Wilkie in 2013, Part 5

Famous Dutch painter, Rembrandt:



Rembrandt's Nightwatch:

My reading in 2013:

January

1. The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins 9/10, 438 p.
2. PAAZ - Myrthe van der Meer 9/10, 351 p.
3. A Place of Greater Safety - Hilary Mantel 7/10, 873 p.
4. The Man Who Forgot His Wife - John O'Farrell 8/10, 393 p.
5. And the Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic - Randy Shilts 8/10, 630 p.
6. Sans Famille - Hector Malot 8/10, 406 p.
7. Defending Jacob - William Landay 8/10, 421 p.
8. Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson 7/10, 720 p.

Pages read in January: 4232

February

9. An Utterly Impartial History of Britain - John O'Farrell 7/10, 588 p.
10. Op zee - Toine Heijmans 6/10, 192 p.
11. The Expats - Chris Pavone 5/10, 500 p.
12. Growing Up Amish - Ira Wagler 6/10, 270 p.
13. No Name - Wilkie Collins 7/10, 762 p.
14. Devil's Peak - Deon Meyer 8/10, 409 p.
15. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher - Kate Summerscale 6/10, 372 p.
16. Verzamelde gedichten - M. Vasalis 9/10, 196 p.
17. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - Mary Roach 9/10, 304 p.
18. The Complete Polysyllabic Spree - Nick Hornby 7/10, 278 p.
19. Gedichten - Judith Herzberg 6/10, 75 p.

Pages read in February: 3946

March

20. The Sealed Letter - Emma Donoghue 9/10, 483 p.
21. I, Claudius - Robert Graves 8/10, 468 p.
22. De eurocrisis - Martin Visser 7/10, 240 p.
23. Thirteen Hours - Deon Meyer 9/10, 410 p.
24. No et Moi - Delphine de Vigan 7/10, 248 p.
25. Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman 9/10, 704 p.
26. Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer 4/10, 205 p.
27. Shakespeare Wrote for Money - Nick Hornby 7/10, 131 p.
28. More Baths, Less Talking - Nick Hornby 7/10, 135 p.
29. The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year - Sue Townsend 6/10, 437 p.
30. Bij nader inzien - J.J. Voskuil 8/10, 1207 p.
31. The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt 7/10, 328 p.
32. IV - Arjen Lubach 6/10, 319 p.

Pages read in March: 5315

April

33. Ik, Zlatan - Zlatan Ibrahimovic 6/10, 334 p.
34. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn 7/10, 328 p.
35. 7 Days - Deon Meyer 8/10, 348 p.
36. Escape from Camp 14 - Blaine Harden 8/10, 242 p.
37. Left Neglected - Lisa Genova 8/10, 432 p.
38. Bonk - Mary Roach 6/10, 320 p.
39. Nothing to Envy - Barbara Demick 8/10, 324 p.
40. Wij zijn maar wij zijn niet geschift - Tim Krabbe 7/10, 416 p.
41. The Orphan Master's Son - Adam Johnson 8/10, 592 p.
42. Injustice - Clive Stafford Smith 5/10, 480 p.

Pages read in April: 3816

Favourite reads 2013:

Fiction

- Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman
- The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
- PAAZ - Myrthe van der Meer
- The Sealed Letter - Emma Donoghue

Thrillers

- Thirteen Hours - Deon Meyer
- 7 Days - Deon Meyer
- Devil's Peak - Deon Meyer

Non-fiction

- Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - Mary Roach

Currently reading:

Hello Diana! Happy March!

Hi Roberta, happy March to you too!

20. The Sealed Letter - Emma Donoghue
483 p.

Helen Codrington is unhappily married. Emily 'Fido' Faithfull hasn't seen her once-dear friend for years. After bumping into Helen on the streets of Victorian London, Fido finds herself reluctantly helping her to carry on an affair with a young army officer.

The women's friendship quickly unravels amid courtroom accusations of adultery, counter-accusations of cruelty and attempted rape, and the appearance of a mysterious 'sealed' letter that could destroy more than one life...

Based on a real-life scandal that gripped England in 1864, The Sealed Letter is a delicious tale of secrets, betrayal and forbidden love.

