Anita (FAMeulstee) goes there where the books take her in 2021 (1)

Welcome to my first 2021 thread!

I am Anita Meulstee (57), 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.

 

total books read in 2021: 18
2 own / 16 library

total pages read in 2021: 5.137

--
currently reading:
De vertellingen van duizend-en-één nacht deel 2 (2/3) translated by Richard van Leeuwen, 1112 pages, started 01-01-2021

e-book: Sodom en Gomorra (Sodom and Gomorrah; In search of lost time 4) by Marcel Proust, 648 pages

--
books read in January 2021 (18 books, 5.137 pages, 2 own / 16 library)
book 1: Bankier (Banker) by Dick Francis, 349 pages, TIOLI #5 (msg 103)
book 2: Ik kom terug by Adriaan van Dis, 284 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 104)
book 3: De kille maagd (The Virgin in the Ice; Cadfael 6) by Ellis Peters, 218 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 131)
book 4: 1177 v.Chr. : het einde van de beschaving (1177 BCE: The Year Civilization Collapsed) by Eric H. Cline, 299 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 133)
book 5: De dood in Rome (Death in Rome) by Wolfgang Koeppen, 217 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 134)
book 6: De laatste dag by Beppe Fenoglio, 142 pages, TIOLI #2 (msg 157)
book 7: Wie vlucht en wie blijft (Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay; Neapolitan Novels 3) by Elelna Ferrante, 415 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 158)
book 8: Het onbekende kind (The golden egg; Brunetti 22) by Donna Leon, 299 pages, TIOLI #3 (msg 159)
book 9: Treindromen (Train Dreams) by Denis Johnson, 92 pages, TIOLI #16 (msg 160)
book 10: Angstige mensen (Anxious people) by Fredrik Backman, 351 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 175)
book 11: Boven water (Konráð 2) by Arnaldur Indriðason, 287 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 176)
book 12: De tocht van de tienduizend (The Anabasis) by Xenofon, 349 pages, TIOLI #14 (msg 177)
book 13: De levende berg (The Living Mountain) by Nan Shepherd, 176 pages, TIOLI #4 (msg 238)
book 14: Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) by Graeme Simsion, 367 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 240)
book 15: De nachtstemmer by Maarten 't Hart, 315 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 242)
book 16: Reis door de Oriënt by Gustave Flaubert, 269 pages, TIOLI #10 (msg 243)
book 17: Gewaagd leven by Astrid Roemer, 239 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 259)
book 18: Ideeën van Multatuli. Tweede bundel by Mutatuli, 469 pages, TIOLI #12 (msg 261)

January 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

TIOLI January 2021
#1: Read a memoir by an author whose last name has at least nine letters
-
#2: Read a book set in or about a year that is within 21 years of your birth year
- De laatste dag - Beppe Fenoglio, 142 pages (library)
#3 Read a book with a title or part of a title that will tell us what you will be looking for in the new year
- Het onbekende kind (The golden egg) - Donna Leon, 299 pages (e-library)
#4: Read a book to help me celebrate my 50th birthday
- De levende berg (The Living Mountain) - Nan Shepherd, 176 pages (library)
#5: Read a book for the January CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge
- Bankier (Banker) - Dick Francis, 349 pages (e-library)
#6 Read a book by an author from or with ties to West Africa
-
#7: Read a book with a word meaning new in the title or about someone starting or starting over
-
#8: Read a book from a best of 2020 list, name the list
-
#9: Read a book someone else picked out for you (say who)
-
#10: Read a non-fiction book with a picture of a building or man-made structure on the cover
- 1177 v.Chr. : het einde van de beschaving (1177 BCE: The Year Civilization Collapsed) - Eric H. Cline, 299 pages (e-library)
- Reis door de Oriënt - Gustave Flaubert, 269 pages (library)
#11: Read a book which has a characteristic of a passage in the title
-
#12: Read a book by an author that you have read before
- Angstige mensen (Anxious people) - Fredrik Backman, 351 pages (library)
- Boven water - Arnaldur Indriðason, 287 pages (library)
- Gewaagd leven - Astrid Roemer, 239 pages
- Ideeën van Multatuli. Tweede bundel - Mutatuli, 469 pages
- De kille maagd (The Virgin in the Ice) - Ellis Peters, 218 pages (library)
- De nachtstemmer - Maarten 't Hart, 315 pages (e-library)
- Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) - Graeme Simsion, 367 pages (e-library)
- Wie vlucht en wie blijft (Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay) - Elelna Ferrante, 415 pages (library)
#13: Read a book that fulfills a New Year's reading resolution
-
#14: Read a book with a LT rating of 3.5 or more
- Tocht van de tienduizend (The Anabasis) - Xenophon, 349 pages (library)
- De dood in Rome (Death in Rome) - Wolfgang Koeppen, 217 pages (library)
- Ik kom terug - Adriaan van Dis, 284 pages (e-library)
#15: Read a book featuring juvenile detectives or adventurers
-
#16: Read a book connected to an author who died in 2020, but not written by them
- Treindromen (Train Dreams) - Denis Johnson, 92 pages (e-library)
#17: Read a book which starts with a conflagration
-

Reading plans in 2021
Books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list
Some big tomes (1000+ pages)
Books by Nobel Prize for Literature winners
Some mysteries and fun books
A few non-fiction books

I join the TIOLI (Take It Or Leave It) challenges each month.

--
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:

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

--
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 2/20)
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 6/12
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 10/20
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 53/70

Frieda Klein by Nicci French 4/8
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 21/27
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

Op zoek naar de verloren tijd (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust 3/7
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) 7/16
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; 13.1 Bij gevallen gratie en vaandels; 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: 2

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

It is almost 2021 over here (12 minutes to go), welcome!

Welcome back, Anita,

Happy New Year Anita, and many happy reading and walking and e-cycling hours in 2021.

Welcome back!

>11 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul, happy 2021!

>12 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you Caroline, happy New Year to you.
I think I can manage all that in 2021 :-)

>13 drneutron: Thank you, Jim!

--
It is 1:25 over here, and the fireworks are finally fading. Despite a firework ban this year, to unburden the hospitals, there was still a lot of firework everywhere. Now it is queit enough to try to get some sleep.

Happy New Year Anita!

Happy New Year to you, Anita!

Hope you have a great 2021!

Happy Reading in 2021!

Happy New Year, Anita!

Hi, Anita - Happy New Year and Thread! :)

Here's hoping for a great 2021.

Happy New year!

Happy New Year, Anita! Have a great reading year!

Happy New Year!!

And keep up with my friends here, Anita. Have a great 2021.

Happy new year!

Welcome back Anita!

Happy New Year, Anita.

Wishing us all a better 2021, Anita. Happy new one!

>15 The_Hibernator: Thank you, Rachel, happy New Year to you and your family!

>16 sibylline: Thank you, Lucy, happy New Year!

>17 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle, wishing you and your family the same!

