book 47: Dromen van mijn vader by Barack Obama
book 46: Lawines razen by An Rutgers van der Loeff
book 45: Walden ; Burgerlijke ongehoorzaamheid by Henry David Thoreau
book 44: De rode prinses by Paul Biegel
book 43: De verjaardag van de eekhoorn by Toon Tellegen
book 42: De verjaardag van alle anderen by Toon Tellegen
book 41: Bajaar by Martha Heesen
book 40: De eeuwigheid verzameld : Helene Kröller-Müller (1869-1939) by Eva Rovers
book 39: Overal en nergens by Bill Bryson
book 38: De Cock en de ontluisterende dood (De Cock 37) by A.C. Baantjer
book 37: Zand erover by Laura Broekhuysen
book 36: Sjanetje by Thea Dubelaar
book 35: Krik by Miep Diekman
book 34: De twaalf rovers by Paul Biegel

Books read in January 2017 (33 books, 9.756 pages)
book 33: In de ban van de ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
book 32: Fiona : In koelen bloede by Harry Bingham
book 31: Fiona by Harry Bingham
book 30: Het olifantenfeest by Paul Biegel
book 29: Stille blik (DCI Banks 1) by Peter Robinson
book 28: Het eiland daarginds by Paul Biegel
book 27: De mens is een grote fazant by Herta Müller
book 26: Swing by Paul Biegel
book 25: Haas by Paul Biegel
book 24: Liefde (My struggle 2) by Karl Ove Knausgård
book 23: Anderland by Paul Biegel
book 22: Het gen: een intieme geschiedenis by Siddharta Mukerjee
book 21: Tussen de wereld en mij by Ta-Nehisi Coates
book 20: 7 jaren van een wielrenner by Herbert Friedrich
book 19: De inspirerende wijsheid van de Dalai Lama by Dalai Lama
book 18: Zout op mijn huid by Benoîte Groult
book 17: Padden verhuizen niet graag by Gerard Brands
book 16: Francesco by Jean Dulieu
book 15: Het knoopjeskabinet by Edmund de Waal
book 14: De aanslag by Harry Mulisch
book 13: We moeten allemaal feminist zijn by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
book 12: Dokter Zjivago by Boris Pasternak
book 11: Kikker in de kou by Max Velthuijs
book 10: Ik maak nooit iets mee by Guus Middag
book 9: Een goudvis van tweeduizend pond by Betsy Byars
book 8: Hidden Doe : Wij zijn Mesquakie, wij zijn één by Hadley Irwin
book 7: De donkere kamer van Damocles by Willem Frederik Hermans
book 6: Het veterdiploma by Wiel Kusters
book 5: Onvoltooide geschiedenis by Boualem Sansal
book 4: De wervelstorm by Ivan Southall
book 3: Nachtverhaal by Paul Biegel
book 2: Oorlog en vrede 2/2 by Leo Tolstoj
book 1: Oorlog en vrede 1/2 by Leo Tolstoj

Books aquired in 2017: 21

July 2017
De Indische reis van H. P. Berlage Joris Molenaar (editor)
The sketchbook of Jan van Goyen from the Bredius-Kronig collection by Edwin Buijsen

May 2017
Ravenzwart, Shetland book 1 by Ann Cleeves, e-book
Witte nachten, Shetland book 2 by Ann Cleeves, e-book
Blauw licht, Shetland book 4 by Ann Cleeves, e-book
Mijn naam is Bud by Christopher Paul Curtis

April 2017:
Verontwaardiging by Philip Roth
De boerderij der dieren by George Orwell

March 2017:
Verzamelde werken 2 : Gedichten by Boris Pasternak
Het nieuwe vogels kijken by Kester Freriks
Makkelijk leven by Herman Koch
De moeder van Nicolien by J.J. Voskuil
De klokkenluider van de Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo

February 2017:
Bajaar by Martha Heesen (e-book, Gouden Lijst 2012)
Kwaad gesternte by Hannah van Binsbergen (VSB Poëzieprijs 2017)
Tussen de wereld en mij by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Walden ; Burgerlijke ongehoorzaamheid by Henry David Thoreau
Tegen verkiezingen by David van Reybrouck
The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan
Binnen de huid by J.J. Voskuil
Terloops : Voettochten 1957-1973 by J.J. Voskuil

Books culled in 2017: 45

Reading plans in 2017

I have a large collection of mostly awarded childrens & YA books. At the moment I am reading the books I haven't read since joining LT, mostly alphabeticly, to decide wich to keep. The ones not to keep are donated to a library in Rotterdam (where we lived until 2005).
I started in 2016 with 803 books, now down to 727 books (on 31 May: 79 culled).

I will try to read more of my own books, of the 244 books I have read in 2016 83 were own and 161 from the library.

I join the TIOLI (Take It Or Leave It) challenges each month.

And I try to read a Russian classic each month mostly from our Russian Library editions.

Series I read, mostly mysteries, a list to keep track

Armand Gamache by Louise Penny 4/4 (others not translated)

Bernie Gunther by Philip Kerr 3/11
1 Een Berlijnse kwestie; 2 Het handwerk van de beul; 3 Een Duits requiem; 4 De een van de ander
5 Een stille vlam (library); 6 Als de doden niet herrijzen (library); 7 Grijs verleden (library);
8 Praag fataal (library); 9 De man zonder adem (library); 10 De vrouw van Zagreb (library); 11 De schaduw van de stilte (library)

Broeder Cadfael by Ellis Peters 5/20
1 Het heilige vuur; 2 Het laatste lijk; 7 Het vege lijf; 11 Een hard gelag; 13 Een witte roos
3 Het gemene gewas (library); 4 De kwade knecht (library); 5 De eenzame bruid (library); 6 De kille maagd (library);
8 De duivelse droom (library); 9 De gouden speld (library); 10 Een wisse dood (library); 12 De ware aard (library);
14 Het stille woud; 15 De laatste eer (library); 16 Het rechte pad (library); 17 Een zijden haar (library);
18 Een lieve lust; 19 De heilige dief (library); 20 De verloren zoon

De Cock by A.C. Baantjer 39/70

Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith 3/3

DCI Banks by Peter Robinson 7/22
1 Stille blik; 2 Nachtlicht; 3 Tegenstroom; 4 Zondeval; 5 Schijnbeeld; 6 Woensdagkind; 7 Zwanenzang;
8 Innocent Graves not translated; 9 Dead Right not translated; 10 Verdronken verleden (e-book, library);
11 Kil als het graf (library); 12 Nasleep (library); 13 Onvoltooide zomer (library); 14 Vuurspel (library);
15 Drijfzand (e-book, library); 16 Hartzeer (library); 17 Duivelsgebroed (library); 18 Overmacht (library);
19 Uitschot (library); 20 Dwaalspoor (library); 21 Dankbare dood (library); 22 Slachthuisblues (library)

Erlendur Sveinsson by Arnaldur Indriðason 14/14

Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham 2/2

Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley 2/5
1 De smaak van venijn; 2 Het stroeve touw
3 De kunst van het liegen (library); 4 De show van je leven (library); 5 Slotakkoord voor een moord (e-book, library)

Konrad Sejer by Karin Fossum 3/12
1 Eva's oog; 2 Kijk niet achterom; 3 Wie de wolf vreest
4 De duivel draagt het licht (library); 5 De Indiase bruid (library); 6 Zwarte seconden (library); 7 De moord op Harriet Krohn (library);
8 Een andere voorkeur (library); 9 Kwade wil (e-book, library); 10 De waarschuwer (e-book, library); 11 Carmen Zita og døden (no Dutch translation); 12 Veenbrand (library)

Kurt Wallander by Henning Mankell 7/12
prequel De jonge Wallander; 1 Moordenaar zonder gezicht; 2 Honden van Riga; 3 De witte leeuwin; 4 De man die glimlachte;
5 Dwaalsporen; 6 De vijfde vrouw;
7 Midzomermoord (e-book, library); 8 De blinde muur (e-book, library);
9 Voor de vorst (e-book, library); 10 De gekwelde man (e-book, library); 11 Wallanders wereld (e-book, library)

Mijn strijd (My Struggle) by Karl Ove Knausgård 5/6
1 Vader; 2 Liefde; 3 Zoon; 4 Nacht; 5 Schrijver
6 Vrouw (e-book, library)

Nic Costa by David Hewson 10/10

Rechter Tie by Robert van Gulik 6/18
0 De vergiftigde bruid; 1 Fantoom in Foe-Lai; 2 Het Chinese lakscherm; 3 Meer van Mien-yuan; 4 Het spookklooster; 5 Klokken van Kao-yang;
6 Halssnoer en kalebas; 7 De parel van de keizer; 8 Het rode paviljoen; 9 Moord op het maanfeest; 10 Labyrint in Lan-fang;
11 Het spook in de tempel; 12 Oudejaarsavond in Lan-Fang; 13 Nagels in Ning-tsjo; 14 De nacht van de tijger; 15 Het wilgenpatroon;
16 Moord in Canton; short story collections: Zes zaken voor rechter Tie; Vijf gelukbrengende wolken

Reders & Reders by Jan & Sanne Terlouw 6/6

Sir Balwin by Michael Jecks 4/8
1 De laatste tempelridder; 2 De heks van Wefford; 3 De gehangene van Dartmoor; 4 Het mooie lijk
5 Het lijk zonder hoofd (e-book, library); 6 Het zevende gebod (e-book, library);
7 De dood van de erfgenaam (e-book, library); 8 Moord in het klooster (e-book, library)

Yashim Togalu by Jason Goodwin 4/4

My readings in previous years

252 books (72.452 pages) read in 2016/1, 2016/2, 2016/3, 2016/4, 2016/5, 2016/6
  28 books (9.407 pages) read in 2015
  17 books (3.700 pages) read in 2014
  12 books (3.320 pages) read in ROOT 2013
  50 books (18.779 pages) read in 2012/1, 2012/2, 2012/3
  81 books (29.021 pages) read in 2011/1, 2011/2
120 books (37.668 pages) read in 2010/1, 2010/2, 2010/3, 2010/4
  78 books (21.400 pages) read in 2009/1, 2009/2
129 books (35.149 pages) read in 2008

next one is yours

Happy new thread, Anita! I love those two photos!

>12 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, it is a special place, inspired by places like Stonehenge.

Happy new thread!! Have a great weekend.

Happy New Thread, Anita! Hugs for you, Frank and Ari.

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread, Anita!

200 books - impressive, my friend. Way to go.

