Anita (FAMeulstee) goes there where the books take her in 2021 (5)

Welcome to my fifth 2021 thread!

I am Anita Meulstee (58), married with Frank (59) since 1984. We live in Lelystad, the Netherlands. We both love modern art, books and walking.

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 year it is slowing down, 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.
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Pets in my life

Horses aren't really pets, but I loved riding between my 10th and 19th.
I learned riding at a riding school in Zeist, lessons once a week.
When we moved to The Hague I found a nice riding school near the racetrack Duindigt. They even had a former race horse, that I grew fond of. She was one of the more difficult to ride, but I loved it.

Later I started to volonteer on the racetrack, helping in the stables, and if I was lucky I could ride one of the thouroughbreds after their training on the track. Just stepping around until they cooled down. Sometime with a few others through the neighborhood where I lived. Jolido was my favourite, she never won a race, but nearly always came in second.

Meanwhile Bobo (the Kuvasz from my previous thread) had entered my life, and her owner also had a horse. I could ride Mon Chou whenever I liked, and have fond memories of riding through the dunes, beach, and the parks in The Hague.

When I moved out to live on my own, I lacked the money to keep on riding. So no more horses in my life.

Left: Me and Jolido; right: Mon Chou and me
 
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Walking
Our local walking project: walking the dikes that surround the Flevopolder, the largest artificial island of the world.

About once a week we go by car to the place where we ended the previous time. We walk about 3 km (and back), the total distance is about 142 km. We have walked over 120 km now, 21,5 km left to go.
Left: the province Flevoland (red) is in the middle of our country.
Right: Map of the Flevopolder, the red line is the part that we have walked until now.
The blue line is the Knardijk, the first constructed dike. We did this dike by bike in August 2020.
 

total books read in 2021: 121
28 own / 93 library

total pages read in 2021: 35.560

--
currently reading:
De vertellingen van duizend-en-één nacht deel 2 (2/3) translated by Richard van Leeuwen, 1112 pages, started 01-01-2021
Ideeën van Multatuli. Derde bundel by Multatuli, 782 pages, started 2021-02-01
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne, 1557 pages (e-library 30/5)

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books read in May 2021 (35 books, 9.682 pages, 11 own / 24 library)
book 87: De 3 bestaat niet by Gerbrand Bakker, 74 pages, TIOLI #9 (msg 43)
book 88: De vermiste prins (The Missing Prince, Rangers Apprentice 15) by John Flanagan, 285 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 44)
book 89: Een vrouw in de poolnacht (A Woman in the Polar Night) by Christiane Ritter, 220 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 45)
book 90: De eerste wandelaar by Flip van Doorn, 464 pages, TIOLI #11 (msg 65)
book 91: Grijs verleden (Field Grey, Bernie Gunther 7) by Philip Kerr, 415 pages, TIOLI #5 (msg 66)
book 92: Het geheime netwerk van de natuur (The Secret Network of Nature) by Peter Wohlleben, 222 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 67)
book 93: Een paleis voor de doden by Herman Clerinx, 352 pages, TIOLI #1 (msg 69)
book 94: Overtuiging (Persuation) by Jane Austen, 276 pages, TIOLI #2 (msg 88)
book 95: Ik aanbid je (Falling in Love, Brunetti 24) by Donna Leon, 301 pages, TIOLI #3 (msg 89)
book 96: Het zout der aarde (Salt of the Earth) by Józef Wittlin, 319 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 90)
book 97: De hengelaars van Castelnau (The origin of the world) by Pierre Michon, 56 pages, TIOLI #8 (msg 91)
book 98: Het pad der dolken (The Path of Daggers, Wheel of time 8) by Robert Jordan, 619 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 112)
book 99: De Cock en de dode tempeliers by A.C. Baantjer, 139 pages, TIOLI #6 (msg 113)
book 100: Brekebeen (Bonecrack) by Dick Francis, 229 pages, TIOLI #15 (msg 114)
book 101: Wit konijn, rode wolf (White Rabbit, Red Wolf) by Tom Pollock, 350 pages, TIOLI #5 (msg 115)
book 102: Asterix en het gouden snoeimes (Asterix and the Golden Sickle) by René Goscinny, 46 pages, TIOLI #1 (msg 116)
book 103: Vlucht van de havik (Celtic bride) by Margo Maguire, 254 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 128)
book 104: Als het zaterdag wordt (Saturday Requiem, Frieda Klein 6) by Nicci French, 387 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 129)
book 105: Een lied voor Achilles (The Song of Achilles) by Madeline Miller, 368 pages, TIOLI #2 (msg 130)
book 106: De betovering van lijsten (The infinity of lists: from Homer to Joyce) by Umberto Eco, 408 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 131)
book 107: Piranesi (Piranesi) by Susanna Clarke, 304 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 138)
book 108: Portnoy's klacht (Portnoy's Complaint) by Philip Roth, 280 pages, TIOLI #7 (msg 139)
book 109: In het licht van de vuurtoren (The lightkeeper's daughters) by Jean E. Pendziwol, 350 pages, TIOLI #11 (msg 140)
book 110: De onbeduidende Jude (Jude the Obscure) by Thomas Hardy, 559 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 141)
book 111: De passievrucht (A Father's Affair) by Karel Glastra van Loon, 238 pages, TIOLI #7 (msg 157)
book 112: De vergaderzaal by A. Alberts, 78 pages, TIOLI #8 (msg 158)
book 113: De zwarte heuvel (On the black hill) by Bruce Chatwin, 270 pages, TIOLI #15 (msg 159)
book 114: Rituelen (Rituals) by Cees Nooteboom, 192 pages, TIOLI #6 (msg 160)
book 115: De bibliotheek bij nacht (The library at night) by Alberto Manguel, 336 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 161)
book 116: Getemde schoonheid (Briana) by Ruth Langan, 254 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 162)
book 117: Ik wou (I Wish) by Toon Tellegen, 94 pages, TIOLI #9 (msg 163)
book 118: Quarantaine by Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer, 230 pages, TIOLI #3 (msg 164)
book 119: Claudius de God (Claudius the God) by Robert Graves, 208 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 171)
book 120: De Cock en de blijde Bacchus by A.C. Baantjer, 139 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 172)
book 121: Zondagochtend breekt aan (Sunday Silence) by Nicci French, 371 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 178)

May 2021 reading plans
Ideeën by Mutatuli, 3846 pages (1252/3846)
De vertellingen van duizend-en-één nacht deel 2 translated by Richard van Leeuwen, 1112 pages
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne, 1557 pages (e-library 20/6)

TIOLI May 2021 double sweep (two books in each challenge)
#1: Read a book with the letter X in the title or the author's name
- Een paleis voor de doden - Herman Clerinx, 352 pages (e-library)
- Asterix en het gouden snoeimes (Asterix and the Golden Sickle) - René Goscinny, 46 pages
#2: Read a book with the same 3 letter sequence repeated in title/author's name
- Overtuiging (Persuation) - Jane Austen, 276 pages (library)
- Een lied voor Achilles (The Song of Achilles) - Madeline Miller, 368 pages (e-library)
#3: Read a book set in a country that starts with a vowel
- Ik aanbid je (Falling in Love) - Donna Leon, 301 pages (e-library)
- Quarantaine - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, 225 pages (e-library)
#4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article
- Claudius de God (Claudius the God) - Robert Graves, 208 pages (library)
- De Cock en de blijde Bacchus - A.C. Baantjer, 139 pages (e-library)
- De vermiste prins (The Missing Prince, Rangers Apprentice 15) by John Flanagan, 285 pages (library)
- Het zout der aarde (Salt of the Earth) - Józef Wittlin, 319 pages (library)
- Het geheime netwerk van de natuur (The Secret Network of Nature) - Peter Wohlleben, 222 pages (library)
- Een vrouw in de poolnacht (A Woman in the Polar Night) - Christiane Ritter, 220 pages (library)
#5: Read a book where a color or shade of color is named in the title
- Grijs verleden (Field Grey, Bernie Gunther 7) - Philip Kerr, 415 pages (library)
- Wit konijn, rode wolf (White Rabbit, Red Wolf) - Tom Pollock, 350 pages
#6: Read a book where at least some of the book takes place within 50 miles of your home
- De Cock en de dode tempeliers - A.C. Baantjer, 139 pages (e-library)
- Rituelen (Rituals) - Cees Nooteboom, 192 pages
#7: Read a book that was filmed or adapted for television within five years of its first publication
- Portnoy's klacht (Portnoy's Complaint) - Philip Roth, 280 pages
- De passievrucht (A Father's Affair) - Karel Glastra van Loon, 238 pages
#8: Read a book that has the word 'novella' on its cover or is tagged 'novella' in LT
- De hengelaars van Castelnau (The origin of the world) - Pierre Michon, 56 pages
- De vergaderzaal - A. Alberts, 78 pages
#9: Read a book with a title containing a verb
- De 3 bestaat niet - Gerbrand Bakker, 74 pages (e-library)
- Ik wou (I Wish) - Toon Tellegen, 94 pages
#10: Read a book in honor of National Photograph Month
- De onbeduidende Jude (Jude the Obscure) - Thomas Hardy, 559 pages (library)
- Piranesi (Piranesi) - Susanna Clarke, 304 pages (e-library)
#11: Read a book in which the story is told in dual timelines – two or more story lines set in different periods of time
- De eerste wandelaar - Flip van Doorn, 464 pages (e-library)
- In het licht van de vuurtoren (The lightkeeper's daughters) - Jean E. Pendziwol, 350 pages (e-library)
#12: Read some "trash"
- Vlucht van de havik (Celtic bride) - Margo Maguire, 254 pages
- Getemde schoonheid (Briana) - Ruth Langan, 254 pages
#13: Read a book from a series
- Het pad der dolken (The Path of Daggers, Wheel of time 8) - Robert Jordan, 619 pages (e-library)
- Als het zaterdag wordt (Saturday Requiem, Frieda Klein 6) - Nicci French, 387 pages (e-library)
- Zondagochtend breekt aan (Sunday Silence) - Nicci French, 371 pages (e-library)
#14: Read a nonfiction book about books or libraries
- De betovering van lijsten (The infinity of lists: from Homer to Joyce) - Umberto Eco, 408 pages (library)
- De bibliotheek bij nacht (The library at night) - Alberto Manguel, 336 pages (e-library)
#15: After all that work, relax and/or read a European mystery (alternating challenge)
- Brekebeen (Bonecrack) - Dick Francis, 229 pages
- De zwarte heuvel (On the black hill) - Bruce Chatwin, 270 pages (library)

Reading plans in 2021
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.

