Love Life

Het is een mooi, indringend boek. Dat Kluun een grote klootzak is maakt het echter niet noodzakelijk een interessanter verhaal. Desondanks, op een vlotte en eerlijke manier beschrijft Kluun zijn relatie met zijn vrouw en hoe hij met het verdriet omgaat. Een indringend portret.

Wow! Een leuk boek kan ik dit niet noemen, maar aangrijpend is het zeker. De laatste hoofdstukken kon ik het niet drooghouden. Het wordt recht uit het hart verteld en het is zoals het is. Het buitenechtelijke leven van de hoofdpersoon ging me wat te ver, maar het geeft wel een aardig inkijkje in het leven van de hoofdpersoon en hoe hij zich erbij voelt. Zoals gezegd recht uit het hart geschreven en dat maakt het toch een heel bijzonder boek. Ik heb het in één ruk uitgelezen, kon het niet wegleggen. Een echte moet-je-gelezen-hebben...

Ho lasciato per un attimo da parte "La moglie dell'uomo che viaggiava nel tempo" per quanto mi ha preso questo libro.Forse credo che avevo voglia di finirlo più per non restare col pensiero sul cancro ( del quale ho paura) e cambiare presto argomento di lettura che non sia il cancro stesso.
E' una storia impregnata di dolore...e quest'uomo che tradisce la moglie è terribile!Lo dice anche Carmen:"Nella salute e nella malattia"!...
Ovviamente la parte più triste è l'eutanasia dove lei vuole scegliere di andarsene e saluta i suoi amici, la sua mamma, il suo "raggio di sole"(la sua bimba Luna) ed infine Stjin che si salutano struggentemente...secondo me l'eutanasia è veramente un suicidio "in compagnia" e non spetta a me scegliere quando show more morire ma a Dio...comunque e pur sempre una triste e disperata storia d'amore........................ show less

I'm still a bit torn on whether to give it three or four stars, but in the end settled on three.
I did find the story really gripping and touching, it's a very emotional tale and really draws you in.
That being said, I really, really hated the main character, Stijn, I found him pretty much a selfish, immature jerk who cheats and only cares about his own happiness. On the other hand he does take care of Carmen, and I do think he really loves her, but still, I just can't be ok with his behaviour. The fact that I don't like him really influences my opinion about the novel because it's entirely written from his perspective, which makes it harder for me to feel really connected to the story, since I cannot really connect with the narrator.
The show more story itself is a quick read, the style is easy and has a good flow. I've decided on three stars in the end because I really don't think the writing itself is very special, and the novel is mainly gripping because of the emotional subject and not because it's especially well-written or because I was very impressed with the characters or plot-developments. show less

Another book I have no idea what to think of. Even after discussing it with my friends at the book club. This was a difficult book for me to read because it brought back so many memories – good and unpleasant. It’s set in my old stomping grounds in the south of Amsterdam. And I really enjoyed the ‘fly-on-the-wall’ aspect of watching Dutch yuppies. But the question still remains – does two weeks of devotion make up for years of infidelity?

I don’t believe anyone should judge someone in that situation, I suppose you do what you have to to survive. But. Yes, I agree with all the characters that repeatedly tell Dan that he needs help. And I find it rather surprising that the episode of euthanasia is so overshadowed by the show more repeated adultery that no one seems to have bothered to comment on it. I guess it just goes to show you that leading a charmed life in no way prepares you for hardship.

I found it frustrating that the author didn’t go into any character development in the sense of what made Dan tick. What was his childhood like? What in the world was he trying to find in all those casual sex encounters? Affirmation? Validation? Why? Didn’t he already have everything?

Times Online Interview. Isn't if funny how irritated the literary community is with how good he is marketing his book?http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/relationships/article1574922.ece

Marie Claire Interview. I suppose the French will say, ''what's the big deal?' Like they did with Fatal Attraction. http://www.marieclaire.com/life/sex/dating/book-love-life show less

This book is quite remarkable - a young, successsful and beautiful couple eventually come to terms with the wife dying of breast cancer, meanwhile the husband is serially unfaithful. It is painfully honest and based on a true story. It made me hope that if I'm ever in that situation I could choose when to end my life.

A very real account of the ups and downs of living with termminal cancer. Explores the effects on family and friends, and their relationships. The author is honest about his feelings and infidelities.