I was looking on your list for Elly Griffiths. Have you read any of the Ruth Galloway mysteries? I think you might like them. I'm on the third one now.

>14 Berly: Thanks Kim, easy weeken, preparing for Monday... Then we'll move some to my mother in the nursery home. Her stay there will now be permanent.

>15 ronincats: Thanks Roni, we all could use some hugs.

>16 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>17 jnwelch: Thanks Joe, the reading comes easy this year.
I haven't started Ruth Galloway yet, as only the first 4 have been translated.
If I go for reading in English I will first read the next 4 Fiona Griffiths books!

Happy weekend, Anita! Congratulations on hitting 200 books so far this year! That's amazing! Also, congrats on your new thread!

I loved the photos of Harlingen you shared in your last thread, especially the statues in the window and the giraffe.

I just saw that you will be helping your mom settle in a nursing home on Monday. It won't be easy, I remember how hard it was when we had to put our dad in a nursing facility, but I think (hope) it will be for the best and hope that she will be comfortable and well-cared-for there. {{{hugs}}}

>19 Storeetllr: Thanks Mary, we thought Harlingen was a lovely city. Maybe a place to live when Frank retires.

My mother went to the nursing home nearly three months ago, as my father wasn't able to take care of her anymore. But that was a temporary admittance. Now is decided she will stay there, so some of her belongings have to be moved.
She is in a wheelchair and suffers from dementia, but still thinks she can do everything by herself. It isn't easy on her and my father, who visits her every day. The care is great, so I hope some more personel things around will help her settle.

I'm sorry you have so many difficult family issues to deal with right now and hope your Mom settles in to the nursing home. I have a couple of friends with mother's in the same situation as yours (except they are widows) and I can see at close hand how difficult it is for everyone.

My heart goes out to you dear Anita having had to cope with so much in the last months.

What a way to de-stress with 200 books read!

Happy new thread. xx

Hi Anita!

...but still thinks she can do everything by herself.

That described my mother perfectly. When she had her stroke and was in the Board and Care facility, my sister and I realized how poorly she had been managing things but masking the problems. I asked her why she didn't ask for help and she simply said "I didn't think I needed it."

I hope this situation works out well for your mother and father.

It comes in waves, doesn't it? Hugs to you.

Happy Sunday, Anita! Happy New Thread! I like those Flevoland toppers!

Hi Anita, beautiful land art picture again. Have you visited it?

I hope your mother will settle in the nursing home. I can imagine that some of her own familiar stuff around her will help her feel more at home. But of course it is hard for everyone involved.

Have a nice sunday!

Good Sunday to you Anita! Memory issues are such a wicked disease especially when the body is relatively healthy. I hope you and your famly, especially dad, find the strength needed at this difficult time.

Hi, Anita! Happy new thread! Wishing strength and comfort to you and your father and your family.

>18 FAMeulstee: Can't wait to hear what you think of the Fiona Griffiths books!

Happy new thread Anita and great thread topper photos dear friend.

>21 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, it is difficult for evryone...

>22 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, as the English say: "when it rains it pours", just hoping it will stop raining ;-)
Reading now Anna Karenina, where some characters have an even harder time.

>23 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, my mother is absolutely convinced she is still doing everything by herself: cleaning, cooking, ironing. And that my father does nothing... poor man did everything for the last 5 years.
Thanks for the hugs.

>24 msf59: Thanks Mark, Flevoland is the province where I live.

>25 EllaTim: Thanks Els, I have driven by numerous times and hope to visit it soon.
I hope it will help her. It is more stuff than I thought at first, so I have rented a van for tomorrow & asked a friend to help me.

>26 Carmenere: Thank you Lynda, it is an awful disease.

>27 harrygbutler: Thanks Harry, we need those...

>28 jnwelch: I have read the first two Fiona Griffiths books, Joe, and LOVED them. Sadly it doesn't look like the others are going to be translated :-( So mow I consider reading the next ones in English.

>29 johnsimpson: Thanks John, love to you and Karen.

Happy new thread Anita. I love the art toppers. Hope that you and Frank have more peaceful times ahead.

{{hugs}}, Anita. And continued strength. It seems to me that, as difficult and heart-breaking as the family situation is, you are doing what needs to be done and have as much strength as you need. Just as long as you don't forget to be kind to yourself, you will get through this.

Happy new thread

Good luck with your mother. Dementia is so hard.

Hi Anita, I hope you are finding escape in books, and that your mother settles in OK at the rest home.

I hope your mother settles when she has more of her things around her Anita. You have certainly had a lot going on lately. Don't forget to be kind to yourself.

Thinking of you and yours, Anita. Big hugs.

>33 charl08: Thanks Charlotte, we hope the same.

>34 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley, being kind to myself is something I tend to forget. Thanks for reminding me.

>35 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda, it is hard, for all involved.

>36 LovingLit: Thanks Megan, I just finished Anna Karenina. It took me into a completely different world.

>37 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline, I hope it helps my mother. I tend to forget that, but I will try to be kind to myself.

>38 scaifea: Thanks Amber, glad you are back!

book 201: Anna Karenina by L.N. Tolstoj
own, translated Russian, classic, English translation Anna Karenina, 940 pages
TIOLI July #4 Read a book with an epigraph in it's opening pages

Another epic tale by Tolstoj. I read War and Peace at the start of the year and started the second half of the year with this one.

The title refers to the most tragic charater in this story, Anna Karenina, she feels trapped in her marriage and follows her heart. She starts an affair with count Wronski and this relation ultimately destroys her and him.
We follow some other couples, among them Kitty and Konstantin. There are some misunderstandings, but those are overcome.
Besides the romance a lot about 19th century Russia, politics, agriculture, religion, womans rights, morals and much more.

Tolstoj is a great storyteller, the first 7 parts (of 8) were great. And then he finishes with the rational man coming back into religion and the orthodoc church... for me that was a bit of a disappointing ending.

Managed to get everything moved that was needed at my mothers place. As Frank had to work last night, a friend of ours came to help.
My mother wasn't happy, I fear she did understand that bringing some belongings to the nursery home implies she will have to stay there... On the other hand my father was very pleased.

>41 FAMeulstee: I read Anna Karenina and War and Peace about six or seven years ago. I loved them too. Surprisingly good stories despite their reputation for length!

I can see how you might be disappointed with the ending (of both stories perhaps) but I think that tells us a lot about Tolstoy, who was a Christian himself, but also, interestingly, philosophically an anarchist. Christian anarchism was a philosophy I had barely realised existed until I read Tolstoy.

>41 FAMeulstee: I have Anna Karenina near the top of my tbr mountain, Anita. Maybe for the Autumn.

I loved War and Peace, and have read it twice. But have tried Anna Karenina twice now, and can't seem to finish it.

Congratulations on finishing both.

>43 sirfurboy: I don't mind long books and Tolstoy knew how to write a good story!
I know there are various combinations of Christianity going along with left wing (anarchism, socialism) or right wing (as seen widly spread in the USA) philosophies. So it is just a personal taste that made me dislike the ending.
I really liked both Tolstoy books, although War and Peace could have done without the second epilogue ;-)

>44 Caroline_McElwee: I found it a good and well told story, Caroline, looking forward to your thoughts when you get to it.

>45 EllaTim: Thanks Els, I read straight though them both. It is sometimes difficult to determine why one book is easier to read than an other.

book 202: Waar is onze moeder by Kyung-sook Shin
from the library, translated Korean, English translation Please Look After Mom, 254 pages
TIOLI July #11 Read a book that mentions the Korean War or is by a Korean author or is by an author who was in the Korean War

An elderly woman can't keep up with her husband at a Seoul subway station and goes missing. Her five adult children search for her throughout the city. She is seen at various places in the city where her children used to live.
Everyone feels guilty they have neglected and never fully appriciated their mother.

Overly sentimental story. I only liked the parts where I saw a bit of Korean culture and could understand how the country has changed.

Catching up. Glad your mother is settling in somewhat. Having been through this with mother and mother-in-law, my warmest sympathies!

Great review of Anna Karenina.

>48 sibylline: Thanks Lucy, before my mother we went through the same with Franks aunt. That was harder, as Frank was the only relative left. It seems more women are suffering from this terrible disease....

Have you read Anna Karenina?

book 203: Haringen in sneeuw by Remco Ekkers
own, Dutch, poetry for children/YA, awarded, Zilveren Griffel 1985, no translations, 35 pages
TIOLI July #14 Read a book with a word in the title or series title indicating hot or cold

Only a few of the poems were good, I didn't really like most of them.
Can't imagine why this book was awarded, maybe because it was/is rare to write poetry for this age (12-16 years).

>47 FAMeulstee: : Sorry you didn't like Please look after Mom. Having never read any Korean authors previously, I was enchanted with it's different-ness.

>51 countrylife: Hi Cindy, gladly we don't all like the same books ;-)
I read one other book by a Korean author last year: The Vegetarian. That one I liked a little bit better.
I don't mind reading a book now and then that I like less. I think Please look after Mom had a bit of bad luck being read right after Anna Karenina.

book 204: Het wonderlijk verhaal van Hendrik Meier en zes andere verhalen by Roald Dahl
own, translated, YA, awarded, Gouden Penseel & Zilveren Griffel 1979, original title The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, 203 pages
TIOLI July #12 Read a book that doesn't end on the last page

Seven wonderful stories by Roald Dahl, funny, thrilling, absurd, a bit like the stories for adults if I remember correctly (I have read Someone Like You and Switch Bitch decades ago).

((Hugs)) Anita, life just makes us stronger...right?

Hi, Anita. I thought some of today's medications would've helped Anna Karenina (her character) a lot, and I would've preferred a lot more Levin and Kitty. But that's the kind of spoilsport I am.

>54 beeg: Thanks Brenda, I hope so, hugs right back at you!

>55 jnwelch: Modern medications would probably have helped her, Joe, but that would have made a whole other story to write. Besides that divorce is nowadays a lot easier too.
I can understand wanting to read more about the happy couple, it would have been lovely, but then again a different novel ;-)

book 205: Reis met een ezel door de Cevennen by Robert Louis Stevenson
from the library, non-fiction, translated, original title Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes, 138 pages

In 1878 Stevenson travels nearly 200 kilometre in 12 days through the Cévennes with a donkey he named Modestine.
In the early 18th century there was a religious war in the Cevennes when king Louis XIV violently suppressed protestants (Huguenots). Stevenson himself is a protestant and tells the reader a lot about these troublesome times.

This book was originally published in 1879, the first Dutch translation was published in 2008.