The only book of Emma Donoghue I'd read thus far was Room, and this novel is a totally different story. It's admirable that someone can write such different books, I think. The Sealed Letter was a very enjoyable page-turner with much information about the Victorian period in London.

9/10

#10 Woo! Completely agree with your review :-) I've only read the same books by Emma Donoghue that you have - I'm looking forward to trying some of her other novels.

Thanks Heather. Do you have other novels of Emma Donoghue in your TBR? I'm afraid I don't, but if I happen to find one, I'll definitely buy it.

I've added Life Mask and Slammerkin to the wishlist, two other historical novels by Emma Donoghue.

No, I don't have any in the TBR piles but like you thought both Life Mask and Slammerkin looked interesting.

We completely agree today, Heather ;)

I've picked up a new read. I'm ashamed to say that it's the first time I'll read I, Claudius by Robert Graves. I didn't see the TV-series either.

I loved Room but haven't read anything else by her. Your fine review definitely makes me want to try this one...onto the list it goes.

Reba, I liked Room too, but this one was more to my taste. I hope you'll like it too!

I hope you enjoy I, Claudius Diana, as it is a particular favourite of mine.

Have a lovely weekend and congratulations on your latest thread.

Thank you Paul. What do like so much in I, Claudius? Is it the intrigues in the story?

Diana- Congrats on the new thread! I never heard of the Sealed Letter. Sounds interesting. I also would like to snag her latest, Astray, a story collection. I was also a fan of Room.

Thanks Mark! It is interesting, definitely!

O dear, I ordered the TV-series of I, Claudius this afternoon. Well, it was just 10 euro and I have to see what I read. Perfectly true, no?

Good morning Diana (or, for you, good evening). Hope you enjoy Claudius. We watched the tV series several years ago. My husband loves it. It's not so much my cup of tea. I'll be interested to see how you feel about it.

Hello Reba, I'll finish the book soon and then I'll be able to give my opinion.

The weather promises to get better this week, yeah! I could use higher temperatures, they should rise to 10 degrees Celsius, with a bit of sun.

We're cooling back down after a couple of days with temperatures around 25 C. Will soon be back to the more normal 18-20 range.

Diana - I think it is the gossipy style and humour in the story that I liked so much in Graves' story.

Reba, the 18-20 range is my favourite :)

Paul, I see and agree.

21. I, Claudius - Robert Graves
468 p.

Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus lived from 10 B.C. to 54 A.D. Despised as a weakling and dismissed as an idiot because of his physical infirmities, Claudius survived the intrigues and poisonings that marked the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius and the mad Caligula to become Emperor of Rome in 41 A.D.

I, Claudius, the first part of Robert Graves' two-part account of the life of Tiberius Claudius, is written in the form of Claudius' autobiography and stands as one of the modern classics of historical fiction.

With Paul, I liked the gossipy style and the humour. You seem to forget it's fiction and that's a compliment.

8/10

22. De eurocrisis - Martin Visser
240 p.

This book gives an economic and political analysis of the financial crisis in Europe. It focuses on 2010 and 2011 and is written by a Dutch financial journalist. There's no translation in English.

7/10

My new read is Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer, the book that follows Devil's Peak.

Another Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh:

Van Gogh's Starry night over the Rhone:

Hi Diana,
The Emma Donoghue book sounds like it could be a great read. I quite liked Room as well, but find that with time I have forgotten all but the main parts of it. And I dont do that with 5-star books, so it didnt quite get there for me.

I saw the PBS (in the USA) broadcasts of I, Claudius years ago, Bianca, with Derek Jacobi as Claudius (he was terrific). Did you happen to see those? So good. Some day I need to read the Robert Graves books.

Hi Megan. Room was written after a horrible news story of a man in Austria. This was big news all over Europe for weeks, and it seemed to me that Emma Donoghue was maybe way too much influenced by that story. I knew what was coming in her book, there were no surprises left.

The Sealed Letter is completely different, you wouldn't say it's written by the same author.

Hi Peter ;)

(Sorry, couldn't resist.) I didn't see the Derek Jacobi-series, but they'll arrive today! I'm looking forward to seeing the series, my BH did see some of it long ago and he also thought it was very good.

Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer:

Vermeer's The Milkmaid:

Well, finally Dutch cyclist Michael Boogerd has confessed: he used doping in 1997 - 2007. It took him so long to tell this, I think nobody is surprised.

And my Better Half's birthday is today!

I loved "Room" but haven't gotten to TSL yet. It sounds great from your review.

I love your artist / art posts! Van Gogh is one of my all time favorites! Love Vermeer too!

Thank you, Tina!

Vermeer is one of my favorite artists, Diana. I just wish he had produced more paintings.

Happy birthday to your BH! What are you doing to celebrate?

Thanks, Joe!

We're eating cake, the four of us. On Saturday my parents will come and celebrate and we'll have dinner together.

Sounds good. In our house we try to celebrate birthdays on as many days as possible. :-)

Carpe diem, that's an excellent adagium Joe. We'll have fresh cake for the weekend ;)

Another well-known Vermeer:

Ah, "adagium"! Good word, and a new one for me!

23. Thirteen Hours - Deon Meyer
410 p.

They killed her best friend. Now they are chasing Rachel Anderson through the streets of Cape Town.

The young tourist doesn't dare trust anyone - except her father, back home in America. When he puts pressure on the politicians, they know that they must find Rachel's hiding place before the killers reach her.

And so it is that Benny Griessel - detective, recovering alcoholic and father - has just thirteen pulse-pounding hours to crack open a conspiracy which threathens the whole nation of South Africa.

Oh boy, this was an outstanding book. Deon Meyer knows how to create suspense in a story. I liked the first Benny Griessel book, Devil's Peak, a lot, but I love this one. It's edge of the seat reading.

9/10

So pleased we seem to be in full agreement with both Benny Greissel and The Emperor Claudius. I went to the Van Gogh Museum two years ago and even my kids who apparently don't like such things were mesmerised for a while at least.

Paul, perhaps many children like Van Gogh because of the bright colours in his work.

24. No et Moi - Delphine de Vigan
248 p.

Lou Bertignac has an IQ of 160 and a good friend called Lucas who gets her through the school day. At home her father cries in secret in the bathroom and her mother hasn't been out of the house properly for years.

But Lou is about to change her life - and that of her parents - for good, all because of a school project she decides to do about the homeless. Through the project Lou meets No, a teenage girl living on the streets. As their friendship grows, Lou cannot bear that No is still on the streets when she goes back home - even if it is to a home that is saddened and desolate. So she asks her parents if No can come to live with them. To her astonishment, her parents - eventually - agree. No's presence forces Lou and her parents to finally face the sadness that has enveloped them. But No has disruptive as well as positive effects. Can this shaky, newfound family continue to live together? A tense novel tackling the true meanings of home and homelessness.

My Eldest Son had to read this book for his French exams, and we read it together. It's a young adult.

7/10

Diana- All the paintings are stunning! Thanks for sharing. I LOVE #51. I still need to get to Meyer. Bad Mark.

Thank you Mark, I love them too.

And yes, you NEED to get to Deon Meyer!

I like to read books about, or set in, places I'm visiting. Thirteen Hours sounds very tempting for early April when we'll be in South Africa. But then, we'll also be in Botswana then and I want to read some more Ladie's No. 1 Detective Agency -- we'll see.

Reba, Deon Meyer's books inform you rather well about South Africa. If you can manage to add one of his books, it's worth a try.

Dutch artist M.C. Escher:

Escher's Relativity

Escher's Night and Day:

I hope I can start Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman tonight or maybe tomorrow.

Escher's always been a favorite, especially Relativity. Maybe we should organize a read of Godel, Escher, Bach someday. That would be ambitious! :)

Jim, that would certainly be ambitious! I would need a tutor, because I don't think my alpha brain could grasp all science in that chunkster...

Sharon Kay Penman is great! Just saying...

Dutch designer and architect Gerrit Rietveld:

The famous Rietveld chair:

Here Be Dragons is a very slow read, but it's good.

No reading time today though, family will be here any minute :)

I'm enjoying the art work on your thread, Diana; keep it coming!

Thank you Darryl, I will!

Dutch artist Karel Appel:

Big Head Coming Down:

Dutch artist Jan Steen:

Happy Household:

Spice of Life:

Hi Diana- I love the Steen paintings! This is like going to art class, with the luxury of not leaving the house.

