Anita (FAMeulstee) still goes where the books take her in 2022 (6)

Welcome to my sixth thread in 2022!

I am Anita Meulstee (59), married with Frank (60) since 1984. We live in Lelystad, the Netherlands. We both love modern art, books and walking.

After reading "The Island of Second Sight", this Paul Klee painting came to mind: Fire at Full Moon (1933). We saw it in Munich in 2018


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 two years 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.

total books read in 2022: 172
34 own / 138 library

total pages read in 2022: 51.371

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currently reading:
De vertellingen van duizend-en-één-nacht 3 translated by Richard van Leeuwen

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books read in June 2022 (22 books, 7.901 pages, 4 own / 18 library)
book 151: Mannen die vrouwen haten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; Millennium 1) by Stieg Larsson, 576 pages, TIOLI #17 (msg 54)
book 152: Anomalie (The Anomaly) by Hervé Le Tellier, 303 pages, TIOLI #8 (msg 55)
book 153: De engel van Venetië (The Garden of Angels) by David Hewson, 383 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 56)
book 154: Dubbele Lotje (Lisa and Lottie) by Erich Kästner, 157 pages, TIOLI #11 (msg 57)
book 155: Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart, 255 pages, TIOLI #6 (msg 83)
book 156: Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) by Vigdis Hjorth, 316 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 84)
book 157: Zalm by Lars Kvamme, 254 pages, TIOLI #5 (msg 85)
book 158: Centaur by Chris Polanen, 352 pages, TIOLI #9 (msg 86)
book 159: De laatste zomer in de stad (Last Summer in the City) by Gianfranco Calligarich, 175 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 100)
book 160: Spoedgeval (Dr Dark and Far-Too Delicious and Secrets of a Career Girl) by Carol Marinelli, 318 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 101)
book 161: Baron by Theun de Vries, 1016 pages, TIOLI #7 (msg 118)
book 162: Briefjes voor Pelle by Marlies Segers, 230 pages, TIOLI #1 (msg 119)
book 163: Scheepsberichten (The Shipping News) by E. Annie Proulx, 399 pages, TIOLI #2 (msg 120)
book 164: De vrije vogel en zijn kooien (Anton Wachter 6) by Simon Vestdijk, 248 pages, TIOLI #3 (msg 121)
book 165: De vrouw die met vuur speelde (The Girl Who Played with Fire; Millennium 2) by Stieg Larsson, 568 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 154)
book 166: Het Opritsjnik-orkest (The Set-Up) by Vladimir Volkoff, 379 pages, TIOLI #16 (msg 155)
book 167: Duister water (Trace Elements; Brunetti 29) by Donna Leon, 335 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 156)
book 168: Het landgoed Ulloa (The House of Ulloa) by Emilia Pardo Bazán, 276 pages, TIOLI #15 (msg 157)
book 169: Outlaws (Outlaws) by Javier Cercas, 443 pages, TIOLI #13 (msg 171)
book 170: Bittere tijden (Harsh Times) by Mario Vargas Llosa, 351 pages, TIOLI #15 (msg 172)
book 171: Jaguarman by Raoul de Jong, 256 pages, TIOLI #7 (msg 173)
book 172: Het woeden der gehele wereld (The raging of the whole world) by Maarten 't Hart, 311 pages, TIOLI #2 (msg 174)

June 2022 reading plans
still reading De vertellingen van duizend-en-één-nacht 3 translated by Richard van Leeuwen

TIOLI June 2022 SWEEP
#1: Read a book by a new-to-you author whose last name starts or ends with the letter "S"
- Briefjes voor Pelle - Marlies Segers, 230 pages (e-library)
#2: Read a book first published in the 1990s OR set in East Anglia, Texas, Nottingham or London
- Scheepsberichten (The Shipping News) - E. Annie Proulx, 399 pages
- Het woeden der gehele wereld (The raging of the whole world) - Maarten 't Hart, 311 pages (e-library)
#3: Read a book set in (or about) Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, or Munich
- De vrije vogel en zijn kooien (Anton Wachter 6) - Simon Vestdijk, 248 pages
#4: Read a book in which the total number of pages are even numbered and the total number ends with a 6 or an 8
- De vrouw die met vuur speelde (The Girl Who Played with Fire; Millennium 2) - Stieg Larsson, 568 pages (e-library)
- Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) - Vigdis Hjorth, 316 pages (library)
#5: Read a nonfiction book with a one-word title
- Zalm : een biografie - Lars Kvamme, 254 pages (e-library)
#6: Read a book about a main character whose paid job consists of taking care of animals (F/NF)
- Onder de korenmaat - Maarten 't Hart, 255 pages (e-library)
#7: Read a book with a one-word person or persons name for a title - subtitles do not matter, but articles do
- Baron - Theun de Vries, 1016 pages
- Jaguarman - Raoul de Jong, 256 pages (library)
#8: Read a book in which something currently impossible or miraculous happens
- Anomalie (The Anomaly) - Hervé Le Tellier, 303 pages (library)
#9: Read a book with the theme "What should I do with my life?"
- Centaur - Chris Polanen, 352 pages (e-library)
#10: Read a book about or set in an emergency department of a hospital
- Spoedgeval (Dr Dark and Far-Too Delicious & Secrets of a Career Girl) - Carol Marinelli, 318 pages (e-library)
#11: Read a book that has some connection to the constellation GEMINI, especially TWINS
- Dubbele Lotje (Lisa and Lottie) - Erich Kästner, 157 pgaes (library)
#12: Read a book that fits a category on the Seattle Public Library 2022 Summer Reading bingo card (list the category)
- Duister water (Trace Elements; Brunetti 29) - Donna Leon (library)
- De engel van Venetië (The Garden of Angels) - David Hewson, 383 pages (library)
#13: Read a book that has a person (human) on the cover
- Outlaws (Outlaws) - Javier Cercas, 443 pages (library)
#14: First/Last rolling challenge
- De laatste zomer in de stad (Last Summer in the City) - Gianfranco Calligarich, 175 pages (library)
#15: Read a book originally published in the Spanish language
- Bittere tijden (Harsh Times) - Mario Vargas Llosa, 351 pages (library)
- Het landgoed Ulloa (The House of Ulloa) - Emilia Pardo Bazán, 276 pages (library)
#16 Read a book by an author who has the same initials for first and last names
- Het Opritsjnik-orkest (The Set-Up) - Vladimir Volkoff, 379 pages
#17: Read a book where at least one title word includes a double letter
- Mannen die vrouwen haten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) - Stieg Larsson, 576 pages (e-library)

TIOLI plans in July:

#1: Read a biography or autobiography about a person in the medical field
-
#2 Read a book you purchased OR borrowed in June, 2022 which includes the letter "J" in the title or author's first name
- Waterjager - Chris Polanen, 285 pages (e-library 7/7)
#3: Read a book with a one-word title that indicates a place. Subtitles to do not matter for this challenge, but articles do
- Congo (Congo) - David van Reybrouck, 680 pages
#4: Read a book which is the 7th book in a series or later
- De laatste kans (Anton Wachtercyclus 8) - Simon Vestdijk, 255 pages
- De politiemoordenaar (Cop Killer; Martin Beck 9) - Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö, 287 pages (library)
- Vertrouwelijke zaken (Blood from a Stone; Brunetti 14) - Donna Leon, 224 pages (e-library 20/7)
#5: Read a book you intended to read earlier this year
- De god van kleine dingen (The God of Small Things) - Arundhati Roy, 337 pages
- De goddelijke komedie (The Divine Comedy) - Dante Alighieri, 599 pages
- Quo vadis? (Quo Vadis) - Henryk Sienkiewicz, 499 pages (library 20/7)
- Vlucht (Migrations) - Charlotte McConaghy, 351 pages (library 21/7)
#6: Read a book that is set in winter and/or the cold, snow or stormy weather plays a part in the plot
-
#7: Read a book first published this century or where the lead character does adulting
- Gerechtigheid (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest; Millennium 3) - Stieg Larsson, 651 pages (e-library 14/7)
- La Superba - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, 348 pages
- De witte tijger (The White Tiger) - Aravind Adiga, 270 pages (library)
#8: Read a book about abortion or contraception
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#9: X marks the spot! Read a book with the letter X in the title or author's name
- De weg naar Oxiana (The Road to Oxiana) - Robert Byron, 320 pages (library 21/7)
#10: Read a book where the title on the cover is written on at least 3 lines or more
-
#11: Read a book about the history or politics of Canada, the United States, or France
-
#12: read a book about language or languages, language learning or translation
-
#13: Read a book with something that can be annoying in the title
- De rimpels van Esther Ornstein (Anton Wachter 7) - Simon Vestdijk, 260 pages
#14: Read a book with a first or second person pronoun (singular or plural) in the title
-
#15: Read a book written by a Chinese born author
- De kunst van het oorlogvoeren (The Art of War) - Sun Tzu, 288 pages
#16: Read a book with a name in the title
- Anna, Hanna en Johanna (Hanna's Daughters) - Marianne Fredriksson, 351 pages
- De vlucht uit Falaise (Escape from Falaise; Rangers Apprentice 16) - John Flanagan, 254 pages (library 21/7)
#17: Read a book that fewer than 2022 members have in their catalog
- Het ijzig hart (The Frozen Heart) - Almudena Grandes, 854 pages (library)
- De reparatie van de wereld - Slobodan Šnajder, 479 pages
- De vlamberken (The Sixteen Trees of the Somme) - Lars Mytting, 428 pages (e-library 7/7)
#18: Read a book someone read earlier this year in a TIOLI challenge
-