Fun fact, near the end of his journey Stevenson travels through the tiny village Saint Etienne de Vallée Française, in 1972 we spend 3 weeks there, our very first holiday in France :-)

>57 FAMeulstee: That is a fun fact, Anita! I think I may have the book, but I don't recall reading it. Maybe someday, as I've enjoyed all the Stevenson I've read.

Dear Anita, I didn't realize that you were dealing with aging parents too. I do hope that your mother settles into her life a bit better with familiar things around her. I'm guessing that she would hate dependency, so as hard as it is for you and your father, it's good for her that she thinks she is doing everything herself --- I suppose. I am thankful every day that my mom is still completely herself except for her damaged back. It is so easy to be able to cross the street during the day to do what needs to be done for her (I basically live over there) and then to come home at night. I can do this for years and years if I'm allowed!

>57 FAMeulstee: I read Travels with a Donkey years ago, and loved it. Glad you do too Anita. It makes a book more special when it has something that overlaps with your own life in some way, don't you think?

>58 harrygbutler: I haven't read any other books by Stevenson, Harry, only an abridged version of Threasure Island in my youth. This book intrugued me when I hear about it, as I love travel books. I was very happy to find the Dutch translation at the library!

>59 LizzieD: Thanks Peggy, you are right it might be better for my mother that she doesn't know how dependent she is. When I spoke to my father yesterday he said she did like to have her own things around. And that she liked the bookcase I choose for her.
I am thankfull my father has recuperated in the last three months (since my mother was admitted), he has regained some joy in life.

>60 Caroline_McElwee: Yes, Caroline, I love how books connect.
Not only personal connections, like I had in Travels with a donkey, but also the way books connect you with others who have read the same.

book 206: Zout van de zee by Ruta Sepetys
from the library, YA, translated, original title Salt to the Sea, 412 pages
TIOLI July #18 Read a book in which a team or group travels together on a multi-stop and/or multi-day trip

At the end of WW II refugees try to reach the coast of the Baltic Sea, trying to escape the nearing Russian army.
Emilia, Joana and Florian travel with other refugees to Frauenburg (East Prussia) and from there to Gotenhafen, where the ship "Wilhelm Gustloff" (and other ships) are ready to bring them to Kiel.

End 2015 I heard for the first time about the German refugees and the ships in the Baltic sea, in a documentary on TV: "Het Duitsland van mijn moeder" (My mothers Germany). A daughter of someone who's family lived for centuries in East-Prusia, went back to discover her roots & followed the path her mother went as refugee.
Then last year I found Salt to the Sea of foggidawn's thread, who recommended it. The book wasn't translated back then, so I was happy to find it at the library.

Hi Anita! I'm glad things are settling down a bit re your mother and father.

>63 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, so am I !

Hi Anita. And nice to hear your father is doing better!

>62 FAMeulstee: I saw that documentary as well, thought it was excellent, and very interesting to see that side of the story. So very unknown up till now.

Zout van de zee is on my TBR list.

>65 EllaTim: Thanks Els, it is very nice to hear my laugh again :-)

I was very impressed by that documentary. I realised I knew very little about those former parts of Germany, as it was hidden for a long time behind the Iron Curtain.

book 207: Bonfire, zoon van de Zwarte Hengst by Walter Farley
own, translated, YA, horses, Black Stallion book 6, original title The Black Stallion's blood bay colt, 224 pages
TIOLI July #16 Read a book that has an animal as the main focus or character

Tom Messenger has been helping Jimmy Creech with his trotting horses. Now Jimmy lets him take care of Volo Queen, who will soon get a foal out of the Black. Jimmy has high hopes for the foal, that is named Bonfire. When Jimmy gets seriously ill, it is up to Tom and Jimmy's friend George to prepare Bonfire for the races.

I haven't read this one as a kid, it wasn't among the 12 Black Stallion books I owned that were published in the 1960s.
I liked it very much, very good descriptions how to raise a foal and how to work with a young horse. And a lot about the changes from racing on county fairs to the professional racetracks.

>55 jnwelch: That made me grin. I loved Levin too. And yes, i've read Anna K. and also War and Peace and something else, stories? Something can't think what. In my twenties I had a mad russian fiction reading phase. The winners were Chekhov, Turgenev and (in small doses) Gogol. But my heart was lost to Ivan Goncharov's Oblomov.

book 208: Hij heette Jan by Irina Korschunow
own, translated German, YA, awarded, Zilveren Griffel 1985, English translation A Night in Distant Motion, 121 pages
TIOLI July #9 Read a book with a masculine pronoun in the title

Germany, 1945, Regine sits alone in a small chamber, where she is hiding for the Nazi's.
She used to be a Nazi supporter herself, until she met Jan, a Polish guy who was forced to work in Germany. They fell in love, but were found. She was very lucky to escape from prison and to find nice people at the farm where she could hide. She doesn't know what happenend to Jan.
We follow her during the first months of 1945, during this time we slowly find out what happened and why Regine doesn't like the Nazi's anymore.

A gripping read.

>68 sibylline: Thanks Lucy, I have Chekhov, Turgenev, Gogol and Goncharov patiently waiting at the shelves.
My husband had a similair phase in his twenties, so he brought the russian writers into our library.

At the start of this year I decided to try reading one russian each month.

Hi,, Anita. I liked Salt to the Sea, too.

>68 sibylline: & >70 FAMeulstee: I haven't read that many Russians yet, but so far my favourite is Pushkin.

Happy Friday, Anita!
I can't believe you are on book 208 already! That's so amazing!

>71 jnwelch:, Thanks Joe, I am glad we both liked Salt to the sea. I was glad to read a book about this fairly unknown part of history.

>72 PawsforThought: I haven't either, Paws, I am slowly working through our "Russian Libary", a publishers series of Russian classics, with three of Pushkin books.

>73 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle, Happy Saturday to you!
I just finished book 209 :-)

book 209: Soldaat Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
from the library (wishlisted, I want my own copy), translated, YA, original title Private Peaceful, 216 pages
TIOLI July #13 Read a book that is a "late" shared read

In a long awaken night Tommo Peaceful tells the life story of himself and his brother Charlie. From their childhood at the English countryside to the trenches of World War I.
While the clock is ticking the time away, we slowly find out why Tommo wants to stay awake this night.

Heartwrenching and so beautiful, this is a book everyone should read.

>75 FAMeulstee: - I haven't read that one, but I have read several others by Morpurgo and loved them. He sure has a way of unravelling a story, doesn't he? I think in English, this one is called Private Peaceful. It was on my wishlist many years ago. I should see if I can get my hands on it from the library.

>76 jessibud2: Indeed, Shelley, Private Peaceful is the English title.
I have read and liked other books by Morpurgo, like War Horse but this one is his best imho.

Update on the Eagle-owl.
Last weekend the Eagle-owl was captured by its owner. It turned out she wasn't a wild bird, she was ringed and also slightly injured.
Falconers with special permits are allowed to keep birds of prey that are bred and born in captivity. I hope she enjoyd her few weeks at loose and hope she will be on the mend soon. I am glad I had the chance to see her.

I haven't read that Morpurgo, either, but the ones I have read have all been pretty amazing. I'll add this one to the list.

>75 FAMeulstee: I'm so glad you liked Private Peaceful! It's been on my mind a lot since I finished it; which happens with most literature I read about WW1, but this was special. I think I like it better now that I've had some distance.

>62 FAMeulstee: Glad you found a translated version of Salt to the Sea, and enjoyed it! I somehow missed the start of this thread, but I'm here now.

>81 foggidawn: I am happy you found my thread, Misty, and thanks for recommending Salt to the sea.

Hi Anita, hope you are having a good weekend my dear.

>78 FAMeulstee: Glad the bird and its person were reunited! Hope the injury heals quickly. I'm glad you got a chance to see the Eagle-Owl. Must have been quite a sight!

Happy Sunday, Anita. I see you have been busy with the books. I had mixed feelings about Anna Karenina but I am glad I read it. I did love Salt to the Sea. One of my favorite reads of last year.

>78 FAMeulstee: Interesting eagle-owl story. Glad it has a happy ending.

>83 johnsimpson: Thanks John, mostly reading this weekend, so all is very good :-)

>84 Storeetllr: Yes, Mary, it was great to see the eagle-owl (picture at my previous thread). The whole neighborhood was talking about it. At first we thought she was wild, but then someone spotted her ring beneath the feathers.

>85 msf59: Happy Sunday to you, Mark.
I understand mixed feelings about Anna Karenina, over all I thought it was a good and welll told story. I like books like Salt to the sea, that give a fairly unknown history a wider public.

Yes, the eagle owl is back where she came from, if she hadn't been injured I would have mixed feelings about the capture.
Does a not-wild bird count for a life list?

book 210: De vijfde vrouw by Henning Mankell
from the library, e-book, translated, mystery, Kurt Wallander book 6, English title The Fifth Woman, 590 pages
TIOLI July #4 Read a book with an epigraph in it's opening pages

Kurt Wallander is back at work after a holiday in Rome with his father. During this trip he felt closer to his father than he has been in years. But work absorbs him soon, when a man is found who died in a cruel way and not long after that an other man is found killed.
Kurt Wallander and his team have a hard time finding clues, they only seem to find dead ends...

As all Wallander books this was a very good read. Wallander, his team, and also the murderer, are lifelike characters.

book 211: De honden by Allan Stratton
from the library, e-book, YA, translated, original title The Dogs, 304 pages
TIOLI July #6 Read a book by a Canadian author whose gender is the opposite of the one you identify with

Cameron and his mon have been on the run for a long time, hiding for his abusive father. Again they left a place in the middle of the night and this time his new home is an old farmhouse.
Cameron has a hard time, he doesn't like to make a new start again, he has done way to many times before. He is bullyed at his new school, hears rumours about a murder 50 years ago in his house and he thinks he can see a ghost.

A very good mystery/ghost story, a bit scary at times.

Very belated happy new thread, Anita.
I'm sorry to hear that your mother does not get any better. It's just sad when you have to look like a loved one mentally disintegrates. A year ago, we were also thinking about whether to look for a place for my FIL, so he could stay there for two or three days, and my mother-in-law would be relieved. For her, this idea was terrible. When he died last November, the question dissolved in air. Today, my mother-in-law says she no longer knows where she has taken all the strenghs.
Thinking of you and your father. Love and hugs.

>86 FAMeulstee: Does a not-wild bird count for a life list?