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Some big tomes I might read in 2021:
Ideeën (1-7) by Multatuli, 3846 pages
Man zonder eigenschappen (The man without qualities) by Robert Musil, 1785 pages
De razende Roeland (Orlando furioso) by Ludovico Ariosto, 1783 pages
Een jaar uit het leven van Gesine Cresspahl (Anniversaries: From a Year in the Life of Gesine Cresspahl) by Uwe Johnson, 1596 pages
De essays (The complete essays) by Michel de Montaigne, 1557 pages
De kracht van Atlantis (Atlas shrugged) by Ayn Rand, 1373 pages
De vertellingen van duizend-en-één-nacht deel 2 translated by Richard van Leeuwen, 1112 pages
Luitenant-kolonel de Maumort by Roger Martin du Gard, 1077 pages
De vertellingen van duizend-en-één-nacht deel 3 translated by Richard van Leeuwen, 1047 pages
Baron by Theun de Vries, 1016 pages

Totals since 2008:

Books read in Januari
book 1: Bankier (Banker) by Dick Francis
book 2: Ik kom terug by Adriaan van Dis
book 3: De kille maagd (The Virgin in the Ice; Cadfael 6) by Ellis Peters
book 4: 1177 v.Chr. : het einde van de beschaving (1177 BCE: The Year Civilization Collapsed) by Eric H. Cline
book 5: De dood in Rome (Death in Rome) by Wolfgang Koeppen
book 6: De laatste dag by Beppe Fenoglio
book 7: Wie vlucht en wie blijft (Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay; Neapolitan Novels 3) by Elelna Ferrante
book 8: Het onbekende kind (The golden egg; Brunetti 22) by Donna Leon
book 9: Treindromen (Train Dreams) by Denis Johnson
book 10: Angstige mensen (Anxious people) by Fredrik Backman
book 11: Boven water (Konráð 2) by Arnaldur Indriðason
book 12: De tocht van de tienduizend (The Anabasis) by Xenofon
book 13: De levende berg (The Living Mountain) by Nan Shepherd
book 14: Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) by Graeme Simsion
book 15: De nachtstemmer by Maarten 't Hart
book 16: Reis door de Oriënt by Gustave Flaubert
book 17: Gewaagd leven by Astrid Roemer, 239 pages
book 18: Ideeën van Multatuli. Tweede bundel by Mutatuli

Books read in Februari
book 19: Morgen toen de oorlog begon (Tomorrow, when the war began; Tomorrow 1) by John Marsden
book 20: Het verhaal van het verloren kind (The Story of the Lost Child; Neapolitan Novels 4) by Elelna Ferrante
book 21: Over paden : een ontdekkingstocht (On trails : an exploration) by Robert Moor
book 22: Tegenstroom (A Necessary End, Inspector Banks 3) by Peter Robinson
book 23: Ik, Claudius (I, Claudius) by Robert Graves
book 24: Veranderingen (Change) by Mo Yan
book 25: Het holst van de nacht (The Dead of the Night) by John Marsden
book 26: Nachtvlucht (Night Flight) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
book 27: Kindertijd (Childhood) by Tove Ditlevsen
book 28: Denken aan vrijdag (Friday on my mind) by Nicci French
book 29: Sodom en Gomorra (Sodom and Gomorrah; In search of lost time 4) by Marcel Proust
book 30: Rinkeldekink by Martine Bijl
book 31: Beminde (Beloved) by Tony Morrison
book 32: Lijken op liefde by Astrid Roemer
book 33: Alleen : de Pacific Crest Trail by Tim Voors
book 34: Het nut van de wereld by J.M.A. Biesheuvel
book 35: Het enige verhaal (The Only Story) by Julian Barnes
book 36: Jeugd (Youth) by Tove Ditlevsen
book 37: Huis van volmaakte eenzaamheid (House of Splendid Isolation) by Edna O'Brien
book 38: Afhankelijkheid (Dependency) by Tove Ditlevsen

books read in March
book 39: Een kroon van zwaarden (A Crown of Swords, Wheel of Time 7) by Robert Jordan
book 40: Een kille dageraad (A Killing Frost, Tomorrow 3) by John Marsden
book 41: De avond valt (Darkness, Be My Friend, Tomorrow 4) by John Marsden
book 42: Butcher's Crossing (Butcher's Crossing) by John Williams
book 43: Ik ben er even niet (I'm Off Then) by Hape Kerkeling
book 44: Bergje by Bregje Hofstede
book 45: Bezoek van de knokploeg (A Visit from the Goon Squad) by Jennifer Egan
book 46: Confrontaties by Simone Atangana Bekono
book 47: Het uur van de wraak (Burning for Revenge, Tomorrow 5) by John Marsden
book 48: Wandelparadijs Nederland: te voet door alle provincies by John Jansen van Galen
book 49: Tussen de regels (By its cover, Brunetti 23) by Donna Leon
book 50: Christus kwam niet verder dan Eboli (Christ Stopped at Eboli) by Carlo Levi
book 51: De omweg naar Santiago (Roads to Santiago) by Cees Nooteboom
book 52: Camino (Two steps forward) by Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist
book 53: Kameleon, ahoy! by H. de Roos
book 54: Groene Heinrich by Gottfried Keller

books read in April
book 55: De Cock en de dwaze maagden by A.C. Baantjer
book 56: Wachten op het donker (The Night is for Hunting, Tomorrow 6) by John Marsden
book 57: Een andere kant van vrijheid (The Other side of Dawn, Tomorrow 7) by John Marsden
book 58: Oeroeg (The Black Lake) by Hella Haasse, 79 pages
book 59: De duivelse droom (The Devil's novice) by Ellis Peters
book 60: De man die kon rekenen (The Man Who Counted) by Malba Tahan
book 61: Zondeval (The Hanging Valley, Inspector Banks 4) by Peter Robinson
book 62: Meisje, vrouw, anders (Girl, woman, other) by Bernardine Evaristo
book 63: Van oude mensen, de dingen die voorbijgaan (Old People and The Things That Pass) by Louis Couperus
book 64: Over liefde en over niets anders by Toon Tellegen
book 65: Jheronimus Bosch: Visioenen van een genie (Hieronymus Bosch: Visions of Genius) by Matthijs Ilsink
book 66: Drie dingen over Elsie (Three Things About Elsie) by Joanna Cannon
book 67: De waarheid over honden (The Truth about Dogs) by Stephen Budiansky
book 68: De naam van mijn vader by Rindert Kromhout
book 69: De vriend (The friend) by Sigrid Nunez
book 70: De vergelding (The dark vineyard) by Martin Walker
book 71: De drie musketiers (The Three Musketeers) by Alexandre Dumas
book 72: Leon & Juliette by Annejet van der Zijl
book 73: Alles tegen (Odds Against) by Dick Francis
book 74: Het jaar van de tuinier (The Gardener's Year) by Karel Čapek
book 75: Winnetou (Winnetou) by Karl May
book 76: Verloren woorden (The lost words) by Robert Macfarlane
book 77: Smalle paden (Thin Paths) by Julia Blackburn
book 78: Foon by Marente de Moor
book 79: Archief van verloren kinderen (Lost Children Archive) by Valeria Luiselli
book 80: De drieëntwintig dagen van de stad Alba (The Twenty-three Days of the City of Alba) by Beppe Fenoglio
book 81: Tussen Orinoco en Amazone (In Trouble Again) by Redmond O'Hanlon
book 82: Afscheid van Berlijn (Goodbye to Berlin) by Christopher Isherwood
book 83: Volwassenen onder elkaar (Adults In The Room) by Yanis Varoufakis
book 84: De Schotse marsen (The Marches) by Rory Stewart
book 85: De heilige Rita (The Blessed Rita) by Tommy Wieringa
book 86: De jaren (The Years) by Annie Ernaux

Monthly statistics
January: 18 books / 5.137 pages / 165,7 ppd
February: 20 books / 5.689 pages / 203,2 ppd
March: 16 books / 5.805 pages / 187,3 ppd
April: 32 books / 9.247 pages / 308,2 ppd

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Previous threads in 2021
book 1 - 18: thread 1
book 19 - 38: thread 2
book 39 - 54: thread 3
book 55 - 86: thread 4
--
My reading in previous years
2008: 130 books - 35.152 pages (96,0 ppd)
2009:   78 books - 21.470 pages (58,8 ppd)
2010: 121 books - 38.119 pages (104,4 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)

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Lists on my WikiThing
My best books by year list.
My Five star reads.
The books by Nobel prize winners I have read

Working on: Booker prize winners; Dutch prize winners

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; 23 When the Music's Over (not translated); 24 Sleeping in the Ground (not translated); 25 Careless Love (not translated); 26 Many Rivers to Cross (not translated)

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 11/20
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