books read in January 2022
book 1: Pippi Langkous gaat aan boord (Pippi Goes on Board) by Astrid Lindgren
book 2: De onderstroom (The Offing) by Benjamin Myers
book 3: Pippi Langkous in Taka-Tukaland (Pippi in the South Seas) by Astrid Lindgren
book 4: Het vierde offer (Borkmann's Point; Van Veeteren 2) by Håkan Nesser
book 5: De terugkeer (The Return; Van Veeteren 3) by Håkan Nesser
book 6: Drie sterke vrouwen (Three Strong Women) by Marie NDiaye
book 7: De grote angst in de bergen (Terror on the Mountain) by Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz
book 8: 10 minuten 38 seconden in deze vreemde wereld (10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World) by Elif Shafak
book 9: Sjakie en de grote glazen lift (Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator) by Roald Dahl
book 10: De lijst van dingen die niet zullen veranderen (The List of Things That Will Not Change) by Rebecca Stead
book 11: Dochters van een nieuwe tijd by Carmen Korn
book 12: Tijd om opnieuw te beginnen by Carmen Korn
book 13: De tijden veranderen by Carmen Korn
book 14: De lange weg naar huis (The Book of Eels) by Patrick Svensson
book 15: Dankzij de dingen by Rutger Kopland
book 16: De Godden broers (The great Godden) by Meg Rosoff
book 17: Hotel New Hampshire (The Hotel New Hampshire) by John Irving
book 18: Laurier en leeuwerik (The Lark and the Laurel; Mantlemass 1) by Barbara Willard
book 19: De Cock en de dood van de Helende Meesters (De Cock 58) by A.C. Baantjer
book 20: De loot van de brem (The Sprig of Broom; Mantlemass 2) by Barbara Willard
book 21: De witte vesting (The White Castle) by Orhan Pamuk
book 22: De moeder van Nicolien by J.J. Voskuil
book 23: Avontuur Amerika by Cees Nooteboom
book 24: Teleurstellen vergt lef (Dare to Disappoint) by Özge Samanci
book 25: De overlevenden (The Survivors) by Alex Schulman
book 26: Witte onschuld (White Innocence) by Gloria Wekker
book 27: Viersprong van de schemer (Crossroads of twilight; Wheel of Time 10) by Robert Jordan
book 28: De onzichtbaren (The Unseen) by Roy Jacobsen
book 29: Petersburg (Petersburg) by Andrej Bely
book 30: De voorspelling (Pawn of Prophecy; Belgariad 1) by David Eddings
book 31: Benedenwereld (Underland: A Deep Time Journey) by Robert Macfarlane
book 32: Een koude wind (A Cold Wind Blowing; Mantlemass 3) by Barbara Willard
book 33: De oudste zoon (The Eldest Son; Mantlemass 4) by Barbara Willard

books read in February 2022
book 34: Ilyas by Ernest van der Kwast
book 35: Inham (Cove) by Cynan Jones
book 36: De rode prins (The Red Prince) by Timothy Snyder
book 37: Gekraakt (Come to Grief) by Dick Francis
book 38: De harde kern boek 1 by Frida Vogels
book 39: Mes van dromen (Knife of Dreams; Wheel of Time 11) by Robert Jordan
book 40: Over het doppen van bonen (A Treatise on Shelling Beans) by Wiesław Myśliwski
book 41: De Sparsholt-affaire (The Sparsholt Affair) by Alan Hollinghurst
book 42: De rode anjer (The Red Carnation) by Elio Vittorini
book 43: De laatste eer (The Confession of Brother Haluin; Cadfael 15) by Ellis Peters
book 44: Het rode korenveld (Red Sorghum) by Mo Yan
book 45: De jongen, de mol, de vos en het paard (The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse) by Charlie Mackesy
book 46: Als Beale Street kon praten (If Beale Street Could Talk) by James Baldwin
book 47: Hoe ik nu leef (How I live now) by Meg Rosoff
book 48: Selma by Carolijn Visser
book 49: De magische koningin (Queen of Sorcery; Belgariad 2) by David Eddings
book 50: Binnen de muren (Within the Walls) by Giorgio Bassani
book 51: Het woud der verwachting (In a Dark Wood Wandering) by Hella Haasse
book 52: Langs de IJssel by Kester Freriks
book 53: Maangloed (Moonglow) by Michael Chabon
book 54: De preek over de val van Rome (The Sermon on the Fall of Rome) by Jérôme Ferrari
book 55: Hersenschimmen (Out of Mind) by J. Bernlef

books read in March 2022
book 57: De gouden bril (The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles; Ferrara 2) by Giorgio Bassani
book 58: Opgewekt naar de eindstreep by Hendrik Groen
book 59: De harde kern boek 2 by Frida Vogels
book 60: De troonopvolger (Unto Us a Son Is Given; Brunetti 28) by Donna Leon
book 61: Vijftien namen by Levie de Lange
book 62: Het uur u by Martinus Nijhoff
book 63: De naderende storm (The Gathering Storm; Wheel of Time 12) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
book 64: Van steen en been by Bérengère Cournut
book 65: Verduistering (Don't turn out the lights; Martin Servaz 3) by Bernard Minier
book 66: De groef by Maartje Wortel
book 67: Tovenaarsgambiet (Magician's Gambit; Belgariad 3) by David Eddings
book 68: De grootsheid van het al by Raoul de Jong
book 69: Pieterpad deel II: Vorden-Maastricht by Toos Goorhuis-Tjalsma & Bertje Jens
book 70: Wat er werkelijk is by Nelleke Noordervliet
book 71: De dood van Achilles (The Death of Achilles; Fandorin 4) by Boris Akoenin
book 72: De Bommellegende by Marten Toonder
book 73: Generaal zonder leger by Özcan Akyol
book 74: De vergelder by Marten Toonder
book 75: De laatste rituelen (Burial Rites) by Hannah Kent
book 76: Een verhaal met een angel (A sting in the tale) by Dave Goulson
book 77: Herfst (Autumn) by Karl Ove Knausgård
book 78: Misverstand in Moskou by Simone de Beauvoir
book 79: Een vlucht zwanen (A Flight of Swans; Mantlemass 6) by Barbara Willard
book 80: Gods wegen by Marijke Schermer
book 81: Dodelijk web (Under Orders) by Dick Francis
book 82: Surrogaten voor Murk Tuinstra by Simon Vestdijk
book 83: De om by Willem Jan Otten
book 84: Wedervaring by Bodo Kirchhoff
book 85: Lezen als geschenk (The Gifts of Reading) by Robert Macfarlane
book 86: De droogte (The Dry) by Jane Harper
book 87: Zaaien en oogsten (Harrow and Harvest; Mantlemass 7) by Barbara Willard

books read in April 2022
book 88: Het einde van Mantlemass (The keys of Mantlemass; Mantlemass 8) by Barbara Willard
book 89: Luitenant-kolonel de Maumort (Lieutenant-Colonel de Maumort) by Roger Martin du Gard
book 90: De gesloten kamer (The Locked Room; Martin Beck 8) by May Sjöwall & Per Walöö
book 91: Tot ziens daarboven (The Great Swindle) by Pierre Lemaitre
book 92: Zeldzame aarden by Sandro Veronesi
book 93: De kleuren van de brand (All human wisdom) by Pierre Lemaitre
book 94: Out of Africa (Out of Africa) by Karen Blixen
book 95: De honderd dagen (One hundred days) by Joseph Roth
book 96: Achter de deur (Behind the door; Ferrara 4) by Giorgio Bassani
book 97: De spiegel van ons verdriet (Mirror of our sorrows) by Pierre Lemaitre
book 98: Vrouw of vos (Lady into Fox) by David Garnett
book 99: Weigering (Refusal) by Felix Francis
book 100: De woestijn van de Tartaren (The Tartar Steppe) by Dino Buzzati
book 101: Het geluk van de wolf by Paolo Cognetti
book 102: De hemel is altijd paars by Sholeh Rezazadeh
book 103: Herinneringen van een engelbewaarder (A Guardian Angel Recalls) by W.F. Hermans
book 104: Soms zou ik de wind willen zijn by Franco Faggiani
book 105: Dit soort kleinigheden (Small Things Like These) by Claire Keegan
book 106: Het lied van de Orbus (Castle of Wizardry; Belgariad 4) by David Eddings
book 107: De grutto by Albert Beintema
book 108: Witte zee (White Shadow) by Roy Jacobsen
book 109: Het evangelie van O. Dapper Dapper by W.F. Hermans
book 110: De slag om Europa by Thomas Piketty
book 111: Uitnodiging voor een onthoofding (Invitation to a Beheading) by Vladimir Nabokov
book 112: De man die twee keer dood ging (The man who died twice) by Richard Osman
book 113: IJzerkop (Ironhead) by Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem
book 114: Voetsporen in de sneeuw (A Murder Of Quality; George Smiley 2) by John le Carré
book 115: Op de planken by Gerrit Komrij
book 116: De ombrenger by Marten Toonder
book 117: Buitenpost (Outpost) by Dan Richards
book 118: De God Denkbaar, Denkbaar de God by W.F. Hermans
book 119: De vader van Artenio by Frida Vogels
book 120: Huis voor de dag, huis voor de nacht (House of Day, House of Night) by Olga Tokarczuk
book 121: Terug tot Ina Damman by Simon Vestdijk

books read in May 2022
book 122: De vrolijke verrader: Een KGB-spion uit Rotterdam (Spies, Lies, and Exile) by Simon Kuper
book 123: De wilde stilte (The Wild Silence) by Raynor Winn
book 124: De kauw by Achilles Cools
book 125: Kleine helden by Almudena Grandes
book 126: De torens van middernacht (Towers of Midnight; Wheel of Time 13) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
book 127: De Titanic by Martin van Neck
book 128: De tweeling (The Twins) by Tessa de Loo
book 129: Liraël (Lirael; Old Kingdom 2) by Garth Nix
book 130: Abhorsen (Abhorsen; Old Kingdom 3) by Garth Nix
book 131: Sapiens (Sapiens) by Yuval Noah Harari
book 132: Eindspel (Enchanters' End Game; Belgariad 5) by David Eddings
book 133: Fado Alexandrino (Fado Alexandrino) by António Lobo Antunes
book 134: Voor het verdwijnt en daarna by Rutger Kopland
book 135: De reiger (The Heron; Ferrara 5) by Giorgio Bassani
book 136: Twee vrouwen (Two women) by Harry Mulisch
book 137: Limonov (Limonov) by Emmanuel Carrere
book 138: Koningin Eenoog by W.F. Hermans
book 139: Middernachtbibliotheek (The Midnight Library) by Matt Haig
book 140: De andere school (Anton Wachter 4) by Simon Vestdijk
book 141: De beker van de min (Anton Wachter 5) by Simon Vestdijk
book 142: De vliegeraar (The Kite Runner) by Khaled Hosseini
book 143: De geur van hooi (The Smell of Hay; Ferrara 6) by Giorgio Bassani
book 144: Inktzwart (Blackout; Dark Iceland 2) by Ragnar Jónasson
book 145: De wateraap by Mariken Heitman
book 146: Wormmaan by Mariken Heitman
book 147: Voor al uw geschenken by Jean Rouaud
book 148: Vos & ik (Fox & I) by Catherine Raven
book 149: Spijt! by Carry Slee
book 150: Het eiland van het tweede gezicht (The Island of Second Sight) by Albert Vigoleis Thelen

