Anita (FAMeulstee) goes on where the books take her in 2023 (5)

Welcome to my fifth thread in 2023!

I am Anita Meulstee (60), married with Frank (61) since 1984. We live in Lelystad, the Netherlands. We both love modern art, books and walking.

Yesterday we went to the Noordoostpolder, the northern part of our province.
In this time of year is the Tulip Festival, many tulip fields in bloom. We visited the tulip variety garden, a collection of over 1800 tulip varieties.

An impression, with tulip fields, and some of the many tulip varieties.


From there we went to the dike, to walk to the Rotterdamse Hoek. The Noordoostpolder was under construction when WWII started. Remains of the bombed houses from Rotterdam were used here to create the dike.

translation of the poem on the wall:
the spring air became fire / the midday became night / the remains of the city tame the sea / farewel old city rest in peace

--

I have been hanging around in this group a few months after finding LibraryThing in March 2008. I skipped one year (2013), when my reading dropped to almost nothing. This was a side effect of taking Paxil. In 2015 I was able to wean off Paxil, and a year later my reading skyrocketed. The last years it is slowing down sightly, my initial "reading hunger" has waned a bit.

I read (almost) everything, from childrens and YA books to more serious literature, mysteries, historical fiction, fantasy, and I try not to forget to throw some non-fiction into the mix.

total books read in 2023: 123
8 own / 115 library

total pages read in 2023: 39.232

--
currently reading:

--
books read in May 2023: 27 books, 9.034 pages, 0 own / 27 library)
book 97: Madame le Commissaire en het mysterieuze schilderij by Pierre Martin, 368 pages, TIOLI #1 (msg 60)
book 98: Knecht, alleen by Gerbrand Bakker, 312 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 61)
book 99: Het gelijk van Spinoza (Looking for Spinoza) by Antonio Damasio, 319 pages, TIOLI #6 (msg 62)
book 100: De patiënten van dokter García by Almudena Grandes, 923 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 63)
book 101: Michael Kohlhaas (Michael Kohlhaas) by Heinrich von Kleist, 133 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 92)
book 102: Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld (Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World) by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, 512 pages, TIOLI #2 (msg 93)
book 103: De eigenwijze helden van Sassoen by Nairi Zaryan, 294 pages, TIOLI #7 (msg 94)
book 104: Kalevala : het epos der Finnen (Kalevala) by Elias Lönnrot, 272 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 95)
book 105: Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson, 206 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 122)
book 106: Herfst (Autumn) by Ali Smith, 238 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 123)
book 107: Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog (Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist) by Frans de Waal, 439 pages, TIOLI #1 (msg 124)
book 108: Zuidstraat by Denis Henriquez, 199 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 125)
book 109: Sinaasappels zijn niet de enige vruchten (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit) by Jeanette Winterson, 240 pages, TIOLI #9 (msg 137)
book 110: Gaandeweg by J.J. Voskuil, 331 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 138)
book 111: Zipper en zijn vader (Zipper and His Father) by Joseph Roth, 158 pages, TIOLI #5 (msg 139)
book 112: Landlijnen (Landlines) by Raynor Winn, 352 pages, TIOLI #6 (msg 140)
book 113: Riskante relaties (Dangerous Liasons) by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, 589 pages, TIOLI #7 (msg 141)
book 114: Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning) by Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, 672 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 152)
book 115: Schol in de Noordzee by Roelke Posthumus en Adriaan Rijnsdorp, 272 pages, TIOLI #8 (msg 153)
book 116: Ali en Nino (Ali and Nino) by Kurban Said, 272 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 154)
book 117: Het glazen hotel (The Glass Hotel) by Emily St. John Mandel, 324 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 155)
book 118: De woede van het vuur (The Fury in the Fire) by Henning Mankell, 192 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 156)
book 119: Jan Terlouw : jeugdboekenheld op het Binnenhof by Joep Boerboom, 390 pages, TIOLI #3 (msg 157)
book 120: Bloedbroeders (Blood Brothers) by Ernst Haffner, 174 pages, TIOLI #11 (msg 162)
book 121: Mens of wolf? by An Rutgers van der Loeff-Basenau, 223 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 163)
book 122: Tsjik (Why We Took the Car) by Wolfgang Herrndorf, 255 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 164)
book 123: Het drijvende koninkrijk (The kingdom by the sea) by Paul Theroux, 375 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 165)

May 2023 reading plans

TIOLI May 2023 SWEEP
#1: Read a book with a ten-letter (or more) word in the title, sub-title or author's name
- Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog (Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist) - Frans de Waal, 439 pages (e-library)
- Madame le Commissaire en het mysterieuze schilderij - Pierre Martin, 368 pages (e-library)
#2: Read a book with at least 2 title words that begin with vowels
- Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld (Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World) - Benjamin Alire Sáenz, 512 pages (e-library)
#3: Read a biography of one of your favorite authors
- Jan Terlouw : jeugdboekenheld op het Binnenhof - Joep Boerboom, 390 pages (library)
#4: Read a book with a word in the title naming something that can be broken
- Het glazen hotel (The Glass Hotel) - Emily St. John Mandel, 324 pages (e-library)
#5: Read a book with the word father or daughter in the title, or about a father/daughter relationship
- Zipper en zijn vader (Zipper and His Father) - Joseph Roth, 158 pages (e-library)
#6: Read a book whose author has at least 2 of the letters that spell May in their name
- Het gelijk van Spinoza (Looking for Spinoza) - Antonio Damasio, 319 pages (library)
- Landlijnen (Landlines) - Raynor Winn, 352 pages (library)
#7: Read a book that has a judgemental adjective in the title
- De eigenwijze helden van Sassoen - Nairi Zaryan, 294 pages (e-library)
- Riskante relaties (Dangerous Liasons) - Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, 589 pages (1001, e-library)
#8: Read a book in honor of fishing opener
- Schol in de Noordzee - Roelke Posthumus en Adriaan Rijnsdorp, 272 pages (e-library)
#9: Rolling challenge: read a book with a colour of the rainbow in the title or that colour cover
- Sinaasappels zijn niet de enige vruchten (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit) - Jeanette Winterson, 240 pages (e-library)
#10: Read a book that would have fit into a Jan to April TIOLI challenge that you participated in
- Gaandeweg - J.J. Voskuil, 331 pages (library)
- Kalevala : het epos der Finnen (Kalevala) - Elias Lönnrot, 272 pages (library)
- Knecht, alleen - Gerbrand Bakker, 312 pages (e-library)
- Michael Kohlhaas (Michael Kohlhaas) - Heinrich von Kleist, 133 pages (library)
- Zuidstraat - Denis Henriquez, 199 pages (e-library)
#11: Read a book about a group of childhood friends
- Bloedbroeders (Blood Brothers) - Ernst Haffner, 174 pages (library)
#12: Read a book with 2 or more words of 5 letters in the title
- Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw : schetsen uit het dagelijks leven (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning) - Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, 672 pages (library)
#13: Read a book by a foreign author
- Ali en Nino (Ali and Nino) - Kurban Said, 272 pages (library)
- Het drijvende koninkrijk (The kingdom by the sea) - Paul Theroux, 375 pages (library)
- Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) - Jón Kalman Stefánsson, 206 pages (e-library)
- Herfst (Autumn) - Ali Smith, 238 pages (library)
- De patiënten van dokter García - Almudena Grandes, 923 pages (library)
- Tsjik (Why We Took the Car) - Wolfgang Herrndorf, 255 pages (e-library)
#14: Read a book where the title has a word or phrase you don't want to encounter while walking in the woods
- De woede van het vuur (Secrets in the fire) - Henning Mankell, 192 pages (e-library)
- Mens of wolf? - An Rutgers van der Loeff-Basenau, 223 pages (e-library)

June 2023 reading plans

TIOLI June 2023
#1: Read a book of fiction in which there is a printed (spelled out) odd number in the narrative of the first page
- De moeder van Frankenstein - Almudena Grandes, 688 pages (e-library 15/6)
#2: Read a book whose title includes at least three words beginning with the same letter
- De diepst verborgen herinnering van de mens (The Most Secret Memory of Men) - Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, 463 pages (library 20/6)
#3: Read the “Next in a Series” book – can be any number in an series you are currently reading except number one
- Inktzwart hart (The Ink Black Heart; Cormoran Strike 6) - Robert Galbraith, 1190 pages (library)
- Het verdriet van de engelen (The Sorrow of Angels; Heaven and Hell 2) - Jon Kalman Stefánsson, 324 pages (library)
? Laat maar bloeden (Let it Bleed; John Rebus 7) - Ian Rankin, 351 pages (e-library)
#4: Read a book with a synonym for "travel" on the cover
-
#5: Read a book about something a nice person wouldn't do or one indicating such a thing in the title
- Lieg met mij (Lie with me) - Philippe Besson, 158 pages (library 20/6)
#6: Read a book by an author new to you
- Een algemene theorie van het vergeten (A General Theory of Oblivion) - José Eduardo Agualusa, 254 pages (library 16/6)
- Bier in de snookerclub (Beer in the Snooker Club) - Waguih Ghali, 237 pages (library)
- Bruggenbouwers - Jan Guillou, 520 pages (library 20/6)
- Ik mooi praten (Me Talk Pretty One Day) - David Sedaris, 254 pages (e-library 15/6)
- Het korte maar wonderbare leven van Oscar Wao (The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao) - Junot Díaz, 334 pages (e-library 17/6)
#7: Read a book with the number 35 in either in the title (subtitles allowed!) or the ISBN
- Schuilplaats voor andere tijden (Time Shelter) - Georgi Gospodinov, 333 pages (e-library 20/6)
#8: Read a book that fits one of the categories of the 2023 Seattle Public Library Summer Book Bingo card
- De tovenaar (The Magican) - Colm Tóibín, 581 pages (e-library 15/6)
#9: Read a book (F or NF) about the experiences of indigenous/First Nations peoples in the Americas or Australia/NZ
- Kerewin (The Bone People) - Keri Hulme, 533 pages
#10: Read a book for Morphy's favorite subgenres semi-rolling challenge
-
#11: Read a book written by a transgender and/or nonbinary (or any other gender non-conforming identity) author
-
#12: Read a book with a title starting with "S"
- Stoner (Stoner) - John Williams, 319 pages (library)
#13: Read a book by an author whose first or family name is the same as one of the team members of the Leeds United team that won the Centenary FA Cup Final in 1972
-
#14: Read a book that made the Publishers Weekly best-seller lists any year up to and including 1986
-
#15: ALL or Nothing: Read a book whose title contains all of the vowels (A, E, I, O, U) or none of the vowels
- 1q84 (1Q84) - Haruki Murakami, 1296 pages (e-library)
#16: Read a book whose title words are all different lengths
? Driedaagse reis (Three Day Road) - Joseph Boyden, 453 pages
- 't Manco (A Void) - Georges Perec, 310 pages (library 16/6)
#17 Read a book with a title or subtitle that mentions a place that is not set in the country where you reside
-