Good question, Anita. Well, I'd say not when you see it in a zoo, but now, as she was free, I'd say I'd count it. But I think the birders of dutch birding think differently;)

>89 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, so nice to see you around!
My father didn't like it either, but he really couldn't handle it anymore. It took some time before he accepted it is better this way.
You have been very busy lately, but it is only one week to go before your summer vacation.

>90 EllaTim: I do count it, I didn't know it wasn't a wild bird when I saw it :-)

>91 FAMeulstee: Indeed, another busy week ahead before the summer break.

book 212: Geen bloemen by Lévi Weemoedt
own, poetry, Dutch, no translations, 47 pages
TIOLI July #15 Read a book written by an author whose name appears in a Biblical book in rolling order

Tragicomical poems, about life and lost love. Some in the style of François Haverschmidt's Snikken en grimlachjes.

>92 Ameise1: I hope next week flies by, Barbara, so you can get your well deserved rest!

Lots of wonderful reading here, Anita. I looked up Lelystad on the map, and you are very close to my cousins in Aurich and Bunde! What a small world.

That's an interesting story about the eagle owl. Is a ring the same as what we call a band around a bird's leg?

I've been wondering about the non-wild birds, too. I've seen several varieties of owls that are used in demonstrations by wildlife rehabilitators. (They were too damaged to ever return to the wild, so now visit schools and other groups). I think I may count them separately. I would recognize them again, at least, if I am ever lucky enough to see one in the wild.

Wishing you a good start into the new week, Anita. It will be a tropical one here. The heat and now tropical condition make me so tired.

>88 FAMeulstee: That looks interesting. The Dutch version is even available for Kindle (although almost twice the price of the English one). I will read it in one language or another... haven't decided which yet! :)

I just finished The Haunting which you read and liked, so I think your taste in ghost stories is in tune with mine.

>95 BLBera: Thanks Beth, I am very content with my reading this month.
You might have told me before, then I have forgotten, where do your cousins live?

>96 streamsong: Yes it is, Janet, a band is what we call a ring. Some wild birds have them too, but they come in different colors, so wild and captured birds can easely be identified. Because the eagle-owl has long feathers on his legs, it took a while before the band was seen.
The eagle-owl is not common in our country, although there are some near the eastern borders. So it was unusual that one turned up here.

>97 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, good luck surviving the heat!
We are lucky this time, only today very warm weather, the rest of the week will be around a nice 20C max.

>98 sirfurboy: Thanks, I think The haunting was one of my first ghost stories. I don't do well with scary stories, so I avoided the genre for a long time. I doubted at first if I dared to read The dogs, as it sounded a bit scary. I went ahead and was happy I did.

>99 FAMeulstee: Strange... most people quite like to be frightened sometimes, but I can understand that not all do (just like not everyone will enjoy rollercoasters). I quite like the occasional ghost story, but I dislike horror when it is more disturbing than scary. Thus I do not read much in the genre.

book 213: De derde man by Graham Greene
own, translated, original title The Third Man, 119 pages
TIOLI July #10 Read a book written by one of LT’s top 200 blurbers

This book was originally only intended as a step up for the movie script. When the movie became a great succes, the book was published.
Anyway it is a good mystery/thriller. Maybe the characters are a bit on the flat side, but it was an enjoyable read. You can feel the tension of post-war Vienna, the city is like Berlin, divided between the 4 allies, who slowly are turning into enemies.
Rollo Martins arrives in Vienna, on request of his long time friend Harry Lime. Sadly Harry just died before Rollo's arrival and soon he finds himself in the midst of a police investigation...

>100 sirfurboy: I suffered for years from anxiety-attacks, so I got plenty without seeking for it. I guess that has been enough scare for a lifetime. The last year I am doing much better, so I can handle a little scare in a book now.

book 214: Jeugdherinneringen by J.J. Voskuil
own, Dutch, autobiography, no translations, 61 pages
TIOLI July #17 Read a memoir or autobiography by an author whose birth was at least 15 years before or after your birth

Memories of J.J. Voskuil (1926-2008) of his first 18 years in two parts.
The first part starts with his very first memory: late winter of 1928, when the frozen water pipes start to thaw and set their house under water. He continues with other memories, all with the wonder of a child slowly discovering his surroundings.
In the second part "Een socialistische jeugd" (A socialist youth), he portaits his father and his relation with his father. Voskuil sr was after the war chief editor of "Het Vrije Volk", a paper related to the social-democrats.
The book ends with a picture of the poem his father wrote for his 18th birthday (in 1944), expressing his fear for his son living under German occupation.

>101 FAMeulstee: Glad to see that you enjoyrd The Third Man. It's a good story. Have you seen the film? When I was last time at Vienna I was on a 'The Third Man' tour. It was very interesting. They showed us where everything took place and gave us lots of historical insights.

>104 Ameise1: I am not sure if I have seen the film, Barbara, I know it is famous.
It reminded me a bit of the third Bernie Gunther book A German Requiem by Philip Kerr. I probably should have read The Third Man first to fully appriciate that Bernie Gunther book.

book 215: Moenli en de moeder van de wolven by Klaus Kordon
own, YA, translated from German, awarded, Zilveren Griffel 1990, no English translation, 252 pages
TIOLI July #5 Read a book with a generic family relationship in the title

Moenli grows up in a small village in India. At 13 her father wants to marry her off to a violent man. He has beaten his first wife to death. She runs away together with her friend Lata, knowing there is no way back for a disobedient girl. After walking for days to the north, they find shelter with a group of bandits, led by a woman, named Meera. The bandits act a bit like Robin Hood, stealing from the rich, helping the poor villagers around them. The vilagers help them in return. One day a robbery escalates and the police is on their trail. The remaining rebels are put in a train to be sentenced in Allahabad. Moenli escapes and ends up in Allahabad, survives barely with begging and stealing. One day she is taken in by Aroena, who helps girls to survive and make a living for their own.

Hey, Anita! Looks like some good reading lately. By the way, you've counted both your last two books as number 214. Wouldn't want to to miss one!

Thanks Jim, the last one has now the right number.

Hi Anita!

That is a wonderful story about the Eagle Owl, Anita. I'm so glad you got to see her.

Continued congratulations on your epic reading year.

How are your mother and father doing?

Happy Wednesday, Anita. Do you have also such a humid tropical weather at your place?

>109 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, reading continues to go easy :-)
My father is doing much better on his own, although he does feel guilty about leaving my mom in a nursery home.
My mother has better days and sometimes bad days, depending on her mood. But she has always been like that. Most days she is angry when my father leaves (he goes there every day), but slowly there are days she isn't.

>110 Ameise1: Happy Thursday to you, Barbara.
We are lucky, we have some nice cool days with some, much needed, rain.

book 216: Schijnbeeld by Peter Robinson
from the library, e-book, translated, mystery, DCI Banks 5, original title Past reason hated, 314 pages
TIOLI July #8 Read a book first published between 1955 and 2017

Fifth DCI Banks book, set in the late 1980s, in Yorkshire.
A few days before Chrismas a young woman is found murdered in her home. She had a turbulent life and DCI Banks and his team, already delayed by the holidays, need a lot of time figuring this one out.

Good story, although slightly less than the previous ones.

Hi Anita, have a nice day, enjoy the cool weather. Nice and cloudy, who'd think we'd be happy with that?

>113 EllaTim: I am always happy with cool weather, Els. I can't stand temperatures above 25C, and I am at my best between 15C and 20C.

book 217: Rashomon en andere verhalen by Ryûnosoke Akutagawa
own, translated from Japanese, short stories, English translation Rashomon and other stories, 156 pages
TIOLI July #1 Read a book of short stories (fiction) by a new-to-you author

Usually I am not a fan of short stories. I prefer long books, or even better endless series, reading on and on without deciding what to read next ;-)

But these stories by Akutagawa were a joy to read. Most are set in the Japanese middle ages, in and around the former capital Kyoto. For the Dutch translation each story was translated by an other translator, yet the stories felt similair and connected.

book 218: De jonge prinsen by Guus Kuijer
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1987, no translations, 112 pages
TIOLI July #2 Read a book with a name in the first sentence

Guus Kuijer wrote some great books like Olle and the books about Madelief. This book was rather disappointing, no good story-line and the characters were flat. The basic idea wasn't bad, could have been used for a much better book....

Happy Friday, Anita! Hope your weekend is relaxing and full of fun things to do and good books to read!

>115 FAMeulstee: I agree with you that I generally prefer novels to short stories -- more opportunity to get to know the characters.

>117 Storeetllr: Thanks Mary, happy weekend to you!
I have enough books around to keep on reading, I took 8 books home from the library yesterday :-)

>118 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, Reba, and short stories are done way too fast ;-)

book 219: Witte nachten by Ann Cleeves
own, e-book, translated, mystery, Shetland series 2, original title White Nights, 322 pages
TIOLI June #3 Read a book you acquired during the first half of 2017

Second book of the Shetland mysteries, with police detective Jimmy Perez as main character.
A stranger disrupts an opening night at an art gallery and is found dead the next day. No one seems to know who he is. Jimmy Perez has to call in DCI Roy Taylor from the mainland again for the murder investigation.

Again a very good mystery and plot, only shortly before the end of the book I understood what had happened. Meanwhile we get to know Jimmy Perez a bit more.

Happy weekend, Anita.

>121 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, the same to you.

Hi Anita! Best wishes for a wonderful weekend.

book 220: 1984 by George Orwell
own, translated, 1001 books, original title 1984, 336 pages
TIOLI June #7 Re-read a book you had to read in school

Haunting dystopian story, set in a future totalitarian society (first published in 1949), where Big Brother is watching everyone. Winston tries to undermine the system and ultimately is absorbed by the system.
Written as a warning to totalitarian (Stalinist) systems, the parallels with Stalinism are obvious: at that time the Russian language was altered (newspeak in the book) and pictures were altered to get rid of dissident (ex-)party members.

I thought I had read it before, but found out I didn't. I knew the plot, probably from the 1984 movie (with John Hurt playing Winston). The edition I read was published in 1984.



With this book I have completed my July TIOLI sweep :-)

>123 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I hope all is well at your place. Happy weekend!

Nice review of 1984, Anita. I saw a fantastic stage performance of it at the Almeida Theatre in London two or three years ago, but I haven't read the novel yet. Hopefully I can get to it later this year.

>40 FAMeulstee: I just finished Anna Karenina. It took me into a completely different world.
I bet it did!!! Well done.

>62 FAMeulstee: I want to read this one! I will beck it out on the book page and see if my library has it.