Reading plans in 2022
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 2022:
Ideeën (1-7) by Multatuli, 3846 pages
De droom van de rode kamer (Dream of the Red Chamber) by Cao Xueqin, 2160 pages
Man zonder eigenschappen (The man without qualities) by Robert Musil, 1785 pages
De razende Roeland (Orlando furioso) by Ludovico Ariosto, 1783 pages
De kracht van Atlantis (Atlas shrugged) by Ayn Rand, 1373 pages
✔ Luitenant-kolonel de Maumort (Lieutenant-Colonel 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

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Some other books I want to read in 2022:
De goddelijke komedie (The Divine Comedy) - Dante Alighieri, 599 pages
✔ Binnen de muren (Within the Walls) - Giorgio Bassani, 207 pages
✔ Petersburg (Petersburg) - Andrei Bely, 429 pages
Anatomie van een moment (The Anatomy of a Moment) - Javier Cercas, 539 pages
Jean-Paul Sartre : zijn biografie (Sartre: A Life) - Annie Cohen-Solal, 610 pages
Het ijzig hart (The Frozen Heart) - Almudena Grandes, 854 pages
✔ Sapiens : Een kleine geschiedenis van de mensheid (Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind) - Yuval Noah Harari, 461 pages
Duitse les (The German Lesson) - Siegfried Lenz, 511 pages
Een beloofd land (A promised land) - Barack Obama, 896 pages
✔ Het eiland van het tweede gezicht (The Island of Second Sight) - Albert Vigoleis Thelen, 994 pages
Aarde der mensen (This Earth of Mankind) - Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 457 pages
✔ De wilde stilte (The wild silence) - Raynor Winn, 318 pages

Tickers

2022 totals





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Totals since 2008:

Monthly statistics
January: 33 books / 9.366 pages
February: 23 books / 7.869 pages
March: 31 books / 7.429 pages
April: 34 books / 9.531 pages
May: 29 books / 9.276 pages

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Previous threads in 2021
book 1 - 28: thread 1
book 29 - 56: thread 2
book 57 - 87 : thread 3
book 88 - 121 : thread 4
book 122 - 150 : thread 5

The new "Charts and Graphs" is fun to use, my readings since 2008:


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

Lists on my WikiThing

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

Series I read, a list to keep track

Alan Banks by Peter Robinson (re-read 4/20)
1 Stille blik; 2 Nachtlicht; 3 Tegenstroom; 4 Zondeval; 5 Schijnbeeld; 6 Woensdagkind; 7 Zwanenzang; 8 Innocent Graves (not translated); 9 Dead Right (not translated); 10 Verdronken verleden; 11 Kil als het graf; 12 Nasleep; 13 Onvoltooide zomer; 14 Vuurspel; 15 Drijfzand; 16 Hartzeer; 17 Duivelsgebroed; 18 Overmacht; 19 Uitschot; 20 Dwaalspoor; 21 Dankbare dood; 22 Slachthuisblues

Anton Wachtercyclus by Simon Vestdijk 6/8
1 Sint Sebastiaan; 2 Surrogaten voor Murk Tuinstra; 3 Terug tot Ina Damman; 4 De andere school; 5 De beker van de min; 6 De vrije vogel en zijn kooien; 7 De rimpels van Esther Ornstein; 8 De laatste kans

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

The Belgariad by David Eddings 5/5
1 De voorspelling; 2 De magische koningin; 3 Tovenaarsgambiet; 4 Het lied van de Orbus; 5 Eindspel

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 16/20
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 58/71

Erast Fandorin by Boris Akoenin 4/7
1 Fandorin; 2 Turks gambiet; 3 Leviathan; 4 De dood van Achilles; 5 Bijzondere opdrachten; 6 Staatsraad; 7 De kroning

Ferrara by Giorgio Bassani 6/6
1 Binnen de muren; 2 De gouden bril; 3 De tuin van de Finzi-Contini's; 4 Achter de deur; 5 De reiger; 6 De geur van hooi

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

Guido Brunetti by Donna Leon 28/30
1 Dood van een maestro; 2 Dood in den vreemde; 3 De dood draagt rode schoenen; 4 Salto mortale; 5 Acqua alta; 6 Een stille dood; 7 Nobiltà; 8 Fatalità; 9 Vriendendienst; 10 Onrustig tij; 11 Bedrieglijke zaken; 12 De stille elite; 13 Verborgen bewijs; 14 Vertrouwelijke zaken; 15 Duister glas; 16 Kinderspel; 17 Droommeisje; 18 Gezichtsverlies; 19 Een kwestie van vertrouwen; 20 Dodelijke conclusies; 21 Beestachtige zaken; 22 Het onbekende kind; 23 Tussen de regels; 24 Ik aanbid je; 25 Eeuwige jeugd; 26 Wat niet verdwijnt; 27 Vergiffenis; 28 De troonopvolger; 29 Duister water; 30 Vluchtig verlangen

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;

Konráð by Arnaldur Indridason 3/3
1 Smeltend ijs; 2 Boven water; 3 Smeulend vuur; 4 Þagnarmúr (not yet translated)

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

Martin Beck by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö 8/10
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 3/5
1 Een kille rilling; 2 Huivering; 3 Verduistering; 4 Schemering; 5 Weerzin; 6 Afdaling; 7 Afrekening

Het rad des tijds (Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson) 14/15
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

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

Books acquired in 2022: 22

January
Verdriet is het ding met veren - Max Porter
Morgen - Walter Kappacher
De droom van de rode kamer - Cao Xueqin (e-book)
Lezen als geschenk - Robert Macfarlane (e-book)

February
De wand - Marlen Haushofer
Terug naar Reims - Didier Eribon
De Sparsholt-affaire - Alan Hollinghurst
Kind van een vreemde - Alan Hollinghurst

April
Voetsporen in de sneeuw - John Le Carré
Edelman, bedelman, schutter, spion - John Le Carré
De laatste spion - John Le Carré
Monterosso mon amour - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
Veranderen: methode - Édouard Louis

Juni
Zuid-zuid-west - Albert Helman
Doctor Vlimmen - A. Roothaert
Vlimmen contra Vlimmen - A. Roothaert
Vlimmens tweede jeugd - A. Roothaert
Het eiland van het tweede gezicht - Albert Vigoleis Thelen
Mefisto - Klaus Mann
Hebben en zijn - Dimitri Verhulst
Onder de Drachenwand - Arno Geiger
Zonnegloren - Matthijs van Nieuwkerk

Welcome!

Happy new thread, Anita.

Your thread is always one of my go to places in the group - you have warmth, empathy and books in abundance my friend!

>15 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Paul.
And thanks *blush*, your efforts in keeping up with us all are an essential part of what this makes such a special place.

That is so nice of you to say, Anita. I honestly don't know how I would cope with some of the things I have had to face over the last years without my friends in the group.

>18 PaulCranswick: You are very welcome, Paul.
I think you need some extra support in the present difficult time for you and yours.

Happy new thread, Anita! An congrats on 150! That's amazing!!

Happy new thread, Anita!

>20 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! So far I am having a good reading year.

>21 drneutron: Thank you, Jim, and for all you do for us!

Happy new thread!

>11 FAMeulstee: I love the charts and graphs.

Hi Anita and Happy New Thread!

I love your approach to tracking series you are reading. I keep trying to think of an easy way to track mine. Your approach is straightforward and looks easy to maintain.

Hi Anita, and happy new thread!

From your last thread, excellent May stats, and congrats on your 75 x 2!

New thread greetings and smoochings, Anita! And enjoy the slow slide into a weekend full of really good reading.

>23 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!
I was so pleased with the newly designed Charts & Graphs. I use it a lot.

>24 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen!
Glad to be an inspiration. I started doing this a few years back, and haven't found any better way to do it.

>25 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen!
And thanks (2x), May was an excellent reading month :-)

>26 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear.
With being away yesterday I didn't read much yet. I have all month to catch up :-)

Happy new one! I'm hoping to get some reading time in the garden over the next few months. The wonderful sunshine this week seems a hopeful sign.

Happy New Thread, Anita!

Happy new thread!

>29 charl08: It is mostly working in the garden at the moment, Charlotte. We finally got some rain and the weeds appreciate it ;-)
The roses started to bloom, and some are heavy scented, so you can smell them already at a few meters.

Enjoy your garden, and I hope there is some reading in the garden time soon.

>30 ronincats: Thank you, Roni!

>31 quondame: Thank you, Susan!

Happy new thread, Anita. And congrats on your amazing achievement in reading so far this year!

Happy New Thread and Congrats on 150!!

Hi Anita my dear, Happy New Thread and i love perusing your stats as much as you like mine. I hope that you and Frank have had a good week and wish you both a really lovely weekend and send love and hugs to both of you from both of us dear friend.