books read in January 2023
book 1: De fundamenten by Ramsey Nasr
book 2: Bestaat er een raarder leven dan het mijne? Jef Last (1898-1972) by Rudi Wester
book 3: Levensgevaar (Rivierdelta 2) by Arttu Tuominen
book 4: Broers (Brothers) by Bernice Rubens
book 5: Mijn dertigjarige oorlog (No Surrender: My Thirty-Year War) by Hiroo Onoda
book 6: Het schemeren van de wereld (The Twilight World) by Werner Herzog
book 7: Eigen welzijn eerst by Roxane van Iperen
book 8: Wolven op het ruiterpad by Tijs Goldschmidt
book 9: Rotterdam: ode aan de inefficiëntie by Arjen van Veelen
book 10: Doctor Vlimmen by Mr. A. Roothaert
book 11: Vlimmen contra Vlimmen by Mr. A. Roothaert
book 12: Vlimmens tweede jeugd by Mr. A. Roothaert
book 13: Het weeshuis in de azuurblauwe zee (The House in the Cerulean Sea) by T.J. Klune
book 14: Job: roman over een eenvoudige man (Job: The Story of a Simple Man) by Joseph Roth
book 15: Vogels van West- en Midden-Europa by Philip J.K. Burton
book 16: De raaf by Louis Beyens
book 17: Zwartboek (The Black Book; John Rebus 5) by Ian Rankin
book 18: Met lichte tred by Ton Lemaire
book 19: Onheilstijding (A Dying Fall; Ruth Galloway 5) by Elly Griffiths
book 20: Leven en lot (Life and Fate) by Vasili Grossman
book 21: Vallende stenen (Konráð 4) by Arnaldur Indriðason
book 22: De opwindvogelkronieken (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle) by Haruki Murakami
book 23: De uitverkorene (The Elected Member) by Bernice Rubens

books read in February 2023
book 24: De bijzondere woorden van Gioia by Enrico Galiano
book 25: Verweven leven (Entangled life) by Merlin Sheldrake
book 26: Transit (Transit) by Anna Seghers
book 27: Vissen hebben geen voeten (Fish Have No Feet) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
book 28: Perenbomen bloeien wit by Gerbrand Bakker
book 29: De zaak van Münster (Münster's Case; Van Veeteren 6) by Håkan Nesser
book 30: Verzen van nu by Garmt Stuiveling
book 31: Koning Lear (King Lear) by William Shakespeare
book 32: Pony (Pony) by R.J. Palacio
book 33: Verwilderd (Bewilderment) by Richard Powers
book 34: Karel en Elegast - Anonymus
book 35: De veensoldaten by Wolfgang Langhoff
book 36: Zwarte seconden (Black Seconds; Konrad Sejer 6) by Karin Fossum
book 37: Het hart is een eenzame jager (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter) by Carson McCullers
book 38: Toen ik dit zag by Rutger Kopland
book 39: Wilde rozen en andere verhalen by Konstantin Paustovski
book 40: De memoires van Norton, filosoof en hond (Norton's Philosophical Memoirs) by Håkan Nesser
book 41: De alchemist (The Alchemist) by Paulo Coelho
book 42: Laatste zomernacht by Maarten 't Hart
book 43: Uit de bek van de walvis (From the Mouth of the Whale) by Sjón
book 44: Reisverslag van een kat (The Travelling Cat Chronicles) by Hiro Arikawa
book 45: Madame le Commissaire en de verdwenen Engelsman (Isabelle Bonnet 1) by Pierre Martin
book 46: Het gele behang en andere verhalen by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
book 47: Dat weet je niet by Jens Christian Grøndahl
book 48: Wat bomen ons vertellen (Tree Story) by Valerie Trouet
book 49: De val (The fell) by Sarah Moss
book 50: Zo begint het slechte (Thus Bad Begins) by Javier Marías
book 51: Eurotrash by Christian Kracht
book 52: Een jaar in scherven by Koos van Zomeren
book 53: Vang de haas (Catch the rabbit) by Lana Bastašić

books read in March 2023
book 54: Madame le Commissaire en de uitgestelde wraak (Isabelle Bonnet 2) by Pierre Martin
book 55: De werkplaats van de duivel (The Devil's Workshop) by Jáchym Topol
book 56: De ontdekking van de natuur by Hans Mulder, 256 pages, TIOLI #3 (msg 75)
book 57: De niet verhoorde gebeden van Jacob de Zoet (The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet) by David Mitchell
book 58: Haas (The Year of the Hare) by Artro Paasilinna
book 59: Het boek van de doodgraver by Oliver Pötzsch
book 60: Jasper en zijn knecht by Gerbrand Bakker
book 61: Pelgrim zonder God by Herman Vuijsje
book 62: Niet alleen by Tim Voors
book 63: Vluchtig verlangen (Transient Desires; Brunetti 30) by Donna Leon
book 64: De verliefden (The Infatuations) by Javier Marías
book 65: Duitse les (The German Lesson) by Siegfried Lenz
book 66: Hoe duur was de suiker? (The Cost of Sugar) by Cynthia Mc Leod
book 67: De foltering van Eldorado by Albert Helman
book 68: Het geluk van de wandelaar (The Gentle Art of Tramping) by Stephen Graham
book 69: De rode ruiterij (Red Cavalry) by Isaak Babel
book 70: Wereld & wandel van Michael K (Life & Times of Michael K) by J.M. Coetzee
book 71: Het schot dat niemand raakte (The Bullet That Missed) by Richard Osman
book 72: Dwars door de Lage Landen by Arnout Hauben
book 73: Het plezier van wandelen (Walking: One Step At a Time) by Erling Kagge
book 74: Boud by Eva Rovers

books read in April 2023
book 75: De geschiedenis van het pad (In Praise of Paths) by Torbjørn Ekelund
book 76: Onder buren by Juli Zeh
book 77: Joe Speedboot (Joe Speedboat) by Tommy Wieringa
book 78: Madame le Commissaire en de dood van de politiechef by Pierre Martin
book 79: Het hoofdkussenboek (The Pillow Book) by Sei Shōnagon
book 80: Het meisje met de luidende stem (The Girl With the Louding Voice) by Abi Daré
book 81: De wandeling (The Walk) by Robert Walser
book 82: Ademloos (Whiteout; Dark Iceland 4) by Ragnar Jónasson
book 83: Erfgoed (Heritage) by Miguel Bonnefoy
book 84: Slechts een diefstal (Stolen) by Ann-Helén Laestadius
book 85: Een heel leven voor je (The Life before Us) by Romain Gary
book 86: Pelgrim langs Tinker Creek (Pilgrim at Tinker Creek) by Annie Dillard
book 87: Titanic : de laatste beelden (Titanic: The Last Great Images) by Robert Ballard
book 88: De winnaars (The Winners) by Fredrik Backman
book 89: Ik weet waarom gekooide vogels zingen (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) by Maya Angelou
book 90: De brug met drie bogen (The Three-Arched Bridge) by Ismail Kadare
book 91: Historiën (Histories) by Publius Cornelius Tacitus
book 92: Vuurwerk (Mortal Causes; John Rebus 6) by Ian Rankin
book 93: Erasmus : dwarsdenker by Sandra Langereis
book 94: Trage paarden (Slow Horses) by Mick Herron
book 95: Lessen in chemie (Lessons in Chemistry) by Bonnie Garmus
book 96: Regeneration : De klimaatcrisis opgelost in één generatie (Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation) by Paul Hawken

Reading plans in 2023
Reading books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list
Read some big tomes (1000+ pages)
Read books by Nobel Prize for Literature winners

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

--
Some big tomes I might read in 2023:
Ideeën (1-7) by Multatuli, 3846 pages
De razende Roeland (Orlando furioso) by Ludovico Ariosto, 1783 pages
De kracht van Atlantis (Atlas shrugged) by Ayn Rand, 1373 pages
1q84 (IQ84) - Haruki Murakami, 1296 pages
Inktzwart hart (The Ink Black Heart) - Robert Galbraith, 1190 pages
Vestdijk, een biografie - Wim Hazeu, 1051 pages