Hi Mark! I'm glad you like the paintings :)

It's snowing and freezing and the wind is very cold. We long for spring, don't we?

Feeling extremely tired.

I don't have any reading news to share. I'm still busy in Here Be Dragons, I think I've completed 25%. There's no faster way I guess.

I've suddenly become ill, now I see why I was so tired..

#79 & 80 Sorry to hear you're not well Diana. I hope Here Be Dragons gives you a nice distraction - get better soon!

Diana I am sorry to read that you are ill. I am sending wonderful healing thoughts to you. Your thread is bursting with such beautiful works of art. Nice reviews too.

Feel better Diana! Soon!!

Diana - sorry that despite all the Dutch masters you are a little under the weather. Hope to see you back in the pink shortly.

Escher! So cool. I just picked up a copy of I, Claudius--I liked the BBC series.

Heather, Roberta, Tina and Paul, thank you for your wishes. x

Hi Ren, Escher is cool.

I had a major setback in my MS and I'm not feeling well. But that's not gonna change, so I'll have to deal with it.

25. Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman
704 p.

This was a big read, 700+ pages, very small text. Here Be Dragons tells the story of Prince Llewelyn ap Iorwerth from Wales and Joanna, daughter of King John of England. Penman paints the 12th century in France, England and most of all Wales.

I loved reading this book immensely. The story absorbs you and Penman writes historical fiction like I've never read before. The book also extended my vocabulary, 'for certes' and 'mayhap' won't go out of my head again. This was the first of the Welsh Trilogy, and I'll read the other two, for certes!

9/10

I've started Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.

26. Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
205 p.

In April 1992, Chris McCandless, a young man from a well-to-do family, hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness. He had given all his savings to charity, abandoned his car and possessions, burnt all the money in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself without giving notice to anyone. Four months later, his decomposed body was found...

Umpf, what an annoying experience I had while reading this book. The boy got me mad for 205 pages, which is a big achievement. I know the reviews are very good, but it didn't touch me in that way.

4/10

Today I'm reading 2 Nick Hornby books:

Hi, Diana. Sorry you haven't been feeling your best. I had a good time with Here Be Dragons, too. Way back when some of my ancestors were milling around in that part of the world.

I'm enjoying the art, and looking forward to more. Looking forward to your take on the Hornby books, too.

Hi Joe, thank you for your nice words. I'll say something about the Hornby books shortly, and I have some art for you, too :)

27. Shakespeare Wrote for Money - Nick Hornby
131 p.

27. More Baths, Less Talking - Nick Hornby
135 p.

In February, I read Hornby's The Polysyllabic Spree, a collection of his monthly columns for the Believer magazine. The 2 books I read yesterday, are also collections of his columns.

Hornby describes the books he's bought and the books he's read. He's funny and very entertaining.

7/10
7/10

Dutch painter Jan Toorop:

O Grave, where is thy Victory:

Trio fleuri:

Diana- Sorry, Into the Wild didn't work for you. I was a big fan but I agree the main character could be very frustrating. Have you seen the film version? It's excellent.
I am glad you are enjoying the Hornbys. Really adds to the wishlists, doesn't it?
I like the Toorop pictures. I have never heard of him.

Hi Mark, I didn't see the film version.
Hornby adds to the wishlist, for certes. I like it that his choice of books is varied. Jan Toorop is not the most famous painter. He was born in the 19th century and for the Netherlands he was important for his symbolism.

I'm reading The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year by Sue Townsend.

Meanwhile following a legendary cycling race, Milano - San Remo in Italy, with blizzards and ice. It's called 'La Primavera', the race of Spring...

29. The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year - Sue Townsend
437 p.

The day her twins leave home for university, Eva climbs into bed and stays there. For seventeen years she's wanted to yell at the world: "Stop! I want to get off!" Finally, this is her chance.

Her husband Brian, an astronomer having an unsatisfactory affair, is upset. Who will cook his dinner? Eva, he complains, is attention-seeking. But word of Eva's defiance spreads.

Legions of fans, believing she is protesting, gather in the street, while her new friend Alexander the white-van man brings tea, toast and an unexpected sympathy. And from this odd but comforting place, Eva begins to see both herself and the world very, very differently...