>69 FAMeulstee: this one sounds interesting. Was it published quite a few years ago? It looks like an older style of book cover.

Anita--220 books already?! Wow! Very inspirational. Glad things have settled down for you mom and dad. Enjoy what's left of the weekend. : )

>126 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl, was the stage performance like the movie?
I still see John Hurt, who played Winston in the movie, while reading the book.

>127 LovingLit: Thanks Megan, I am still on track reading a Russian each month.
I hope you find a copy of Salt to the sea.
Yes, the original German edition of A Night in Distant Motion was published in 1979, the cover is from Dutch translation that was published in 1984.

>128 Berly: Thanks Kim, reading continues to go fast and easy :-)
Planning a nice reading Sunday with the Dutch translation of Born a Crime by Trevor Noah.

book 221: De heksen by Roald Dahl
own, YA, translated, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1985, original title The Witches, 194 pages
TIOLI July #8 Read a book first published between 1955 and 2017

A young, orphaned boy and his grandmother find themselves in the middle of the annual witch meeting.
As almost always with Dahl: a bit scary and lots of humor in this story.

>129 FAMeulstee: I haven't seen the movie or the TV versions of 1984, Anita, so I have nothing to compare the stage version to. It was probably the most chilling and disturbing play I've ever seen, and the audience left the Almeida Theatre in stunned silence after it concluded. Thst same production had moved to Broadway, last year I think.

ETA: 1984 is still playing on Broadway, and apparently many of those who have seen it have also been shaken by it.

'1984' Comes To Broadway And 'It's Not An Easy Evening'

>131 kidzdoc: It is a very disturbing book, Darryl, and I can imagine it would have even more impact on stage. Not an easy night out to relax...
Thanks for the link, the message may be even more important in the present time than ever.

book 222: Woensdagkind by Peter Robinson
from the library, e-book, translated, mystery, DCI Banks 6, original title Wednesday's child, 264 pages
TIOLI July #4 Read a book with an epigraph in it's opening pages

Sixth DCI Banks book, set in the early 1990s, in Yorkshire.
A seven year old girl is abducted on broad daylight, the abductors impersonated social workers and just took the girl from her mother. When a few days later a gruesome murder occurs, the police team has to split up, Banks boss, Grisethorpe, will lead the investigation for the abducted child, while Alan Banks leads the murder investigation.

Again a very good story, I am happy to know there are a lot more DCI Banks books :-)

I hope you enjoy your Sunday reading Born a Crime. It's one of my top nonfiction reads for the year so far.

>134 streamsong: I like what I have read so far, only the first few chapters, Janet.
My top non-fiction books so far this year are two 5* reads: Between the world and me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich. Not sure if Trevor Noah can beat them ;-)

book 223: Kleurenblind by Trevor Noah
from the library, translated, non-fiction, autobiography, original title Born a Crime, 319 pages
TIOLI July #13: Read a book that is a "late" shared read

Trevor Noah tells about his youth in South-Africa. His first years he had to be hidden, as his bare existantce was proof of a crime: his mother black, his father white, interracial sex was forbidden under Apartheid. In South-Africa after Apartheid life doesn't get much better for the majority of the inhabitants.
It is a harsh life for Trevor, but he doesn't give up, or better said his mother never gives up on him. The story is often told in a funny way, so you have to laugh while reading about a dramatic event.

A very good read, I learned a lot about South-Africa under and after Apartheid.

Hi Anita!

>130 FAMeulstee: When daughter was young we watched The Witches. Anjelica Huston plays a terrifyingly scary witch.

>136 FAMeulstee: I can't wait to listen to Born a Crime. It arrived from Amazon the other day.

>137 karenmarie: Yes, Karen that was a great movie adaption, I had Anjelica Huston in mind while reading the book :-)
I have seen many raving reviews on the audio version of Born a crime, enjoy!

book 224: De 100-jarige man die uit het raam klom en verdween by Jonas Jonasson
from the library, translated from Swedish, fiction, English translation The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, 358 pages
TIOLI July #11: Read a book that mentions the Korean War or is by a Korean author or is by an author who was in the Korean War

Allan Karlsson is sitting in his chamber in an assisted living facility in Sweden, today is his 100st birthday. He has no interest in the celebrations that are arranged, so he steps out of the window, without knowing where to go.
And so the adventure starts, Allan accidentely takes a suitcase full with money with him, makes friends on his way (with help of the money), is chased by the criminals (who owned the money), and the police is chasing him to bring him back where he came from. Meanwhile we get the story of Allans life as an expert in explosives, full of adventure, where he meets Franco, Truman, Stalin, Mao, Kim Jong-il, Churchill, De Gaulle and many others.

An enjoyable read, a mix of adventure, crime, humor and history.

Hey Anita, I missed so many posts I've skimmed to catch up.
>139 FAMeulstee: was really pushed by the bookshops here, I was put off by the popularity, but your review means I'll look out for it.

book 225: Lengtegraad : het ware verhaal van een eenzaam genie dat het grootste wetenschappelijke probleem van zijn tijd oploste by Dava Sobel
from the library, translated, non-fiction, original title Longitude : the true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time, 158 pages

In the 18th century sailing wasn't easy, latitude could easy be calculated, but longitude wasn't. Many ships came out wrong, with sometimes deadly consequences for the sailors.
In 1714 the Logitude act was declared, promishing a great amount of money for the one who could give a reliable way to determine longitude. John Harrison developed an accurate marine chronometer, but had a long way to go to acclaim his prize, as others were working on moon-based methods.

>140 charl08: I know you didn't feel well, Charlotte, glad you have some enery left to skim my thread!
I understand you were put off by pushing & populairity, that kept me from reading Harry Potter for years ;-)
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared was an enjoyable read, sometimes a bit over the top, but mainly FUN.

>136 FAMeulstee: Hooray for Born a Crime!

Hi, Anita! Or is it Meg, I forget. Grins...

Hope your week is off to a good start. I think you will like my current print book, See What I Have Done.

>141 FAMeulstee: I have that one on my Kindle, Anita--hope to get to it eventually.

>141 FAMeulstee: That one was turned into a BBC programme too. Interesting story.

>143 msf59: Happy Wednesday, Mark!
Born a crime was good, glad I stumbeled upon it at the library.
No Dutch translation of See what I have done available, it looks a bit to much to try in English.

>144 ronincats: One day you might, Roni, it is good, but not that good.

>145 sirfurboy: I never heard of John Harrison before, I knew that determinating longitude had been difficult, but not how it was solved.

book 226: Uitgestoten by Rosemary Sutcliff
own, YA, translated, original title Outcast, 199 pages
TIOLI Challenge #8: Read a book first published between 1955 and 2017

Beric was saved from the sea when he was a baby. When he is about to become a man in the tribe that rescued him, the harvest fails, so he is cast out of the tribe. He wants to join the Roman Legion, but instead is kidnapped and brought to Rome to be sold as a slave.

>139 FAMeulstee: My wife and I both enjoyed The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window, Anita. Good to see you did, too.

>147 FAMeulstee: I read that one a long time ago, but remember enjoying it.

>148 jnwelch: It was a fun read, Joe, it was a random pick at the library.

>147 FAMeulstee: I am a Rosemary Sutcliff fan, I own all her Dutch translated books and a two in English.

book 227: Tot de honden komen by Eva Hornung
from the library, translated, original title Dog Boy, 272 pages

An abandoned 4 year old boy in Moskou finds shelter with a dog pack.

I had hig hopes for this book, but was disappointed. Although the descriptions of the dogpack were good, there were some annoying inconsistencies with real dog behaviour. Some violent scenes disturbed me. In the last part of the book, where social workers come into his life, the characters were flat. I only enjoyed some parts of the book.

Hi Anita!

>141 FAMeulstee: Longitude was my book club pick for our 2002-2003 book club year and I thought it beautifully written.

She wrote another book, Galileo's Daughter, a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. I have it on my shelves, but haven't read it yet.

I hope you're having a good day and good week!

>141 FAMeulstee: - I also read Longitude last year and enjoyed it. She is a very good writer. I also have Galileo's Daughter sitting on the tbr shelf but have not got to it yet

OMG you're so fast with threads and reading - sorry I could once again only skim through catching up. Thanks for all the pics, especially the documenta ones!

>152 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, I have looked for her other book. It is translated, but the libraries in my province don't have a copy.

>153 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley, always nice to read we like the same book :-)

>154 Deern: Yes, I know, Nathalie, reading still goes at high speed ;-)
My threads go way to fast to for you to keep up, I am very happy to see a msg from you!

book 228: De Cock en kogels voor een bruid by A.C. Baantjer
from the library, e-book, police mystery, 40th book of 70 De Cock, 143 pages

A woman is brutally murdered, hunted down like an animal. De Cock and Vledder find out she came from Tsjechoslavakia, and was married to a farmer to become a legal citizen. Then the director of a transporting company is killed the same way near his house. De Cock and Vledder have a hard time figuring out who committed these murders.

>151 FAMeulstee: A pity about that story. I agree that the write up sounds interesting (and a reprise of a theme as old as Rome!)

>157 sirfurboy: Looking the ratings of Dog boy, most readers liked it much more than I did.

book 229: Kind van sneeuw by Eowyn Ivey
from the library, e-book, translated, original title The Snow Child, 383 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14 Read a book with a word in the title or series title indicating hot or cold

After a Russian fairy tale "the Snow Maiden". Set in the 1920 in Alaska, where the older childless couple Jack and Mabel stuggle to build a new life. On day together they made a snowman, but eventually turn it in a snow girl. The next day it is gone, but from that day they both see a girl wandering through the woods near their farm.

A nice read, the writer succesfully transformed the fairy tale into a more modern story.

book 230: De Aran-eilanden by Tim Robinson
from the library, translated, non-fiction, original title Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage, 382 pages
TIOLI Challenge #17 Read a memoir or autobiography by an author whose birth was at least 15 years before or after your birth

Unusual travelbook, as the writer travels along the coast of an island, that is only 12 by 3 kilometer.
When Tim Robinson went in 1972 to the Aran Islands, he made a map for his own use. When he decided to stay, the map became an important source of income for him.
In this book he describes a walk around the coast of the main island Arrain (Inishmore), whith descriptions of every cove, kliff, formation, ruïn and bay. He tells us about the original name, the present name, history, geology, biology and legends of that place. In the early times of Christianity the island had many monasties, and many saints stayed here for a longer or shorter while. Saint Enda founded the first Irish monasty on the island in the 5th century.