--
Some other books I want to read in 2023, as my library wishlist got out of control:
Het verhaal van een leven (The Story of a Life) - Aharon Appelfeld, 210 pages
Een ander land (Another Country) - James Baldwin, 578 pages
De mandarijnen (The Mandarins - Simone de Beauvoir, 732 pages
Oorlogsgedruis (Undertones of War) - Edmund Blunden, 359 pages
Anatomie van een moment (The Anatomy of a Moment) - Javier Cercas, 539 pages
Wat doe ik hier (What Am I Doing Here?) - Bruce Chatwin, 337 pages
✔ Wereld en wandel van Michael K (Life and Times of Michael K) - J.M. Coetzee, 222 pages
Jean-Paul Sartre : zijn biografie (Sartre: A Life) - Annie Cohen-Solal, 610 pages
Het valse leven (Tree of Life) - Maryse Condé, 398 pages
De tweeënveertigste breedtegraad (The 42nd Parallel) - John Dos Passos, 445 pages
Het bezoek van de lijfarts (The Royal Physician's Visit) - Per Olov Enquist, 325 pages
De stille Amerikaan (The Quiet American) - Graham Greene, 239 pages
✔ Duitse les (The German Lesson) - Siegfried Lenz, 511 pages
✔ Kalevala (The Kalevala) - Elias Lönnrot, 331 pages
De huid (The Skin) - Curzio Malaparte, 413 pages
De verloofden (The Betrothed) - Alessandro Manzoni, 651 pages
Sjostakovitsj : zijn leven, zijn werk, zijn tijd - Krzysztof Meyer, 576 pages
Een staat van vrijheid (In a Free State) - V.S. Naipaul, 285 pages
Een beloofd land (A promised land) - Barack Obama, 896 pages
De hongerende weg (The Famished Road) - Ben Okri, 492 pages
✔ Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century) - Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, 672 pages
Aan open zee (By the Open Sea) - August Strindberg, 207 pages
Laatste ronde (Last Orders) - Graham Swift, 289 pages
Het drijvende koninkrijk (The Kingdom by the Sea) - Paul Theroux, 375 pages
De Moeras-Arabieren (The Marsh Arabs) - Wilfred Thesiger, 287 pages
Aarde der mensen (This Earth of Mankind) - Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 457 pages
Rabbit rent (Rabbit Run) - John Updike, 300 pages
Rembrandt - Theun de Vries, 303 pages
Wilt Tjaarda - Theun de Vries, 296 pages
Herinneringen van Hadrianus (Memoirs of Hadrian) - Marguerite Yourcenar, 346 pages
✔ Landlijnen (Landlines) - Raynor Winn, 351 pages

Tickers

Totals since 2008:

My reading in previous years in text
2008: 130 books -   35.152 pages   (96,0 ppd)
2009:   78 books -   21.470 pages   (58,8 ppd)
2010: 121 books -   38.209 pages (104,7 ppd)
2011:   84 books -   30.256 pages   (82,9 ppd)
2012:   53 books -   18.779 pages   (51,3 ppd)
2013:   13 books -     3.692 pages   (10,1 ppd)
2014:   17 books -     3.700 pages   (10,1 ppd)
2015:   29 books -   10.080 pages   (27,6 ppd)
2016: 253 books -   72.391 pages (197,8 ppd)
2017: 453 books - 110.222 pages (302,0 ppd)
2018: 534 books - 111.906 pages (306,6 ppd)
2019: 413 books - 110.873 pages (303,8 ppd)
2020: 226 books -   79.216 pages (216,4 ppd)
2021: 288 books -   94.339 pages (258,5 ppd)
2022: 323 books - 102.275 pages (280,2 ppd)

--
Previous threads in 2023
book 1 - 23: thread 1
book 24 - 53: thread 2
book 54 - 74: thread 3
book 75 - 96: thread 4

--
Monthly statistics
January: 23 books / 8.293 pages
February: 30 books / 7.531 pages
March: 21 books / 6.990 pages
April: 22 books / 7.384 pages

Lists on my WikiThing

The best books I have read, by year first published
My Five star reads
The best 50 books I have read (fiction)
The books by Nobel prize winners I have read
The Booker prize winners I have read
The Pulitzer prize winners (fiction) I have read
The winners of some Dutch literary prizes

Series I read, a list to keep track

Alan Banks by Peter Robinson (re-read 4/20)
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; 11 Kil als het graf; 12 Nasleep; 13 Onvoltooide zomer; 14 Vuurspel; 15 Drijfzand; 16 Hartzeer; 17 Duivelsgebroed; 18 Overmacht; 19 Uitschot; 20 Dwaalspoor; 21 Dankbare dood; 22 Slachthuisblues

Ari Thór Arason (Dark Iceland) by Ragnar Jónasson 4/4
1 Sneeuwblind; 2 Inktzwart; 3 Poolnacht; 4 Ademloos

Bernie Gunther by Philip Kerr 7/12
1 Een Berlijnse kwestie; 2 Het handwerk van de beul; 3 Een Duits requiem; 4 De een van de ander; 5 Een stille vlam; 6 Als de doden niet herrijzen; 7 Grijs verleden; 8 Praag fataal; 9 De man zonder adem; 10 De vrouw van Zagreb; 11 De schaduw van de stilte; 12 Pruisisch blauw; 13 Vergeven en vergeten; 14 Metropolis

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

Brotherband by John Flanagan 0/9
1 De outsiders; 2 De indringers; 3 De jagers; 4 De slaven van Socorro; 5 De schorpioenberg; 6 De spookgezichten; 7 De Caldera; 8 De terugkeer van de Temujai; 9 De jacht op de Wolfswind

De Cock by A.C. Baantjer 58/71

Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith 5/6
1 Koekoeksjong; 2 Zijderups; 3 Het slechte pad; 4 Witte dood; 5 Kwaad bloed; 6 Inktzwart hart

George Smiley by John Le Carré 5/9
1 Telefoon voor de dode; 2 Voetsporen in de sneeuw; 3 Spion aan de muur; 4 Spion verspeeld; 5 Edelman, bedelman, schutter, spion; 6 Spion van nobel bloed; 7 Smiley's prooi; 8 De laatste spion; 9 Een erfenis van spionnen

Guido Brunetti by Donna Leon 30/30
1 Dood van een maestro; 2 Dood in den vreemde; 3 De dood draagt rode schoenen; 4 Salto mortale; 5 Acqua alta; 6 Een stille dood; 7 Nobiltà; 8 Fatalità; 9 Vriendendienst; 10 Onrustig tij; 11 Bedrieglijke zaken; 12 De stille elite; 13 Verborgen bewijs; 14 Vertrouwelijke zaken; 15 Duister glas; 16 Kinderspel; 17 Droommeisje; 18 Gezichtsverlies; 19 Een kwestie van vertrouwen; 20 Dodelijke conclusies; 21 Beestachtige zaken; 22 Het onbekende kind; 23 Tussen de regels; 24 Ik aanbid je; 25 Eeuwige jeugd; 26 Wat niet verdwijnt; 27 Vergiffenis; 28 De troonopvolger; 29 Duister water; 30 Vluchtig verlangen; 31 Give Unto Others (not translated); 32 So Shall You Reap (not translated)

Isabelle Bonnet by Pierre Martin 4/6
1 Madame le Commissaire en de verdwenen Engelsman; 2 Madame le Commissaire en de uitgestelde wraak; 3 Madame le Commissaire en de dood van de politiechef; 4 Madame le Commissaire en het mysterieuze schilderij; 5 Madame le Commissaire en de dode non; 6 Madame le Commissaire en de dode minnaar; 7 Madame le Commissaire und die Frau (not translated); 8 Madame le Commissaire und die panische Diva (not translated); 9 Madame le Commissaire und die Villa der Frauen (not translated)

John Rebus by Ian Rankin 6/23
1 Kat & muis; 2 Blindeman; 3 Hand & Tand; 4 Ontmaskering; 5 Zwartboek; 6 Vuurwerk; 7 Laat maar bloeden; 8 Gerechtigheid; 9 Door het lint; 10 Dode zielen; 11 In het duister; 12 Valstrik; 13 Lazarus; 14 Een kwestie van bloed; 15 De rechtelozen; 16 Gedenk de doden; 17 Laatste ronde; 18 Cold case; 19 Saints of the Shadow Bible (not translated); 20 Even Dogs in the Wild (not translated); 21 Rather Be the Devil (not translated); 22 Een web van leugens; 23 Een lied voor duistere tijden

Konráð by Arnaldur Indridason 4/4
1 Smeltend ijs; 2 Boven water; 3 Smeulend vuur; 4 Vallende stenen

Konrad Sejer by Karin Fossum 6/14
1 Eva's oog; 2 Kijk niet achterom; 3 Wie de wolf vreest; 4 De duivel draagt het licht; 5 De Indiase bruid; 6 Zwarte seconden; 7 De moord op Harriet Krohn; 8 Een andere voorkeur; 9 Kwade wil; 10 De waarschuwer; 11 Veenbrand; 12 De fluisteraar; 13 De verduistering; 14 Zwanenzang

Martin Servaz by Bernard Minier 4/7
1 Een kille rilling; 2 Huivering; 3 Verduistering; 4 Schemering; 5 Weerzin; 6 Afdaling; 7 Afrekening

Oliver von Bodenstein & Pia Kirchhoff by Nele Neuhaus 9/10
1 Een onbeminde vrouw; 2 Moordvrienden; 3 Diepe wonden; 4 Sneeuwwitje moet sterven; 5 Wie wind zaait; 6 Boze wolf; 7 De levenden en de doden; 8 Het woud; 9 Moederdag; 10 Eeuwige vriendschap

De Rougons-Macquarts (The Rougon-Macquarts) by Émile Zola 4/20
1 Het fortuin der Rougons; 2 De buit; 3 De buik van Parijs; 4 De verovering van Plassans; 5 De misstap van pastoor Mouret; 6 Zijne excellentie Eugène Rougon; 7 De nekslag; 8 Liefde; 9 Nana; 10 In troebel water; 11 In het paradijs voor de vrouw; 12 Levensvreugde; 13 De mijn; 14 Het werk; 15 Het land; 16 De droom; 17 Het beest in de mens; 18 Het geld; 19 De ondergang; 20 Dokter Pascal

Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle 4/8
1 Een studie in rood; 2 De vallei der verschrikking; 3 De hond van de Baskervilles; 4 Het teken van de vier; 5 Het laatste probleem; 6 Het avontuur van de duivelsklauw; 7 Zijn laatste buiging; 8 De onbekende avonturen van Sherlock Holmes

De tandeloze tijd by A.F.Th. van der Heijden 1/11
0 De slag om de Blauwbrug; 1 Vallende ouders; 2 De gevarendriehoek; 2.1 Weerborstels; 3.1 Het hof van barmhartigheid; 3.2 Onder het plaveisel het moeras; 3.4 Doodverf; 4 Advocaat van de hanen; 5 De helleveeg; 6 Kwaadschiks; 8 Stemvorken