>18 jayde1599: Thank you, Jess, may the books treat you well!

>19 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie, the same to you and yours!

>20 lyzard: Thank you, Liz, happy New Year to you!

>21 Berly: Thank you, Kim, wishing the same to you and your family!

>22 avatiakh: Thank you, Kerry.
Hoping the same, at least we know it will a be a good year again here in our little 75ers corner on LT.

>23 Kristelh: Thank you, Kristel, the same to you!

>24 SqueakyChu: Thank you, Madeline, the same to you!
Thanks for coninuing TIOLI, the challenges always help to broaden my reading.

>25 AMQS: Thank you, Anne, happy New Year to you and your family!

>26 PaulCranswick: Sounds good to me, Paul, may 2021 treat us all well!

>27 quondame: Thank you, Susan, the same to you!

>28 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian, it feeels good to leave 2020 behind!

>29 CDVicarage: Thank you, Kerry, happy New Year to you!

>30 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, I have good hope 2021 will be better!

I wish you a Happy New Year. May it be better than the old one.

>35 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, wishing you the same!
Great picture to start 2021, I love your avatar :-)

:-)

Happy New Reading Year, Anita & Frank!

Happy New Year, Anita!

Happy New Thread, Anita. Happy New Year! Glad we are turning the page on that one. Looking forward to sharing another year of books and birds with you.

Happy New Year, Anita!

Happy new year, Anita. Here's to a good year ahead, for all of us. I look forward to following your reading this year.

>38 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you for a lovely card, Käthe, and Happy New year to you!

>39 harrygbutler: Thank you, Harry, the same to you!

>40 msf59: Thank you, Mark, happy 2021!
Indeed, glad 2020 is over. I thought of you this morning, when I saw a robin and many sparrows in the garden :-)

>41 cbl_tn: Thank you, Carrie, the same to you!

>42 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley, hoping for a much better year to come.

Best wishes for a better 2021!

Happy new year!

Happy new thread, happy New Year. Wishing you lots of good reading in 2021!

Happy new year, Anita!

Anniversaries is a chunkster I want to get to this year, too. I started it last year, but it fell by the wayside with all the complications of our move etc. Happy New Year Anita!

Happy New year, Anita. I love the Martin Beck series. I keep thinking I should reread them.

>45 DianaNL: Thank you, Diana, wishing you all the best in 2021!

>46 witchyrichy: Thank you, Karen, happy New year to you, Bob and those lovely dogs!

>47 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda, wishing for a much better 2021 filled with good reads!

>48 tymfos: Thank you, Terri, happy New Year!

>49 The_Hibernator: Thank you, Rachel, the same to you and your family!

>50 arubabookwoman: Yes, Anniversaries is a big one, Deborah, the Dutch translation was published last year, and we bought it immediately. I will let you know when I start reading, or if you pick it up again, let me know.
Happy New Year!

>51 BLBera: Thank you, Beth, happy New Year!
I liked all the Martin Beck books I have read. Hope to read a few more this year.

Happy New Year Anita and happy reading in 2021.

>54 AnneDC: Thank you, Anne, enjoy a happy New Year with lots of good books!

Hi Anita, and Happy New Year!

>32 FAMeulstee:. … at least we know it will a be a good year again here in our little 75ers corner on LT. I know – such a comfort and so much fun, too!

Happy New Year, Anita. Thanks for stopping by my thread to say hello.

Gelukkig nieuw jaar, Anita!!

Gelukkig nieuwjaar, Anita en Frank!

Hope you have a great year of reading!

So many posts!! You are a popular woman!! : )

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, Anita!

Happy New Year, Happy New Thread and a healthy life with a lot of books!
>1 FAMeulstee: You two look great, Anita.

There seems to be something new going on in LT. Every time I come to your thread, Anita, I get a pop-up box on my screen, asking me if I want to translate this page from Dutch. For one thing, I would say, except for some book titles, this thread is almost totally in English, but more strangely, in all the years on LT that I have been visiting your threads, that has never happened before and now it happens every single time I come here. I always just click the box closed. It doesn't happen when I go to Ella's thread, either, which is odd. Oh well. It's not a problem, just odd, that's all.

>56 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, happy New Year!
I am grateful for all the comfort and joy this group brings to all of us.

>57 ffortsa: You are welcome, Judy, happy New Year!

>58 RebaRelishesReading: Dank je, Reba, de beste wensen voor 2021!

>59 EllaTim: Bedankt, Ella, ik wens jou en Marc ook een gelukkig nieuwjaar toe!

>60 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori, wishing you the same!

>61 Berly: LOL, Kim, your thread is going as fast :-)

>62 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita, happy New Year!

>63 swynn: Thank you, Steve, the same to you!

>64 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, may we all stay healthy and find enjoyable books to read in 2021!
And thanks :-)

>65 jessibud2: Sorry my thread is acting up for you, Shelley, and thank you for letting me know.
I use the Dutch LT site (.nl instead of .com), because that way I get the Dutch titles with the touchstones on the threads and can see immediately if a book exists in Dutch translation. I know Ella uses the English LT site.
I will try to remember to go to the English LT, when I create my next thread, maybe that will help. Pop-up boxes can be annoying, I know.

>68 FAMeulstee: - It's not really a problem, Anita, so please don't change if the Dutch one makes it easier for you to log your titles. At least I know now why it happens. Oddly, it never happened before but seriously, it isn't a problem and not an annoyance, so please, don't change anything. I didn't even realize there were other options for LT! I learn something new every day! :-)

>69 jessibud2: I would only change sites for the short moment creating a new thread, Shelley, to find out if it helps. That is why I mentioned I will try to remember :-)
Yes, LT is available in 56 languages, translated by LT members. You can see them all at the page Zeitgeist by Language.

>65 jessibud2: Do you use the chrome browser?
When I use chrome I often see such a pop-up box, there must be an option to turn off this box. With my firefox there is no such pop-up-box.

>71 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas, that might well be the cause.

>71 SirThomas:, >72 FAMeulstee:. Actually, I am using Microsoft Edge. I have Chrome but don't often use it.

I don't have any experience with Edge, but ist could be a browser issue too.

>73 jessibud2: >74 SirThomas: I think it might be a browser issue, that it somehow recognises the language of the original source. But we will see if my thought works out in the next thread, if I don't forget ;-)

Anita, I never realised I could choose something else than .com :-)

Dropping off my and wishing you the best of new years in 2021!

>76 DianaNL: I guess I was just lucky and started at .nl, Diana.
I also use .com (and sometimes .de or .fr). LibraryThing is just an amazing site :-)

>77 ronincats: Thank you, Roni, wishing you the same. And a smooth transition to your new house in Kansas.

Happy New Year, Anita!

Happy New Year and thread Anita! Popping in as promised. Hope your reading goes well this year!

>79 norabelle414: Thank you, Nora, the same to you!