A facinating read, makes me want to travel to this island on the west-coast of Ireland. Sadly the second book Stones of Aran: Labyrinth, about the innland with the typical stone walls and the inhabitants of Arrain, is not translated, His prose is too rich to try to read in English.

I'm another Dava Sobel fan, Anita. Longitude was a knockout, and I thought Galileo's Daughter was excellent, too. The Planets wasn't quite at the level of those two, but was still good. I want to read her new one, The Glass Universe, which has been getting lots of positive buzz.

>161 jnwelch: Glad to see so many Dava Sobel fans, Joe.
Galileo's Daughter is translated, but sadly my library has no copy.

Hi Anita and happy Saturday to you!

Happy weekend, Anita.

Happy weekend, Anita! I am listening to Born a Crime now, and loving it.

Hi Anita, hope you are having a good weekend my dear and send love and hugs.

>163 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, the same to you!

>164 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, it is the time of sunflower, I saw the Tour de France passing some fields.

>165 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda, I heard from others the audio is even better.

>166 johnsimpson: Thanks John, the same to you and Karen.

>167 FAMeulstee: There are lots of sunflowers to see right now. I bought a bunch on the farmer market today.

book 231: De een van de ander by Philip Kerr
from the library, translated, Bernie Gunther book 4 , original title The One from the Other, 368 pages

When his second wife dies, Bernie Gunther doesn't want to continue the hotel he had together with her. He puts up the hotel for sale and returns to the job he knows: private detective, this time in Munich.
As often he gets in trouble, gets beaten up, finds himself in the middle of CIA intrigues and Roman-Catholic priests active with helping Nazi's to build a new life outside the German borders.

A great and dark story, Philip Kerr weaves historical context with great skill into the story. It was good to meet Bernie Gunther again.

book 232: Het herdersleven by James Rebanks
from the library, translated, non-fiction, original title The Shepherd's Life, 288 pages
Found on Rhians thread (SandDune) last year

Beautiful book about generations of sheep farmers in the Lake District in England. Living with the land and the animals, not for maximum profit, but for continuation into the next generations. A harsh way of life that is as ancient as the sheep they keep.

A wonderfull look into the lives and a way of life that is threathened by modern civilisation.

Hi Anita, wishing you a nice weekend. Your reading is going well, I saw a couple of interesting titles come by.

>170 FAMeulstee: Sounds interesting!

I've spent all week at the allotment, home for a short time, and then I'll be gone again. No internet there, at least not at the moment. So I'm just saying hi for now.

>171 EllaTim: Thanks Els, my last 3 reads were very good :-)
Enjoy your time at the allotment :-)

Happy Saturday, Anita. Hope you are having a fine weekend and getting plenty of reading time in.

>172 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. I'd love to stay there permanently!

Happy Sunday, Anita.

Hi Anita! You are churning through the books! Best wishes for a great day. : )

>173 msf59: Thanks Mark, I read right through Max Havelaar today.
Enjoy what is left of your Sunday!

>174 EllaTim: I guess you need a better and larger house there for permanent stay.
Your message was the 2.000th on my threads this year!

>175 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, I hope you feel better after your first week of vacation.

>176 Berly: Thanks Kim, I just keep starting and finishing books ;-)

Hi, Anita. I am starting my Sunday as you are wrapping yours up! I thought the sense of place in The Snow Child was so well done.

>178 ronincats: Thanks Roni, I think we live 9 hours ahead of you.
The descriptions of Alaska in The Snow Child were indeed beautiful.

1.000th book since I kept track, starting in 2008!


book 233: Max Havelaar of de koffieveilingen der Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij by Multatuli
own, Dutch, 1001 books, English translation Max Havelaar: Or the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company, 304 pages
TIOLI challenge #7 Re-read a book you had to read in school

This frame story was first published in 1860, and is an accusation to the Dutch goverment about the awful treatment of most inhabitants of the Dutch Indies (now Indonesia). It is considered a classic in Dutch literature.
The book starts with Droogstoppel, a narrow minded coffe trader. He meets an old, shabby schoolmate, Sjaalman (=Max Havelaar), who entrusts him his manuscript about his time as a civil servant in the Dutch Indies.
Stern, the son of a German coffee distributer is the one who reads the manuscripts and compiles the story. Max Havelaar is newly appoited to be assistant-resident of Lebac. Many inhabitants are starving, because of mismanagament and arbitrariness, not only by the Dutch governors, but also by the "regents", the local nobility. He wants change, so he accuses the local regent. Instead of help, ge gets fired by the Dutch Indien government.
At the end of the book the writer, Multatuli (pseudonym of Eduard Douwes Dekker) takes over and talks directly to the Dutch King and his goverment, how they can allow that 30 million inhabitants of the Dutch Indies are maltreated so badly...

>177 FAMeulstee: Thanks so much, Anita. It was the first morning I was able to sleep in. Last week I woke up early without an alarmclock.

Hi Anita, congrats on reaching your 1,000th book tracked my dear, nice to have another book tracker to reach that mark.

>181 Ameise1: So vacation is slowly sinking in, Barbara.

>182 johnsimpson: Thanks John, you were just ahead of me :-)

>183 FAMeulstee:, I may have been just ahead my dear but it took me Thirteen years more to get to the target.

Congrats on this magical number, Anita.

>184 johnsimpson: If my present reading rate continues, John, I'll read the next 1.000 within 3 years...

>185 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara.

Hi, Anita! You are reading some great books!

I really like that Peter Robinson series. Thanks for reminding me of them! I need to get back to that series.

Wow Anita! You're really getting through the books this year.

I popped over from the TIOLI thread, where I was sorry to hear of the passing of your sister and I see over here that you've recently moved your mother to a nursing home. From what you say, she seems to be settling in slowly, and your father seems happier. Wishing you and your family all the best.

>180 FAMeulstee: wow!!! happy 1000th book (since you started counting!!)

Good morning, Anita. Wishing you a wonderful start into the new week.

Hi, Anita!

I enjoy trying to read your book titles without the translation, and then using the translation to cheat. Somehow, it's always easier to suss out the original once I've looked at the translation - ha!

>187 tymfos: Thanks Terri, my last reads were all very good.
Peter Robinsons DCI Banks series are good reads, I hope to get to the next one soon.

>188 humouress: Thanks Nina, last year my reading went suddenly up, and stayed that way for the last 12 months. I am incredible happy with it!

It has been a rough year. Tomorrow it is one year ago that my brother died, he had an heartattack and was 58 years old. Then 16 days later we had to put down our last Chow Chow, Chimay. In March Franks aunt died, in April my mother went to a nursing home and in June my eldest sister died from starvation... I wrote about it on my previous thread.
Reading is very helpful for escaping and processing it all.

>189 LovingLit: Thanks Megan, I would never have started counting if I hadn't found LT and this group.

>190 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, happy start into the week and happy reading to you!

>191 scaifea: Sometimes titles are no translation at all, Amber. I have seen many odd ones, with no connection with the original title. Foreign language is always easier if you know waht it means, then you can see the similairity.

book 234: Engelse rozen by David Austin
own, translated, non-fiction, original title David Austin's English Roses, 160 pages
TIOLI challenge #15: Read a book written by an author whose name appears in a Biblical book in rolling order

David Austin's roses are famous, he successfully cross breeded old varieties with modern roses, to get old fashioned looking, sweet-smelling, disease resistant roses.
In this book he explains how and why he did this. Starting with a short history of roses, how cultivators tries to better roses, and how scent was lost by only cultivating for looks. Further included a description of all English roses that were available at that time (1995 when the book was published). He writes passionatly about (his) roses.
I have two of his roses in my garden, and if I had a larger garden I would have more of them.

>194 FAMeulstee: We have several roses, and I wouldn't mind having more. Our best performers are probably two climbing roses at the end of our porch. Offhand, I don't know whether we have any David Austin roses.

>194 FAMeulstee:, Hi Anita, glad you enjoyed the book my dear. We visited David Austin Roses and picked up Gertrude Jekyll for our garden and picked another two or three out that we would like once I have sorted the top border out. We had a lovely few hours wandering around the gardens admiring and smelling all the lovely roses and had a nice drink in the café and then went into the shop and nursery to select our rose, we will go again to pick the roses up as it is well worth a visit. Sending love and hugs.

Wow, congrats on 1000 books!!

Congratulations, Anita!

Wow, congratulations on 1000 books, Anita!

I'm so sorry for the rough year you have been going through and I'm glad that you are finding a way to cope with everything you have been hit with. I hope that the rest of the year will be less fraught with sorrowful events.

>195 harrygbutler: I love roses, Harry, especially the sweet-smelling ones. My favorite David Austin/English rose is "The Prince", that has a sweet scent with spicy tones. It is dark red, almost purple, depending on the weather. Here is a picture from 5 years back:


>196 johnsimpson: It was a lovely read, Paul, David Austin writes passionately about roses.
I remember your visit to David Austin Roses, "Gertrude Jekyll" is a lovely rose. I am looking forward to hear what your next pick is going to be!

>197 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle!

>198 kidzdoc: Thank you, Darryl!

>199 cameling: Thanks Caro, it would be nice to have some less eventfull times ahead.

Congratulations on your 1000 books. And funny that my post was nr 2000 of the Year

You have had atough year, sincerely wishing you better times ahead.

I love those David Austin roses as Well. I have a Mary Rose in my garden, she looks nice, and she smells wonderful. I Will remember the book, will look for it in the library.

>202 EllaTim: Thanks Els, both reading and threads go fast this year.
Yes, it was a rough year, but I have Frank and Ari to help my through.

I looked up the "Mary Rose", it looks pretty!

book 235: Grootvaders reisdoel by Craig Strete
own, YA, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1981, original title When grandfather journeys into winter, 60 pages
TIOLI challenge #5 Read a book with a generic family relationship in the title

Lovely story about an indian boy and his grandfather. Grandfather is very old, but first he wants to win a horse for his grandson. After that he tells his last story.

A wonderfull story how to cope with life and death.

book 236: Het mes dat niet wijkt by Patrick Ness
from the library, translated, YA, original title The Knife of Never Letting Go, 479 pages

The first book of the Chaos Walking trilogy, I don't remember when or where I found this title, probably somewhere on a thread of the 75ers.
Patrick Ness is a very good writer, but for me this story was way too depressing. Every time a bit of hope flares, to be crushed again. If you want to know more about this book, there are plenty of raving reviews on LT. A small part of me wants to know what happens next, so maybe one day I will pick up the next book, but not anytime soon. I still hear Manchee "Todd, Todd?"...