>34 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. I am glad to have so much time to read :-)

>35 hredwards: Thank you, Harold!

>36 johnsimpson: Thank you, John. We share the fascination with stats and numbers with a few others in the group. All is well enough in Lelystad. Sending love and hugs to you and Karen from both of us, and wishing you a lovely weekend.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#151: Mannen die vrouwen haten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) by Stieg Larsson

Reading now:
Anomalie (The Anomaly) by Hervé Le Tellier
Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart

Happy new thread! Love the Paul Klee.

>39 banjo123: Thank you, Rhonda.
Fire at Full Moon was a lovely, rather small painting, that stood out between others at a Paul Klee exhibition.

Happy new thread, Anita!

Happy New Thread, Anita!

>41 bell7: Thank you, Mary!

>42 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella!

Happy New Thread, Anita!

>44 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas!

>32 FAMeulstee: Well, by the time I got organised yesterday, the neighbours were setting up for a barbecue, so I made myself scarce. Today it rained, so did some inside jobs instead. I will try to get home earlier and sit outside this week after work (if the weather permits). It was lovely to walk by the sea and in woodland this week. I think I need to try and do more of that.

>46 charl08: Yeah, barbecue's make me go inside too.
I worked some in the garden yesterday, and a little this morning. Then it started to rain, and it probably will keep on raining until tomorrow evening. So I curled up inside with my book.
It is always nice to walk somewhere else, discovering new places, and enjoy the scenery.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#151: Mannen die vrouwen haten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) by Stieg Larsson
#152: Anomalie (The Anomaly) by Hervé Le Tellier
#153: De engel van Venetië (The Garden of Angels) by David Hewson

Reading now:
Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart
Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) by Vigdis Hjorth

I loved the first two, Anita - and I'm curious to hear what you think.
Have a great start to the week.

>49 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas.
My reviews will come later this week.

Happy new thread, Anita!

>51 curioussquared: Thank you, Natalie!

Read, not yet reviewed:
#151: Mannen die vrouwen haten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) by Stieg Larsson
#152: Anomalie (The Anomaly) by Hervé Le Tellier
#153: De engel van Venetië (The Garden of Angels) by David Hewson
#154: Dubbele Lotje (Lisa and Lottie) by Erich Kästner
#155: Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart

Reading now:
Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) by Vigdis Hjorth
Zalm by Lars Kvamme

book 151: Mannen die vrouwen haten by Stieg Larsson
library, e-book, translated from Swedish, English translation The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 576 pages
TIOLI Challenge #17: Read a book where at least one title word includes a double letter

An old man hires an investigating journalist to make one last effort to find out what happened to his niece fourty years ago. She disappeared, while on an island, that wasn't accesible from the mainland, due to an accident.
The journalist gets help from a female hacker, and digs deep into the family. He finds secrets that were burried for years.

I liked most of the story, but wasn't completely convinced. Some of the violence (and how the cat died) was a bit hard to stomach.
Maybe I expected to much, maybe the book suffered because I had such a great read right before.

Dutch title translated: Men who hate women

book 152: Anomalie by Hervé Le Tellier
library, translated from French, English translation The Anomaly, 303 pages
TIOLI Challenge #8: Read a book in which something currently impossible or miraculous happens

In March a plane goes through very bad weather on the way to New York. We follow some of the passenges three months later, just before they are picked up by the authorities. A few hours later their world is shattered, as the same plane arrived again, with the same passengers. The government is searching for answers, how to handle the situation, and find a way to bring the news to the passsengers, who all have a double now. Everyone reacts in a different way to their double, and so do the doubles.

A good story. Because of the many characters, most stay a bit shallow. I would have liked some more.
The end was perfect.

English and Dutch are almost the same, the Dutch title has no article before Anomaly

book 153: De engel van Venetië by David Hewson
library, translated, original title The Garden of Angels, 383 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book that fits a category on the Seattle Public Library 2022 Summer Reading bingo card

Nico's grandfather Paolo is dying. At his deathbed he gives Nico some letters, one each day, they tell about what happened in 1943, during the German occupation of Venice.
In 1943 Paolo's parents died, and now he is the last one to continue the family business of weaving Venetian velvet. He gets involved in the resistance. He provides a hiding place for two young Jews, brother and sister. It is the start of life changing events, not only for Paolo.

An engaging read, with an unexpected twist at the end.
I have always liked David Hewson's police procedurals, like the Nic Costa and Detective Pieter Vos series. With this book he goes into history, in a very good, and thrilling story.

Dutch title translated: The angel of Venice

book 154: Dubbele Lotje by Erich Kästner
library, children's, translated from German, English translation Lisa and Lottie, 157 pages
TIOLI Challenge #11: Read a book that has some connection to the constellation GEMINI, especially TWINS

Nine year old Louise and Lotte unexpectedly meet eachother at summer camp. They didn't know they had a sister, let alone a twin! Louise lives with her father, and Lotte with her mother. They decide to change places, to get to know their other parent. They need eachothers help to impersonate the other twin, and try to write every day. Eventually they will bring their parents back together.

Reading Erich Kästner is fun. This edition had the original illustrations by Walter Trier.

Dutch title translated: Double Lotte

>55 FAMeulstee: What an intriguing idea for a plot. I think I'd send my double to work (although I may have got that idea from a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, and I don't think it ended well for Calvin!)

>57 FAMeulstee: Is this the basis for the film with Hayley Mills? It sounds so similar in plot.

I've just read about an Eileen Mayo exhibition, very tempting. It's a long way on the train to Eastbourne though!

>58 charl08: The plot of The Anomaly was indeed intriguing and clever, Charlotte. It would have been perfect if the characters were worked out better. I don't think I would like myself as a double, and reading on the couch with the two of us sounds bad too.

Yes, the book was turned into a movie more than once as "Parents trap".

I liked what I found, searching around a bit about the Eileen Mayo exhibition. Although I won't travel for it, not ready to go out and about as I did before the pandemic. I hoped to get back into at the Documenta 15 in Kassel, that starts later this month. But we had to cancel our reservations, due to the increasing costs of living. Now we will go instead to Rotterdam for two nights later this month.

"Men Who Hate Women" is a better title than The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I Pearl-Ruled that book. Ugh.

I'm happy to see the current crop (less the Stieg Larsson) was made up of good reads indeed.

Happy Wednesday!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was WAY too violent for me. I won't be reading any more Stieg Larsson thank you very much.

>60 richardderus: The Dutch title is the same as the original, Richard dear, not sure why it was changed in English. I think Pearl-ruling was a good choice. I am not sure yet if I want to read the next Millenium book, I did get it from the e-library right after finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Now I hesitate, do I really want more of that? On the other hand I am curious about the next "adventures" of Blomkvist and Salander...
Yes, all others were very good reads, lucky me!
Happy Wednesday!

>61 RebaRelishesReading: I completely understand, Reba. I find it hard to quit a book I read, even to quit a series before the end... So not sure yet, will I continue, or not?

>1 FAMeulstee:
Your comment reminded me of your time when you were not well. Good to see you are doing good now.

>63 xieouyang: Thank you, Manual.
My reading has been great these last years, especialy compared to those years :-)

>54 FAMeulstee: I found this a bit of a disappointment too. Just not my cup of tea, and it didn’t help that expectations werse set so high.

>55 FAMeulstee: Great idea, I am curious now, even if it was a bit shallow.

>56 FAMeulstee: Sounds good. I am reading Commissario Brunetti and wouldn’t mind another one set in Venice.

>57 FAMeulstee: Yes! Sounds good, and I like the German title best Das doppelte Lottchen. You’ve read two books featuring doubles!

>59 FAMeulstee: Too bad you had to cancel Anita. Maybe next year everything will be a bit better? Is it a yearly event?

>65 EllaTim: Hi Ella!
54: High expectations can turn against a book, like this one. It adds to the joy when you really like it.
55: It won the Goncourt in 2020, and is longlisted for the Europese Literatuurprijs 2022, enough reason for me to read it.
56: I can also recommend Death in Venice, if you are looking for other books set in Venice.
57: Agree about the title. While reading I also realised it was the second book about doubles :-)
59: The Documenta is once every five years, we went to Kassel in 1992 and in 2017. I hope there won't be again 25 years in between, before the next Documenta visit.

>54 FAMeulstee: For me, the book (and the series - at least Larsson's books) is a pleasure to read. But tastes are different - and that's good.
>55 FAMeulstee: I also liked this very much, I'm glad you could enjoy it too.
>57 FAMeulstee: Erich Kästner is a wonderful writer, I also loved Emiel en zijn detectives.
>60 richardderus: >62 FAMeulstee: the German title - Verblendung (delusion) is even more inappropriate....
I hope you will have a chance to visit Documenta soon and wish you a wonderful day.

>67 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, the next Documenta will be in 2027.

54: I see what people like in Stieg Larsson's books. I found the violence a bit much. Still not sure about continuing.
55: It was a very good idea, glad I read it.
57: Yes, Kästner was a wonderful writer. I am sure I read more by him when I was young, but can't remember which books. So now I read them again. I did read Emil und die Detektive three years ago, and have Fabian unread on the shelves.
60, 62: I will never understand why publishers sometimes choose such weird titles for translations...

Read, not yet reviewed:
#155: Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart
#156: Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) by Vigdis Hjorth
#157: Zalm by Lars Kvamme

Reading now:
De laatste zomer in de stad (Last Summer in the City) by Gianfranco Calligarich
Centaur by Chris Polanen

>68 FAMeulstee:, >67 SirThomas: The German title is completely bizarre. I don't at all comprehend it.

A lot of times a literal transliteration of a title is incomprehensible, so I can sort-of get behind the idea of altering them...but "Men Who Hate Women" is exactly the title that story should have.

Then I consider Niklas Natt och Dag's first novel 1793...in the US, it's The Wolf and the Watchman which is exactly the right title for that story, and the issue clouds over again.