Van Veeteren by Håkan Nesser 6/11
1 Het grofmazige net; 2 Het vierde offer; 3 De terugkeer; 4 De vrouw met de moedervlek; 5 De commissaris en het zwijgen; 6 De zaak van Münster; 7 Carambole; 8 De dode op het strand; 9 De zwaluw, de kat, de roos en de dood; 10 Van Veeteren en de zaak-G; 11 De vereniging van linkshandigen

Books acquired in 2023: 17

January (2)
Het gouden boek - Doris Lessing
Episoden uit het leven van Lulu - Almudena Grandes

February (4)
Job: roman over een eenvoudige man - Joseph Roth
Beton - Thomas Bernhard
Correctie - Thomas Bernhard
Watten - Thomas Bernhard

March (6)
Waar alles nog toegaat zoals het hoort - Jef van Gool
Vernietigen - Michel Houellebecq
De eerlijke vinder - Lize Spit (bookweek gift)
Boto Banja - Raoul de Jong (bookweek essay)
DealersDochter - Astrid Roemer
Brave new world : zestien schilders voor de eenentwintigste eeuw - Hans den Hartog Jager

April (4)
Spion van nobel bloed - John le Carré
Natuuramnesie - Marc Argeloo
Kroniek van Eldorado. I: Folteraars over en weer - Albert Helman
Kroniek van Eldorado. II: Gefolterden zonder verweer - Albert Helman

May (1)
Dagen in huis - Roelof ten Napel

Welcome!

Happy new thread, Anita. I love tulips and of course, love that topper! My 2 favourites are the 2-coloured one in the top row, second pic, and the one in the bottom row, far right, with fringed petals. I can't have tulips in my garden because the squirrels dig them up and eat any flowers that make it to bloom. They were the first flowers I ever planted when I moved to my house and after that first year of frustration, I never planted them again. Instead, I bought cut or potted tulips to enjoy indoors. Are there no squirrels in The Netherlands? Lucky you!

Happy New Thread, Anita! The tulips are beautiful! I'm partial to the third down on the left, with it's orange and glowing yellow tips, and the third down on the right, with the lovely pink colour. We have tulips here too. We do have squirrels around, but the tulips seem to do fine here. But feral rabbits can be problem for flowers here. Happy reading in May.

Happy new thread Anita! I love the tulips pictures. And I have fond memories of the day we spent in Rotterdam!

Happy new one!

>1 FAMeulstee: I love tulips! All the different varieties never cease to amaze me. I always try to find different tulips each year to plant.

Looks like you had a wonderful walking tour of Rotterdam.

Hello Anita, and happy new thread!

From your last thread, I hope your thyroid levels are getting settled.

>1 FAMeulstee: 1800 tulip varieties is absolutely stunning. I had no idea. I am glad you gave us the translation of the poem about the dike.

>7 FAMeulstee: Excellent reading plans, both for long books and for other books. I’ve read IQ84 and The Ink Black Heart and recommend both highly.

I also read Chatwin’s In Patagonia and still have the copy I bought when driving back to California from the East Coast in 1980. I did not realize he died young from AIDS. I’ve read The Quiet American and A Promised Land, too, also both excellent.

Happy Wednesday, Anita. Happy New Thread. I hope you are having a good week.

>14 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley, it was so nice to see all these varieties.
I remember you told about the squirrels in your garden, too bad you can't grow tulips because of them. We have red squirrels in our country, mainly in woodland area's, not here in the polder. I have never heard they become a pest in gardens.

>15 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah.
Those are beautiful indeed. In my own garden I have some red and yellow tulips remaining, most others have vanished, as I don't dig them up in fall.

--
Here a picture of (nearly) all 1800+ tulip varieties. They were planted in two double rows, about ten plants of each variety. There were paths along, so you could see them all close by.

>16 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, Claire, on our way we also saw many tulip fields in all colors.
We had seen an item about the history of this part of the dike on local TV, it was odd to know we were standing on remains of the bombed city of Rotterdam.

>17 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!
How nice to plant new varieties of tulips every year. I only planted some in my first year here, and some were already in the garden, planted by previous owners.

>18 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, happy Wednesday!
I hope so too, it is always a hassle, and an emotional rollercoaster, when I need to adjust my thyroid medication.

All these different tulips was really amazing. Voluteers plant them by hand each year, and dig them up in fall, each variety in a bag, with the name on it. The oldest variety they grow is from 1620!

Thanks, I hope to get to them all, although I am running behind already...
What Am I Doing Here? is the last Chatwin to read, I have read all others. My favorite is Songlines.

>19 msf59: Thank you, Mark, happy Wednesday.
Two weeks ago I saw the first swallows returning, they were late this year. Now there are many flying around.

Happy New Thread, Anita! Beautiful tulips. Tulip season is done here, spirea is blooming and the peonies are budding.

Happy new thread, Anita. Love the tulips

Happy New Thread!! Beautiful pictures!!

Happy new thread, Anita. You are really steaming through 2023! Your big tomes list is impressive (except for Atlas Shrugged, which I suggest you skip. Lots of political libertarian polemics.)

Happy new thread, Anita! The tulips are gorgeous :)

Happy new one, Anita. I love tulips. Thanks so much for sharing these beautiful photos.

>1 FAMeulstee: New-thread orisons, Anita. What beautiful photos of your northern provincial attractions.

My favorite Chatwin book is SONGLINES, too.

*smooch "

Happy new one, Anita. I love tulips. Thanks so much for sharing these beauti

Tulips are marvellous Anita. Really beautiful.

>23 ronincats: Thank you, Roni.
We have a late spring this year, March and April were rather cool. The tulips in my garden are nearly gone, as they were shielded against the cold wind, and facing south.

>24 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. It was very nice to see so many diffferent tulips together.

>25 hredwards: Thank you, Harold, glad to share!

>26 ffortsa: Thank you, Judy, the books treat me well.
I haven't read any big tome yet, last year I started better. Not sure if I get to Atlas Shrugged, I would read it just because I want to understand WHY people think like that...

>27 curioussquared: Thank you, Natalie.
Yes, the tulips were gorgeous, all 1800+ of them :-)

>28 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara.
We were glad we finally got to see the tulip collection. It is was very special to see so many together.

>29 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear. We saw many tulip fields driving around, lovely large patches of color.
Glad we agree on Songlines :-)
*smooches*

>30 Ameise1: Thanks again, Barbara.

>31 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, they are beautiful.
It was a pleasure to drive along the tulip fields, and I have never seen so many varieties before.

Hi Anita and happy new thread. The tulip pictures are beautiful. i have tulips in bloom right now too looking much like the bottom right corner in >1 FAMeulstee:, pink with frilly edges. Gorgeous! The catalogue arrived today to pre-order for fall. All so tempting!

Oh yes Songlines was wonderful. I must read more of his work.

Happy new thread! Lovely tulips! Like others here, I have trouble growing them, so I just enjoy them in other ways.

Happy new thread Anita!

>1 FAMeulstee: >20 FAMeulstee: Tulips add such joy to life!

>37 mdoris: Thank you, Mary, your tulips sound lovely. Tulips come in so many colors, they can really brighten the garden in spring. Your pre-order catalogue comes early!

I also liked his novel On the Black Hill.

>38 foggidawn: Thank you, Foggi, sorry tulips don't grow in your garden.
You can enjoy them on my pictures, or in a vase :-)

>39 quondame: Thank you, Susan,
I really like all the bright colors of tulips.

Happy new thread, Anita. xx

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Anita. I love all the pictures of the tulips! They don't do well here, so I haven't planted any in many years.

>42 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul.

>43 drneutron: Thank you, Jim!

>44 atozgrl: Thank you, Irene, I loved to see the tulips.
I have some tulips in my garden, a previous owner planted them, and I planted a few in the first years here. We came in this house in 2005, so that was a long time ago.

Happy (mostly) new thread, Anita! I love the flower pictures!

Karen O

Happy new thread, Anita. Your timing for the tulips was perfect!

>45 FAMeulstee: Tulips were always my favourite flowers growing up and I suppose my bias in favour of the Netherlands comes in part from it. Cruyff, Neeskens, Van der Valk, Zootemelk and then Breukink, Tom Okker these were heroes of my youth.

>46 klobrien2: Thank you, Karen.
I started this tread only a day ago. Glad you love the pictures.

>47 DianaNL: Thank you, Diana. Regional TV kept us updated about the Tulip Festival.

>48 PaulCranswick: Van der Valk? Not sure who you mean, Paul.
  (A quick search finds a Brittish TV-series, unknown to me)
If you replace Neeskens by Van Hanegem, I can do with those names. At least Cruijff ended his carreer with Feyenoord, we won the double that year ;-)

BTW: >1 FAMeulstee: Top row, second from the left is a tulip named Feijenoord :-D

Read, not yet reviewed:
#97: Madame le Commissaire en het mysterieuze schilderij by Pierre Martin
#98: Knecht, alleen by Gerbrand Bakker

Reading now:
De patiënten van dokter García by Almudena Grandes
Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld (Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World) by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

>1 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Happy new thread. I loved the story and the poem of the Rotterdamse Hoek. Very interesting! And very fitting for today.

>51 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella.

For us the date is ten days later, the bombing was on May 14th, 83 years ago this year. Of course we do think of all victims at 8 o'clock on the 4th.

On Google maps a woman told she had first walked the 'brandgrens' (there are markings now in Rotterdam, to show how far the fires after the bombing came), and then visited the Rotterdamse Hoek.

Happy new thread, Anita.
And thank you for the pictures.

>52 FAMeulstee: Of course, it would be different for Rotterdam.

That’s a nice tribute, from that woman.

>53 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, you are very welcome.

>54 EllaTim: Yes, although it wasn't memorised for a long time, as it was 'not looking back and go forward' in the years after the war.
Yes, it was a very nice tribute.