>80 vikzen: Welcome on my thread, Vic, and happy New Year!
My reading won't be as stellar as in some previous years, but I hope to find many enjoyable books again :-)

Hi Anita my dear, i have dropped my star off here and will be a regular visitor throughout the year dear friend.

>82 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, looking forward to see what you are reading this year.
Happy New Year to you and Karen.

Happy New Year Anita! I was so taken with your idea of keeping a running total of book series that you have read, that I spent all last night looking at the series I have read or have in progress. Definitely adding that as something to keep track of.

>84 Only2rs: Thank you, Cas, glad to help keeping track.
At the start of a new year I remove the series that are finished (for now), putting them back when a new book is published.
And Happy New Year to you!

Dropping by to say hi and wish you a year of great reading Anita!

Happy New Year, Anita! And now I understand the notice about translating from Dutch, which I used to get quite often, but ignored. That's a pretty cool feature of the site.

>86 mdoris: Thank you, Mary, wishing you the same!

>87 banjo123: Thank you, Rhonda.
This is so odd in personalised online times, you never know how different others see the same. I didn't know that it happened.

I didn't realize there were different LT sites for different countries. But I don't get popups because I'm usually on my phone.

>68 FAMeulstee: I didn't realise this about the .nl site, Anita. Quite useful, I have used the link to WorldCat to see of there are translations available. But this seems easier. Will have to try it out.

Happy new year to you and Frank, Anita! I hope it will be a good one for you both.

Happy 2021 to you and Frank! Great photos of the two of you. I can't tell whether you've changed your hairstyle, or if it's hidden by the band you are wearing.

Either way, I look forward to seeing what you will be reading this year. I get so many good suggestions from your thread.

Happy New Year! Dropping off my star and looking forward to seeing what stories come your way this year!

Happy New Year, Anita!

Those are such good photos of you and Frank up top. His face is so much skinnier now, since we visited!

Hi Anita. I think I figured out how to make a new thread for 2021. I rejoined today!
I look forward, as always, to learning of the books you will read this year. I've read many of your recommendations, particularly the Young Adult books.

I recently finished two YA books you might like:


and


I send all good wishes to you and Frank for a happy and healthy new year!

>89 The_Hibernator: LT is accessable in many languages, Rachel, most English speaking members would never notice.
Glad you don't get the pop-ups :-)

>90 EllaTim: Of course that is only if the Dutch translation is cataloged by a LT member, Ella. If I want to be sure I search at the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. They are sometimes a few months behind, so it is possible the newest publications can't be found yet.

>91 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, Claire, hoping the same for you.

>92 streamsong: Thank you, Janet!
Good catch, yes, I changed my hair a bit, hairdressers had been closed for months (and now again). So at my latest visit at the hairdresser I decided to keep my hair a bit longer than before. Still short, but not ultra short on the sides.

>93 dk_phoenix: Thank you, Faith, I happy you are back with us :-)

>94 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe, happy New Year to you and Debi!
Thanks, indeed the weight loss shows in Franks face.

>95 Whisper1: Glad it worked out, Linda, I just visited your newest thread.
I have been reading a bit less YA, last year only 25 Childrens/YA books. Thanks for the recommendations, I think I would like Orphan Island. It isn't translated yet, I will keep an eye for it.

Just dropping my star here. Happy new year.

>98 sirfurboy: Thank you, Stephen, happy new year!

Happy New Year, Anita, and happy new thread!

(I haven't seen the pop-up myself. I'm using Safari on my computer.)

Hi Anita. When you visited my thread here I made a point of finding your thread.

So: Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

>100 humouress: Tank you, Nina, happy New Year to you and yours!
I am glad your browser is pop-up free.

>101 connie53: Glad you are back with us, Connie, de beste wensen voor 2021!

book 1: Bankier by Dick Francis
library, e-book, translated, original title Banker, 349 pages
TIOLI Challenge #5: Read a book for the January CFF Mystery Challenge Challenge

When a stud owner asks banker Tim Ekaterin for a loan, to finance his next champion stallion, he never thought he would end up in so much trouble.

Good read, like most of the Dick Francis books. I like how he describes professions that are remotely related to horseracing, like investment banking in this book.

English and Dutch title are the same

book 2: Ik kom terug by Adriaan van Dis
library, e-book, Dutch, no English translation, 284 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book with a LT rating of 3.5 or more

This book won the Libris Literatuur prijs in 2015, a major Dutch literary award.

The writer tries to come to terms with his mother. They always had a difficult realtion. His mother was in a Japanese camp in the Dutch-Indies during World War II and lost her (Indonesian) husband in the war. But she never told about these years, in fact she didn't tell much at all.
She promishes him to tell the truth about her life, in exchange she asks him to help her die before her dignity is gone. The title refers to her belief in reincarnation.

Dutch title translated: I come back or I'll be back.

>103 FAMeulstee: I hope to read that one later this month. If not, it will be one of my first February reads!

Hi Anita! Wishing you a Happy New Year and a wonderful year of reading in 2021... and dropping a star so that I can find my way back.

Also dropping a star, Anita - good readings in 2021.

>105 cbl_tn: I hope you enjoy it, Carrie. I am glad the Dick Francis shared reads continue this year.

>106 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori, happy New Year to you!

>107 ctpress: Thank you, Carsten, the same to you.

Hi Anita - I always enjoy following your thread. I must start reading Dick Francis.

>109 avatiakh: Thanks, Kerry, did you find the Dick Francis thread?

>104 FAMeulstee: I have that one on the TBR. Saw an interview with Van Dis about this book, and was intrigued.

>111 EllaTim: It was on my list because it won the Libris, Ella.
His appearance on TV reminded me I still hadn't read it.

>95 Whisper1: Those two titles were selections for our district-wide Battle of the Books two years ago, so most of our 5th graders read them and really enjoyed them.

Frank picked up my 4 reservations at library today:
Angstige mensen (Anxious people) - Fredrik Backman
Reis door de Oriënt - Gustave Flaubert
De laatste dag - Beppe Fenoglio
De tocht van de tienduizend (The Anabasis) - Xenofon

Reading now:
1177 v.Chr. : het einde van de beschaving (1177 BCE: The Year Civilization Collapsed) - Eric H. Cline
De dood in Rome (Death in Rome) - Wolfgang Koeppen
De kille maagd (The Virgin in the Ice) - Ellis Peters

Happy New Year to you and Frank.

>115 calm: Thank you, calm, the same to you.

Hi Anita!

>103 FAMeulstee: Quick out of the starting gate! I’m so glad you’re participating in our third Dick Francis SHARED read. I had great plans to finish Banker yesterday if possible, but… well… insurrection got in the way. Back to it today.

>114 FAMeulstee: 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed – definitely a BB!

Happy Thursday Anita! I'm just making my rounds and want you to know I was here. :)

>117 karenmarie: Yes, Karen, and I even reviewed rather quickly. I used to wait until I had at least 4 books finished. My reading has stopped yesterday after seeing the first reporst from Washington. Haven't touched a book yet, while all my reserves at the library came in... Luckely I can keep library books longer, because of the lockdown.
Only a few pages into 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, interesting, certainly now.