De Cock by A.C. Baantjer 56/70

Frieda Klein by Nicci French 7/8
1 Blauwe maandag; 2 Dinsdag is voorbij; 3 Wachten op woensdag; 4 Donderdagskinderen; 5 Denken aan vrijdag; 6 Als het zaterdag wordt; 7 Zondagochtend breekt aan; 8 De dag van de doden

George Smiley by John Le Carré 4/9
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 23/27
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

John Rebus by Ian Rankin 3/18
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;

Konrad Sejer by Karin Fossum 4/12
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 Carmen Zita og døden (not translated); 12 Veenbrand; 13 De fluisteraar

Martin Beck by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö 4/10
1 De vrouw in het Götakanaal; 2 De man die in rook opging; 3 De man op het balkon; 4 De lachende politieman; 5 De brandweerauto die verdween; 6 De man die even wilde afrekenen; 7 De verschrikkelijke man uit Säffle; 8 De gesloten kamer; 9 De politiemoordenaar; 10 De terroristen

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

Op zoek naar de verloren tijd (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust 4/7
1 De kant van Swann; 2 In de schaduw van meisjes in bloei; 3 De kant van Guermantes; 4 Sodom en Gomorra; 5 De gevangene; 6 De voortvluchtige; 7 De tijd hervonden

Het rad des tijds (Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson) 9/15
0 Een nieuw begin; 1 Het oog van de wereld; 2 De grote jacht; 3 De herrezen draak; 4 De komst van de schaduw; 5 Vuur uit de hemel; 6 Heer van chaos; 7 Een kroon van zwaarden; 8 Het pad der dolken; 9 Hart van de Winter; 10 Viersprong van de schemer; 11 Mes van Dromen; 12 De naderende storm; 13 De Torens van Middernacht; 14 Het licht van weleer

List of Nobel Prize for Literature winners:
(in bold the writers I have read)

1901 Sully Prudhomme
1902 Theodor Mommsen
1903 Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
1904 Frédéric Mistral
1904 José Echegaray y Eizaguirre
1905 Henryk Sienkiewicz
1906 Giosuè Carducci
1907 Rudyard Kipling
1908 Rudolf Christoph Eucken
1909 Selma Lagerlöf
1910 Paul Heyse
1911 Maurice Maeterlinck
1912 Gerhart Hauptmann
1913 Rabindranath Tagore
1915 Romain Rolland
1916 Verner von Heidenstam
1917 Karl Adolph Gjellerup
1917 Henrik Pontoppidan
1919 Carl Spitteler
1920 Knut Hamsun
1921 Anatole France
1922 Jacinto Benavente
1923 William Butler Yeats
1924 Władysław Reymont
1925 George Bernard Shaw
1926 Grazia Deledda
1927 Henri Bergson
1928 Sigrid Undset
1929 Thomas Mann
1930 Sinclair Lewis
1931 Erik Axel Karlfeldt
1932 John Galsworthy
1933 Ivan Boenin
1934 Luigi Pirandello
1936 Eugene O'Neill
1937 Roger Martin du Gard
1938 Pearl S. Buck
1939 Frans Eemil Sillanpää
1944 Johannes Vilhelm Jensen
1945 Gabriela Mistral
1946 Hermann Hesse
1947 André Gide
1948 T.S. Elliot
1949 William Faulkner
1950 Bertrand Russell
1951 Pär Lagerkvist
1952 François Mauriac
1953 Sir Winston Churchill
1954 Ernest Hemingway
1955 Halldór Laxness
1956 Juan Ramón Jiménez
1957 Albert Camus
1958 Boris Pasternak
1959 Salvatore Quasimodo
1960 Saint-John Perse
1961 Ivo Andrić
1962 John Steinbeck
1963 Giorgos Seferis
1964 Jean-Paul Sartre
1965 Michail Sjolochov
1966 Sjmoeël Joseef Agnon
1966 Nelly Sachs
1967 Miguel Ángel Asturias
1968 Yasunari Kawabata
1969 Samuel Beckett
1970 Aleksandr Solzjenitsyn
1971 Pablo Neruda
1972 Heinrich Böll
1973 Patrick White
1974 Eyvind Johnson
1974 Harry Martinson
1975 Eugenio Montale
1976 Saul Bellow
1977 Vincente Aleixandre
1978 Isaac Bashevis Singer
1979 Odysseas Elytis
1980 Czesław Miłosz
1981 Elias Canetti
1982 Gabriel Garciá Márquez
1983 William Golding
1984 Jaroslav Seifert
1985 Claude Simon
1986 Wole Soyinka
1987 Joseph Brodsky
1988 Nagieb Mahfoez
1989 Camilo José Cela
1990 Octavio Paz
1991 Nadine Gordimer
1992 Derek Walcott
1993 Toni Morrison
1994 Kenzaburo Oë
1995 Seamus Heaney
1996 Wisława Szymborska
1997 Dario Fo
1998 José Saramago
1999 Günter Grass
2000 Gao Xingjian
2001 V.S. Naipaul
2002 Imre Kertész
2003 John Maxwell Coetzee
2004 Elfriede Jelinek
2005 Harold Pinter
2006 Orhan Pamuk
2007 Doris Lessing
2008 J.M.G. Le Clézio
2009 Herta Müller
2010 Mario Vargas Llosa
2011 Tomas Tranströmer
2012 Mo Yan
2013 Alice Munro
2014 Patrick Modiano
2015 Svetlana Alexievich
2016 Bob Dylan
2017 Kazuo Ishiguro
2018 Olga Tokarczuk
2019 Peter Handke
2020 Louise Glück

Books acquired in 2021: 26

January (2)
De dood in Rome - Wolfgang Koeppen
Veerman - Emile Verhaeren

February (5)
In weerwil van de woorden - Dimitri Verhulst
Ik wou - Toon Tellegen
Gebroken wit - Astrid Roemer
De melancholie van het verzet - Lásló Krasznahorkai
De reparatie van de wereld - Slobodan Šnajder

March (2)
Olga en haar driekwartsmaten - Astrid Roemer
Alles tegen - Dick Francis

April (4)
Hele verhalen voor een halve soldaat - Benny Lindelauf
Winnetou - Karl May
Bloedgeld - Dick Francis
Brekebeen - Dick Francis

May (13)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 1 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 2 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 3 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 4 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 5 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 6 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood. Deel 7 - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Nieuwe wandelingen door Nederland met pen en potlood - J. Craandijk (e-book)
Radetzkymars - Joseph Roth
De wereld van gisteren - Stefan Zweig
Het zout der aarde - Józef Wittlin
Cliënt E. Busken - Jeroen Brouwers
Wat wij zagen - Hanna Bervoets

Welcome!

I'm the first to visit your lovely new thread! I don't think that's ever happened before.

I loved pony books as a child and always wanted (but didn't get) riding lessons. That's probably a good thing as am a little afraid of horses close up.

>13 CDVicarage: Thanks, Kerry, for being my first new thread vistor for the fist time!
Of course I also read every pony book I could find, and there were many of those. Most horses have nice characters, and are way less intimidating when you are sitting way up on them ;-)

Happy new thread, Anita.

Always wonderful to see how enthused you are in your reading. xx

Happy new thread, Anita.

I love the photos, although riding horses is not for me. I do love seeing them out when I go walking: my area is full of stables.

Love the photo's of you with Your horse friends Anita.

>15 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul.
I hope May treats me as well with the books as April did.

>16 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte.
For me it is the same now. I tried riding one more time in my 30s, all my muscles ached for days after a two hour ride! Haven't tried it since.

>17 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline.
Horses were almost as good friends as the dogs were. It just is impossible to keep them close by, if you live in the city.

Happy new thread, Anita.
Beautiful pictures and impressive walks.
Even more impressive are your reading stats.
I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Happy new thread, Anita!

Beautiful horses!

>19 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, happy weekend tou you!
We only did one dyke walk in April, most days were cold and/or wet. We hope for better walking weather in May.
Reading finally got back on track, I have been reading less than usual since last year.

>20 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

Hi Anita, and happy new thread.

From your previous thread, marvelous statistics for April and ytd.

>1 FAMeulstee: Great stuff about your horseback riding days, and I love the photos.

Happy new thread, Anita. I only rode a horse once and that was it for me. It was at a riding stable, a friend wanted me to go with her. The horse I was given seemed nice enough and I was not afraid. But while on the trail, it saw something and decided to veer off the trail and go after it. I was thrown from the horse (likely because I did not know what to do other than hang on for dear life!). The staff member saw that I wasn't hurt and made me get back on. He rode beside me until we got back to the stables. Anyhow, that was enough for me. I never really had the urge to return and try again.

There is a police horse stable very close to where I used to teach. Sometimes, a policeman would ride over with his horse and the students (our students were disabled) would go out to the back dock in the parking lot, and they would be able to take turns touching and patting the horse. I had a blind child in my class for a few years and he absolutely loved this. There is also a stable just outside the city that specializes in riding programmes for disabled kids, that some of our students participated in.

Happy new thread, Anita!

>1 FAMeulstee: Lovely photos of you and horses.

There's an island off Singapore that's being built from landfill (ie that's where they send our rubbish) - so your Flevopolder may not be the biggest artificial island for long :0)

My younger son and I were taking riding lessons together but we stopped last year because of the lockdown. My older son has joined me volunteering with Riding for the Disabled here so, though the riding was fun, I can get my horse fix without risking falling off.

Happy new thread! What wonderful animal stories you have.

>1 FAMeulstee: >23 jessibud2: I still treasure my riding lessons back when I was pre-teen. All four of us went, which made it one of the only shared activities with my siblings. I only did 2 years to their 3 since what I loved were the rides out in the desert and the 3rd year was all training in the coral. I was thrown when a large sheet of cardboard blew across the trail with a rattlesnake noise. The horse returned to the stable long before we did and I learned how much more padding the instructor's saddle had. We even rode in a parade with fancy shirts and boots once.