Hi Anita my dear, Happy New Thread my dear friend. I love your thread topper photos, especially the Tulips, we only have a few and i need to get some more for next year. Hope that you and Frank have a really lovely weekend my dear friend.

>56 johnsimpson: Thank you, dear John.
Tulips are lovely flowers in the garden, I hope you find some nice ones to plant in fall.
Fank is working tonight and tomorrow night, so I have lots of time to read this weekend :-)
Hugs and love to you and Karen.

Hi Anita, hope you are having a good Sunday. I have been catching up with my book-related reading. An article about The Passion in Harlingen under the heading "the Arts". I am not sure why this caught the eye of the journalist (no book is mentioned), but who knows.

>58 charl08: For some years on Good Friday singers and actors play Jesus way to the cross, larded with Dutch songs, called The Passoin. Each year it is in an other city, and the streets are the stage. It is broadcasted live.
I would not call it 'art'. Maybe the journalist had never seen something like this before? The only relation with a book is that the story comes from the bible.

book 97: Madame le Commissaire en het mysterieuze schilderij by Pierre Martin
library, e-book, translated from German, no English translation, 368 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book with a ten-letter (or more) word in the title, sub-title or author's name

Isabelle Bonnet book 4
Isabelle and her assistant Appolinaire need a vacation. As there are no cases at the moment, they close their station to take some time off. But the next day Isabelle gets a call from Paris, to investigate the death of a state secretary, who seemingly died of a natural cause. And a next case is presented shortly after, a forged Matisse painting. And it looks like this is not the only forged painting.

Fairly light police procedurals, I liked the first in the series better than the next ones. Still good enough to continue.

Title translated: Madame le Commissaire and the mysterous painting

book 98: Knecht, alleen by Gerbrand Bakker
library, e-book, non-fiction, Dutch, no English translation, 312 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book that would have fit into a Jan to April TIOLI challenge that you participated in

Autobiography. Life goes on after Jasper en zijn knecht. Gerbrands dog, Jasper has died, and Gerbrand gets into deep depression, while on vacation in Greece with two friends. He slowly gets back on his feet, with help of his therapist. Family, friends, his life in Schwartzbach (Germany), where he lives most of the year, and the feelings of lonelyness, without dog, and without a partner.

Title translated: Servant, alone

book 99: Het gelijk van Spinoza by Antonio Damasio
library, non-fiction, translated from English, original title Looking for Spinoza, 319 pages
TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book whose author has at least 2 of the letters that spell May in their name

Neuroscientist Damasio explains where emotions and feelings are located in the brain. And how they are a part of the system that keeps us well. Spinoza already saw the body and mind as one, and didn't agree with body-mind dualism. He also gives a short biography of the Dutch philospher.

This book was on my library wishlist, a list I want to reduce this year. Can't remember when I put it there, but probably because I expected a work about Spinoza. Well that was only a small part of it. Nevertheless an interesting read, reminded me a bit of Siddhartha's brain.

Dutch title translated: The right from Spinoza

book 100: De patiënten van dokter García by Almudena Grandes
library, translated from Spanish, no English translation 923 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book by a foreign author

Almudena Grandes was working on the 7th book of Episodes in an interminable war, when she died in November 2021. So there are only 6 books published in this series. The books tell about left wing people living through the Spanish Civil War, and persecuted in the years after under Franco. This book is the 5th. So sadly I only have one left to read.

Doctor Guillermo García Medina saves the life of Manuel Arroyo Benítez during the civil war in 1937. They become friends for life. Some years later they both take part in an infitration in Clara Stauffers network, that rescues sought nazi's. Giving them a new life, and if necessary new name, in Spain or Argentinia. Living undercover takes a large toll on both men.

In her afterword Amunda Grandes gives the sources she based the story on, as she did in each book.
Again a gripping, intense, well written story about the sad faith of Republican Spanish people.

Title translated: The patients of doctor García

>62 FAMeulstee: Spinoza in a book title sets my expectations for it to be a work of philosophy or analysis of philosophy. That title wouldn't make me want to pick it up. But the subject matter definitely does. Thanks for dispelling the cloud from my eyes.

>60 FAMeulstee: I guess this series is just not strong enough to make it onto an Anglophone publisher's list...too bad, since I like art-crime stories.

Happy week ahead's reads, Anita!

Uh Oh. Two BBs in a row. Of course, putting them on my BB list doesn't mean I'll get to them any time soon, but at least I've captured them. Thanks.

>64 richardderus: You are welcome, Richard dear. Despite other expectations, it was a worthwile read.
I hope a publisher picks up these books someday, and makes them available for English readers.
*smooch*

>65 ffortsa: Always good to have a long list of TBRs, Judy. So you never run out of reading material :-)

>61 FAMeulstee: I read both The Twin and The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker. I enjoyed them both. I'll have to see what the English title is for Knecht, alleen.

>67 vancouverdeb: I think Knecht, alleen is not tranlated in English (yet), Deborah, there might be a German translation. I always put the title of the English translation in my reviews, if there is a translation.
As far as I could find there is a third book available in English: June.
I have read The Twin, and intend to read the other two.

I'm behind, but happy new thread Anita. :) I've been scouring your old threads though for a recent book order that had some BB's from you. >50 FAMeulstee: I'll also be keeping an eye out for your thoughts on Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, I read the first book last year and thought it worked well as a standalone so I've been hesitant to pick up the second.

Read, not yet reviewed: none :-)

Reading now:
Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld (Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World) by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Michael Kohlhaas (Michael Kohlhaas) by Heinrich von Kleist

>69 WhiteRaven.17: Thank you, Kro, always happy to hear I helped to enlarge your book collection :-)

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World starts two years after where Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe ended. We mainly see the world through Ari's eyes. I am half way now, and like it a little better than the first book.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#101: Michael Kohlhaas (Michael Kohlhaas) by Heinrich von Kleist
#102: Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld (Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World) by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Reading now:
Herfst (Autumn) by Ali Smith
Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
Kalevala : het epos der Finnen (Kalevala) by Elias Lönnrot
De eigenwijze helden van Sassoen by Nairi Zaryan

--
We will be gone the rest of the day to visit my father.
The restaurant at his place serves an asparagus diner tonight :-)

Checking in on you, Anita. I hope you have a wonderful visit with your father!

The tulips are so beautiful! I also have trouble growing them due to both squirrels and deer. But I enjoy your pictures very much! Sometimes I plant a few bulbs in potting soil, put them in the the back of my refrigerator and bring them out to bloom in my house in January or February.

>73 alcottacre: Thank you, Stasia.
We had a good time with my father, and had a great diner together.

>74 streamsong: Thank you, Janet.
It was very special to see over 1800 different kind of tulips together.
Nice how you make them bloom so early, I never thought of using the refrigerator that way!

>71 FAMeulstee: You certainly have and made it more exciting, as tracking down some of the translated works has been a little less straight-forward. And that is good to hear about Waters of the World, I'll have to look at picking it up then. :)

Happy Saturday, Anita. How has your weather been? We have been cool and damp the last couple of days. I hope you are enjoying Autumn. I loved that one.

>76 WhiteRaven.17: Thanks, Kro, I hope you like the next Aristotle and Dante book too.
I hadn't realised that available in English translation doesn't mean these books are easily available. Especially older books can be hard to find.

>77 msf59: Happy Sunday, Mark.
We had rather cool and wet weather for a while. Now it has turned to dry and warmer.
I do enjoy Autumn, hope to finish it today. I am looking forward to the next books in her Seasonal Quartet.

I’m glad you had a nice dinner out with your dad, Anita!

>79 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah.
Visible improvement again, as my father was walking around in his appartment without his walker!

Last January he fell from his bed at night, and was unconcsious for some time. He had a concussion and bruises all over, so we were very worried. At his age (92) that can go bad. So we are very happy he is doing better now.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#101: Michael Kohlhaas (Michael Kohlhaas) by Heinrich von Kleist
#102: Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld (Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World) by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
#103: De eigenwijze helden van Sassoen by Nairi Zaryan
#104: Kalevala : het epos der Finnen (Kalevala) by Elias Lönnrot
#105: Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
#106: Herfst (Autumn) by Ali Smith

Reading now:
Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog (Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist) - Frans de Waal
Gaandeweg by J.J. Voskuil, 331 pages, TIOLI #10

Glad to hear, that your Dad is doing much better.
Happy Sunday, Anita.

>82 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, he is improving more than we expected.
Happy start of the week.

--
Terribly behind on the threads and my reviews. I hoped to catch up today, but our favorite soccer team, Feyenoord from Rotterdam, became national champion yesterday.
So I followed the game, the festivities after the game, and the gathering today on TV. The players were at the balcony of the city hall, with over 100,000 people in the streets around. Everyone was singing our clubsongs, and having a great time :-D

The Feyenoord team at the balcony, cheered by the fans


The Coolsingel (mainstreet of Rotterdam) and Stadhuisplein full with fans

Congratulations, Anita, to you (and the team, of course!). It's been forever since we had a championship team here, in just about any sport, I think!

>84 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley!
Last time Feyenoord won the national championship was in 2017, and before that in 1999.
In 1999 we were celebrating with the crowd on the Coolsingel, as we lived in Rotterdam until 2005.

>83 FAMeulstee: Wow, I imagine a lot of people will be having headaches today! Congratulations.

>86 charl08: And a lot of them will be having those tomorrow again, as the celebration went on all day.
Thanks, Charlotte.

Brava for the new national champions! It's always sweet when your team takes home the honors.

Happy Monday to you and Feyenoord's other happy fans.

>88 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear, on behalf of all of us :-)
A very happy Monday today, I hope yours is too!

>83 FAMeulstee: Oh wow! What a crowd and what excitement!