>118 The_Hibernator: Thank you, Rachel, always happy to see you!
Thursday is good, certainly better than the worst Wednesday yesterday... My morning started with the last hour in the Senate on CNN.

Happy new year of reading, Anita!

>120 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne, happy New Year!

>2 FAMeulstee: Good luck with the challenge, and happy reading in 2021!

>122 ocgreg34: Thank you, Greg, the same to you.
I saw you had a good start and have read way more Nobel prize winners.

>110 FAMeulstee: Thanks, I'll check it out. I have a couple of his books.

Stopping in to wish you a weekend full of fabulous, Anita.

>124 avatiakh: Hope to see you there, Kerry.

>125 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie, all is nice an quiet here. Preparing now to go on our daily walk :-)

Wishing you a wonderful weeekend, Anita.

>127 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, enjoy your weekend.

Have a lovely Sunday, Anita.

>129 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, happy week ahead to you.

book 3: De kille maagd by Ellis Peters
library, translated, original title The Virgin in the Ice, 218 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Cadfael, book 6
As always a good mystery, but I enjoyed a bit less that previous instalments (half a star less). Could be that the current affairs muddled my mind a bit.

Dutch title translated: The cold virgin

book 4: 1177 v.Chr. : het einde van de beschaving by Eric H. Cline
library, e-book, non-fiction, translated, original title 1177 BCE: The Year Civilization Collapsed, 299 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a non-fiction book with a picture of a building or man-made structure on the cover

History of the end of the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean.
Well written, a bit dry at times. I learned a lot about the civilizations in late Bronze Age. The title is a bit misleading, as there were many factors that led to the fall in many years. He does explain why most keep that year as final.

Dutch title translated: 1177 BC: the end of civilization

book 5: De dood in Rome by Wolfgang Koeppen
1001 books, library, translated form German, English translation Death in Rome, 217 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book with a LT rating of 3.5 or more

A German family gathers in Rome. The youngest generation tried to distance from their parents, and their Nazi upbringing. Siegfried composes modern atonal music and his symphony will be played in Rome. Adolf is educated to be a Roman-Catholic priest. Siegfrieds father was major before the war, and is now after the war again. He will meet his brother in law, Judejahn, who was convicted in Neurenberg, but fled away. Judejahns wife doesn't mourn over her lost husband, but she mourns over the loss of the Reich.

A great read. I can't find the right words to do it justice. Here a link to a better review on LT.

Dutch title translated: The death in Rome

>133 FAMeulstee: Some time ago I read Versunkene Welten und wie man sie findet by Eric Cline. It was a very intriguing read and makes you want to go on adventure yourself. Have you read that by chance?
That's why I thought I would buy 1174 as well as we have got it on stock anyway... but I think I will pass.

>134 FAMeulstee: Sounds most interesting. I may see if that one is available on audible.

>2 FAMeulstee: Looks like a good plan!! Hope you have a wonderful time reading this year!!!

>135 PersephonesLibrary: No I haven't read that one (yet), Käthe, it sounds good reading the description.

>136 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you, Reba, I hope you can find it.

>137 hredwards: Thank you, Harold, I am certainly planning to read some wonderful books this year :-)

>1 FAMeulstee: I missed your thread - and 138 messages - in the great new-year-shuffle, but I've found you now! Happy new year!

>139 London_StJ: Thanks for finding me, happy New Year to you!
I don't think my thread will go on this fast, so sit back and relax ;-)

Checking out your thread! Thanks for the warm welcome!

Thank you, Tamara, so nice you joined our group again.

>138 FAMeulstee: Sometimes he adds a few too many details, but all in all you get to know different archeological sites and their history - as well as different archeological strategies and tools. I liked it a lot.

Just waving Anita, hope the books are treating you well.

>143 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you, Käthe, I will look for it.

>144 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, I was only briefly on LT yesterday.
Reading is still a bit scattered, I can't concentrate for long. But I do enjoy what I am reading now: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (Neapolitan Novels 3) by Elelna Ferrante.

>133 FAMeulstee: That looks like an interesting read.

Hi, Anita, and let's hope this year improves as it goes!

I'm interested in 1177 BCE and will look for it at my library. My knowledge of history is very scanty outside of European areas, and this sounds interesting.

ETA: Got it!

>146 sirfurboy: It was interesting, Stephen, I learned al lot from it.

>147 ffortsa: Improvement is always good, Judy, this year needs some.
Good you found a copy of 1177 BCE, I look forward what you think about it.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Anita

>133 FAMeulstee: I just looked to add this to my TBR pile and saw, on Amazon, that a revised edition is to be published next month so I'll wait a bit.

>149 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul. The weekend was uneventful, so it was good :-)

>150 CDVicarage: Then better wait, Kerry, there might be new findings included.

Finished some books, reviews will follow when I am in the mood:
De laatste dag by Beppe Fenoglio
Wie vlucht en wie blijft (Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay; Neapolitan Novels 3) by Elelna Ferrante
Het onbekende kind (The golden egg) by Donna Leon
Treindromen (Train Dreams) by Denis Johnson
Angstige mensen (Anxious people) by Fredrik Backman

Reading now:
Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) by Graeme Simsion
De tocht van de tienduizend (The Anabasis) by Xenofon
Boven water (Konráð 2) by Arnaldur Indriðason, 286 pages, TIOLI #12

So impressed and inspired by your detailed reading plan for 2021. I need to create something similar. Have a wonderful 2021.

Happy Monday, Anita!

>133 FAMeulstee: and >134 FAMeulstee: Both sound fantastic. I am more likely to read a history of the Bronze age, though.

>153 brewbooks: Thank you. The reading plan is the combined result of spending years in this group and my reading going up tremendously a few years back, which increased the need to plan ahead.

>154 AMQS: Thank you, Anne, happy week!

>155 justchris: Thank you, Chris, for appreciating my efforts.

book 6: De laatste dag by Beppe Fenoglio
library, translated form Italian, no English translation, 142 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book set in or about a year that is within 21 years of your birth year

Ettore fought as partizan in the war agains the fascists. His parents are nagging him to get a job, but he is not able to find a job he can handle, as he has trouble with authority. Only his love for Vanda keeps him going. With two former comrades he ends up in illegal activities, hoping to earn enough to start a business on his own.

Fenoglio throws you right into the story, told in scarce prose without much emotion. The war is over and for the young men it is hard to adept to post war life.

Dutch title translated: The last day

book 7: Wie vlucht en wie blijft by Elelna Ferrante
library, translated form Italian, English translation Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, 415 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Neapolitan Novels book 3.
Elena has left Napoli, marries into an intelectual family, and becomes a mother. Her writing carreer doesn't pick up again, and she gets aquainted with feminst actions. Meanwhile in Napoli Lila helped to expose bad working circumstances in the factory where she works. She escapes retributions and rolls into the new field of IT. Elena and Lila rarely meet, but still try to keep informed about eachothers life.