>23 jessibud2: That was an adventure, Shelley, your first and last ride on a horse.
Over here you rarely have lessons outside, and certainly not when you just start riding. The lessons are indoors in a riding hall.

I have been thrown off many times, only three times I needed medical attention. On the picture with Jolido you might have seen that my right hand in a bandage. My ring finger was dislocated when was walking Jolido, not riding. She got scared, I fell and held on to the bridles. I only noticed something wrong with my finger when Jolido was back in her stable.
The other two were with Mon Chou: a dislocated ellbow and a mild concussion after being thrown off. My parents were less enthousiast about my love for horses ;-)

So nice of the policeman to ride to the students. Most horses love the attention, and being patted. Some are even more gentle towards small kids and disabled people, I know Mon Chou had way more patience with inexperienced riders.

>24 humouress: Thank you, Nina!
I guess it will take some time before the landfill reaches 970 square km. Please let me know when it does, I will alter my first message ;-)
So both your boys like horses too, how nice. Helping out at Riding for the Disabled is a good way to keep in contact with horses. How come that is still allowed, while riding lessons are not?

>25 quondame: Thank you, Susan, it is nice to share these stories here.
What lovely memories you have. Funny the last year was training in the coral, over here riders start riding in a indoor riding hall. Almost everywhere is to much traffic around to take starters outside.
My two brothers and eldest sister had riding lessons too, but we never went together. Riding lessons were costly, so my riding lessons started when the eldest two stopped riding.

Hi Anita my dear, happy new thread. No news on the baby front as i type this, lol.

>28 johnsimpson: Thank you, John.
Then we will have to wait patiently until the baby decides it is time.

I had group riding lessons (in a ring outdoors) with the Girl Scouts when I was a pre-teen. I did trail rides off-and-on with very tame stable horses for a few years after that. Then in the early '80's while living in Ireland I took "proper" lessons (indoors and with just me, the horse and the teacher) and even managed to jump a small jump one time. I loved it but after we moved back to the U.S. I was working full-time +, had a son, husband and household so it just wasn't possible. Now I'm afraid my back would rebel if I rode again -- but when I see people riding horses I want to join them.

Happy new thread!

>27 FAMeulstee: Better stand by, Anita, it should be anytime soon. It's already up to 3.5 square kilometres. The whole of Singapore is 719 square kilometres - apparently a 22% increase since independence due to 'land reclamation' (or, rather, creation).

Well, that puts your walks in perspective!

>30 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba. It is such fun to read everyone's experiences with riding lessons, and all the differences. We had jumping lessons once in a while, with two or three small jumps, but most lessons were dressage. At my first riding school they did a lot of gymnastics at the start of the lessons.
Yes, I have the same when I see horses. But then I remember my last ride (>18 FAMeulstee:), and al the muscle aches afterwards.

>31 drneutron: Thank you, Jim.

>32 humouress: Funny how hard it can be to put maps in the right perspective Nina. Although I would have thougt the 142 km of surrounding dykes would have given some indication.
I never realised that Singapore is even smaller than the Flevopolder.

Happy New Thread, Anita!

>34 FAMeulstee: Nah, I'm no good at estimating. It always amazes me on cop shows how witnesses can say a suspect was so-and-so tall and such-and-such weight (especially).

{ETA: I tried to compare them on Map Fight but I couldn't find Flevoland on there.}

>27 FAMeulstee: RDA is allowed, with social distancing of course. Now I do afternoons after school with my son but I used to do mornings, which are a double session, after which we used to discuss the riders' progress (and horses' behaviour) over coffee and cake. I doubt they can do that now.

I don't know if riding lessons have started again. I found the place we were going to a bit disorganised especially when compared to when we went there a few years previously and other places are more expensive. I've been slow to get back to things after the lockdown; tennis, for instance, has an enthusiastic group for the ladies' social but I feel that with masks and social distancing it's a bit of a pain.

>35 connie53: Thank you, Connie!

>36 humouress: That is something that amazes me too, Nina, I might be able to estimate height, but no way I could say something about weight.

Life has changed a lot for everyone everywhere in the last year.
I have become a bit of a hermit, only leaving the house once a day for our walk. Frank does all the groceries, and even picks up my library books.

>37 FAMeulstee: I would quite happily be a hermit - but the kids still have school and after school activities. Life still goes on :0)

Hi Anita! Had you heard yet that Pieter Aspe, of Van In fame, has died? Only 68...but apparently had been ill for some time.

Oh, and happy new thread!

>39 richardderus: No, I didn't hear that, Richard dear, so thanks for informing me.
It is a sad week, as we also lost Hafid Bouazza last Thursday, he was only 51.

>40 FAMeulstee: Oh, I hadn't heard about Bouazza. I read Paravion a few years ago, what a lovely little story...and calling the place everyone leaves to "by airmail" was hilarious!

>41 richardderus: I haven read Paravion yet, it is on the endless TBR. I did read Een beer in bontjas some years back.

book 87: De 3 bestaat niet by Gerbrand Bakker
library, e-book, non-fiction, no translations, 74 pages
TIOLI Challenge #9: Read a book with a title containing a verb

Gerbrand Bakker lives in the German Eiffel, and has a walking route (the #1) going along his house. When he walks it, he notices some markings are missing. He contacts the local hiking club, and offers his help. He gets what he needs, and works his way around, meanwhile talking to the villagers he meets.
When Gerbrand talks to a Belgian neighbor, he finds out he did the same 4 years ago. The Belgian neighbor still has some markings, and gives them to Gerbrand to use. There are both #1 and #2 (the other local route) markings. But then there are some #3, and there is no #3. The writer wonders about creating a #3.

Part of a series of short books about hiking, written by Dutch writers.

Title translated: The 3 does not exist

book 88: De vermiste prins by John Flanagan
library, e-book, YA, translated, original title The Missing Prince, 285 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article

Rangers Apprentice book 15
King Philippe of Gallica travels to Araluen to ask king Duncans help. His son is taken hostage by a mighty baron. Will and Maddie are send to Gallica.

I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous books. The story was predictable, and again a big cliffhanger at the end. Now the long wait for the next book to be published.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 89: Een vrouw in de poolnacht by Christiane Ritter
library, e-book, translated from German, English translation A Woman in the Polar Night, 220 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article

In 1934 Christiane Ritter travels to Spitsbergen, where her husband does research. She stays for over a year.
She beautifully describes the polar landscape, the animals, the isolated life in a small cabin, the loneliness, when her husband and other Norwegian compagnion, Karl, are away. How life is condensed to its esssence living in the harsh polar nature, where the nearest other humans are far away.

A wonderful trip into the Arctic.

English and Dutch title are the same

>43 FAMeulstee: That blurb made me smile. The missing hiking path!

>42 FAMeulstee: I love the author's "Maybe there ought to be" response to the mystery.

>45 FAMeulstee: That one sounds lovely.

>46 connie53: That attrackted me too, Connie. Lately I read a lot of books about hiking.

>47 swynn: So did I, Steve.
I really recommend A Woman in the Polar Night, it was a great read.

Happy new thread Anita! I love hearing everyone's riding stories. I too was a keen rider in my teens, never technically very good but I loved being on a horse for long rides. I used to do hours of grooming and mucking out in exchange for rides at a local stable.

>45 FAMeulstee: This sounds like a really good read. I will add it to my Wishlist.

Sweet Thursday, Anita! Happy New Thread. I love the photos of you and your horses. My daughter is a devout horse lover and owns her own- Vayda.

>45 FAMeulstee: How lovely to have happy memories of a Polar expedition!

Happy Thursday's reads, Anita.

>49 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, Claire. I never thought these pictures would give so many reactions :-)
I did the same, doing everything needed at the stables to be around the horses and riding them. And a few vacations I was lucky with a stable nearby, and a father who would pay for an hour or two. You probably read every book you could find about horses too.

>50 msf59: Thank you, Mark!
A lot of love for horses here. Thanks for sharing the picture of Vayda and Bree. I remember a picture with you on a horse.

>51 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear.
Indeed, and well written memories. Could be a nice read for a hot summers day ;-)

Read, not yet reviewed
#90: De eerste wandelaar by Flip van Doorn
#91: Grijs verleden (Field Grey, Bernie Gunther 7) by Philip Kerr

Reading now
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne
Een paleis voor de doden by Herman Clerinx
Het geheime netwerk van de natuur (The Secret Network of Nature) by Peter Wohlleben

Hi Anita, happy new thread! Good stories about horses and riding here! I never learned to ride, there were no horses where I grew up. Now our allotment is out in horse country, so I see a lot of them. Riding doesn't tempt me at all, but I discovered it's fun to feed horses apples.

>45 FAMeulstee: That sounds appealing.

>54 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella.
Yes it is fun to read all the horse stories. To bad you never got to riding. Feeding an apple is good, most horses love apples.
A Woman in the Polar Night was a very good read.

>55 FAMeulstee: My horse story is not really a riding one, although I have ridden a few times.

In 1985 as a fairly broke student I had £60 left to see me to the end of term at Warwick Uni. I also wanted to upgrade my racing/training road bike but had not the means to do so. Used to love following the horse racing "form" in the papers and reckoned I had found a ringer in the 2nd race a Stratford upon Avon - a young steeplechaser called Long Engagement over from Ireland. I cycled the 28 miles to the racecourse and put £40 of my entire cash possessions on it to win at 14-1 which it duly did with ridiculous ease. I won two of the remaining races also and amassed a grand total of £930 with my £60 stake. Even though I didn't live that well for the rest of the term I bought myself a wonderful custom made road bike with Columbus SL tubing, mavic wheels, Look pedals and Campagnolo gearsets etc for way over £720 of that sum.