>90 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita. It would have been great to be there, but Frank had to work. I felt the exitement even through the TV!

book 101: Michael Kohlhaas by Heinrich von Kleist
1001 books, library, translated from German, English translation Michael Kohlhaas, 133 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book that would have fit into a Jan to April TIOLI challenge that you participated in

First published in 1810, this Geman story was based on real events in the 16th century.
Michael Kohlhaas is a well respected and honest horse trader. On his way to the market to sell some horses, he finds a new toll on his way. He thinks the owner doesn't have the right to make him pay, but he agrees to leave two horses and his servant as warranty. When he returns his servant is beaten, and chased away, and his horses mistreated. Now Kohlhaas wants justice! But everywhere where he puts his case in court, family of the accused are in high places, and prevent that his case comes to court. When all fails Kohlhaas starts a revolt.

I requested this book from a library outside my province, and was amazed that I got it the first Dutch edition of 1940. I expected to get the second (latest) edition of 1978. The book itself was in great condition, despite the age.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 102: Aristoteles en Dante duiken in de wateren van de wereld by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
library, e-book, YA, translated, original title Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World, 512 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book with at least 2 title words that begin with vowels

Two years after the events in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe we follow them again. Seen through Ari's eyes their relationship changes, they find new friends, and Ari is getting more mature. In their last year at highschool there are a lot of changes.

Somehow this book grabbed me more than the previous one. Both Ari and Dante came to life in a real feeling way.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 103: De eigenwijze helden van Sassoen by Nairi Zaryan
library, e-book, translated from Armenian, no English translation, 294 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book that has a judgemental adjective in the title

This Armenian national epos, also known as David of Sassoun, originates from the 8th century. Retold by Nairi Zaryan, published in the 1960s.

The story starts with Tsovinar, who gets pregnant from a river. She gives birth to the twins Sanasar and Balthasar. Sanasar marries Goldenhair and their son Mehèr rules for years. His son David is the hero of the story, taken hostage by the Egyptian king as a child, and returning to his homeland fighting the Arabs and Egyptians to free the country. The last hero is David's son Mehèr the Younger, who stays without children.

Dutch title translated: The stubborn heroes of Sassoun

book 104: Kalevala : het epos der Finnen by Elias Lönnrot
library, translated from Finnish, English translation The Kalevala, 272 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book that would have fit into a Jan to April TIOLI challenge that you participated in

Finnish ancient epos, gathered in the 19th century by Elian Lönnrot.
Väinämöinen watches and helps when eath is created, living on as a human bard through the rest of the story. Ilmarinen is a smith, who can create anything in his smithy. He wants to marry the daughter of the Mistress of North, and has to make a magical item to get her. Adventures follow, with giants and gods.

Somehow I didn't get into this story. Maybe it was the translation, or maybe I should not have read it straight after the Armenic epos above.

Dutch title translated: Kalevala : the epos of the Finn

Hello Anita! Happy Tuesday to you.

>63 FAMeulstee: Congrats on reaching 100.

>83 FAMeulstee: Wow, congratulations. Fantastic result and the celebrations are a joy to look at.

>96 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, happy Tuesday!
And thanks.
And thanks again ;-)
This was the 16th time Feyenoord won the national championship since the club was founded in 1908. The competition has two more games to go, but Feyenoord is so far ahead that they can not be passed anymore.

>95 FAMeulstee: National epic poems being outside my general reading, I can but marvel at your ability to read two in a row. Neither has any appeals to my delicately calibrated poem tolerance.

>98 richardderus: They were both in prose translation, Richard dear ;-)
I know your tolerance for poems is way less than mine.

The Armenian national epic was part of my newly started challenge (to try) to read an author from every country in the world. The Finnish was on my library wishlist for ages, and part of trying to reduce that list this year.

>99 FAMeulstee: I can but admire your new goal, Anita. One book per country...are there books from Vanuatu or Papua New Guinea? What language would they be in, and how likely are books from some small countries to be translated? The first novel from Burundi to be translated came from colonial French in 2014... into English of course.

Great reason to seek new writing of course. Good luck with the search.

>100 richardderus: I know I won't find them all, Richard dear. The search itself is part of the fun!
Chances for finding an author from Vanuatu, and some other remote countries, are low. And only reading in Dutch an extra difficulty.

Papua New Guinea, as former Dutch colony, could have a better chance, someone of Papua descent could have ended up here. I haven't searched yet. I already located one from Burundi at the library, indeed through the colonial language. Translated directly from a local language would be a much harder challenge.

ETA: So far I have read books by authors from 62 countries since 2008:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria; Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria; Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Curaçao, Czechia; Danmark; Egypt; Finland, France; Germany, Ghana, Greece; Hungary; Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy; Japan; Morocco, Mexico; Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway; Palestine, Peru, Poland, Portugal; Romania, Russia; Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland; Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey; Venezuela; United Kingdom, United States; Vietnam.

I will see how far I can get.

>83 FAMeulstee: Congratulations on your team winning!

>102 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah!
I am still humming the club song with a big smile on my face :-)

>101 FAMeulstee: Impressive list already, Anita, and I wish you good luck in expanding it with fascinating reads as you go.

>104 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear, I hope to find a few gems along the way.
Next in line are Angola and Azerbeidzjan, hope to get to them later this month.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#105: Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
#106: Herfst (Autumn) by Ali Smith
#107: Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog (Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist) by Frans de Waal
#108: Zuidstraat by Denis Henriquez
#109: Sinaasappels zijn niet de enige vruchten (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit) by Jeanette Winterson

Reading now:
Gaandeweg by J.J. Voskuil
Zipper en zijn vader (Zipper and His Father) by Joseph Roth

Óscar Ribas is an Angolan novelist who has been translated into Dutch...

>107 richardderus: I found a book by José Eduardo Agualusa :-)

I like your international challenge, Anita. I look forward to hearing about the African authors you find in Dutch. I would expect there will be some new-to-me authors there.

>109 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte.
I think about adding a message at the top in my next thread with a list with countries and authors.

>83 FAMeulstee: Congratulations to the team and its fans!

Congratulations to you for passing the 100 book mark!!

>111 alcottacre: Thank you, Stasia!
And thanks, I just keep on reading :-)

Read, not yet reviewed:
#105: Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
#106: Herfst (Autumn) by Ali Smith
#107: Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog (Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist) by Frans de Waal
#108: Zuidstraat by Denis Henriquez
#109: Sinaasappels zijn niet de enige vruchten (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit) by Jeanette Winterson
#110: Gaandeweg by J.J. Voskuil

Reading now:
Zipper en zijn vader (Zipper and His Father) by Joseph Roth
Landlijnen (Landlines) by Raynor Winn

Have a wonderful weekend, Anita!

>113 FAMeulstee: Have a great weekend ahead's reads, Anita.

*smooch*

>114 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, happy weekend to you!

>115 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear. *smooch*
Well on my way in Landlines, and just started Dangerous Liasons. Both enjoyable reads so far :-)

>1 FAMeulstee: >20 FAMeulstee: Loving the tulips Anita.

Congratulations to your football team.

You've had some good reading.

>117 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline, it was very special to see so many different tulips together.
Thanks, Frank is 3rd generation Feyenoord fan. One of my father's brothers too, so it is a family thing one both sides.

The books treat me well, I should get to my reviews soon...

Read, not yet reviewed:
#105: Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
#106: Herfst (Autumn) by Ali Smith
#107: Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog (Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist) by Frans de Waal
#108: Zuidstraat by Denis Henriquez
#109: Sinaasappels zijn niet de enige vruchten (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit) by Jeanette Winterson
#110: Gaandeweg by J.J. Voskuil
#111: Zipper en zijn vader (Zipper and His Father) by Joseph Roth
#112: Landlijnen (Landlines) by Raynor Winn

Reading now:
Riskante relaties (Dangerous Liasons) by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century) by Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje

Hi Anita! Congratulations on Feyenoord's win. Of course here in Amsterdam fans were disappointed.
Good luck with the one book per country challenge!

>120 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella. Even in Amsterdam there are a few Feyenoord fans, one was on TV at the festivities on Monday.
I will see how far I get, it will probably take the rest of my reading life :-)

book 105: Hemel en hel by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
library, e-book, translated from Icelandic, English translation Heaven and Hell, 206 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book by a foreign author

This is the first book of the Heaven and Hell - Stefánsson trilogy

Set around 1900, an unnamed boy and his friend Bardur go to a remote part of Iceland to go fishing, for needed extra earnings. With three others they stay at the captains house for the night, so they can get up early. Both the boy and Baldur love to read. In the morning Baldur is so absorbed in 'Paradise Lost', he forgets to put on his warm coat. Instead of turning back to get the coat, the captain decides to go on. When they get into bad weather, Baldur freezes to death. The boy decides he has to take the book back, that was lent to Baldur.

Beautifully written, I felt like I was there with the boy in early 20th century Iceland.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 106: Herfst by Ali Smith
library, translated, original title Autumn, 238 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book by a foreign author

A very old man, named Daniel Gluck, is dying in a nursing home. A young woman, Elisabeth, visits him. She has known him from childhood, as they were neighbors. Through flash backs we get to know them both. Elisabeth has a difficult relation with her mother. She studied art, and through her I got to know a bit about Pauline Boty, a British pop artist (and spend some time searching the internet to find more about her).

Enjyable read, looking forward to the next books of the Seasonal quartet.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 107: Anders : Gender door de ogen van een primatolooog by Frans de Waal
library, e-book, translated, non-fiction, original title Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, 439 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book with a ten-letter (or more) word in the title, sub-title or author's name

About the two sexes, gender, and nature in humans, mostly based on the writer's research on chimpansees and bonobo's, our closest relatives. There are natural differences between the two sexes, all present in humans, chimpansees, bonobo's, and a lot of other species. These differences does not imply that there are gender specific roles, while something can be mostly done by males, doesn't mean females never do the same. In thirteen thematic chapters he examines subjects like violence and caring.
In essence the author pleas to let everybody live the way they feel comfortable, without prejudice or pressure.
As always the book is larded with anecdotes, and some humor. I have liked all his books so far.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 108: Zuidstraat by Denis Henriquez
library, e-book, Dutch, no translations, 199 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book that would have fit into a Jan to April TIOLI challenge that you participated in

Stories about people living in the Zuidstraat (South Street) in Oranjestat at Aruba around the 1950s. People of many nationalities, who ended up at this island, back then part of the Netherlands Antilles. Two boys going to school, hoping for a better furure. Dissolving marriages, exiles hoping to return someday.