Looking forward to the last book.

Dutch title translated: Who leave and who stay

book 8: Het onbekende kind by Donna Leon
library, e-book, translated, original title The golden egg, 299 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3 Read a book with a title or part of a title that will tell us what you will be looking for in the new year

Commissario Brunetti book 22.
A deaf mute man, who worked at the dry cleaners where Brunetti's wife is a customer, has died. It looks like suicide, but the oddd thing is there are no records of him, even signorina Elletra can't find anything abouth this man. His mother refuses to give any answers, so Brunetti has to dig elsewhere to find out what has happened.

Dutch title translated: The unknown child

book 9: Treindromen by Denis Johnson
library, e-book, translated, original title Train Dreams, 92 pages
TIOLI Challenge #16: Read a book connected to an author who died in 2020, but not written by them

The life of Robert Grainier, day laborer in the North-Western part of the USA in the early 20th century. He finds a woman, marries her and they get a child. Robert is often many months away for work, and one day he returns and his wife and kid have vanished in the flames of a large fire that hit. He stays alone for the rest of his life on the little property, where he was once happy.

Lovely novella, that reminded me of A whole life by Robert Seethaler.

Dutch and English title are the same

Books finished, not yet reviewed:
Angstige mensen (Anxious people) by Fredrik Backman
Boven water (Konráð 2) by Arnaldur Indriðason

Reading:
Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) by Graeme Simsion
De tocht van de tienduizend (The Anabasis) by Xenofon

I couldn't convince myself to read Ferrante yet... don't really know why. Usually, when books are hyped very much I put them aside until the hype has calmed down. (That's how I actually managed to completely avoid the Harry-Potter-mania in the 90s! XD.)

>160 FAMeulstee: This is one of those small books that in a quiet way is quite epic, and one of the rare ones I read twice in the same year. I agree with your comment about the Seethaler book too Anita.

>162 PersephonesLibrary: I also tend to avoid hyped books, Käthe. I did read Harry Potter in 2010, and again in 2018. There are only a few writers I will read as soon as I can get their newest, because I like everything the wrote before.

I started Ferrante because the first two were available at the library, when I was at the library in October. I feared they would close again, so I took a lot of books. Fortunately I could get the next two books when I went to the library in December, just before they had to close again. At the moment I can only get reserved books (or a "surprise" bag with 4 books, but that feels like a risk), and the limit for reservations is 8 books a month, so I have to be careful what I choose.

>163 Caroline_McElwee: Yes it is, Caroline, I can imagine reading it twice. I actually did that with the Seethaler.

>164 FAMeulstee: At least your library is partly available, but 8 reservations a month is not much for you. Our library is closed, only providing some service for elderly people, where you can get a package of books chosen for you. I'm just reading e-books.

How are you and Frank doing, Anita? Still walking each day?

>165 EllaTim: Our libray came late with that service, Ella, Almere was earlier. So in April and May I got some books there. Yes, my library has also packages, the "surprise" bag I mentioned. Sorry your library doesn't do reservations.
Of course I also use my the e-library, have done so since I got my e-reader. Looking at my list I read about 100 e-library books a year.

We are doing okayish, the lockdown and the political situation both here and in de USA has an impact on both of us. But we still walk each day, a long walk calmes us down a bit. Our average this month is above 6 km/day.

How are you and Marc doing?

>166 FAMeulstee: We could all do with an end to the lockdown and the virus situation. But I'm afraid we still have some hurdles to take. Add to that the political situation, here and in other countries.

My mother has her birthday this Saturday. We want to visit of course but we were hesitating. I really hope they will make haste vaccinating elderly people. She will be 95, so she should be one of the first. So we will do a digital visit this Saturday, and a real birthday visit after she has had her vaccination. She really wants to see us, and she doesn't have many people left.

We're doing so so. The weather, the winter, last scan results not undividedly positive, but could mean nothing, sigh. That means pressure is still there, as he wasn't totally in the clear. That weighs.

Great, that you are still walking daily. It is so helpful to be outside, to walk in open spaces. Where are you more or less?

>167 EllaTim: Yes, Ella, it is a very long haul. And the latest covid strain makes it all more complicated.

Sorry about Marcs latest scan results adding to the stress.

My father should also get his vaccination soon, he turned 90 in July. We were trying to keep away, but then he came to us early december. He will probably do that again on my birthday in February, as one visitor is still allowed.

With the short days we only walk near our house (Lelystad-Haven), we can reach the edge of the Oostvaardersplassen by foot. But I do miss walking somewhere else. As Frank works at night, he never wakes before noon (and at 14:30 after working nights), so there isn't enough time before dark to do our walk elsewhere.

>168 FAMeulstee: They will be making more haste vaccinating. I hope your father can get his vaccination soon. The new strain is making it all more scary.

Yes, it's dark again before you know it. I've been to Lelystad-Haven years ago, as an enthusiastic young birder, and I like the surroundings, but of course it's fun to see something new. Days will start lengthening soon!

>169 EllaTim: I hope so too, Ella, and of course also for your mother.

Days are already lengthening, just not enough to take the car and continue our walk around the Flevopolder ;-)

Hi Anita! Just passing through, wishing you well.

I'm impressed that you're reading The Anabasis by Xenophon. I've never heard of it, although the name Xenophon rings a muted, distant bell. *smile* Sometimes I surprise myself and have a book somebody's mentioned on my shelves, but not this time.

>171 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, always good to see you here.

I used to have this book in my own library, but it was culled in the great cul of 2005.
Last year I read the retelling The Falcon of Sparta by Conn Iggulden. Then I felt the need to read the original. I just finished The Anabasis, and like most old classics it was not a difficult, rather enjoyable read.

Anita, I'm just stopping by to say hello. I'm impressed with your reading plan for this year. I started at the top of your thread and saw the name of one of my favorite mystery writers, Peter Robinson. You've intrigued me to read The Anabasis. Happy reading.

>173 Oregonreader: Thank you, Jan, you are always welcome.
I like Peter Robinson, his Alan Banks books were among the first mystery series I read and loved. Now I am re-reading them in a slower pace.
The Anabasis was a good read, I came to it after reading the retelling The Falcon of Sparta by Conn Iggulden a year ago.

book 10: Angstige mensen by Fredrik Backman
library, translated from Swedish, English translation Anxious people, 351 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

A desperate person, a failing bank robbery, an appartment viewing turning into a hostage situation, the hostages are questioned by the police, because the hostage taker has vanished. Slowly you get what has happened.

It took a while to get into this book, at first I thought this was going to be the first Backman I didn't like. But gradually the bits and pieces felt together and I was impressed again how Backman can touch (and manipulate) my emotions. He also plays very well with my gender bias.