>70 richardderus: Indeed, Richard dear, some titles are bizarre. And others not completely translatable

While The Wolf and the Watchman does say what the story is about, I don't like that it breaks the sequence of 1793, 1794, and 1795. I have read the first two, and hope to read the last one soon.

The most bizarre German title I have come across so far is for Young Man with a Horn:

Ich mag mich irren, aber ich finde dich fabelhaft (I may be wrong, but I think you are fabulous)
It's a quote from a Jazz song which is not even mentioned in the book.

>72 SirThomas: LOLOL

That's at least subject-matter appropriate!

>71 FAMeulstee: That's true...but since the US apparently isn't getting the others, I can't complain too loudly.

>72 SirThomas: That is a very weird title, Thomas. I see an other German edition got a better title Verklungene Trompete.

>73 richardderus: Oh, I hate it when publishers stop before the end of a series. These days I try to start only those series where all books are available in translation. I mean those that have an ending story in 3 or 4 books, not ongoing series like Commissario Brunetti. Last time that happend was the Baztan Trilogy, first two translated, and the third never came :-(

Happy New Thread, Anita. Sorry, I know I am a week late but I was enjoying a family reunion in Tennessee.

>74 FAMeulstee: That already fits better with the original.
And the bad habit of publishing books again with a new title led me to catalog my books in LT back then. Then I could find out right away in the bookstore if it wasn't already on my shelf at home - which happened to me several times before.
Which later led me to this amazing group....

I'm really glad that the Baztan trilogy was translated completely in Germany. I'm very sorry for you, Anita.

>75 msf59: Thank you, Mark!
I am always happy to see a message from you. I knew you were in Tennesse having a good time :-)

>76 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, I am glad you found us.
Yes, that also happened to me a few times, buying books published again with an other title. Before LT I made my own catalogue on the PC, and printed wish lists in tiny print that I always carried with me.
I still have some hope a publisher will get to the last Baztan book...

>74 FAMeulstee: Oh, I do so hate that trend in publishing. A huge amount of angst is caused in me by broken trilogies. I'm actually really irked I'm not getting the rest of the series!

Happy weekend's reads, dear Anita.

>78 richardderus: The publishers should not do that to readers, Richard dear.
Happy weekend!

Read, not yet reviewed:
#155: Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart
#156: Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) by Vigdis Hjorth
#157: Zalm by Lars Kvamme
#158: Centaur by Chris Polanen

Reading now:
De laatste zomer in de stad (Last Summer in the City) by Gianfranco Calligarich
Spoedgeval (Dr. Dark and Far Too Delicious and Secrets of a Career Girl) by Carol Marinelli

I am not even trying to catch up, Anita, but I wanted to drop by and thank you for helping keep my thread warm while I was out of town.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>81 alcottacre: Glad you are back, Stasia, I hope you had a good time.
Happy weekend!

book 155: Onder de korenmaat by Maarten 't Hart
library, e-book, Dutch, no English translation, 255 pages
TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book about a main character whose paid job consists of taking care of animals (F/NF)

Alexander Goudveyl, a classical musician and composer, is married to the famous classical singer Joanna. There isn't much love left in their marriage. Then he falls in love with a much younger veterinarian, Sylvia Hoogervorst. They use the time when Joanna is away for concerts. The are very different, Sylvia doesn't like classical music, Alexander dislikes the pop music she loves. After a while Sylvia's interest in Alexander fades, while he would do anything to keep it going.

The story isn't much, but I love the way the writer uses the Dutch language. He also throws in enough humor to keep me entertained.

Title translated: Under the bushel (this comes from a saying originating from the Bible "don't put your light under the bushel")

book 156: Zomerhuis by Vigdis Hjorth
library, translated from Norwegian, English translation Will and Testament, 316 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book in which the total number of pages are even numbered and the total number ends with a 6 or an 8.

Bergljot has been estranged from her family for over 20 years. She kept in contact with her younger sister, Astrid, and allowed her children to see their grandparents. Her older brother Bard has also problems with his parents, while the two younger sisters, Astrid and Asa, have a good relation with the parents. Now Bergljot and Bard have found out that their parents sold the two summerhouses to the younger sisters, despite the promise all childeren would get equal inheritance. Shortly after their father dies.
Slowly we find out why Bergljot has broken with her family, terrible things happened, but were always denied. Bart got his (lesser) share in early youth.

I have never read such an accurate description of dysfunctional and abusive family dynamics, the denial, the victim blaming, the long way the victim has to go to make something of her life, the need to break with family, never getting any acknowledge of (part of) the family. The sister in between, who keeps in contact, used by the parents to make her older sister return into the family, as the parents would like to show to the world again that they are a complete family without any problems.
A very emotional read, there was so much I recognised.

Dutch title translated: Summerhouse

book 157: Zalm by Lars Kvamme
library, e-book, non-fiction translated from Norwegian, no English translation, 254 pages
TIOLI Challenge #5: Read a nonfiction book with a one-word title

A book dedicated to the salmon. Their evolutionary origins, their history, and do they have a future.
Humans have always eaten salmons, they are pictured in prehistoric paintings. These days the wild salmon is on the brink of extiction, in many rivers where they used to be they are gone. Climate change and overfishing decimed all salmon species. Commercial salmon farming is soaring, but also creating new problems for the wild population.

Part of the book was originally published as separate magazine articles, this gives some repetition, as some parts need explanation within the original articles. And again in the next.

Dutch title translated: Salmon

book 158: Centaur by Chris Polanen
library, e-book, Dutch, no translations, 352 pages
TIOLI Challenge #9: Read a book with the theme "What should I do with my life?"

Suriname, early 1990s. Guillaume (Gili) studies at university in Paramaribo. His dream is to go to the Netherlands and become a veterinarian, just like his role model Roy. He rides Norbert, a show jumping horse. In three weeks there is big show jumping match. If he wins he would have enough money to for his dream.

The book is also about loss and mourning, first love, racism, the troubles in Suriname after the coup in 1980, family relations, and a lot more. It is a bit much packed in one story.

Dutch title translated: Centaur

>84 FAMeulstee: I think this would be too hard a read for me, Anita, it sounds tough. Were you glad you read it?

>87 charl08: Yes, Charlotte, it was a tough read. And I was glad to have read it.
It is all written from Bergljot's perspective, the victim, and at first it isn't completely clear what lies in the past. Also a lot of references to Norwegian literature, like Ibsen's A Doll's House, I probably missed some of those.

Hi Anita. These all sound like books I'd enjoy...I need to rev my Dutch acquisition back up to speed.

Happy week-ahead's reads!

>89 richardderus: Thanks, Richard dear, tomorrow Frank's vacation starts, one more night and then two weeks off.
Some of Maarten 't Hart is available in English translation, not sure if Chris Polanen ever will be.

Happy Sunday!

>90 FAMeulstee: Wishing you and Frank a nice holiday ahead, Anita.

I think I’d enjoy the Maarten ‘t Hart.

>84 FAMeulstee: This one sounds very intense, but good.

>91 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella, I expect Frank home any minute now.
I always enjoy Maarten 't Hart.

I did it!!! So lucky, I got the Dutch Woordle in one today!!

Woordle 359 1/6

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Read, not yet reviewed:
#159: De laatste zomer in de stad (Last Summer in the City) by Gianfranco Calligarich
#160: Spoedgeval (Dr Dark and Far-Too Delicious and Secrets of a Career Girl) by Carol Marinelli

Reading now:
Baron by Theun de Vries
Scheepsberichten (The Shipping News) by E. Annie Proulx
Briefjes voor Pelle by Marlies Segers

>83 FAMeulstee: I like the cover.

>93 FAMeulstee: - Holy cow! That is amazing!! Congrats, Anita!

>95 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline, my next Maarten 't Hart book has also a nice cover:


>96 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. I just changed my first word last week, and today it is that word :-D

>93 FAMeulstee: YAY, may your week continue like this!

>98 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, it was a nice surprise.
Not much chance it will ever happen again, today I had Wordle in 4 and Woordle in 6.

book 159: De laatste zomer in de stad by Gianfranco Calligarich
library, translated from Italian, English translation Last Summer in the City, 175 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: First/Last rolling challenge

Leon Gazzara has moved from Milan to Rome. He doesn't want to get involved with anything, and in Rome it is easier to live a lonely life on the sideline. He is often broke, finds small jobs to keep going. On a party he meets Arianna, and they fall in love. Their relationship is hefty, and when it ends, Leo's last summer also ends.

It is a sad story, written in beautiful prose.

Dutch title translated: The last summer in the city

book 160: Spoedgeval by Carol Marinelli
library, e-book, translated, original title Dr Dark and Far-Too Delicious and Secrets of a Career Girl, 318 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book about or set in an emergency department of a hospital

Two romances, set on the ER in an Australian hospital.
In 'Dr Dark and Far-Too Delicious' nurse Jasmine and Dr Jed Devlin fall in love and find eachother after some troubles at first. In 'Secrets of a Career Girl' Jasmine's sister Dr Penny finds the love of her life.

I could not find an other book for TIOLI challenge #10. I only wanted to read the first book, but ended up reading the whole. Can't help being a completist ;-)

Dutch title translated: Emergency

>101 FAMeulstee: I am utterly gobsmacked. I never, absent proof like being posted on your thread, would've believed that you would read a romance! Still less two! There still exists the possibility that you were hacked....

>102 richardderus: No not hacked, Richard dear :-)
Long before LT, in my teens, and in the years reading was difficult, I did read many Harlequin romances. And during LT a few historical romances in 2012, and even last year there were two in May.
It is not my preferred genre, I only read them now if a TIOLI sweep is doable, and I can't find an other fitting book.
If needed I can read anything. Romances are not the worst I have read to get all TIOLI challenges done ;-)

I...I...I...

>104 richardderus: LOL!

>101 FAMeulstee: Even though I managed to get a copy of The Emergency I checked out the first one of those too. The book I'm currently hoping to meet the Lisbon portion of the TIOLI is proving dense in a way I could not ever have predicted.