>200 FAMeulstee: Nice, Anita! Erika tells me we have four David Austin roses at the moment (out of nine roses that we have):

Graham Thomas (yellow)
Noble Antony (medium pink)
The Ingenious Mister Fairchild (light pink)
William Shakespeare 2000 (deep crimson)

>205 FAMeulstee: Sorry you did not get on with the The Knife of Never Letting Go. I think Patrick Ness is a great writer, but there is a darkness in many of his books, this one included, that could be disturbing. I can particularly see how it is not suited to a dog lover.

>206 harrygbutler: You lucky man, Harry, having four David Austin roses to enjoy!
We have also a "Graham Thomas", it has beautiful flowers, although it disappoints a bit in scent.
The "William Shakespeare 2000" is on my wishlist, if ever something dies where I can plant a rose.

>207 sirfurboy: Then maybe I found it on your thread?
I can understand many love his books, but just a bit too dark and depressing for my personal taste.
Now on to read something lighter! ;-)

Hi Anita!

>192 FAMeulstee: You have had a year of it, my dear. I hope things are calmer now for you, even as you continue to grieve over losses and cope with your parents' situation.

Books galore!

I'm envious about roses - every time I've tried them I've managed to kill them. My husband's mother had a glorious rose bed at her house in Mooresville, NC, US that I remember from when I visited with then just-friend Bill, now my husband, in 1980. And a woman I used to work with had glorious roses that she would bring to work - they perfumed the entire executive area where she worked.

>208 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! We have room for a few more (and I think plans for one more). I have fond memories of working in my grandfather's rose garden — hard work, but I wish I could do it again.

>209 karenmarie: Roses can be tough, Karen. We lost our first try at roses in this house to some sort of disease. We had to pull all of them out, and then wait a year or so before beginning again.

Hi, Anita. Hope your week is off to a good start. Sorry, to hear that The Knife of Never Letting Go didn't work for you. I loved this trilogy.

>209 karenmarie: Thank you Karen, all the nice reactions here do help, it is a great community and I am glad to be a part of it.
Roses can be difficult to grow, but some are easier than others, you might try the white rose "Iceberg", the pink "Queen Elizabeth" or the orange/pink "Westerland". Roses need fresh soil with a lot of compost when you plant them, and some fertilizer during the growing season.

>210 harrygbutler: The only rose gardens I know were in parks, Harry. I loved to walk in the Westbroekpark in The Hague, where each year an international Rose Exhibit is held.

>211 msf59: Thanks Mark, I started well today, went to the library and came home with 9 books :-)
I can understand that you loved The Knife of Never Letting Go, it is a bit too dark for me...

Library haul today:
Meer van Mien-yuan (The Chinese Lake Murders, Judge Dee 5) - Robert van Gulik
De Finklerkwestie (The Finkler Question) - Howard Jacobson
De gelukkige krijgers (The Happy Warriors) - Halldór Laxness
Judas (Judas) - Amos Oz
Verdriet is het ding met veren (Grief is the Thing with Feathers) - Max Porter
Kat & muis (Knots and Crosses, John Rebus 1) - Ian Rankin
Blindeman (Hide & Seek, John Rebus 2) - Ian Rankin
Zwanenzang (Dry Bones that Dream, DCI Banks 7) - Peter Robinson
De zonderlinge geschiedenis van Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - R.L. Stevenson

>135 FAMeulstee: I also enjoyed Between the World and Me when my RLBC read it last year. It was my suggestion (pats self on back!).

I've made note of Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets. I thought Voices from Chernobyl was brilliant.

I'll also look for a DVD of Witches. Sounds like a great summer movie.

Congrats on reaching 1000 books. It has been such a tough year for you. Hooray for books to help see us through the rough times. You are my inspiration that I will be reading again soon.

ETA: great library haul! The only one I've read is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde so I'll be interested to see your thoughts on the others.

>200 FAMeulstee:, Hi Anita, we do want a nice yellow rose and its name is quite apt with my reading as it is Charles Dickens but what we get to go alongside this I am not sure as we will need two more.

Cpngrats on the 1,000!!! Isn't it fun to keep track? : ) Sorry you didn't care for the Knife of Letting Go, but it would be awful if we were all clones. Each to his/her own!!

>213 streamsong: Great suggestion for your book club, Janet, thumbs up from me!
I haven't read Voices of Chernobyl yet, but I hope to read the Dutch translation soon.
Thanks, my readings have been way up and way down in the past 10 years. I am glad to be in the up part now, and hope you get back there soon.
I just finished the DCI Banks book, good mystery/police procedural, as always.

>214 johnsimpson: I think you mean "Charles Darwin"?
There are so many beautiful roses, I am sure you and Karen can find 2 more!

>215 Berly: Thanks Kim! Yes, it is fun, sadly I never thought of keeping track of my readings before 2008.
It is good we are not all the same. I don't mind reading once in a while a book that I don't like, in the long run that helps me finding books I do like.

book 237: Zwanenzang by Peter Robinson
from the library, translated, mystery, DCI Banks 7, original title Dry Bones that Dream, 272 pages

Seventh DCI Banks book, set in the early 1990s, in Yorkshire.
A middle aged accountant, Keith Rothwell, is murdered in his own house, there isn't much left of his face. It looks like a professional job, but there are initially no leads that anyone has something against the victim. Digging deeper they find connections to money laundering, and then a young woman calls to tell that the victim isn't Keith Rothwell, but is called Robert Calvert, and that she had a brief relationship with him.

Again a very good story, sadly the next two aren't translated, so I will pick up book 10 now.

Hi, Anita.

I'm glad you're having a good time with the DCI Banks series. Congratulations on 1000 books! I can understand the reading helping with a very tough personal year.

>218 jnwelch: Thanks Joe, reading can be a comfort and an escape.

I made a great deal today! There were two books I wanted to read, that weren't available at the libraries in my province. One Judge Dee book and Voices of Chernobyl. I wanted to buy them as e-book, but found a better deal at the online bookshop an e-book subscription: lend all (selected) e-books you want, one month free and after that 9,99 euro each month. The two books together would have been 20 euro, so I decided to go for it for three months. They have a lot of books available that I want to read. So the next three months I won't read my own books ;-)
I just finished the first e-book The Lacquer Screen.

book 238: Het Chinese lakscherm by Robert van Gulik
Bol-Kobo+, e-book, translated (by the writer), mystery, Rechter Tie (= Judge Dee), original title The Lacquer Screen, 167 pages

Robert van Gulik translated the original Chinese first Judge Dee book Celebrated cases of Judge Dee and wrote the next books himself.

Judge Dee is on his way home, when he wants to spend a few days in Wei-Ping. He goes to the judge of that place and finds himself in the middle of some murder mysteries. With only one of his assistants with him, Judge Dee has to work hard to figure out what has happened

Judge Dee books are always statisfactory mysteries, well plotted and set in historical Chinese times.

>216 FAMeulstee:, Anita you are quite correct, it is Charles Darwin and I should have known better as the 2017 catalogue is on the coffee table in front of me.

book 239: De zonderlinge geschiedenis van dr Jekyll en mr Hyde by R.L. Stevenson
own, translated, 1001 books, original title The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 84 pages

Picked this one up at the library, to find out back home that we have a copy in our own library.
London, 19th century, Mr. Utterson, an attorney, tells us the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
I had never realised the book is a kind of mystery, not the horror story I was expecting. It is about good and evil, that is in every human, and an escalated experiment to divide the good and the evil in one person.

It was a good, not great, read.

book 240: Lange maanden by Imme Dros
Bol-Kobo+, e-book, YA, Dutch, no translations, 145 pages

This is the second book about Daan List, a boy who lives on the island Texel. I own the first and the third book, as they were both awarded, and only recently found this one.
Daan is in the 5th class of high school, in Den Helder. Life isn't easy, he ends the relationship with his girlfriend and gets into conflict with his oldest friend, for months they don't talk to eachother. He goes back to painting and finds a new teacher to help him on his way.

Finding this book was a pleasant surprise, as good as the other two books about Daan List.

Hi Anita!

An e-book subscription sounds perfect for such a voracious reader as you! Congratulations.

>224 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, I am going to try it for 3 months.

book 241: Het complete Rekelboek by Koos van Zomeren
from the library, e-book, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 305 pages
TIOLI challenge #16 Read a book that has an animal as the main focus or character

Koos van Zomeren writes a daily colom in a newspaper since 1994. His dog Rekel was often mentioned. After Rekel died, he gathered everything he wrote about Rekel in this book.
Rekel came when he was 18 months. He went on long walks with the writer in The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. Beautiful descriptions of his last years, when Rekels life slowly declines. Rekel was 17 years and 5 months when he died. The book ends when the writer and his wife go to a breeder to pick up their new pup, a border terrier, who will be named Stanley.

The love between man and his dog, lovely read. The last part reminded me of some of our dogs, when they got old.

book 242: Tijgereiland by Daan Remmerts de Vries
Bol-Kobo+, e-book, YA, Dutch, awarded, Gouden Lijst 2014, no translations, 208 pages

Tijs is 13 years, his parents are just divorced. He is unstable and unsure about it. He lives with his mother and goes regular to his father. He want to go on vacation to India to see a tiger in the wild. In his mind grows the idea that everything will be alright again, if only he can see a wild tiger. He goes with his mother on vacation to India. Will he find a tiger?

Good book about the impact a divorce can have on a teenager.

>226 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, Nice to see that you liked Het complete Rekelboek.

And have fun with you Ebook-subscription! I hope Bol has lots to choose from. Happy reading.

Over the years I read several Inspector Rebus books and enjoyed them very much (all out of order). Last year I decided to go back and start with them in order, and read Knots and Crosses. I didn't like it very much, and probably wouldn't have wanted to continue the series if this had been the first Inspector Rebus I read. So, if for some reason you don't like Knots and Crosses, don't let it deter you from reading more Inspector Rebus.

Happy Sunday, Anita. I hope it's a good one.

>228 EllaTim: Thanks Els, he writings a bout Rekels decine in the last years was very touching.
I will see how long I keep my subscription, the plan is now for 3 months.

>229 arubabookwoman: Thank you very much, Deborah, That is good to know. I took the first two books from the library, so I will keep that in mind.

>230 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara, I went walking with Ari near Nijmegen. Together with some Chow Chow owners, 5 km walk with 4 women & 3 Chow Chows and 1 Pekingese. We had fun.

book 243: Meer van Mien-yuan by Robert van Gulik
from the libray, translated (by the writer), mystery, Rechter Tie (= Judge Dee) 3, original title The Chinese Lake Murders, 222 pages

Judge Dee has traveled to his new position in Mien-yuan. The inhabitants tell him nothing ever happens in this quiet city, but within days Judge Dee has some cases to investigate. He even discovers revolt agains the emperor.