Dutch and English title are the same

book 11: Boven water by Arnaldur Indriðason
library, translated from Icelandic, no English translation, 287 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Konráð book 2
Retired policeman Konráð is asked for help by an elderly couple, they worry about their granddaughter. She uses drugs, has been involved in smuggling drugs, and now she has disappeared. Meanwhile he also gets new information about the murder on his father, wich happend long ago and was never solved. A third case pops up, about a girl who drowned accidently in the 1960s, but there might be more to it.

As always Indriðason delivers a good mystery, larded with social criticism. A few scenes were hard to stomach: extreme violence, abuse of children and a dog dies in a car accident.
There are two more books about Konráð, not yet translated, so I am waiting and looking forward to those.

Dutch title translated: Above water

book 12: De tocht van de tienduizend by Xenofon
library, translated from Old Greek, English translation The Anabasis, 349 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book with a LT rating of 3.5 or more

Cyrus, brother of King Ataxerxes of Persia, gathers an army to gain the Persian throne. A large part of the army is Greek, and after Cyrus is killed, while his army was winning the battle, the 10.00 Greek soldiers want to return home. Their leaders are killed, when they went to negotiate, and one of the new choosen leaders is Xenophon. They decide to march to the North, towards the Black Sea, to get home from there.

I am always surprised how some ancient books, written centuries ago, are still enjoyable reads. The people in it are recognisable: one of the generals, Menon, is lying and cheating for his own advantages, other generals have more eye for the needs of the soldiers.

Dutch title translated: The march of the ten thousand

>175 FAMeulstee: I haven't read anything by Backman yet, despite us selling his books quite well. I just wasn't interested in the topic. But this one sounds like something I will enjoy!

>178 PersephonesLibrary: I hope you do like Anxious people, when you get to it, Käthe. Seems there is no German translation yet.

>175 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Good review. And you've made me curious, will be looking out for it.

>177 FAMeulstee: How Interesting that this was a good read. It's so long ago and we can still relate?

Have a nice weekend.

>180 EllaTim: Have you read any other books by Backman, Ella?
My favorites are A Man Called Ove and the Beartown books.

No matter what time, we are humans, 400 BC or 2021 AD. And reading ancient books just confirms that.

Books finished, not yet reviewed:
De levende berg (The Living Mountain) by Nan Shepherd
Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) by Graeme Simsion

Reading:
Reis door de Oriënt by Gustave Flaubert
De nachtstemmer by Maarten 't Hart

Happy weekend, Anita!

>182 FAMeulstee: I read the Rosie project by Greame Simsion a while ago. How did you like this one?

>183 figsfromthistle: I think The Rosie project was the best, Anita. I liked the second, The Rosie Effect, less and The Rosie result was only slightly better. I was in need of a lighter read, and the book fulfilled that purpose ;-)

Hi Anita my dear, hope all is well with you and Frank and you have had a good Saturday. We are both fine, Karen has been off work this week taking some holiday time and keeping me busy, lol. Sending love and hugs to both of you from both of us dear friend.

Dropping by to wish you a lovely Sunday, Anita.

Hi Anita! Just delurking to wave. *Waves madly*

I felt the same way about Anxious People when I read it last year. It was a slow start but worth pushing through.

I read The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect earlier this month, skipping the second as it was my least favorite.

Happy Sunday, Anita. I also enjoyed The Rosie Effect and it's follow-up. My wife has just started the first one. I hope you are having a good weekend.

>185 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, it was a strange Saturday. See below.
Love and hugs to you and Karen.

>186 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul, the same to you (although I think your Sunday is almost over by now).
I will come to your new thread later, as the site is very slow at the moment

>187 humouress: Hi Nina! *waving back*

--
The curfew started Saturday evening at 21:00, and Frank had to work, starting at 21:45. So he needed to carry two forms, one from his employer stating he had to go to work after 21:00, and one he had to fill out himself, stating almost te same, but both required. He saw a lot of police-cars on his way to work, all heading the other way. So he wasn't stopped on his way to work. His next shift is next Saturday, we will se how it goes then.

>188 jayde1599: Glad we thought the same, Jess. Have you read other books by Backman? I have read all available in Dutch translation.
Agreed again, the second was the weekest. I don't think I will read them again.

>189 msf59: Thank you, Mark, happy Sunday.
The Rosie books are rather populair, I hope your wife enjoys them too.

>190 FAMeulstee: I've missed quite a bit around here, so please forgive me for asking again, but why is there a curfew? COVID, or civil unrest?

Hope you're both well

>192 London_StJ: Because of the new COVID strain that is much more contagious. The hospitals still can manage, but are at the top of what can be handled. A large outbreak would push them over the top. So the government decided to add a curfew to the standing measures (mask, distancing, only 1 visitor per houshold a day, etc).
The curfew has led to civil unrest in a few places. Yesterday evening in two small villages, today in Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Some people are very tiried of all the COVID measures, and like to believe all the fake news about it.

ETA: We are both well, and you are always welcome to ask!

Glad you're both keeping well, Anita. We've had a new round of "shock" adverts, close ups of NHS workers and patients, with "look them in the eyes and tell them you are doing all you can" by staying home. Grim but apparently needed.
https://youtu.be/s-_FeNrTRV8
Hope Frank's commute continues to be as uneventful.

>193 FAMeulstee: Sorry to see that you are under curfew. We are currently under a stay at home order, but with no curfew. Not sure if it's really helping much yet though

Happy Sunday, Anita. You did some great reading.

Anita, ik hoop dat je een leuk weekend hebt gehad! I have found an english ebook edition of Backman's book... but I will wait a little while until it gets a bit cheaper. :)

>194 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, from both of us.
It seems to be needed to keep telling people to stay at home as much as possible. Besides the riots continuing (tonight even in more is cities), the nature reserves were overcrowded today. So many people going to the same places. I do understand the need to get out a bit, but not that some many decide to go to the same spot. We went for our walk after dark, and only saw a few others on our way.

>195 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle. We were already advised to stay at home as much as possible, but not everyone did so. With the curfew the goverment hoped to discourage visiting even more, to achieve les contacts overall.

>196 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, my reading was picking up again. But the massive unrest today affects my reading again.

>197 PersephonesLibrary: Danke, Käthe, das Wochenende war gut.
Frank had to work both nights, and had two uneventful nights at work.
I had my Backman copy from the library. The only Backman we own is Een man die Ove heet.

>193 FAMeulstee: I am glad you're well, and I'm glad someone in charge is taking the new strain seriously.

I think we're all tired of COVID measures - but having COVID, or allowing it to continue spreading, is far worse.

>199 London_StJ: So am I, about taking it seriously, but sadly it unchained a lot of unrest.
Agreed on that, but there is a lot of misinformation out there. And many prefer to believe there is no virus, and their "freedom" is at stake. Basicly a lot of dissatisfaction about many things seems to be errupting now, encouraged by one of the right wing parties (elections coming up in March).

>200 FAMeulstee: Unrest here in Amsterdam, again a large part of the afternoon. I think there's a lot of dissatisfaction, and that there are good reasons for that. But people rioting and looting, just wrong.