>106 quondame: I would have splitted the two books if you made it a shared read, Susan.
What dense Lisbon book are you reading?

>107 FAMeulstee: The History of the Siege of Lisbon.

Reviews are still up to date.

Reading now:
Baron by Theun de Vries (I hope to finish this 1,000+ tome today)
Scheepsberichten (The Shipping News) by E. Annie Proulx
Briefjes voor Pelle by Marlies Segers

--
Got two books from the e-library:
Waterjager - Chris Polanen
Vlamberken (The Sixteen Trees of the Somme) - Lars Mytting

Picked up some holds at the library:
Duister water (Trace Elements; Brunetti 29) - Donna Leon
Jaguarman - Raoul de Jong
Outlaws (Outlaws) - Javier Cercas
Quo vadis? (Quo Vadis) - Henryk Sienkiewicz

Still waiting for De politiemoordenaar (Cop Killer; Martin Beck 9) to arrive from a library outside my province.
It is marked as "on transport" since May 24th. I hope it gets here in time for a shared TIOLI read in June.

A new Treasure Hunt on LT today! :-D

>110 FAMeulstee: Enjoy it, Anita! I'm glad the reading's going so well. *smooch*

>111 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear, I am stuck on 10 of 12 found in the Treasure Hunt. So back to my books for now.

--
Read, not yet reviewed:
Baron by Theun de Vries
Briefjes voor Pelle by Marlies Segers

Reading now:
Scheepsberichten (The Shipping News) by E. Annie Proulx
De vrije vogel en zijn kooien (Anton Wachter 6) - Simon Vestdijk

Hi Anita, checking in to see how things are going around Lelystad.

>113 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear. We are just back in Lelystad after three days in Rotterdam.
We had a good time, I will write some more tomorrow.

>110 FAMeulstee: I didn't know! I love those treasure hunts.

>115 figsfromthistle: If you haven't found the hunt yet, Anita, you can find it here: https://www.librarything.com/hunt.php?y=2022&m=06
This time we have two weeks, so there is still a week to go.

Monday we went to Rotterdam for 2 nights. I haven't downloaded the photo's, so first a written report ;-)
Last time we stayed in hotel Bazar, we got a voucher for one night stay for free. So we booked two nights, and only had to pay one. We went by train to Rotterdam and arrived at the hotel in the afternoon. We walked a bit through the city, and had diner at Vineum at the Eendrachtsweg.

On Tuesday we went to the market. At one of the second hand book stands, we found a second hand copy of The Island of Second Sight, the book I raved about last month. For only €15 I have my own copy now!
We had tickets for the "Rooftop Walk", a walk over rooftops in the center of the city, crossing the Coolsingel at rooftop height. It was a great experience to see the citty from this height. Along the way an exposition of possible use of rooftops. Then a visit to Donner, the largest bookstore in Rotterdam, where we bought 3 books: Mephisto by Klaus Mann, Hebben en zijn by Dimitri Verhulst, and Onder de Drachenwand by Arno Geiger. We had diner at hotel Bazar, with Wilco, and after dinner Wilco and Frank went out for the evening.

On Wednesday we went to Arboretum Trompenburg. Despite living very near for years, we never visited Trompenburg before. It was rather warm, so some hours in the shade of the beautiful trees was very nice. The oldest trees were planted in 1870. Then we had early dinner in Just at the Mauritsweg, an exciting mix of traditional French and Carribean cuisine. Afterwards to station Blaak to catch the train. Sadly our train could not get further than Almere Poort, as someone jumped in front of the train before ours, probaly suicide, I haven't seen any news item about it. We managed to get the only (!) taxi in Almere, shared with someone else. Back home only a little later than planned.

Photo's of the Rooftop Walk and Arboretum Trompenburg will follow later. First I need some rest after three days away from home.

book 161: Baron : de wonderbaarlijke Michel Baron, zijn leermeester Molière en de praalzieke Zonnekoning by Theun de Vries
own, Dutch, no translations, 1016 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book with a one-word person or persons name for a title - subtitles do not matter, but articles do

The life of the actor Michel Baron (1653 – 1729), looking back at the end of his life on the seven years with Molière.

I love all books by Theun de Vries, they are a joy to read. Always interesting stories, well researched. A few minor mistakes, but at that time it took a lot more effort, without internet, to do historical research.

Dutch title translated: Baron : the amazing Michel Baron, his master Molière, and the pompous Sun King

book 162: Briefjes voor Pelle by Marlies Segers
library, e-book, children's, Dutch, no translations, 230 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book by a new-to-you author whose last name starts or ends with the letter "S"

Very touching story about the boy Pelle. His father died a year ago from cancer, and left a box with little notes for him. The numbered notes help Pelle to accept his fathers death, and sooth his and his mothers grief, so they can pick up a little of their life again.

The end was a bit over the top, but what really annoyed me was the rubbish about prime numbers in this book. Pelle is supposed to be great in mathematics, and knows a lot more than usual boys of his age.
But 9 being a prime number??!! Knowing the first 20 digits of the 50th prime number??!! (That is 229, if you didn't know.) This makes every other "fact" stated by Pelle suspicious.
And the poor kids (it is aimed at 8-12 year olds) who read this and think this is true...

Dutch title translated: Notes for Pelle

book 163: Scheepsberichten by E. Annie Proulx
1001 books, own, translated, original title The Shipping News, 399 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book first published in the 1990s OR set in East Anglia, Texas, Nottingham or London

Journalist Quoyle returns to his family home in Newfoundland with his two daughters and aunt, after his wife died in a car accident. He gets a job at the local newspaper, and tries to renovate the house where his ancestors lived. Weather is harsh, the house a lot of work, and his aunt has unexpected sides.

I loved Barkskins and liked this earlier book by Proulx.

Dutch title translated: Shipping News

book 164: De vrije vogel en zijn kooien by Simon Vestdijk
own, Dutch, no translations, 248 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3: Read a book set in (or about) Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, or Munich

Anton-Wachtercyclus book 6
Anton continues his study medicine in Amsterdam. He goes away from the place where he lived with his aunt and uncle, lives at differend places with various landladies. With good luck, and a bit more work than before, he comes through his next exams. His mother decides to move to Amsterdam too.

Dutch title translated: The free bird and his cages

Read, not yet reviewed:
#165: De vrouw die met vuur speelde (The Girl Who Played with Fire; Millennium 2) by Stieg Larsson
#166: Het Opritsjnik-orkest (The Set-Up) by Vladimir Volkoff
#167: Duister water (Trace Elements; Brunetti 29) by Donna Leon

Reading now:
Het woeden der gehele wereld (The raging of the whole world) by Maarten 't Hart
Het landgoed Ulloa (The House of Ulloa) by Emilia Pardo Bazán

>117 FAMeulstee: Sounds like you had a great time, Anita! Lucky, to find the book at the second-hand market. The roof-top walk sounds really interesting.
I love botanical gardens, but we missed Trompenburg, when we visited Rotterdam to see it, because we made the mistake going there on Hemelvaartsdag. It was far too busy then. We took a walk along the Maas there instead, and loved the sights.
Looking forward to some pictures.

Hi Anita!

>54 FAMeulstee: I’ve discovered that reading what might otherwise be a really good book after a great read can bring the rating and feeling down. What a weird Dutch title.

>103 FAMeulstee: Romances. Well, they’ve been my go-to-reads since late April. I guess I’ll stop reading them sometime this year…

>114 FAMeulstee: Glad you’re getting out and about while Frank’s on vacation.

>120 FAMeulstee: I read this book when it first came out and loved it. It’s still on my shelves and I have two others yet to be read.

>120 FAMeulstee: Proulx's books are such a pleasure to read, aren't they. Her *mastery* of story is just so soothing, there's never a clanging dropped tool.

>118 FAMeulstee: I have never heard of Baron before! And calling a King "pompous" seems over the top. I think it sort of comes with the job, doesn't it?

>117 FAMeulstee: It sounds like a lovely time in Rotterdam, despite the sad ending to your homecoming journey.

*smooch*

>123 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella, we had a very good time indeed.
We were just in time to get the tickets for the rooftop walk, only three time slots left when we ordered them last Friday. I hope you manage to get to Trompenburg one day, it is really worth a visit. Walking along the Maas is also nice, we did that on Monday.

>124 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, I am always happy to see a message from you.

Next to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo the Dutch title might seem weird, but it is the exact translation of the Swedish original title. And it IS about 'men who hate women'... and also about a 'girl with a dragon tattoo' :-)

I did read a lot of romances in times reading was hard to do for me. Sometimes they are the books needed at that time.

We had a very good time in Rotterdam. A good use of Frank's time off :-)

The Shipping News was very good, and I loved Barkskins. Postcards is waiting on the shelves.

>125 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear.
The journey home wasn't like we thought it would be. But we were lucky, arriving home only a little later than expected. The alternative was an over two hour long train ride the other way around, without being sure we would get in time for the last train from Zwolle.

Yes, I enjpyed both Proulx bokss I have read so far. Looking forward to more.

LOL, some kings were more pompous than others, and Louis XIV was certainly known to be overly pompous :-)
There is a short wiki entrance about Michel Baron: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Baron

Wasn't feeling well this morning, still feeling tired. So I did a home COVID test, gladly it was negative. So probably just a reaction on three overly filled days in Rotterdam. I am not used anymore to so much action/interaction.

>128 FAMeulstee: More rest and you'll feel just fine.

>127 FAMeulstee: I think it's amazing that he lived to be 76! That was very, very old indeed in the eighteenth century.

>128 FAMeulstee: I am glad to hear that you do not have COVID. Take it easy and allow your body to get the rest it evidently needs.

>129 richardderus: Thanks, Richard dear. The main reason I tested was that my morning coffee wasn't tasty. The next cup wasn't much better, although Frank assured me it tasted normal for him.
Yes, Baron had a long life for that time.