>56 PaulCranswick: Wow! That's a great story. Love it, Paul. I did not ride any horses, never and have no intention to do so. (Would be rather silly at my age, not to mention dangerous).

Hi Anita, Happy Weekend. It promises to be a good one with the temps finally moving in the right direction.

>56 PaulCranswick: I did some (minor) betting at the race track, Paul, but there I was never as lucky as your were. So good you spend it on something you really wanted.
I did win with gambling once, as a student, in an illegal casino at the roulette table. I was with a beautiful Surinamese friend (a former Miss Paramaribo), and wherever she put het bets, it would win. I am sure the roulette was manipulated, playing with her gave us both a good win. A few weeks later the place was closed by the authorities.

>57 connie53: Happy weekend to you, Connie.
Sunday will be a bit on the warm side foe me. After the weekend it looks like the temperatures will be exactly like I love them, just below 20°C.

Hi Anita!

>37 FAMeulstee: I’m mostly a hermit, too. I go grocery shopping once a week, and group any other essential errands for that trip. Last week I actually met up with 3 other vaccinated members of the Friends of the Library at the Library to discuss potential book sales in the fall. My social skills are rusty - two hours of having to pay attention to people in person exhausted me!

>58 FAMeulstee: But with rain and other unpredictable weather things. Here it's clouded and raining.

>60 connie53: That is true, Connie.
It is very rare that it would rain the whole day. So we will find a dry spot for our daily walk :-)

Happy, dry walking today!

>58 FAMeulstee: Ooh, Anita!

I'd never do that because I'm never lucky with games of chance and so on. How nice to have a friend like that ;0)

>62 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear. We are just back from an almost dry walk, just a few drops at the start.
And if I can't find a dry time at the rainradar, we put on our rain suits.

>63 humouress: I have never been that lucky again, Nina.

book 90: De eerste wandelaar by Flip van Doorn
library, e-book, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 464 pages
TIOLI Challenge #11: Read a book in which the story is told in dual timelines – two or more story lines set in different periods of time

Jacobus Craandijk (J. Craandijk) was a Mennonite minister in Rotterdam, and later in Haarlem. He liked to wander around in a time most people walked as transportation to a certain destination: from home to work, or church. He published 8 books of his wanderings through our country (all in my library now, as they are available as free download at the DBNL), beautifully illustrated by P.A. Schpperus.
Flip van Doorn, a far relative of Craandijk, walks parts of the paths Craandijk took 150 years ago. He describes how the places are now, what is lost and what is kept. Like Craandijk he likes to tell some about the history and developments of the places he walks through.

An interesting read about my country in the 19th and 21st century. I never heard of Jacobus Craandijk before, and hope to read his books too.

Dutch title translated: The first hiker/walker/wanderer

book 91: Grijs verleden by Philip Kerr
library, translated, original title Field Grey, 415 pages
TIOLI Challenge #5: Read a book where a color or shade of color is named in the title

Bernie Gunther book 7
Bernie's time in Cuba ends, when the Americans put him in prison. He is forced to work with the CIA and later the French Secret Service and brought back to Germany. During interogations he tells about POW camps, not only in Russia, but also at the start of WWII in France.

Another good read in this series. Learned a lot again about WWII and the time just after in Germany and other places. A lot of twist and turns, and Bernie has a hard time not to compromise himself.

Dutch title translated: Grey past

book 92: Het geheime netwerk van de natuur by Peter Wohlleben
library, non-fiction, translated from German, English translation The Secret Network of Nature, 222 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article

After his books about trees (The Hidden Life of Trees) and animals (The Inner Life of Animals), Peter Wohlleben now shows the ties between all life in nature. That every human interferance has consequenses that not always can be foreseen.

I enjoyed his previous books, and the writer always surprises me with new insights.

English and Dutch title are the same

>65 FAMeulstee: This sounds fascinating Anita. Is it possible to follow in his footsteps, or has too much changed in the landscape? I wondered if he had any paths named after him.

book 93: Een paleis voor de doden by Herman Clerinx
library, e-book, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 352 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book with the letter X in the title or the author's name

All you ever wated to kow about dolmen, menhirs, stone circles and other monuments from the stone age in Western Europe. Archeological findings, history, what we do and don't know about the people who made them. Places in the world where these kind of monuments still are made (Madagascar and Indonesia). With extensive descriptions of all present in the Benelux, including exact locations.

After our walking vacations in Drenthe, with its many dolmens (Dutch: hunnebedden), I wanted to know more about these facinating ancient monuments.

Dutch title translated: A palace for the dead

>68 charl08: Some is still there, Charlotte, nature conservation started a few years after his books were published.
Some castle ruins he described are gone, others have been restaurated back into their former state. Around the cities the landscape is completely changed, houses and offices where once were pastures and woods. And other places, where Craandijk could not go because they were private property, are open to the public now.
No paths named after him. In Rotterdam and Haarlem are streets with his name.

Read, not yet reviewed
#94: Overtuiging (Persuation) by Jane Austen
#95: Ik aanbid je (Falling in Love, Brunetti 24) by Donna Leon
#96: Het zout der aarde (Salt of the Earth) by Józef Wittlin (= book 2500 since 2008)



Reading now
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne
Het pad der dolken (The Path of Daggers, Wheel of time 8) by Robert Jordan
De hengelaars van Castelnau (The origin of the world) by Pierre Michon

Happy Tuesday, Anita. The Secret Network of Nature sounds like something I would like.

>72 msf59: I am sure you would like Peter Wohlleben's books, Mark. Happy Tuesday to you.

>65 FAMeulstee: - This sounds like a wonderful read, Anita. Especially since you and Frank are walkers.

Also adding >67 FAMeulstee: to my tbr. I have The Inner Life of Animals on my shelf, as yet unread, though. In fact, I have many books about nature on my shelves. Comfort reads....

>74 jessibud2: I have read a lot of books about walking and hiking this year, Shelley. A whole new area with many books to read :-)

His first book was about trees (The Hidden life of Trees), after that one I wanted to read all his books. I hope you get to The Inner life of Animals soon, athough I think the other two are slightly better.

Now off with Frank, he will finally get his first Pfizer vaccination.

He got two more invitations to get a vaccine. This appointment was through his work. Then he got the invitation based on his birthyear, and today a third arrived though his GP. As he had diabetes he is among the vunerable, wich resuted in an extra invitation. I think the administration of vaccines/invitations for vaccines is a bit wrong...

>76 FAMeulstee: Good news that Frank is getting his vaccine . Hani is lined up for the 26th but something went wrong with the admin of mine and I'm back on the waiting list. :{

>76 FAMeulstee: These are good news!
Best wishes for you and Frank.

>77 PaulCranswick: OH, I am sorry your appointment went wrong, Paul. But good that Hani will get hers soon. I hope your turn comes soon.

>78 SirThomas: Yes it is, Thomas :-)
So far Frank feels fine, no bad reactions to the vaccine (yet).

>76 FAMeulstee: A bit Wrong! That's really weird, Anita. But so glad Frank has had his first shot! I had Pfizer toot and did not feel a thing.

>76 FAMeulstee: That's a very good piece of news indeed! It does, I admit, sound like your system of deciding who and how the vaccine will be administered to is a bit...redundant.

Still and all, as important as the vaccine is to protecting Frank's health, better to know three times than not at all!

>80 connie53: Thank you, Connie, it was really odd.
Today Frank did call the GGD to tell that he got three invitations. As it was in the news that out of 500.000 invitations only 200.000 did make an appiontment. If many got three invitations, it isn't a bad thing, but understandable.

>81 richardderus: Thank you, Richard, we are very glad Frank got his first vaccination!
Yes, redundant to say the least. Especially because it was all over the news that only 2/5th made an appointment after an inviatation. As I said to Connie^, the actual numbers might be a lot better.

Now waiting for my inviatation, probably within two weeks. The actual appointment will be a few weeks later.

Glad to hear Frank has had his vaccination, Anita.
I finally got to go walking somewhere new today: very happy!

>83 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, we are very pleased. He will get his next vaccination in June.
That is so good, a change of scenery can feel so liberating. Where did you go?

Glad to hear that Frank is able to get his vaccine as well.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

It's good to hear Frank has had his first vaccination. It is weird, after a long wait, to receive three letters at once! And he will be partially protected by that first shot! You still have to be careful, but I do feel safer after having had it.

>85 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita, we are glad he got his first dose.

>86 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella.
The invitations didn't come all at once. He did receive his first invitation in March, through his employer. The sceduled appointment in April was cancelled because the Astra/Zeneca was withdrawn for people under 60. The second (birthyear) came two weeks ago, and the last one (vunerable groups/GP) came yesterday.

book 94: Overtuiging by Jane Austen
1001 books, library, translated from English, original title Persuation, 276 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book with the same 3 letter sequence repeated in title/author's name

Anne Elliott was once engaged, but broke the engagement, because her snobbish family thought he wasn't good enough. Now Captain Wentworth is back, might there be a second chance for Anne?

Enjoyable read, romance with some humor.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 95: Ik aanbid je by Donna Leon
library, translated from English, original title Falling in Love, 301 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3: Read a book set in a country that starts with a vowel

Commissario Bruno Brunetti book 24
A famous opera singer, Flavia Petrelli, returns to Venice for some performances in La Fenice. Brunetti has met her before, in the first book of the series. Now she is stalked by a fan, and an other young singer is attacked.

The mystery part wasn't the best in the series. But the antics of Ms Elettra at the office, helping Bruno, while ignoring her boss, were fun.

Dutch title translated: I adore you

book 96: Het zout der aarde by Józef Wittlin
library, translated from Polish, English translation Salt of the Earth, 319 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article

Early 20th century Piotr Niewiadomski lives in an isolated small village in Galicia near the border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The village is conected with the world by the railway. Piotr works at the railwaystation, a poor but quiet life. But then the War starts, and Piotr is drafted. For the first time in his life he is leaving his city. A long travel by train brings him to the militairy barracks, where he will be turned into a soldier of the Emperor-King.