This book was weird to me. It's funny, often almost slapstick. And it's strange and surreal. Sue Townsend's Adrian Mole books are mostly fun, but this book has a dark side too.

6/10

Dutch artist Lucas van Leyden:

The Last Judgement:

The Milkmaid:

>95 wilkiec: an incredible art work there!

The 2 Nick Hornby collections look interesting too. And have very similarly designed covers. Are they both about books hes reading?

Megan, yes, in the collections Nick Hornby tells about the books he reads and he lists the books he buys (not that much). He's always light and humorous, a nice read :)

Dutch artist Piet Mondriaan:

Broadway Boogie Woogie:

Last week, it seems much more quiet in the 75ers. Is this the 'normal' quantity of activity throughout the year?

30. Bij nader inzien - J.J. Voskuil
1207 p.

This book describes a group of Dutch language students in Amsterdam between 1945 and 1953. Voskuil is very good in psychological backgrounds and details. His style is flawless.

8/10

31. The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt
328 p.

It is 1851, and a lust for gold has swept the American frontier. Two brothers - the notorious Eli and Charlie Sisters - are on the road to California, following the trail of an elusive prospector, Hermann Kermit Warm.

On this odyssey Eli and his brother cross paths with a remarkable cast of characters - losers, cheaters, and never-do-wells from all stripes of life - and Eli (the narrator voice) begins to question what he does for a living and whom he does it for.

I liked this original and entertaining read.

7/10

Dutch artist Frans Hals:

Jester with a lute:

Catharina Hooft with her nurse:

Busy choosing a book.

My weekend starts with kidney stones, auch. Last time I had them was 20 years ago.

Oof. Sorry to hear it, Diana. You deserve a health break. What do they do now, bust them up with a laser, or something else?

I've been enjoying all the paintings. Here's a Hals I've always liked.

Joe, I'll try to loose the stones myself over the weekend, as long as I can handle it. The hospital wanted to keep me in, but I escaped and will be back in my own bed shortly.

We're thinking of you, Diana, and sending positive thoughts. Get on your way out of there, you unwanted stones!

Diana ouch! I hope they loose quickly and as painless as possible. :-(

I love the gallery here on your thread.

Take care.

Stopping by for a long overdue visit, Diana. I have really enjoyed the art you have been posting.... such an interesting and diverse range of art!

Sorry to learn you are battling kidney stones.... OUCH! Here is hoping you pass them with as little pain as possible.

Sorry to hear about the kidney stones Diana. My Dad and Grandma both suffered with them so I know they can be very painful :-( I hope they pass quickly.

I'm not normally interested in westerns but I know a lot of people really enjoyed The Sisters Brothers and it's definitely a book I want to read... one day!

I'm sorry to hear about your kidney stones, Diana. I hope that they have passed by now.

I am so glad you enjoyed The Sisters Brothers. I was a big fan of that one too! Have you read Doc? If not, that's even better.

Hello Diana,
hope your kidney stones have improved by now. Just stopping by to wish you a great Easter Weekend!

Diana I am missing you around these parts. I hope all is better soon.

Roberta, you found my thread! I'd been searching for it after 10 days of sickness, couldn't find it. I thought it was cleaned or something like that.

Thank you!

34. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn
328 p.

Sent to investigate the disappearance of two little girls, Camille finds herself reluctantly installed in the family mansion, reacquainting herself with her distant mother and a precocious thirteen-year-old half-sister she barely knows. Haunted by a family tragedy, troubled by the disquieting grip her young sister has on the town, Camille struggles with a familiar need to be acepted.

But as clues turn into dead ends Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims and realises: she will have to unravel the puzzle of her own past if she's to survive this homecoming.

This debut novel by Gillian Flynn is dark and creepy.

7/10

I'm behind as usual... hope you are feeling better.

Hi Bekka, thank you for visiting!

I am feeling a bit better, but still very weak.

35. 7 Days - Deon Meyer
348 p.

This is the third (and last?) book in the series with South African Benny Griessel in it. And it's a great read, again!!

8/10

Wise men and women tell us, that we'll still have a week of Winter over here, but when next weekend is over, April 15, it mayhap could become Spring in the Netherlands. Yeah, fingers crossed.