>130 alcottacre: Thank you, Stasia, I was relieved by the test result.
The problem is that in "normal" state, I only need 6 hours of sleep. If I sleep more, I get in trouble getting into sleep the next day. So I am a bit wary sleeping more. Now it looks like I just need a few more hours.

>119 FAMeulstee: Sounds like a lovely trip Anita. Will enjoy your photos after you have caught your breath.

>117 FAMeulstee: That sounds like a delightful get-away.

>117 FAMeulstee: What a lovely time away!

>1 FAMeulstee: I like this Klee painting. Thanks for posting it. I'm glad you saw it.

Hi Anita, hope you're feeling more back to normal after a chance to recover from your travels.
Your rooftop trip sounds like a great way to see the city. I'm not sure I'd be able to cope with the height! I climbed a lighthouse recently and had to hold on all the time at the top, despite being behind reinforced glass and on a "normal" floor. No persuading my brain it is safe when up high.

I'm glad to see you having a great time, Anita.
I wish you good rest and a wonderful weekend.

>132 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline, it was lovely to spend a few days in Rotterdam. Wherever I may live, Rotterdam will always feel like home.
The photo's will have to wait until after the weekend. Tomorrow we will spend with my brother, Sil and their family. I probably need Sunday to recuperate again.

>133 quondame: Thank you, Susan, it certainly was.

>134 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda, we had a very good time.
Paul Klee was a great painter.

>135 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, nothing planned today but reading. Tomorrow a family gathering with my brother and SiL. On Tuesday a visit to the Drents Museum in Assen, and later next week a visit to my father. Next weekend it is back to work for Frank, so I can rest all I want.
I am lucky, as I have no fear for heights. Sorry you suffer from it, as the sight up that lighthouse must have been great.

>136 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, it was good to be a few days in our home town.
Happy weekend to you!

>139 charl08: Your plans for the day sound perfect. Enjoy.

>139 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, I just finished my next book :-)

Read, not yet reviewed:
#165: De vrouw die met vuur speelde (The Girl Who Played with Fire; Millennium 2) by Stieg Larsson
#166: Het Opritsjnik-orkest (The Set-Up) by Vladimir Volkoff
#167: Duister water (Trace Elements; Brunetti 29) by Donna Leon
#168: Het landgoed Ulloa (The House of Ulloa) by Emilia Pardo Bazán

Reading now:
Het woeden der gehele wereld (The raging of the whole world) by Maarten 't Hart
Outlaws (Outlaws) by Javier Cercas

>141 FAMeulstee: I had hope to finish The House of Ulloa today, but it does not look like that is going to happen. Probably tomorrow at the rate I am going. I look forward to your thoughts on it.

Have a fantastic Friday, Anita!

>142 alcottacre: My thoughts about my last four reads have to wait, Stasia, probably until Sunday.
Happy Friday!

Happy weekend-ahead's reads, Anita, and hoping for a good time for you both meeting up with your brother and sister-in-law.

>144 richardderus: These are always good meetings, Richard dear, with occasionally very minor quibbles. The meeting includes their children & grandchildren. I think we are going to eat out in a child friendly restaurant with playground.

The other part of the family, my sister, sended again a nasty e-mail to my father on fathers day :-(
So glad I broke all contact with her years ago. Although I can understand my father is not able to do the same.

>145 FAMeulstee: Anita, I've come to realize that many have dysfunctional families. Long ago, I dropped all contact with my mother. She is a text book case of a sociopath an a narsissistic nasty person. When I was young and had to be the brunt of her cruel behavior, I had no choice. As an adult, I have choices. She passed away awhile ago.

>145 FAMeulstee: That is sad, Anita. I don't get along with my own father as he cheated my twin brother from the business they shared years ago on the expectation that he was selling the business for £1 million and the condition was that my brother shouldn't be part of the deal. That said I haven't stopped my own kids keeping in touch with their grandpa and I don't criticise him openly to them as they can make up their own minds as and when.

Have a great weekend, xx

>146 Whisper1: I know there are way to many, Linda, and sometimes breaking is the only way. I never broke with my mother, and she is gone now. Only remaining toxic family is my sister.

>147 PaulCranswick: I remember you told about the trouble with your father, Paul. I think it is very generous that you try not to stand between him and your children.
Happy weekend!

Hi Anita!

>128 FAMeulstee: I’m so glad it isn’t Covid, so sorry you were tired and not feeling well.

>145 FAMeulstee: Ugh. Nasty family stuff with your sister. I’m sorry she can’t just leave your father alone.

>149 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen, I was very relieved the COVID test was negative. I feel a lot better after a few lazy days :-)
Very nasty, and she had been on the phone with my father a few times earlier this year. They even had civilised conversations on the phone. So this e-mail came out of the blue, and was a big disappointment for my father.

Happy Saturday, Anita. Have a good book-filled weekend.

>151 msf59: Thank you, Mark. A bit less reading today, as I am off now to a family meeting.

book 165: De vrouw die met vuur speelde by Stieg Larsson
library, e-book, translated from Swedish, English translation The Girl Who Played with Fire, 568 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book in which the total number of pages are even numbered and the total number ends with a 6 or an 8.

Millennium book 2
So I gave in and continued, somehow this series is addicting, and fairly easy to read.
The further dangerous investigations by Blomkvist & Salander.
The end makes you want to read further, so I got the next book from the e-library.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 166: Het Opritsjnik-orkest by Vladimir Volkoff
own, translated from French, English translation The Set-Up, 379 pages
TIOLI Challenge #16 Read a book by an author who has the same initials for first and last names

Alexander Psar is recruted by the KGB at his fathers funeral. His father came from Belarus to France, after the communists came to power. He always hoped to return, and so does Alexander. The KGB promises he will return after his job in France is done. He starts an literary agency, that is used to spread misinformation to create instability. His boss is a fan of Sun Tzu, writer of The Art of War, and regular cites from this book in his briefings.
When Alexander wants to retire, and return to the USSR, he is forced to do a last project, with the manuscript of an unknown prisoner in the USSR.

I now want to read The Art of War, I have put my copy on the "read soon" pile.

Dutch title translated: The Opritsjnik Orchestra

book 167: Duister water by Donna Leon
library, translated, original title Trace Elements, 335 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book that fits a category on the Seattle Public Library 2022 Summer Reading bingo card (list the category)

Commissario Brunetti book 29
Brunetti and Griffoni are called to a hospice. A woman dying of cancer wants to talk to the police, her husband died not long ago in a traffic accident. She isn't able to speak much, so they have to do with the suggestion her husband was killed because of "bad money".

Dutch title translated: Dark (or gloomy/suspicious/sinister) water

book 168: Het landgoed Ulloa by Emilia Pardo Bazán
1001 books, library, translated from Spanish, English translation The House of Ulloa, 276 pages
TIOLI Challenge #15: Read a book originally published in the Spanish language

A young naive priest, Julian, is send to the Ulloa estate as chaplain. He finds the owner, Don Pedro, a marquis, completely dominated by his steward Primitivo. All they do is hunt, and the estate is in decline. Julian wants to change things, but isn't able to do so. Slowly he gets tangeled in the corrupt ways of Primitivo and his daughter, unable to escape.

Dutch title translated: The estate Ulloa

>54 FAMeulstee: I'm sorry you didn't like this one more, Anita, but I totally understand that some of the violence is a bit much (I balked at the cat murder, too).

I hope you're having a great Sunday!

Happy Sunday, Anita, and some really good reviews! I'm surprised you're carrying on with the Salander books.

>157 FAMeulstee: sounds like a really interesting story, I'll go look for it. Thanks for the heads-up.

>155 FAMeulstee: is one I thought for sure I'd read in the 1980s but can't find any reference to it. It certainly sounds intriguing. Thanks for that one, too.

Enjoy the week-ahead's reads at least as much as you have these. *smooch*

>158 scaifea: Thanks, Amber, it didn't stop me from reading the next Millennium book. The third will be read soon. And then I am done, I don't have plans to read the next three by Lagercrantz.
Happy Sunday!

>159 richardderus: Thank you, Richard, happy Sunday!
I surprised myself with contuing the Millennium books. Uncurable curiousity combined with completism, I think. The third is on my e-reader ;-)
The House of Ulloa was written in the 19th century, I think I was lucky with a very good translation. Can't vouch for the English translation. It sure was better than I expected.
The Set-Up was on our shelves for years. Earlier this year I saw a raving review on a Dutch book site (Hebban), and decided to move it up in the "to read soon" pile.
*smooches*

>157 FAMeulstee: >160 FAMeulstee: I felt The House of Ulloa was very well done, it's just that I have significantly less interest in 19th, or maybe any, century Spanish gentry than I do in English gentry, and that pretty much drained to empty with Atonement.

I did find the Stig Larson books packed a punch, but David Lagercrantz's sequel would have been better avoided.

>161 quondame: I understand that lack of interest in gentry did not help towards liking The House of Ulloa. For me that was no issue, and I have liked 19th century books before.
I wasn't planning to go on with the Lagercrantz books, thanks for confirming my feeling about them.

Happy Sunday Anita. Rain is on the way. Perhaps it will cool the hot, humidity in the air. Congratulations on reading so very many books!

>155 FAMeulstee: Sounds interesting.

HAve a great week ahead!

>163 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda.
The weather here is nicer, a bit warm, but not hot. I hope it cools down at your place.

>164 figsfromthistle: Yes it was interesting, Anita.
And now I am reading Harsh Times by Mario Vargas Llosa, where misinformation is also the way to throw a goverment down.

Read, not yet reviewed:
#169: Outlaws (Outlaws) by Javier Cercas
#170: Bittere tijden (Harsh Times) by Mario Vargas Llosa

Reading now:
Het woeden der gehele wereld (The raging of the whole world) by Maarten 't Hart
Jaguarman by Raoul de Jong

Read, not yet reviewed:
#169: Outlaws (Outlaws) by Javier Cercas
#170: Bittere tijden (Harsh Times) by Mario Vargas Llosa
#171: Jaguarman by Raoul de Jong
#172: Het woeden der gehele wereld (The raging of the whole world) by Maarten 't Hart

And now I have finshed all my June reads, time to fill in the Mid-Year Book tag 2022.

