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Title: Christine Otten & Erik Kessels
Author: Good Luck
Genre: Essay, photos
Publisher: CPNB, 2011
Pages: Hardcover, 144
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
Summary: So-called essay, made for Dutch bookweek 2011, based on the theme 'Written Portraits' (Geschreven portretten). Inspired by old photos Otten & Kessels found of an unknown couple, they made up a family history for the two of them.

[Review + Cover image]

Review
What a fun concept! The story reads like a soap-opera about Betty and Pierre Vincent and their 'houseguest', who appears to be more than just a friend to Betty... If you didn't know it was all made up, you'd almost believe it. Just look at those (holiday) snap-shots; you can totally see there's something going on between the three of them. Cute.

You can sample the book online: here!

Link

De Literaire Kring - Marjolein Februari

[Mar. 27th, 2012|06:05 pm]

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Title: De Literaire Kring (~The Bookclub)
Author: Marjolein Februari
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Prometheus, 2007
Pages: Hardcover, 253
Language: Dutch
Rating: 5/10
Summary: Thirtysomething Teresa moved back to the town where she grew up. Her wealthy husband has joined the local bookclub that was founded by her father. When Teresa hears that her former classmate Ruth wrote an international bestseller, she invites Ruth to the local bookstore for a signing and lecture. But then Teresa learns that Ruth has uncovered a past that the town would prefer to forget...
( Review Cover image )

Link

Vaslav - Arthur Japin

[Mar. 23rd, 2012|10:01 pm]

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arthur japin, review

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Title: Vaslav
Author: Arthur Japin
Including: The Diary of Vaslav Nijinsksi
Genre: Novel, diary, biography
Publisher: Arbeiderspers, 2010
Pages: Hardcover novel, 374; Paperback diary, 224
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
Summary: Inspired by the diary of ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinskiby, this is the fictionalized story of his life, told from three points of view. His wife, his manager (and ex-lover) and his manservant tell what happened leading up to Vaslav's final performance in 1917, when he stopped in mid dance and said he had danced enough. After that Vaslav never danced or spoke again until his death in 1950.

( Review + Cover image )

Link

Loesje's view of the year 2011

[Mar. 20th, 2012|11:04 pm]

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Title: Als Ik Het Even Niet Meer Weet,
Doe Ik Altijd Een Stapje Vooruit
(When I'm Lost, I Always Take A Step Forward)
Author: Loesje
Genre: Politics
Publisher: A.W. Bruna, 2011
Pages: Paperback, 192
Language: Dutch
Rating: 9/10
Summary: The 2011 collection of posters featuring thoughts and smart arse comments on politics, the economy, the world, love and other important stuff
( A sample page )

Loesje: a writer's collective, a NGO, a creative network, a contagious idea - call it what you want! This invisible girl from the Netherlands has been conquering the world with posters since 1983. I've been a fan from the start:)
For slogans that will make you think, frown or laugh, I recommend following Loesje on her English Twitter: Loesje International or check out the official website: www.loesje.org

(If you want Dutch links, let me know;)

Link

Herman Koch - Het Diner

[Mar. 19th, 2012|08:50 pm]

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Title: Het Diner (The Dinner*)
Author: Herman Koch
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Anthos, 2009
Pages: Hardcover, 300
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8.5/10
Summary: Two brothers and their wives have dinner in a fancy restaurant. Their conversations are stilted, because they are trying to avoid talking about their teenage sons. Those boys have done something that could seriously harm everybody's future. Not in the least that of one of them, who's trying to become the new prime minister of the Netherlands.

( Review + Image )

*The Dinner will be available in English in August 2012! (It's already available in German (Angerichtet), Spanish (El sopar), Italian (La cena) and French (Le dîner).
Get it! And then tell me if it's as awesome in translation:)

Link

Blue Grass Liefde + Ons Derde Lichaam - Edward van de Vendel

[Mar. 17th, 2012|03:48 pm]

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dutch, review, teens

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Two books in one review! First part was written in 1999 and in 2006 there was an unexpected follow up. I read both last year:)

Title: De Dagen Van De Blue Grass Liefde (The Days of Blue Grass Love)
Author: Edward van de Vendel
Genre: Teens
Publisher: Em. Querido, 1999
(my edition is a Wolters-Noordhoff/Jonge Lijsters reprint from 2002*)
Pages: Paperback, 157
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7.5/10
Summary: Dutch Tycho travels to America to work in an international summercamp. He meets Oliver from Norway and they fall in love. What will happen when they return to their every day life in their own countries?

( Review + Image )

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Title: Ons Derde Lichaam (Our Third Body)
Author: Edward van de Vendel
Genre: Teens
Publisher: Querido, 2006
Pages: Paperback, 300
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10

( I'm putting the summary behind a cut because it's kind of spoilery if you haven't read part one! )

Strangely enough the second book was translated into French under the title All Together Now. How un-French.
It's also available in German: Die langen Nächte der Stille, which sounds rather ominous. The German editions have beautiful covers, for those of you who care about that as much as I do;)

I loved both books and they are available for borrowing from my personal library;)

Link

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time - Mark Haddon

[Mar. 16th, 2012|10:34 pm]

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Title: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Genre: Novel, Autism, Family
Publisher: Vintage, 2010
Pages: Hardcover, 272
Language: English
Rating: 8.5/10
Summary: Fifteen year old Christopher has Asperger's (a form of autism) and therefore experiences the world a little differently than other people. One evening he finds his neighbour's dog dead and he decides to be a detective to find out what happened

( Review + Cover image + Snippet )

Link

Vallende Kwartjes - Ionica Smeets & Bas Haring

[Mar. 15th, 2012|06:56 pm]

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review, science

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Title: Vallende Kwartjes (~"Dropping Pennies")
Author: Ionica Smeets en Bas Haring
Genre: Science, Maths
Publisher: Nijgh & Van Ditmar, 2010
Pages: Paperback, 240
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
Summary: To the point explanations of various scientific topics; from Hubble's constant to imaginary numbers. Mathematician Ionica Smeets and professor Bas Haring (philosophy/artifical intelligence) share their own wonderment about scientific discoveries and use examples from personal experience to show the relevance of this knowledge in real life.

( Review + Cover image )

Link

The Art Of Travel - Alain de Botton

[Mar. 14th, 2012|10:21 pm]

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review, travel

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Title: The Art Of Travel
Author: Alain de Botton
Genre: Art, history, poetry.
Publisher: Penguin Non-Fiction, 2002
Pages: 260, Paperback
Language: English
Rating: 8/10
Summary: Alain de Botton reminisces in detail about traveling to foreign places and compares his personal experiences to the (historical) impressions -and expressions- of painters, poets and philosophers

( Spoilerfree Review )

Link

Three Picturebooks (two children's, one adult:)

[Jun. 8th, 2011|04:10 pm]