Always a treat, a Judge Dee book, an enjoyable read.

book 244: Hou van die hond by Sharon Creech
own, translated, YA, awarded, Zilveren Griffel 2007, original title Love that dog, 90 pages
TIOLI July #16 Read a book that has an animal as the main focus or character

Jack does not like poems, poems are for girls. His teacher makes him write poems at school. Jack learns how he can write down his emotions in poems. The book is written as Jacks diary in poems.

Great introduction to poetry for kids. It was a re-read, as I have the Dutch translation of Hate that cat waiting for me at the library.

>233 FAMeulstee: - Hate that Cat won't disappoint, either, Anita! :-)

>205 FAMeulstee: I don't remember when or where I found this title, probably somewhere on a thread of the 75ers.
Too right! The catch cry of us all :)

>233 FAMeulstee: OK, I am getting that one for W!!! It has had a lot of positive comments here, and I am in :)

>234 jessibud2: I will let you know next week, Shelley :-)

>235 LovingLit: Almost all recommended books come from this group, Megan ;-)
I hope W likes it as much as we all do.

book 245: De Finklerkwestie by Howard Jacobson
from the libray, translated, Booker prize winner, original title The Finkler Question, 383 pages
Found on Kerry's thread (avatiakh)

This wasn't an easy book to get into. Three men, two jewish and recently widowed, one wannabe jew. Julian Treslow is interested in everything jewish, from judaism to zionism, he wants to be a jew himself. His two jewish friends don't really understand why he is so attracted. Sam Finkler Julians friend since his schooldays, is anti-zionist and even has a group of jewish supporters. Libor Sevcik was their teacher, originally from Tjechoslowakia, he ended up in London with his jewish wife from Germany.
All kinds of prejudice against, jews, judaism come along. It is in essence a quest to see how it feels to be a jew in 21st century London. And the one outsider, Julian, who badly wants to be a part of it, but never will be a part of it.

Hi Anita, I wanted to say that I visited a friend here in Bolzano on Friday and she had just been to the documenta and showed me so many pics! It must have been really impressive, especially the temple/ pantheon made of banned books, even more so when illuminated. And so many works looked happy and light on first sight and then something terrible about slavery, refugees or the Holocaust was hidden in them.

>237 FAMeulstee: this was my first Jacobsen, and so I liked it better than you did. I (then) thought it wasn't all about Judaism, but also about being lost and lonely and aimless and looking for a group where you could finally feel safe and at home, where you had a "label", but at least could live according to that label, where you'd be given guidelines and values and had a "duty" to defend them. Two Jacobsens later I might rate it a bit lower, maybe I should give it a re-read.

>238 Deern: Yes it was an impressive documenta, Nathalie, with lots of hard themes in it.
We were glad we went to Kassel, there is hope when so many people are visiting this exhibition.

I can see your view on in the book. I felt more that he would never be able to fit into that "label", so all his efforts were in vain.

book 246: Verdriet is het ding met veren by Max Porter
from the libray, translated, original title Grief is the Thing with Feathers, 122 pages
Found on Megan's thread (@Ireadthereforeiam)

Lovely poetic book about loss and mourning.
When a mother suddenly dies, a father and his two young sons are left. They can't cope with their loss. Then a crow joins them, he tells stories, is sometimes cruel, but also very kind. He helps them until the roughest time is over and disappears.

Having lost many in the past year, I could relate to the grief of father and sons.

We had a busy weekend.

Saturday we visited my parents. First my mother at the nursing home and after that my father at his place. Had diner with him and he gave us two beautiful and rare art books:
De Indische reis van H. P. Berlage Joris Molenaar (editor)
The sketchbook of Jan van Goyen from the Bredius-Kronig collection by Edwin Buijsen

Sunday I went walking with Ari and three Chow Chow friends. We had coffee before the walk and lunch after at Kasteel Tongelaar te Mill. I completely forgot to take pictures.

July 2017 stats

46 books read (11.485 pages, 370,4 pages/day)

19/24/3 own/library/Kobo+
9/37 Dutch/translated
39/7 fiction/non-fiction

5 1001 books
16 childrens/YA
11 e-books
31 TIOLI books

best books in July
1984 by George Orwell
Hou van die hond (Love that dog) by Sharon Creech
Max Havelaar by Multatuli
Soldaat Peaceful (Private Peaceful) by Michael Morpurgo


Anna Karenina by L.N. Tolstoj
Bonfire, zoon van de Zwarte Hengst (The Black Stallion's blood bay colt) by Walter Farley
De Aran-eilanden (Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage) by Tim Robinson
De een van de ander (The One from the Other, Bernie Gunther 4) by Philip Kerr
Grootvaders reisdoel (When grandfather journeys into winter) by Craig Strete
Het complete Rekelboek by Koos van Zomeren
Het herdersleven (The Shepherd's Life) by James Rebanks
Het wonderlijke verhaal van Hendrik Meier (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) by Roald Dahl
Hij heette Jan (A Night in Distant Motion) by Irina Korschunow
Kleurenblind (Born a Crime) by Trevor Noah
Moenli en de moeder van de wolven by Klaus Kordon
Rashomon en andere verhalen (Rashomon and Other Stories) by Ryûnosoke Akutagwa
Verdriet is het ding met veren (Grief is the Thing with Feathers) by Max Porter


De 100-jarige man die uit het raam klom en verdween (The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared) by Jonas Jonasson
De derde man (The Third Man) by Graham Greene
De heksen (The witches) by Roald Dahl
De honden (The Dogs) by Allan Stratton
De vijfde vrouw (The Fifth Woman) by Henning Mankell
Engelse rozen (David Austin's English Roses) by David Austin
Het Chinese lakscherm (The Lacquer Screen, Judge Dee) by Robert van Gulik
Jeugdherinneringen by J.J. Voskuil
Kind van sneeuw (The Snow Child) by Eowyn Ivey
Lange maanden by Imme Dros
Meer van Mien-yuan (The Chinese Lake Murders, Judge Dee 3) by Robert van Gulik
Reis met een ezel door de Cevennen (Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes) by Robert Louis Stevenson
Tijgereiland by Daan Remmerts de Vries
Uitgestoten (Outcast) by Rosemary Sutcliff
Witte nachten (White Nights, Shetland 2) by Ann Cleeves
Woensdagkind (Wednesday's child, DCI Banks 6) by Peter Robinson
Zout van de zee (Salt to the Sea) by Ruta Sepetys
Zwanenzang (Dry Bones that Dream, DCI Banks 7) by Peter Robinson


De Finklerkwestie (The Finkler Question) by Howard Jacobson
De zonderlinge geschiedenis van Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) by R.L. Stevenson
Geen bloemen by Lévi Weemoedt
Lengtegraad (Longitude) by Dava Sobel
Schijnbeeld (Past reason hated, DCI Banks 5) by Peter Robinson


De Cock en kogels voor een bruid (De Cock 40) by A.C. Baantjer
De jonge prinsen by Guus Kuijer
Haringen in sneeuw by Remco Ekkers
Het mes dat niet wijkt (The Knife of Never Letting Go) by Patrick Ness

worst books of July
Waar is onze moeder (Please Look After Mom) by Kyung-Sook Shin
Tot de honden komen (Dog Boy) by Eva Hornung

--

2017 totals until July:

246 books read (61.562 pages, 290,3 pages/day)

150/93/3 own/library/Kobo+
81/162/3 Dutch/translated/English
214/32 fiction/non-fiction

17 1001 books (total 42)
120 childrens&YA
43 e-books
173 TIOLI books

total ratings
12 x
52 x
98 x
50 x
30 x
3 x
1 x

Hi, Anita! How is your mom doing in her new place? The art books sound interesting. So nice of your dad to pass them on to you! I have a lot of books of art, especially photography, and wish my daughter were more interested. Maybe when she is a little older.

Thanks Mary, my mother is doing okayish, one day is better, an other day a bit worse. She is often angry at my dad for leaving her there.
Her memory keeps fading, we live now for nearly 12 years in Lelystad, but she doesn't know anymore...
I only took a few books when my parents downsized, as we don't have enough space to take a lot. Back then, about 6 years ago, my father held on to these two books for sentimental reasons. Now he was ready to let them go.

>180 FAMeulstee: yay, a 5* book for your 1000th read Anita. I've had Max Havilaar in the pile for years, it needs a nudge, but I suspect it will be Louis Couperus who gets some rereading this Autumn. I've been eyeing my collection.

>240 FAMeulstee: a fine novel.

>245 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline, I had read Max Havelaar before in highschool, but didn't remember much. It was an important book at the time, trying to make the Dutch aware of what was happening in Indonesia.

Which Louis Couperus book are you planning to read? We used to have his complete works, but they went away with the cull in 2005.
For next year I hope to read some Simon Vestdijk, we still have his complete works.

>240 FAMeulstee: Is that a true story? I seem to recall reading about a family whose pet crow helped them through grief/hard times. I forget where I read it, but it was a magazine.

>227 FAMeulstee: I considered that book before as it is written by Daan Remmerts de Vries. Now, after your review, I have added it to my TBR.

>223 FAMeulstee: This is available in the Amazon kindle store so I have requested a sample. Can you tell me what the first book in the series was called? Thanks.

>247 sirfurboy: No, I don't think so, Grief is the Thing with Feathers leans heavily on poems by Ted Hughes.

I was surprised to own the only copy of Tijgereiland at LT, as it deserves to be read!

The first book is De zomer van dat jaar and the last is Ongelukkig verliefd.

>248 FAMeulstee: Thanks :) Sadly De zomer van dat jaar is not currently available so I suppose I must launch in at book 2.

>249 sirfurboy: They are connected, but no problem reading them seperately. I did read the last one first ;-)

>246 FAMeulstee: I think I have all his work available in English Anita, and I think I've read it all over the past 10 years, so I will slowly do a re-read of it over the Autumn and Winter I think. The Book of Small Souls quartet is one of my favourites, I think it is better than Mann's Buddenbrooks. Do you have a favourite Anita?

>251 Caroline_McElwee: I loved both Psyche and Fidessa in highschool, Caroline. I did read Footsteps of Fate last year, but wasn't impressed. I want to read Old People and The Things That Pass someday. Maybe I should add The Book of Small souls on your recommendation.