A nice dive into an other time and place.

Dutch title translated: South Street

As always Anita, enjoying your reviews!

Congrats to your soccer team! The DeWaal book looks really good, I may look for it.

>126 mdoris: Thank you, Mary. So nice of you to let me know.

>127 banjo123: Thank you, Rhonda. We fans are still on cloud nine.
The books by Frans de Waal are well worth reading, my favorite by him still is Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?.

>125 FAMeulstee: I have only been to Aruba once. It gets lots of stick from vacation snobs for being touristy ... but honestly what do they expect? It's very pretty there. I'd read this if my Dutch studies had kept up instead of succumbing to the strokes. I don't think I have the decoding skills to tackle it again, sad to say.

>119 FAMeulstee: >124 FAMeulstee: Some good reading in here Anita. I really like Frans de Waal's work I have his Mama's Last Hug to hand, and hope to read it soon.

Loved Les Liaison Dangerous too. And the film with Malkovitch and Pfeiffer is good too.

>129 richardderus: You are ahead of me, Richard dear, as I have never been to Aruba. Sorry you lost your Dutch abilities, it was fun to know I could sometimes share. Not a major loss in the grand scheme, the best part is that you are still around here!

>130 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline. Mama's Last Hug was also a good read, enjoy, when you get to it.
I saw that film long ago, back in the days of VCR, probably the early 1990s. While reading Les Liaisons dangereuses I saw the faces of Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer in my mind. I just finished it, and was impressed.

i love the Ali Smith quartet! I'm glad you liked the first one.

>124 FAMeulstee: I have De Waal's Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? in the Tower of Due, hoping to get to it next month. Different : Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist sounds like a good follow-up.

Hi, Anita. We are back from our camping trip and I am trying to catch a bit on LT, while also catching up on some reading. A fine balance, indeed. I hope all is well on your end.

>132 BLBera: Thanks, Beth, I am looking forward to the next books of the quartet.

>133 swynn: That is my favorite by Frans de Waal, Steve. I hope you like is as much as I did. Mama's last hug was also very good.

>134 msf59: Glad to see you back from your trip, Mark.
Keeping LT time and reading time in balance isn't easy. I was a little optimistic this month, and now have more books to go than I can handle this month. Well, there is always a next month.
Now on to some reviews, so I can return some books to the library today.

book 109: Sinaasappels zijn niet de enige vruchten by Jeanette Winterson
1001 books, library, e-book, translated, original title Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, 240 pages
TIOLI Challenge #9: Rolling challenge: read a book with a colour of the rainbow in the title or that colour cover

Jeanette is adopted in a strict christian family, and raised to be a missionary one day. When she grows up and falls in love with a girl, she faces repercussions. Her love gives in, and marries to stay withing the church. Jeanette decides to go away, to build her life elsewhere,

In between Jeanette's story there are parts about Percival searching the holy grail, and a story about a girl and a wizzard. I liked thes a bit less than the main story.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 110: Gaandeweg by J.J. Voskuil
library, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 331 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book that would have fit into a Jan to April TIOLI challenge that you participated in

Dairy of hiking holidays in France, and Wales. And a biking vacation in Ireland. Between 1983 and 1992. Voskuil and his wife walk from one hotel (or B&B) to the next. Bad weather, other hikers, grumpy locals, beautiful nature, spousal quarrels. Including maps.
Enjoyable for die hard Voskuil fans, like me.

Dutch title translated: gradually (or step by step)

book 111: Zipper en zijn vader by Joseph Roth
library, e-book, translated from German, English translation Zipper and His Father, 158 pages
TIOLI Challenge #5: Read a book with the word father or daughter in the title, or about a father/daughter relationship

The narrator and Arnold Zipper are friends at school, growing up together in early 20th century Vienna. They are young men when WWI starts, so they end up in the war. When Arnold returns, he is part of the lost generation of the lost war, never finding an acceptable place in society. Eventually leaving Vienna for Berlin.

Like all books by Joseph Roth a good read.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 112: Landlijnen by Raynor Winn
library, non-fiction, translated, original title Landlines, 352 pages
TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book whose author has at least 2 of the letters that spell May in their name

When the health of Raynor's husband Moth is declining again, she only knows one solution: go and walk. This has worked before, but will it again? They go for the Cape Wrath Trail in the north of Scotland. A long trail through remote areas, and difficult terrain. It is hard for Raynor to see her husband stagger in the mountains, more than once they think about giving up. But somehow they do make it, and even walk much further. Enjoying (the remains) of nature, seeing how agriculture has poisoned a lot of land. Worries about climate change, how it affects wild animals and plants.

I really liked Raynor Winn's first book The Salt Path, I was a bit disappointed by the second The Wild Silence, and liked this one in between.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 113: Riskante relaties by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
1001 books, library, e-book, translated from French, English translation Dangerous Liasons, 589 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book that has a judgemental adjective in the title

18th centuray epistolar novel. Victome de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil were once lovers, and now still friends. They plot to seduce a girl who is about to marry. Valmont also tries to seduce a very virtuous and religious married woman. They keep in touch through letters, and we also get the letters of others involved.
Laclos gives all seven characters a distinct voice in their letters, matching their age and role.

I saw the movie from 1988 somewehere in the early 1990s, and had those images in my head while reading. Glenn Close and John Malkovich played a perfect Merteuil and Valmont as I recall.

English and Dutch title are the same

>137 FAMeulstee: They made a fine film of this back in the day.

I really enjoy her work, and saw her perform (she performs rather than reads) a bit of Frankissstein

>140 FAMeulstee: I need to get this one, I liked the first two, but agree the second was slightly weaker Anita.

>137 FAMeulstee: I read this so long ago that I don't believe I'd still rate it 5* but remember love love loving it in 1986.

>141 FAMeulstee: I read it in the 1970s and adored it. The 1987 film adaptation with John Malkovich was stellar, too. I'm so glad that you liked it as well.

>142 Caroline_McElwee: I haven't seen the film, Caroline, maybe I would like it better.
This was my second book by her, I have read Frankissstein before. I liked them, but am not drawn to read more by her.

In that case I think you will like Landlines.

>143 richardderus: I might have liked it better if I got to it so many years ago, Richard dear. I could relate to some of the main story, but I only encounered a few die hard christians like that in my life. My parents were way more modest in their belief.

This was a new translation, published in 2017, the 4th Dutch translation since 1954. The film was still fresh in my mind, although I watched it 30 years ago. Malkovich and Close were indeed stellar. Now I finally have read the book, and am very glad I did :-)

>144 FAMeulstee: IDK when my translation from the 70s was made but it would be a whole new ballgame to read a 22st century one for sure.

*smooch*

>145 richardderus: Ain't 21st century good enough? ;-)
*smooch*

>146 FAMeulstee: Nope...I want a time-traveling translation?

>147 richardderus: LOL!

Read, not yet reviewed:
#114: Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning) by Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje
#115: Schol in de Noordzee by Roelke Posthumus

Reading now:
Ali en Nino (Ali and Nino) by Kurban Said
Het glazen hotel (The Glass Hotel) by Emily St. John Mandel

Not much around here, as I have been reading and (>4 FAMeulstee:) planning next months reads ;-)

Halfway this month I realised a TIOLI sweep was possible, with only three books added that were not somewhere on mount TBR. Only one book to go for sweeping, I hope to finish it today.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#114: Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning) by Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje
#115: Schol in de Noordzee by Roelke Posthumus
#116: Ali en Nino (Ali and Nino) by Kurban Said
#117: Het glazen hotel (The Glass Hotel) by Emily St. John Mandel
#118: De woede van het vuur (The Fury in the Fire) by Henning Mankell
#119: Jan Terlouw : jeugdboekenheld op het Binnenhof by Joep Boerboom

Reading now:
Bloedbroeders (Blood Brothers) by Ernst Haffner
Tsjik (Why We Took the Car) by Wolfgang Herrndorf

Read, not yet reviewed:
#114: Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw (Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning) by Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje
#115: Schol in de Noordzee by Roelke Posthumus
#116: Ali en Nino (Ali and Nino) by Kurban Said
#117: Het glazen hotel (The Glass Hotel) by Emily St. John Mandel
#118: De woede van het vuur (The Fury in the Fire) by Henning Mankell
#119: Jan Terlouw : jeugdboekenheld op het Binnenhof by Joep Boerboom
#120: Bloedbroeders (Blood Brothers) by Ernst Haffner
#121: Mens of wolf? by An Rutgers van der Loeff-Basenau

Reading now:
Tsjik (Why We Took the Car) by Wolfgang Herrndorf
Het drijvende koninkrijk (The kingdom by the sea) by Paul Theroux

book 114: Mekka, in de tweede helft van de negentiende eeuw by Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje
library, non-fiction, translated from German, English translation Mekka in the Latter Part of the 19th Century: Daily Life, Customs and Learning, 672 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book with 2 or more words of 5 letters in the title

Snouck Hurgronje studied Arabic and Oriental culture at the university of Leiden. He traveled to Jeddah in 1884, and got the chance to travel further to Mekka. As he knew very much about Islam, he acted like a convert to Islam, and stayed in Mecca for nearly a year. Later he wrote this book about his stay. He wrote it in German, as he would reach more readers in this language.

Dutch title translated: Mekka in the second half of the nineteenth century.

book 115: Schol in de Noordzee by Roelke Posthumus and Adriaan Rijnsdorp
library, e-book, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 272 pages
TIOLI Challenge #8: Read a book in honor of fishing opener

The European plaice is a flatfish, common in the Northsea. It was intensively fished, so numbers went down. In this book the history of fishing on flatfish by Dutch fisherman at the Northsea, and what we know about the plaice after years of research.