Joining the Mid-Year Book tag 2022

1. How much have you read?
172 books; 51,371 pages

2. What have you been reading?
All kind of books, mostly literature. Some mysteries/thrillers, some non-fiction, and a bit of YA.

3. Best book you’ve read so far in 2022.
Het eiland van het tweede gezicht (The Island of Second Sight) by Albert Vigoleis Thelen

4. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022
De gouden bril (The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles) by Giorgio Bassani, the second of the Ferrara books

5. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.
De tovenaar (The Magican) by Colm Tóibín and 1795 by Niklas Natt och Dag

6. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
I usually don't look at books that are not available yet

7. Out of Your Comfort Zone read
Mannen die vrouwen haten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) by Stieg Larsson

8. Biggest surprise
Fado Alexandrino (Fado Alexandrino) by António Lobo Antunes

9. New Favo(u)rite author (debut or new to you)
Albert Vigoleis Thelen (see 3)

10. Underrated gems you’ve discovered recently.
Again Het eiland van het tweede gezicht (The Island of Second Sight) by Albert Vigoleis Thelen

11. Rereads this year.
All 8 Mantlemass books

12. Book that made you cry.
Again De gouden bril (The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles) by Giorgio Bassani

13. Book that made you happy.
De jongen, de mol, de vos en het paard (The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse) by Charlie Mackesy

14. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received).
Mefisto (Mephisto) by Klaus Mann, in a beautiful hardback edition


15. Your goals for the rest of the year.
Just reading on, like I did the first half of the year. Maybe tackle a few more really big tomes (1,000+ pages), see >8 FAMeulstee:.

>168 FAMeulstee: Okay. That's it. You've warbled your fool lungs out about the Giorgio Bassani books so I give! I surrender! Five lights! I'll get them already.

Just *please* stop talking about how wonderful they are!

*smooch*

>169 richardderus: LOL! One more time probaby, Richard dear, I think this one will make the top list at the end of the year ;-)
The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles was the best of them, it got 4½ stars, all others got 4 stars.
*smooch*

book 169: Outlaws by Javier Cercas
library, translated from Spanish, English translation Outlaws, 443 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book that has a person (human) on the cover

Ignacio Cañas, a criminal lawyer, wants to write a book about El Zarco, who has been in prison for more than half of his life. He isn't able to write the book himself, so he hires a writer. The writer interviews him, and others. We read the interviews, and find out that there is a (well hidden) connection between Cañas and El Zarco. In the summer of 1978 Cañas joined El Zarco's gang, in rebellion to his parents. He left just in time, when El Zarco was arrested and started his ever ongoing time in prison.

An engaging read, how a middle class boy can escape conviction, and a boy from a poor neighborhood doesn't get that chance, and pays the full price.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 170: Bittere tijden by Mario Vargas Llosa
library, Nobelprize winner, translated from Spanish, English translation Harsh Times, 351 pages
TIOLI Challenge #15: Read a book originally published in the Spanish language

In a mix of real events and fiction, we read about the coup in Guatamala in 1954. Backed by the USA/CIA, the democratic choosen president Jacobo Árbenz was murdered and military governement was installed. Much was the same as happened in Chili 19 years later, oppression, torture, murder.
Árbenz was moderate left wing, and wanted that companies started to pay taxes. His Guatamalan constitution was based on the constitution of the USA. But the largest company active in Guatamala, the United Fruit Company, didn't need taxes, so they started to misinform the world about the (non existing) ties between the Guatamalan president and the USSR. With disastrous results for Árbenz, and the Guatuamalan people.

The murder of president Allende in Chili was the start of my political awareness. Only ten years old I started to read every article in the papers about the events, and discuss it with my (older, left wing) siblings. I knew there had been similair events before and after in Latin-America, but wasn't aware of what exactly happened in Guatemala.

Dutch title translated: Bitter times

book 171: Jaguarman by Raoul de Jong
library, non-fiction, Dutch, no translations, 256 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book with a one-word person or persons name for a title - subtitles do not matter, but articles do.

Raoul de Jong has a Dutch mother and a Surinamese father. He grew up with his mother, and only met his father later in life. After meeting his father, he wanted to know more about his ancestors from Suriname. First by looking up things on the internet, but the Dutch sources give very little information about the former Dutch colony in South-America. Most he finds little pieces with an awful white, Eurocentric perspective. He starts to read books, like We slaves of Suriname by Anton de Kom, and other writers from Suninamese descent. Later he travels to Suriname for three months to find his roots.

A very informative book about Suriname, history, slavery, colonialism, and how all this still influences our Dutch perspective on Suriname and racial prejudices.

Dutch title translated: Jaguarman

book 172: Het woeden der gehele wereld by Maarten 't Hart
library, e-book, Dutch, English translation The raging of the whole world, 311 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book first published in the 1990s OR set in East Anglia, Texas, Nottingham or London

Alexander Goudveyl (same main character as in Onder de korenmaat, read earlier this month) grows up in Maassluis, as son of very niggardly, religious rag traders. His parents don't share his love for music, but he manages to get piano lessons. Just before Chrismas 1954, Alexander witnesses a murder, that will influence the rest of his life. The murder is never solved, and Alexander is convinced the murderer is still after him, as he was the only witness. Later he studies farmacie in Leiden, because his parents won't pay for a study classical music. After they die, he switches to make a profession as composer.

This may sound like a murder mystery, but it isn't. It is more a coming to age novel, an older man looking back at his life, that was throughly influenced by an unsolved murder.

English and Dutch title are the same

All of them sound far too good.I need to go now before I add more things to my Amazon cart.

>175 richardderus: Indeed, Richard dear, I was lucky to have four very good reads in a row.
Only one will be mentioned in the monthly summary, and that one isn't available in English ;-)

*fearful peep back in*

...not...available...oh. Well, okay I'll come by tomorrow.

And I finally sorted out the photo's of the Rooftop Walk in Rotterdam on the 21st.

>177 richardderus: Tomorrow I will make the next thread, Richard dear, tonight the stats for June.

>178 FAMeulstee: Wonderful pictures!! Looks fun and not as scary as I thought (I don't do heights very well).

>180 hredwards: I thought the same. I love the (sea plant?) mural, so colourful.

>180 hredwards: >181 charl08: The only part that might have been scary, was the footbridge crossing the road (first collage, under right; that picture was taken from the street). All other parts went over the large roofs, so we didn't notice at all it was heigh there.

>181 charl08: A mural on a roof ;-)
The roof of lower buildings was painted with, indeed, sea life. Could only be seen from above.

June 2022 in numbers
  (Totals for the year between brackets)

22 books read, 7.901 pages, 263,4 pages a day
  (172 books read, 51.371 pages, 283,8 pages a day)

--
books:

own books: 4 (34)
from the library: 18 (138)

male author: 16 (119)
female author: 6 (53)

originally written in Dutch: 7 (52)
translated into Dutch: 15 (120)
- original language:
  Chinese 0 (1)
  Danish 0 (1)
  English: 4 (58)
  French: 2 (15)
  German: 1 (7)
  Hebrew: 0 (1)
  Icelandic 0 (1)
  Italian 1 (11)
  Norwegian: 2 (5)
  Polish 0 (2)
  Portuguese 0 (1)
  Russian: 0 (3)
  Spanish: 3 (4)
  Swedish: 2 (9)
  Turkish: 0 (1)

fiction: 20 (141)
non-fiction: 2 (31)

paper books: 16 (107)
e-books: 6 (65)

mystery/police procedural: 4 (19)
childrens/YA: 2 (27)
1001 books: 2 (8)
  Total 1001 books since 2008: 236
Dutch Canon: 0 (4)
  Total Dutch Canon since 2008: 39 of 125

--
pages:

0 - 100 pages: 0 (18)
101 - 200 pages: 2 (37)
201 - 300 pages: 6 (44)
301 - 400 pages: 10 (41)
401 - 500 pages: 1 (14)
501 - 999 pages: 2 (16)
1000+ pages: 1 (2)

longest book 1016 pages (1077 pages)
shortest book 157 pages (30 pages)
average book 359 pages (299 pages)

--
own books read are on the shelf since:

before 2008: 4 (27)
2010: 0 (1)
2017: 0 (1)
2020: 0 (3)
2022: 0 (2)

--
date first published:

19th century: 1 (1)

20th century
1910s: 0 (1)
1920s: 0 (2)
1930s: 0 (5)
1940s: 1 (8)
1950s: 1 (6)
1960s: 0 (4)
1970s: 1 (17)
1980s: 2 (21)
1990s: 3 (14)

21st century
2000s: 2 (13)
2010s: 5 (50)
2020s: 6 (30)

--
ratings:

1 (4)
2 (13)
9 (65)
7 (60)
3 (29)
0 (1)

--
Best books in June


Baron by Theun de Vries


Zomerhuis (Will and Testament) by Vigdis Hjorth
Jaguarman by Raoul de Jong

===

walking in June: walked 19 days, 90,1 km; average 4,74 km/day
  (148 days, 818,7 km; average 5,53 km/day)

e-biking in June: biked 11 days, 204,4 km; average 18,58 km/a day
  (33 days, 670,3 km; 20,31 km/day)

Time to move on to the next thread :-)

>178 FAMeulstee: Wow, there's a lot to see up there!

>185 quondame: There was an exposition along the route, Susan, showing all kinds of possibilities on roofs to fight climate change.

>178 FAMeulstee: Great. Photos Anita. Not been to Rotterdam.

>187 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline.
If you ever wat to visit Rotterdam, Frank and I will gladly guide you.

>188 FAMeulstee: Thank you Anita.

>189 Caroline_McElwee: You are very welcome, Caroline.