Wonderful read, the observations of a simple, illiterate man caught in the trouble of his time.

Dutch title translated: The salt of the earth

book 97: De hengelaars van Castelnau by Pierre Michon
own, translated from French, English translation The origin of the world, 56 pages
TIOLI Challenge #8: Read a book that has the word 'novella' on its cover or is tagged 'novella' in LT

A teacher starts to work in a primary school of a small village in the Dordogne, near the Lascaux caves. He feels very attracted to a lady in the tabacco shop. He dreams about her, but she doesn't return his avances, so he will have to do with his actual girlfriend. It takes some time before he finds out who is the lover of the lady of tabacco shop.

Not sure what to make of this (short) story.

Dutch title translated: The anglers of Castelnau

>76 FAMeulstee: Good news about Frank’s first dose of vaccine.

>92 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen. Vaccination is going a bit slow here, but we are glad Frank got his first.

I loved your story of riding when you were younger and everyone else's stories, too. I had no idea there were so many horse lovers here on the 75.

>75 FAMeulstee: I understand your desire to read walking books right now. I seem to be reading quite a few nature books. Although I didn't get the book in time to read it before the Glacier Park book club this week, I'm looking forward to reading The Nature Fix about the psychological benefits of being outdoors. The author's talk included the Japanese and Korean practices of forest bathing - immersing yourself in an area of trees (with clothes on!).

I have not read any by Peter Wohlleben. I'll definitely have to give him a try.

>94 streamsong: Thank you, Janet. I only knew you have horses, and Marks daughter Bree has a horse. So all other stories were a pleasant surprise.

I have experienced that walking in a wood can be very comforting and relaxing. Some of the Pieterpad goes through the woods. Last walking vacation we went through a part of a wood that was serverely damaged, that made me feel not well for a few days...
I hope you like Peter Wohlleben, he is a German forester, with heart for (his) trees.

Read, not yet reviewed
#98: Het pad der dolken (The Path of Daggers, Wheel of time 8) by Robert Jordan
#99: De Cock en de dode tempeliers by A.C. Baantjer
#100: Brekebeen (Bonecrack) by Dick Francis
#101: Wit konijn, rode wolf (White Rabbit, Red Wolf) by Tom Pollock

Reading now
De betovering van lijsten (The infinity of lists: from Homer to Joyce) by Umberto Eco
Als het zaterdag wordt (Saturday Requiem, Frieda Klein 6) by Nicci French
Vlucht van de havik (Celtic bride) by Margo Maguire

Today I got the vaccination invitation.
I will get my first vaccination on June 9th! :-D

YAY!
Congratulations!

>97 FAMeulstee: Wonderful news!!

>98 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas!
It is a big relieve to know I will get my vaccination.

>99 scaifea: Thank you, Amber, so glad I finally could make an appointment for my shot.

That's exciting news, Anita! Congratulations!

Glad to read it, Anita!

Great news, Anita! Glad you have an appointment soon.

>97 FAMeulstee: That is very good news! I'm glad the issue will be settled at last.

>101 RebaRelishesReading: >102 charl08: >103 bell7: >104 richardderus: Thank you, Reba, Charlotte, Mary and Richard!

I am so happy. With my second shot planned halfway July, I will be able to hug my father on his birthday at the end of July :-)

>97 FAMeulstee: Yay!

>97 FAMeulstee: >105 FAMeulstee: Good news, Anita!

Congrats for your invitation for your first shot, Anita. Which one will you get? I had Pfizer and no side effects except for a sore upper arm for a few hours.

>106 quondame: >107 humouress: >108 connie53: Thank you, Susan, Nina and Connie!

I don't know wich vaccine yet, it will be Pfizer or Moderna.
Frank had Pfizer, and also only a sore arm for two days.

I hear the Eurovision is going ahead this year Anita. I haven't seen it since I left the UK - the rest of the world doesn't know what it's missing. Although Australia and Israel seem to be frequent competitors.

>110 humouress: Yes, it goes on this year, Nina, in Rotterdam where it was planned last year.
We used to watch it with friends in the 1980s and early 1990s.

book 98: Het pad der dolken by Robert Jordan
library, e-book, translated, original title The Path of Daggers, 619 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book from a series

Wheel of Time, book 8
Welll nothing much happens here in over 600 pages, but I managed to finish it. As I understand it the next installment is similair, but I really want to know how it all ends. So I will keep on going on with this series, only six books left to go.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 99: De Cock en de dode tempeliers by A.C. Baantjer
library, e-book, Dutch, no translations, 139 pages
TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book where at least some of the book takes place within 50 miles of your home

De Cock, book 55
A woman tells De Cock and Vledder that her husband is missing, they find him dead. During their investigation two other murders occur. What heve these men in common?
As always, good for some mindless diversion.

Title translated: De Cock and the dead templars

book 100: Brekebeen by Dick Francis
own, translated, original title Bonecrack, 229 pages
TIOLI Challenge #15: After all that work, relax and/or read a European mystery (alternating challenge)

Neil Griffon has temporarely taken over the management of his fathers stables, because his father is in hospital with a bad broken leg. He is kidnapped by a criminal who has the most unusual demand: Neil has to take on his son as first jockey, or else the stables will be destroyed. Seeing no other way out, Neil takes Allessando as a jockey.

Good read, interesting take on fathers and sons, as both Neil and Allessandro have to take a lot from their fathers.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 101: Wit konijn, rode wolf by Tom Pollock
own, e-book, translated, awarded, Dioraphte Jongerenliteratuur prijs 2019, original title White Rabbit, Red Wolf, 350 pages
TIOLI Challenge #5: Read a book where a color or shade of color is named in the title

Thrilling YA thriller.
Peter Blankman is great with maths, he also suffers from severe panic attacks. He needs his world to be orderly, and finds comfort with his twin-sister and his scientist mother. At school Ingrid is his only friend. When his mother is stabbed just before she will get an award for her work, Peter finds himself in a violent world of spionage and family sectrets. He needs all his skills to survive.

I didn't expect to be so absorbed by this story, with many twist and turns, up until the last sentence.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 102: Asterix en het gouden snoeimes by René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo
own, translated from French, English translation Asterix and the Golden Sickle, 46 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book with the letter X in the title or the author's name

Asterix and Obelix have to find a new golden sicle for the druid, as the old one is broken.

Decent Asterix and Obelix story, always fun to have a close look at the pictures and find out some more.

English and Dutch title are the same

Read, not yet reviewed
#103: Vlucht van de havik (Celtic bride) by Margo Maguire
#104: Als het zaterdag wordt (Saturday Requiem, Frieda Klein 6) by Nicci French

Reading now:
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne
De betovering van lijsten (The infinity of lists: from Homer to Joyce) by Umberto Eco
Portnoy's klacht (Portnoy's Complaint) by Philip Roth
Een lied voor Achilles (The Song of Achilles) by Madeline Miller

>112 FAMeulstee: Welll nothing much happens here in over 600 pages ...

I've heard that from other readers, and that's pretty much the reason I've avoided the series. I've also heard that it gets moving again and the series has a satisfying ending. I hope it works out that way for you.

>118 swynn: The first books were much better, Steve, but I completely understand avoiding it because of these books in the middle. Luckely I am a fairly fast reader, so I will get though these somewhat dragging parts quick enough ;-)

>10 FAMeulstee: I am going to go over that list and annotate it with what I have read from each author :) I love a wee job!

>90 FAMeulstee: I am drawn to this one! It looks lovely and spare, as I enjoy them .

>120 LovingLit: Have fun with all the books read from the Nobel-list, Meg.
My complete list, including titles is at my LT-wiki https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User:FAMeulstee/Nobel_gelezen

Salt of the Earth was a good read, would fit on many "best books", but is often overlooked. It should have been the first book in a trilogy, but all the writers notes for the next books got lost when he fled Europe at the start of WWII.

>121 FAMeulstee: great wiki- I see you have read heaps of Nobel authors!

Interesting about the Salt of the Earth author, too. I definitely want to read it now.

Adding Salt if the Earth too, Anita! How awful to lose all that work for two books...

>122 LovingLit: Thank you, Meg, not even halfway with Nobel authors yet ;-)

>122 LovingLit: >123 charl08: I hope you both get to Salt of the Earth, the book really deserves a wider audience.

Hi Anita!

>97 FAMeulstee: I’m glad to hear you’re scheduled for your first dose. Congrats.

>105 FAMeulstee: Perfect timing to be able to hug your father on his birthday.

>114 FAMeulstee: I’m glad Bonecrack was a 4* read for you. I haven’t started it yet.

Happy Wednesday, Anita. The warbler is back. Have you seen any interesting migrating birds lately?

>125 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, looking forward to getting my first dose! And even more to be able to hug my father.
I hope you enjoy Bonecrack as much as I did.
Oops, completely forgot the Dick Francis thread. Will go there later today, after my errants are done.

>126 msf59: Thank you, Mark, happy Wednesday to you.
No bird sightings worth mentioning recently, it is fairly quiet on the migrating birds front.

book 103: Vlucht van de havik by Margo Maguire
own, translated, original title Celtic bride, 254 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read some "trash"

Harlequin Historical Romance, the best "trash" I could find on the shelves.
Fake 15th century romance between an Irish princess and an English knight.

How low I go to complete my TIOLI challenges ;-)
On the other hand there have been times I wasn't able to read anything else than these kind of books, and back then I bought every book from this series when it came out. So it will remain on the sheves to be at hand if ever needed again.