36. Escape from Camp 14 - Blaine Harden
242 p.

This book is about Shin, who was born inside the North Korean political prison Camp 14. Shin is the only person born in a North Korean prison camp who has escaped.

Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin's life, horrible and awful. He doesn't write a soap opera style version, but in a business-like tone he tells the facts. This style works for me, it's clear and provides much information.

I was shocked by what I read; it's important to know how human rights are ignored.

8/10

British Margaret Thatcher has died this morning.

37. Left Neglected - Lisa Genova
432 p.

Sarah Nickerson has it all: the high-flying career, the loving family, the second home. But does she have time to enjoy it?

One day, while driving to work, Sarah looks away from the road for one second too long. In the blink of an eye, her chaotic life comes to a screeching halt...

Lisa Genova holds a PhD in neuroscience and it shows in this book. She describes a not so common neurological condition so that we can imagine what it is like to be in that position.

Like Sarah, I once had a great career that suddenly ended. Being progressively disabled and ill myself, with children, I could relate to her feelings and it was a good read for me.

8/10

Penguin-wallpaper

> 139 - I want that desk.... but only if I can pull a book out to read when I want to!

Lori, I had the same thought ! But I'd probably end up pulling out a few books and then there'd be gaping holes or worse, my desk will be lopsided and stuff will fall off.

Lori and Caro, me too :-)

It's so tempting to pull out a book just in the middle of the desk.

I'll start Bonk by Mary Roach tonight.

Hi Diana,

Escape from Camp 14 has been on my wishlist for some time now and has been strongly recommended to my by some of my friends. Glad to see that you thought it was a captivating and interesting book.

Wish you a lovely weekend!

Glad to see you back. Hope you continue to feel better!

#140 I love the old Penguin covers.

#145 Bonk sounds like a lot of fun - hope you enjoy it!

Hello Bianca and Heather, nice to see you!

Bianca, I too would strongly recommend Escape from Camp 14, it's an important book.
Heather, I'm not sure about Bonk; maybe I wasn't interested enough :)

Hello Diana,
nice to see you around again. I do hope that you are feelling better again. I have ordered Escape from Camp 14 already. So, it will be waiting for me when I return to London in May :)

Thank you Bianca, I long for the feeling better part too. My hands are bad, and I have to lurk on the threads because typing causes difficulties. I don't like that: I'd rather show my empathy in words, so people can see that I care about them, because that's what I do.

I hope your test results will be as positive as possible, and that the fatigue will leave!

38. Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex - Mary Roach
320 p.

This book tells about the study of sexual physiology: what happens, why, how to make it happen even better. Mary Roach seems unshockable in her sex research, with an emphasis on the female orgasm.

I found out that for me 'everything I always wanted to know about sex' didn't need this book. It's not something I will reread, but Mary Roach' style is as clear and hilarious as ever.

6/10

Diana- You've been reading some good books. I was a big fan of sharp Objects. It was my first Flynn. I hope to get to the 2nd Deon Meyer thriller, in the next few months. I loved Devil's Peak. I really want to get to Escape from Camp 14. That's been on my WL.
Hope you had a nice weekend.

Mark, I'm glad you loved Devil's Peak! Sharp Objects was a real pageturner, wasn't it, and so creepy.

I NEED to get to Dark Places. Maybe, for May: Murder and Mayhem? It would sure fit there.

And you NEED to get to Thirteen Hours! I don't have Dark Places, but I do have Gone Girl in Mountain TBR.

I'm working my way through Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick.

39. Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea - Barbara Demick
324 p.

Barbara Demick has created this portrait of life in North Korea, weaving together the stories of six citizens.

She's done a good job and I would recommend her book. I'd suggest to read this book first, before reading Escape from Camp 14.

8/10

Echo...

Found my thread again.

Reading Wij zijn maar wij zijn niet geschift by Tim Krabbe, about Columbine.

I love the tin Diana. I can't wait to see the festivities on the news. One of my friends is going home to see them.

Hi Roberta, I'll post pictures of the festivities, so you can taste something of it. :)

"To me, fair friend, you never can be old,
For as you were when first your eye I eye’d,
Such seems your beauty still."

-- William Shakespeare

Happy 449th birthday to The Maestro.

LOL - lovely pic :)

Thanks for the book recommendation Diana!