I am not doing very well at visiting threads this year, Anita, but here I am. What a variety in your reading so far! I'm impressed. Sorry to hear that your right-wingers are stirring up many of the problems ours here have been. May the vaccinations proceed apace!!

The bad thing is that those who protest most vehemently against the measures are most responsible for reinforcing them.
I wish you a good start to the week, Anita.

Unrest in Roermond too!

>201 EllaTim: Unrest everywhere, Ella, and bursting into riots at some places.
I think it is similair to the yellow vest-protests in France. They gathered because of dissatisfaction, with a large variety of reasons, so there is no common goal.

>202 ronincats: Glad to see you, Roni. We all have times more or less active at the threads.
Thanks, we live in strange times. A number of vaccinations are delayed, so it won't go as fast as hoped.

>203 SirThomas: Indeed, Thomas, but as they think there is no virus, they don't feel responsible at all.
Thank you, the same to you.

>204 connie53: I heard about it, Connie, and thought of you.
I hope it didn't come close to you, or your family.

>205 FAMeulstee:

I just copied/pasted my posts I wrote for my Dutch book-club

They were in MY mall too.
I find it really scary to go shopping now. Fortunately, it is not necessary today, but the idea alone.
No idea if my center is actually open. I can't find anything about that (yet).

I just went to get some vegetables for tonight and went on foot. I did not know what the situation was and I did not intend to just park my bike there. All doors had glass again at least at the front where the unrest was the most. At a smaller exit they were still working with plywood sheets. Many shop owners were talking in groups and apparently all had gone there yesterday evening. A lot of complaints about the police, but I heard on TV that the police had gone to Venlo for assistance and so on.

>206 connie53: That is scary, Connie. Glad you were able to go despite the scare, and found the mall partly restored.
It was bad in many places. In Lelystad it was quiet, fortunately we are far enough from Urk and Amsterdam.

>207 FAMeulstee: I hope it doesn't spread to other cities, Anita. Keeping our fingers crossed for that!

I'm surprised by the events in NL. I've always thought the Dutch were community minded and made decisions based on what is the best choice for the most people. Your current unrest is so much like what we've experienced here that it makes me sick at heart.

>205 FAMeulstee: I think you are right about that Anita. No common goal, but there was organisation. Here in Amsterdam they had hired two small planes flying above the crowd carrying banners implicating how 'peaceful' they were. So all prepared beforehand.

>206 connie53: It is scary, so much unrest, and it coming so close to your home. I was very glad to see on Twitter that in Eindhoven a large group of volunteers helped to clean up the chaos that resulted.

Here in Amsterdam I think the damage was limited.

>209 RebaRelishesReading: No better than anywhere else, and lots of people deluded about the virus.

I am sorry to hear about the looting and rioting. This is so unnecessary. Here, people are simply not following the rules. Or refuse to wear a mask and start discussing "the truth". But fortunately, there hasn't been any looting.

Though there are protests and marches. There I see a lot of potential violence.

>103 FAMeulstee: Just started Banker so glad you enjoyed it.

And sorry for the unrest. We stay tucked away at the end of our long lane and order in as much as we can.

>208 connie53: Well it did tonight :-(

>209 RebaRelishesReading: There is an long standing dissatisfaction in our society, Reba. There are few affordable houses, so young people are forced to stay with their parents, lack of jobs and many other widespread problems.

>210 EllaTim: I heard those planes were from "the other side", Ella, mocking the crowd.
It was bad again tonight in Amsterdam :-(

>211 PersephonesLibrary: We have those too, Käthe, when we do our daily walk ther are always other who don't keep the distance.
I hope it stays that way at your place.

>212 witchyrichy: I hope you also enjoy Banker, Karen.
Fortunately our city is still quiet. Stay safe tucked away at the end of your long lane.

The best wishes to you and Frank, Anita.
Stay safe and healthy.

Hi Anita. I'm enjoying some kids' literature this week (Hilary McKay). A break from some heavy non-fiction reading.

Hi Anita!

I'm sorry about the looting and unrest. I simply don't understand people who deny that there's a pandemic and think not wearing a mask and practicing social distancing are abridgments of their rights. I hope you and Frank continue to stay safe.

>210 EllaTim: >213 FAMeulstee: Well it has been more than 40 years since I lived there and things change. I'm just saddened to hear you're having the same kinds of trouble we are.

>214 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas. This evening went much better in our country than the last three evenings. A few people were arrested, but no riots or looting.

>215 SandyAMcPherson: Sometimes kids'books are a nice in between, Sandy. Wich book by Hilary Mckay are you reading? I remember liking her book Dog Friday.
At the moment I have a YA book Tomorrow when the war began by John Marsden on the pile to be read soon.

>216 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, we don't understand either. As I said to Thomas, this evening was much better.

>217 RebaRelishesReading: Things have changed a lot in the last 40 years, Reba, 40 years ago we were much nicer.
Social security is much reduced, there is a big shortage of affordable housing, the taxes for companies and rich people went way down, ordinary jobs don't pay enough to afford a place for your own, right wing xenophobic parties came into parliament, etc.

>218 FAMeulstee: The difference between rich and poor has grown, rich people are a lot richer. They often have nothing to worry about in their lives, three vacations every year. While poor people have debts.

But I saw on TV that there has been a crowdfunding action for some of the shops that were looted last night.

40 years ago Amsterdam had the squatters riots. But I could understand that better.

Hi Anita. I'm so glad it was more quiet last night. 'Only' Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hilversum. And those riots were not that intense as before.

I love the way people react by bringing cake, coffee and flowers to the police and shop owners and crowdfunding initiatives starting up.

I am relieved to hear things are calming down a little bit, Anita!

>219 EllaTim: And the rich people show their riches much more than they used to do.
I have mixed feelings about crowdfunding actions. It is nice people want to help, but not all affected shop owners appear on TV. Only the ones with publicity get help. What about the many others?

>220 connie53: Yes, Connie, I was also very glad. And the unrest was on a much smaller scale in those places.
I love the little gestures, and the people helping to clean up their cities. As I said above, I have mixed feelings about crowdfunding.

>221 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you, Käthe, so are we. I hope we have seen the last now.

The unrest, both here the last few days, and in Washington earlier this month, has affected my reading. I even didn't read at all for a few days, I was mostly occupied to find the latest news.

I hope to finish two more books this month: Reis door de Oriënt by Gustave Flaubert and Gewaagd leven by Astrid Roemer.
Also reading Sodom en Gomorra (Sodom and Gomorrah; In search of lost time 4) by Marcel Proust, but I don't think I can finish this month.

Books finished, not yet reviewed:
De levende berg (The Living Mountain) by Nan Shepherd
Het Rosie resultaat (The Rosie result) by Graeme Simsion
De nachtstemmer by Maarten 't Hart

Anita, just delurking to let you know that I am thinking about you. Hoping that things calm down and that you can get back into reading.