Dutch title translated: Flight of the hawk

book 104: Als het zaterdag wordt by Nicci French
library, e-book, translated, original title Saturday Requiem, 387 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book from a series

Frieda Klein book 6
To return a favor Frieda Klein has to evaluate a psychiatric patient in jail. Hanna Docherty was convicted thirteen years ago for murdering her family. The favor is done, but despite Frieda dives in Hanna's case, as she thinks Hanna might not be the murderer.

Another good book in the series, only two left to read.

Dutch title translated: When it gets Saturday

book 105: Een lied voor Achilles by Madeline Miller
library, e-book, translated, original title The Song of Achilles, 368 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book with the same 3 letter sequence repeated in title/author's name

Beautiful retelling of the story of Achillis and Patroclus. Seen trought the eyes of Patroclus, how they met, grew up together, and went to Troje to meet their faith.

Dutch title translated: A song for Achilles

book 106: De betovering van lijsten by Umberto Eco
library, non-fiction, translated from Italian, English translation The infinity of lists: from Homer to Joyce, 408 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a nonfiction book about books or libraries

Eco explores lists and collections in literature, larded with long citations and pictures of paintings. Didn't grasp it all, but I would have loved to visit the exhibition in the Louvre in 2009.

Dutch title translated: The enchantment of lists

Read, not yet reviewed
#107: Piranesi (Piranesi) by Susanna Clarke
#108: Portnoy's klacht (Portnoy's Complaint) by Philip Roth

Reading now:
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne
Ik wou (I Wish) by Toon Tellegen
De onbeduidende Jude (Jude the Obscure) by Thomas Hardy
In het licht van de vuurtoren (The lightkeeper's daughters) by Jean E. Pendziwol

>130 FAMeulstee: Oh, The Song of Achilles...I loved it, of course, and have steadfastly ignored the "yes, that *is* in fact homophobic"-requiring bleats from homophobes that this isn't in Iliad. Only so many times you can bash your head into the wall of denial.

>131 FAMeulstee: That Louvre exhibition...! How I would've loved to attend it.

>132 FAMeulstee: Yay for I Wish and can't wait for your thoughts on Piranesi.

>133 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear, denial is hard to fight. Better to choose your battles wisely.
And I was in France that year! Well, actually in the south of France, and not near Paris.
Those reviews will come soon.

Three books arrived today:
Radetzkymars (The Radetzky March) - Joseph Roth (in new translation)
De wereld van gisteren (The World of Yesterday) - Stefan Zweig
Het zout der aarde (Salt of the Earth) - Józef Wittlin

>128 FAMeulstee: :0)

I've never told you before but I love the way you use the phrase '... larded with ...' because it is so absolutely apt.

>136 humouress: Thank you, Nina. I probably use it because the Dutch word is the same.
Watching the Eurovision Song Contest now.

book 107: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
library, e-book, translated, original title Piranesi, 304 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book in honor of National Photograph Month

Piranesi lives in The House, surrounded by the sea. The House is filled with statues, and even Piranesi, who has explored The House for years, doesn't know the size. Piranesi keeps notes, to keep him from forgetting, and to give him a better understanding of The House.
And then there is The Other, Piranesi meets him twice a week. Piranesi is happy with the gifts The Other brings, is baffled by some of his questions, and is always willing to help The Other with research.
When a third person comes to The House raising questions, Piranesi has to find out more about The Other and the world.

Intriguing mix of fantasy and mystery.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 108: Portnoy's klacht by Philip Roth
1001 books, own, translated, original title Portnoy's Complaint, 280 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book that was filmed or adapted for television within five years of its first publication

A long monologue by Alex Portnoy, 33 year old Jewish American, telling his psychiatrist about his frustrations growing up with a neurotic, dominant mother, and his obsession with sex.

A nice peak into Jewish American life, must have been more shocking when it was first published in 1969.
Three stars, and a half star extra because it made me laugh a few times.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 109: In het licht van de vuurtoren by Jean E. Pendziwol
library, e-book, translated, original title The lightkeeper's daughters, 350 pages
TIOLI Challenge #11: Read a book in which the story is told in dual timelines – two or more story lines set in different periods of time

Morgan is sent to a retirement home to paint a fence, where she put a graffiti. She meets and befriends Miss Livingstone, one of the residents. Recently Miss Livingstone got her fathers jounals from the time he was the lightkeeper on an island. As Miss Livingstone is nearly blind, she asks Morgan to read the jounals to her.

Historical fiction mixed with mystery. Some twist and turns are bit overly coincidenced to wrap up all storylines together. The descriptions of the harsh early 20th century life in isolation on an island were good.

Dutch title translated: In the light of the lighthouse

book 110: De onbeduidende Jude by Thomas Hardy
1001 books, library, translated, original title Jude the Obscure, 559 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book in honor of National Photograph Month

Orphan Jude loves to read and dreams about going to college. But he meets Arabella, marries her, and now has to support his wife. Arabella leaves him when she sees beter opportunities elsewhere. Then he meets his cousin Sue, they are more alike, and fall in love. But life keeps being harsh and there is no happy ending to be.

Hardy covers a lot: religion, marriage, unequality, womans rights, prejudice in a very sad story. Sadly none of the main characters really spoke to me, so it wasn't the great read I hoped for.

Dutch title translated: The insignificant Jude

>141 FAMeulstee: That was always the problem with what I’ve read of Hardy’s books for me; no happy endings.

>142 humouress: If it was only a not happy ending, it would be bearable, Nina, I might even like it.
But there is SO MUCH unhappiness and sadness towards the end that I didn't care anymore.

>143 FAMeulstee: But there is SO MUCH unhappiness and sadness towards the end that I didn't care anymore.

Yep, that's exactly how I felt about Jude, too. Yeesh.

>143 FAMeulstee: >144 scaifea: *shudder* Jude the Obscure is one that I haven't read yet and you're not tempting me to, now.

>141 FAMeulstee: Yup, not a fan of Hardy, and definitely not of this one! So bleak.

>141 FAMeulstee: Not my absolute favourite of Hardy's novels but it is definitely top 5. I hazard that it is probably one of those books that is better in the original than when translated.

>141 FAMeulstee: Hardy is a grim old bugger who badly needed Xanax to calm him wretched anxiety.

>138 FAMeulstee: Ick. Loathsome man.

>137 FAMeulstee: Yay! You liked it!

Happy week-ahead's reads, dear friend Anita.

>144 scaifea: Glad we do agree on this one, Amber.
It was my second Hardy, and probably my last.

>145 humouress: I certainly don't recommend this one, Nina.
Although there are others who think otherwise.

>146 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte, more agreement on this book.
I only read Far from the maddening crowd before this one, that was slightly better.

>147 PaulCranswick: I don't think translation is a problem in this case, Paul, I doubt that the ending is more cheery in English.

>148 richardderus: LOL, Richard dear, I think that might have been the case.
Roth is not that bad, still looking forward to his other books. Nearly all his work is on the shelves, as Frank is a fan. I liked Nemesis.
Yes, I liked it, although not as much as you did.

Happy Sunday, Anita. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I also loved The Song of Achilles.

>151 msf59: Happy Monday, Mark.
It was again a working weekend for Frank, so lots of reading time for me. The Song of Achilles was a good read, now I want to read Circe.

Hi Anita!

>141 FAMeulstee: I’ve read 4 by Hardy, but none recently, and I loved them. However, this one sounds too dreary to read.

>152 FAMeulstee: I loved Circe! I think you will, too. I haven’t read Song of Achilles yet.

I love Hardy and his character-tormenting ways.

>153 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, I am glad you loved the Hardy's you have read. After two books I put him next to Dickens ;-)
I see that Circe is available in the e-library, hope to read it soon.

>154 ursula: I can see how others might like him better, Ursula, after two books I now decide he is not a writer for me.

Read, not yet reviewed
#111: De passievrucht (A Father's Affair) by Karel Glastra van Loon
#112: De vergaderzaal by A. Alberts
#113: De zwarte heuvel (On the black hill) by Bruce Chatwin
#114: Rituelen (Rituals) by Cees Nooteboom
#115: De bibliotheek bij nacht (The library at night) by Alberto Manguel
#116: Getemde schoonheid (Briana) by Ruth Langan

Reading now:
De essays (The Complete Essays) by Michel de Montaigne
Ik wou (I Wish) by Toon Tellegen
Quarantaine by Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer

book 111: De passievrucht by Karel Glastra van Loon
own, Dutch, AKO Literatuurprijs 1999, English translation A Father's Affair, 238 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book that was filmed or adapted for television within five years of its first publication

Armin and Monika got a son called Bo. Ten years ago Monika died, and now Armin and his new partner Ellen want a child. Then Armin finds out he is infertile, so Bo can not be his son. He gets obsessed to find out who is Bo's real father.

Dutch title translated: The passion fruit

book 112: De vergaderzaal by A. Alberts
own, Dutch, no translations, 78 pages
TIOLI Challenge #8: Read a book that has the word 'novella' on its cover or is tagged 'novella' in LT

Mr. Dalem goes to a board meeting, but he has a hard time to concentrate. Before the meeting is over he leaves to his own office. Slowly he looses grip on reality, and slowly the reader finds out how complicated family relations drove him mad.

Title translated: The meeting room

book 113: De zwarte heuvel by Bruce Chatwin
1001 books, library, translated, original title On the black hill, 270 pages
TIOLI Challenge #15: After all that work, relax and/or read a European mystery (alternating challenge)

The indentical twins Lewis and Benjamin Jones were born at the start of the 20th century on a small farm at the border of England and Wales. Through their life we follow the great events of the century: WW I and WW II, changes in agriculture, and changes in the way of life.

This novel reads almost like non-fiction, the whole life of Lewis and Benjamin is described in a way like it could have really been.