You're welcome Bianca :)

40. Wij zijn maar wij zijn niet geschift - Tim Krabbe
416 p.

This Dutch author writes about the school shooting on Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999.

It's a book with all the details of the actual day and what happened before and after. I thought it was well written; there's no translation.

7/10

Hi Diana- I am glad you loved Nothing to envy. I thought it was excellent too. Have you read the Orphan Master's Son? If not, that's a perfect fictional companion to the Demick

Hi Mark, you can read my mind! I just finished The Orphan Master's Son :)

41. The Orphan Master's Son - Adam Johnson
592 p.

This was my third book about North Korea this month. It's a good addition to the former two, and I think I've completed my North Korea-explorations by now.

8/10

Tomorrow, April 25, will be my birthday and here's some cake!

Happy Birthday Eve, Diana! Love those cakes!

Diana enjoy your birthday tomorrow. What lovely cakes! Your feed is always so magical.

Glad you enjoyed the recent Pulitzer prize winner! I think he did a fantastic job.

Love the cakes! Happy birthday.

Thank you, Joe, Roberta, Rhian!

Me too, Mark, me too!

I'm reading Injustice: Life and Death in the Courtrooms of America by Clive Stafford Smith.

I was surprised to see there are only 3 other LT members with this book. I can't say much about it yet.

Happy Birthday, Diana! The big day has arrived. Have a great one!

Wow, that's so beautiful, Joe, thank you!

42. Injustice: Life and Death in the Courtrooms of America - Clive Stafford Smith
480 p.

Not much to say about this book. I admire Stafford Smith' work as a human rights lawyer. His writing style, about a murder case in Miami, doesn't appeal to me.

5/10

Today is the 46th birthday of Dutch Prince Willem-Alexander, who will be King in 3 days. Everywhere is orange and there will be lots of Dutch flags in red-white-blue.

Happy belated birthday Diana and many apologies as I am only just now catching up after my short time away.

Your reading has been very topical lately with North Korea very much in the news. The views of most of my Southern Korean friends (I have long standing retainers with several of the Korean chaebols in Malaysia on the construction front; Ssangyong, Hyundai, GS, Lotte - is that the North is just blowing hot air and of far more import is the absence of new jobs in the South.

Also noted that the tribute song in Holland to the new King has fallen flat with its lyrics being decried vociferously until it has been withdrawn.

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Paul! I hope you had a lovely weekend as well.

The tribute song to the new King was indeed withdrawn a week ago, but 2 days later it was back again. The lyrics are awful, with weird meaning and a really bad grammar. In this country with 17 million people, you can't find 5000 people who actually like the song. Ah well, life is too good to worry about a tribute song, isn't it? :)

These are the parafernalia for tomorrow. The country is ready for it!

And this is just preparation; it will be a big party! :)

Diana - I am a tad republican in truth but you cannot help but catch the contagion of celebration and national pride that a new monarch is bound to herald. Queen Betty has ruled the UK for my entire life so it would be nice for her to step aside and........no wait.......that means UnBonnie Prince Charlie....erm Long Live the Queen!

Enjoy the festivities tomorrow.

The photo in 187 is absolutely spectacular.

Yes Paul, the Dam will grow even more spectular tonight and tomorrow.

Your Prince Charlie has arrived in Amsterdam and will be there for all the festivities; the UK is safe for now ;)

This morning, Queen Beatrix abdicated and she's now Princess Beatrix.

King Willem Alexander, Queen Maxima and their daughters Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.

This afternoon:

Fabulous photos, Diana; the one in #187 makes me want to hop on a plane and go there today.

You have to be fast, Darryl. There are only 7,5 hours to go :)

Ha! Maybe not today, then. I do want to visit Amsterdam in the near future, though, possibly as early as September, when I visit London again.

Ha! Tonight, Willem Alexander will travel the Amsterdam water by boat, and the public is piling up now.

Diana all the updates are fantastic! What a treat. Are you decked out in orange today?

There's more to come, Roberta :)

I'm a redhead, that's why I never wear orange, it doesn't suit me. But our flag is waving in the wind.



(This is just an example, not my own.)

Well I see your point about the hair Diana. There are actually very few people who can pull off orange! :)