Title translated: European plaice in the Nothsea

book 116: Ali en Nino by Kurban Said
library, translated from German, English translation Ali and Nino, 272 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book by a foreign author

Ali Khan Shirvanshir and Nino Kipiani grow up in Baku before World War I. Ali is a muslim, his family originates from Persia. Nino is a christian with family in Georgia. They attend different secondary schools, and fall in love dispite all cultural differences. Of course their families rather have them married to someone with the same belief, but they both persist, and get married. Then the turmoil of WWI reaches their region, and their life together takes turns they never expected.

Added to my world author list for Azerbaijan

Dutch and English title are the same

book 117: Het glazen hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
library, e-book, translated, original title The Glass Hotel, 324 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a word in the title naming something that can be broken

Vincent is Paul's half-sister, and share partly a difficult youth. They briefly work together in a remote hotel at the Canadian west coast. The hotel is owned by Jonathan Alkaitis, and Vincent gets a relationship with this wealthy man. When it turns out his wealth is based on a ponzi sysytem, and he is arrested, Vincent leaves him to become a cook on a ocean liner.

Alkaitis is clearly modeled after Bernie Madoff.
The story was good enough, but never really grabbed me.

Dutch and English title are the same

book 118: De woede van het vuur by Henning Mankell
library, e-book, translated from Swedish, English translation The Fury in the Fire, 192 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book where the title has a word or phrase you don't want to encounter while walking in the woods

Sofia lives in Mozambique. She lost her legs, and her sisiter, in childhood, when she stepped on a mine. She now comes around with artificial legs and crutches, has a husband and two children. Her husband, Armando, is gone all week, working in town. Sofia thinks he might have an other woman in town, and is determined to find out. When she does, she is mad and jealous. Sofia's mother tries to calm her, but she decides to stand up against her husband, with terrible results.

I thought I had lended the first book of the series about Sofia from the e-library. It tuned out to be the third and last. I feel no need to read the previous books.

Dutch title translated: The anger from the fire

book 119: Jan Terlouw : jeugdboekenheld op het Binnenhof by Joep Boerboom
library, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 390 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3: Read a biography of one of your favorite authors

Biography of Jan Terlouw. Son of a vicar of one of the most rigid protestant congregations in the Netherlands. His father wasn't as rigid as his church, but as he could attend the university to study theology with help of this congregation, he stayed loyal to them all his life.
After finishing secondary school shortly after WWII, Jan went to Utrecht to study physics. There he met his wife Alexandra van Hulst. They got four children. Jan worked as researcher in physics on nuclear fusion.
At night he told his children stories before they wen to bed. His wife stimulated him to write them down for publishing. That way he became a well known author of children's books. (I loved those in my youth!).
In 1967 he joined D'66, a new political party, and was elected into the city council of Utrecht in 1970. (My father worked for the city of Utrecht at that time, so they got to know eachother. Terlouw named a character in Winter in wartime after my father. Yes he asked first, and then misspelled our name ;-) ).
A year later he was elected into our national parliament, and then his political career started. He gave up his job in research, and became a full time politican. He became leader of the party, and led his party to ga great win in 1981. (This year was the first time I was allowed to vote, my vote went to him. Ever after I voted for socialist/social-democrat parties). He became Vice-prime Minister and Minister of Econimics (1981-1982) in a short lived government. He lost the next elections, and left the parliament for a job abroad as Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum (ITF) (1983-1991). In 1991 he returned to the Netherlands to serve as first of his party as Queen's Commissioner of Gelderland (1991-1996).
These days he is mostly known for his worries about climate change.

Title translated: Jan Terlouw : youthbookhero on the Binnenhof
  (Binnenhof = the political center of The Netherlands)

>157 FAMeulstee: - Sounds like such an interesting man, Anita, and how fun, your personal connection!

>158 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley.
He is still around, appearing on TV once in a while.
The personal connection is special. My father and I talked about it, when I mentioned I was reading this book.

>157 FAMeulstee: Sounds like he has had a very full life, Anita. Lovely that your dad is included in one of his books: although I did wonder what kind of character it was. I'm not sure I'd want a villain with my name!

I'm just reading Stolen now, thanks to you I think? Great read.

>160 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte.
The good guys, it was the main character, and his family, who had our (misspelled) last name.

Could be, I did read Stolen in April.

book 120: Bloedbroeders by Ernst Haffner
library, translated from German, English translation Blood Brothers, 174 pages
TIOLI Challenge #11: Read a book about a group of childhood friends

Set in Berlin before the rise of Hitler, when unemploiment was rising, and poverty all around. A group of nine homeless boys, ages ranging from 16 to 21, are living on the edge of society. They keep themselves alive with small crimes. Try to get somewhere inside, when it is to cold to stay out. They are loyal to each other, as only together they can survive.

Haffner draws a vivid portrait of these boys. As a social worker he knew boys like these.
The book was published in 1932, and banned a year later, when Hitler came to power. Haffner disappeared, the last paper trail about him was from 1938.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 121: Mens of wolf? by An Rutgers van der Loeff-Basenau
library, e-book, Dutch, no English translation, 223 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book where the title has a word or phrase you don't want to encounter while walking in the woods

1945, Lene Stojke and her son Erlof live in a small village in the Eastern part Germany (now Poland). The Russian troops are coming, and most people leave the village to go westward. Lene wants to stay, as she hopes to hear about her husband, who was taken away to a concentration camp. They live through the horrors of the next months, being German isn't easy when Germany has fallen. But Lene still tries to see the good in everyone, despite everything.
When she finally does get a letter from her husband, it includes a permit to go west. She goes, but finds her husband has died a few months ago. The Germans in Sylt are almost as bad as the Polish and Russian back east. So Lene keeps trying to find a better place for her and her son.

An Rutgers did meet this woman in the late 1940s, and decided to write her story. A book of hope.

Dutch title translated: Human or wolf?

book 122: Tsjik by Wolfgang Herrndorf
library, e-book, translated from German, English translation Why We Took the Car, 255 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book by a foreign author

Maik Klingenberg is an outsider at school. Recently a Russian refugee, Andrej Tsjichatsjow, came to his class. He is called Tsjik, as the teachers can't pronounce his name. He is also an outsider.
When Maik's mother has to go back to rehab, and his father goes on a 'business trip' with his secretary, Maik is left alone for two weeks. When Tsjik shows up in a stolen Lada, they decide to go on a road trip. At first they manage, but then everything goes wrong. Maik ends up in court, where he tells what has happened before, and during their trip.

Fun read, with some more serious undertones.

Dutch title translated: Tsjik (the name of the Russian boy)

book 123: Het drijvende koninkrijk by Paul Theroux
library, non-fiction, translated, original title The kingdom by the sea, 375 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book by a foreign author

In 1982 Theroux decides to travel around the coast of the United Kingdom. Sometimes by foot, and sometimes by train or bus, he travels clockwise through England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England. He mostly talks about meeting 'typical' inhabitants of the area, and often not in a nice way. There are some nicer parts, especially the part traveling through North Ireland.
I struggled to finish the book.

Dutch title translated: The floating kingdom

May 2023 in numbers
  (Totals for the year between brackets)

27 books read, 9.034 pages, 291,4 pages a day
  (123 books read, 39.232 pages, 259,8 pages a day)

--
books:

• own books: 0 (8)
• from the library: 27 (115)

• male author: 20 (91)
• female author: 7 (32)

• originally written in Dutch: 6 (31)
• translated into Dutch: 21 (92)
  - original language of translated books:
    • Albanian: 0 (1)
    • Armenian: 1 (1)
    • Czech: 0 (1)
    • Danish: 0 (1)
    • Dutch (Middle): 0 (1)
    • English: 8 (35)
    • Finnish: 1 (3)
    • French: 1 (3)
    • German: 7 (19)
    • Icelandic: 1 (5)
    • Italian: 0 (1)
    • Japanese: 0 (4)
    • Latin: 0 (1)
    • Norwegian: 0 (3)
    • Portugese: 0 (1)
    • Russian: 0 (3)
    • Serbian: 0 (1)
    • Spanish: 1 (3)
    • Swedish: 1 (5)

• fiction: 18 (86)
• non-fiction: 9 (37)

• paper books: 12 (62)
• e-books: 15 (61)

• mystery/police procedural: 1 (16)
• childrens/YA: 2 (7)
• 1001 books: 3 (14)
    Total 1001 books since 2008: 294
• Dutch Canon: 0 (1)
    Total Dutch Canon since 2008: 43 of 125

--
pages:

0 - 100 pages: 0 (4)
101 - 200 pages: 5 (22)
201 - 300 pages: 9 (36)
301 - 400 pages: 8 (37)
401 - 500 pages: 1 (10)
501 - 999 pages: 4 (14)
1000+ pages: 0

• longest book 923 pages (959 pages)
• shortest book 133 pages (36 pages)
• average book 335 pages (319 pages)

--
date first published:

2nd century: 0 (1)
11th century: 0 (1)
13th century: 0 (1)
17th century: 0 (1)
18th century: 1 (1)
19th century: 3 (3)

20th century
1910s: 0 (2)
1920s: 1 (3)
1930s: 2 (6)
1940s: 0 (2)
1950s: 1 (3)
1960s: 1 (5)
1970s: 0 (6)
1980s: 2 (10)
1990s: 1 (7)

21st century
2000s: 4 (10)
2010s: 6 (27)
2020s: 5 (34)

--
ratings:

0 (1)
3 (12)
9 (49)
9 (39)
6 (21)
0 (0)
0 (1)

--
best books in April


De patiënten van dokter García by Almudena Grandes
Hemel en hel (Heaven and Hell) by Jón Kalman Stefánsson
Riskante relaties (Dangerous Liasons) by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

New thread soon, Anita?

>167 richardderus: I hope to put it up tomorrow, Richard dear, or else early next week.
No time this weekend, as Frank doesn't have to work. We will visit my father on Saturday, and have planned a long bike ride on Sunday.

Stopping by to say hi, Anita! I hope you have an excellent June Reading month.

>169 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah!
My first June book is a very good read, I hope the others I have planned to read are good too :-)