Dutch title translated: The black hill

book 114: Rituelen by Cees Nooteboom
1001 books, own, Dutch, English translation Rituals, 192 pages
TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book where at least some of the book takes place within 50 miles of your home

Three episodes from the life of Inni (Inigo) Wintrop, taking place in 1963, 1953 and 1973. At 30 he tries to commit suicide after his wife leaves him, but fails. At 20 he meets Arnold Taads, a man with a stricktly regulated life, dictated by the time of day. At 40 he meets Philip Taads, the abandoned son of Arnold Taads, who tries to lead a timeless life through zen-buddhism.

As the tile indicates the book is about rituals. Inni was raised with Catholic rituals, Arnold Taads has ritualised all his daily actions, and Philip Taads finds comfort and his ultimate destiny in a Japanese tea ritual.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 115: De bibliotheek bij nacht by Alberto Manguel
library, e-book, non-fiction, translated, original title The library at night, 336 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a nonfiction book about books or libraries

Starting from his own library, Manguel tells about libraries all over the world in 15 essays. Looking at libraries from differnt angels: the library as myth, form, classification, identity, home, etc. From the destroyed library of Alexandria to private and fictional libraries.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 116: Getemde schoonheid by Ruth Langan
own, translated, original title Briana, 254 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read some "trash"

And I got through one more Harlequin Historical Romance... to complete a double TIOLI sweep in May.
Fake 17th century romance in Ireland.

Dutch title translated: Tamed beauty

book 117: Ik wou by Toon Tellegen with illustrations by Ingrid Godon
own, YA, Dutch, English translation I Wish, 94 pages
TIOLI Challenge #9: Read a book with a title containing a verb

Found on Richards tread last year. I am a fan of Toon Tellegen, but completely missed this book. It was published in Belgium, and didn't get much publicity over here.
Lovely portraits from Ingrid Godon are accompanied by text/poems from Toon Tellegen.

Richard wrote a great review with some pictures last year.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 118: Quarantaine by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
library, e-book, non-fiction, no translations, 225 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3: Read a book set in a country that starts with a vowel

The Dutch writer Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer lives in Genua, Italy.
When Covid struck in March 2020 he started to keep a diary, published the next day (except on Sundays) in two papers (the Dutch NRC Handelsblad and the Belgian De Standaard). This book is the complete diary, including the missing Saturdays from March 9th to June 26th.

Covid struck first, and hard in Northern Italy. The hospitals couldn't handle the many Covid patients, the hospital workes got ill themselves, and many people lost people close to them. With the lockdown Genua changed from a lively city into a nearly ghosttown. The diary ends when the first Covid-peak has ended.

Dutch title translated: Quarantine

Today the Bookweek 2021 started, nearly 3 months later than usual because of Covid. Time to buy a book to get the Bookweekbook for free. We got:

Cliënt E. Busken by Jeroen Brouwers (Winner Libris Literatuur Prijs 2021)
Wat wij zagen by Hanna Bervoets (Bookweekbook)

Happy Saturday, Anita. It was a cold, rainy day yesterday but plenty of sunshine out there today. It should be a beautiful holiday weekend for us. I have no birding plans yet but I am sure I will get out there.

>159 FAMeulstee: One of my favourite books Anita.

Have you been on your holiday yet? For some reason I thought it was in May.

>162 FAMeulstee: The sacrifices we make for sweeps. I'm not going there this month. The Inheritance was above and beyond.

>165 FAMeulstee: I missed the start of the bookweek! But I'll try to make it up this week. Will have a look at the options at the moment. I hope Client E. Busken will be a good one. Have a nice Sunday.

>166 msf59: Thank you, Mark, happy Sunday to you!
We have finally some sunny, warmer weather, April and May were mostly wet and cold.

>167 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline. My third book by Chatwin, I liked Songlines best.
No, we went in March this year, walking the Pieterpad, and will do that again in October.
Next year probably in June, to Kassel as Documenta 15 will start on June 18th. I expect there will be no more travel restrictions by then.

>168 quondame: Indeed, Susan, thanks. Reading goes easy at the moment, so it wasn't that bad ;-) The other challenges were much easier, I got some very good reads this month.

>169 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella, happy Sunday enjoy the weather.
No wonder you missed the start of the Bookweek, it never was in this time of year. Frank went to the bookshop near the library, where he picked up two books for me. The CPNB tries to get people back to the bookshops, instead of ordering online with "Support your local bookshops". So that we idi.

book 119: Claudius de God by Robert Graves
library, translated, original title Claudius the God, 208 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article

Sadly this turned out to be an abridged version. It looks like a publisher had plans for a complete translation years back, but crisis and all the take overs in Dutch publishing seems to have postponed the publicaton, if it ever comes.
I am glad to have read part of the remaining story of Claudius, still hope a complete translation will be published someday.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 120: De Cock en de blijde Bacchus by A.C. Baantjer
library, e-book, Dutch, no translations, 139 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book with a title with three or more words containing at least one article

De Cock, book 56
A man tells De Cock and Vledder that his uncle hasn't returned his calls for days now. He is found murdered in his house. During their investigation two other murders occur.

These books are getting very much the same now, at least the last three (or more) we have a murder, two more murders, and the fourth murder prevented & the perpetrator caught. Now taking a long break from these.

Title translated: De Cock and the happy Bacchus

Wow, you've been blitzing through the books Anita!

(>157 FAMeulstee: I suspect the English title is not 'Jude the Obscure' on this one.)

>173 humouress: Reading is back at high speed, Nina, we will see how long it lasts.
And thank you for catching that one, the English title is is A Father's Affair. I have edited msg 157.

>165 FAMeulstee: I do love Book Week! The very idea of it makes me smile.

>163 FAMeulstee: *blush*

Have a lovely week-ahead's reads!

I have fallen hopelessly behind on visiting threads but it doesn't mean I haven't been thinking of you all. Hope you are well.

>175 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear. Book Week is a long tradition in our country, it started in the 1930s.
I was very happy to find I Wish on your thread :-)
Happy week ahead!

>176 witchyrichy: Thank you, Karen, all is well over here.
So nice to see you have some time to visit the threads, and even leave a message. I totally understand when time is lacking to do so.

book 121: Zondagochtend breekt aan by Nicci French
library, e-book, translated, original title Sunday Silence, 371 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book from a series

Frieda Klein, book 7
After the cliff hanger from the last book, where Frieda and Josef found the dead body of Bruce Stringer in Frieda's home, we dive into the story right away. The police is finally convinced this was done by Dean Reeves, and a new team takes up the case.

Dutch title translated: Sunday morning starts or Sunday morning dawns

May 2021 in numbers

35 books read (9.682 pages, 312,3 pages a day)

own 12 (34 %) / library 20

26 male author / 9 female author
10 originally written in Dutch / 25 translated into Dutch
28 fiction / 7 non-fiction

35 books in TIOLI Challenges
14 e-books
  5 1001 books
  8 mystery/police procedural
  4 YA

--
pages:
0 - 100 pages: 5
101 - 200 pages: 3
201 - 300 pages: 12
301 - 400 pages: 10
401 - 500 pages: 3
501 - 999 pages: 2
1000+ pages: 0

longest book 619 pages
shortest book 46 pages
average book 277 pages

--
own books read were on the shelf since:
before 2008: 7
2009: 1
2019: 1
2021: 2

--
date first published:

19th century: 2

20th century
1930s: 3
1960s: 2
1970s: 2
1980s: 2
1990s: 4

21st century
2000s: 5
2010s: 11
2020s: 4

--
ratings:
  2 x
10 x
10 x
  9 x
  1 x
  2 x

--
Best books in May


Een vrouw in de poolnacht (A Woman in the Polar Night) by Christiane Ritter
Het zout der aarde (Salt of the Earth) by Józef Wittlin
Ik wou (I Wish) by Toon Tellegen

===

walking in May: walked 28 days, 161,7 km; average 5,78 km/a day
e-biking in May: biked 3 days, 54,6 km; average 18,20 km/a day

2021 totals to date:

121 books read (35.560 pages, 237,1 pages a day)

own 28 (23 %) / library 93

83 male author / 38 female author
29 originally written in Dutch / 92 translated into Dutch
91 fiction / 30 non-fiction

121 books in TIOLI Challenges
40 e-books
  14 1001 books (total 197)
  2 Dutch Literary Canon (total 34/125)
14 childrens/YA
20 mystery/police procedural

pages:
0 - 100 pages: 10
101 - 200 pages: 17
201 - 300 pages: 40
301 - 400 pages: 35
401 - 500 pages: 12
501 - 999 pages: 7
1000+ pages: 0

longest book 996 pages
shortest book 46 pages
average book 294 pages

--
own books read were on the shelf since:
before 2008: 14
2009: 1
2010: 1
2015: 1
2016: 2
2019: 3
2020: 2
2021: 4

--
date first published:
4th centry BC: 1
19th century: 6 4+2

20th century
1900s: 1
1910s: 1
1920s: 2
1930s: 6
1940s: 3
1950s: 3
1960s: 7
1970s: 5
1980s: 9
1990s: 17

21st century
2000s: 11
2010s: 41
2020s: 8

--
ratings:
  2 x
13 x
40 x
44 x
18 x
  2 x
  2 x

===

Walking in 2021: walked 142 days 867,10 km; average 6,11 km a day
e-biking in 2021: biked 9 days 183,4 km; average 20,38 km a day

>179 FAMeulstee: An excellent month! And I Wish made your best-of-May list, too. I'm so glad.

>181 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear, almost like the good old days from a few years back.
My thyroid levels were getting to high, which helps to read fast. Lowering the dose a bit now, before it gets out of hand, so next month will probably be less stellar.

>181 richardderus: Oh, almost forgot to warn you, Richard dear, skip my next thread, or at least the start of it ;-)