>223 FAMeulstee: Sorry to read the unrest continues.
I have been having lots of delay to the post here, but your card arrived today, a lovely surprise thank you.

>224 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie, I am glad to report it was calm this evening. It looks like enough people stood up against the rioters last evening. Even hard-core football (soccer) fans went to the center of their cities to defend against rioters.
I have read a few pages today, my concentration isn't back yet.

>225 charl08: Thank you, Charloote, it seeems te worst is over.
Thanks for letting me know. So it took a month to arrive at your place.

--
And some good news, my father will get his first Covid-19 vaccination next Saturday.

Same here Anita, done more Twitter reading than reading of books. But it is very quiet here right now, so maybe in a little while.

>226 FAMeulstee: Good news! I'm glad for your father. My mother hasn't heard anything yet. Living at home, but not very mobile. Hope she'll be vaccinated soon.

Dropping in to say hello! Sorry to hear about all the chaos going on. Hopefully all settles down soon.

Sorry to hear there's been so much unrest, Anita. Hope things continue to stay quiet.

Hi Anita, sorry to hear about the riots, those things are really unnerving (as we know here in the US.)

>227 EllaTim: Good it is quiet, Ella, it looks like the worst is over. I avoid Twitter, as it gets overwhelming.
All people of 90 and older should have gotten the letter to make an appointment. But there might be regional delays.

>228 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita, it looks like it has settled down.
Again some arrests, and boys (14) set a building in fire in Rotterdam :-(

>229 bell7: Thank you, Mary, the worst seems to be over. I never thought this could happen here.

>230 banjo123: Thank you, Rhonda, it was already unnerving to see what happened in Washington. And even more when came so close in our country. But the last two nights were much better, so I hope it is over now.

--
Some early birthday presents arrived, I'll turn 58 next Wednesday.
A 500 pieces puzzle and two books: De dood in Rome by Wolfgang Koeppen and Veerman by Emile Verhaeren, a bilingual (French/Dutch) anthology.

>231 FAMeulstee: Veerman looks very interesting. I understand that it's poetry in French combined with translations in Dutch?

>232 EllaTim: It is a lovely edition, Ella. Indeed, the original French on the left page and the Dutch translation on the right page.

Hello Anita! I'm glad the area you live is safe for now. Such insanity! My state, Montana, is very right wing with far too many people refusing to wear masks or distance themselves. Today Im going out to pick up some perscriptions and grocery shopping.

I enjoyed the three Rosie books. As you say, it's nice to read something light and distracting.

>234 streamsong: Thank you, Janet, so am I. It is hard to understand why people don't want to wear masks or keep enough distance. I hope all went well with your shopping.

Sometimes we need light and distracting, the last Rosie bookwas perfect for that. At the moment I am reading more dense books.

>234 streamsong: & >235 FAMeulstee: Those people exist everywhere and are so annoying because of them the whole thing takes much more time and gets more intense than it would actually need to. It is really hard not to let them annoy you - and discussing with them in our bookshops costs so much energy. So far, I kicked out one couple... because they started shouting and yelling about "the truth"...

>236 PersephonesLibrary: I hadn't realsed how hard this could be, Käthe, when you work in a shop.
Frank does all the shopping, so I only go out for our daily walk and can avoid others as I stay at home. Most days I am able to ignore people who don't make space when we pass. At least the risk is less outside.
So many "truths" out there, some just keep living in a bubble of alternate facts :-(

book 13: De levende berg by Nan Shepherd
library, non-fiction, translated, original title The Living Mountain, 176 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book to help me celebrate my 50th birthday

Shepherd writes about the Cairngorms, a mountain massif in northeastern Scotland. She was born and raised near these mountains, and explored them whenever she could. This book contains the lifelong love for this area.

This book made me realise how much I am a flatlander, born and raised mostly below sealevel, protected by dikes. Mountains are alien territory to me, the lansdscape so different. The few weeks I spend on vacation in regions with mountains didn't make them familiar.

Dutch and English title are the same

>238 FAMeulstee: A little bit of trivia (which may or may not still be true): there is a school in a village in the Cairngroms that is so high that the teachers are supposed to have a mountain leader's certificate to supervise games there! (I presume for insurance purposes). It's a beautiful area.

book 14: Het Rosie resultaat by Graeme Simsion
library, e-book, translated, original title The Rosie result, 367 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Don, Rosie and their 11 year old son Hudson move back to Australia. Hudson has similair troubles at school, as his father had. So Don decides to teach his son some life lessons that will help him find his way.

Funny at times, slightly better than the previous book (The Rosie Effect), but less than the first (The Rosie Project).
I needed a lighter read and got what I wanted.

Dutch and English title are the same

>239 sirfurboy: Thank you, Stephen, I always love trivia.
Sheperd describes the beauty of the area in a way you almost feel like you are there with her.

book 15: De nachtstemmer by Maarten 't Hart
library, e-book, Dutch, no translations, 315 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Gabe Pottjewijd is an organ tuner from Groningen. This time his work leads him far from home to Maassluis. Most of the people there are not nice, and Gabe feels very lonely. One exception, a Brasilian widow and her daughter do welcome Gabe in their lives. The daughter helps him tuning the organ. As these two women are outsiders, the other people in town make Gabe feel he is also an outsider.

All the usual topics are present: faith, the diverse braches of the Protestant church, narrow minded people, bible citations, classical music and nature. This time larded with a liittle suspence.

Dutch title translated: The night tuner

book 16: Reis door de Oriënt by Gustave Flaubert
library, non-fiction, translated from French, no English translation, 269 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a non-fiction book with a picture of a building or man-made structure on the cover

Gustave Flaubert traveled through Egypt, Palestina and Libanon with his friend Maxime Du Camp, from October 1849 until October 1850.
The manuscript was found after Flaubert died, and first published in the complete works in 1910.
It is strange to read about the pyramids, temples and sphynxes halfway the 19th century, before mass tourism. They could freely climb the pyramids, do some digging as they felt like it, and take whatever they found. They traveled by boat, horse, mule, camel and donkey, are invited by other Europeans living there.

Dutch title translated: Journey through the Orient

Happy Friday, Anita. I enjoyed the first 2 Rosie books ,(the first being the best) but I did not see a need to continue it. My wife is just getting ready to start the first one.

>244 msf59: Thank you, Mark, happy Friday to you!
The first Rosie book was the best. I started the last one as I was in need of a lighter read, and it was available at the e-library. I hope your wife enjoys the first Rosie book.

>238 FAMeulstee: I really enjoyed this too Anita.

I love to look at mountains, but I've never been fit enough to attempt hiking, and really get to know them.

>238 FAMeulstee: Sounds like a good one Anita. No travelling possible at the moment, but reading and dreaming is still an option. I'm a real flatlander and love wide open landscapes, but my first trip in a mountain area was a delight.

>243 FAMeulstee: I love early travel reports... will keep that one in mind! Happy Saturday, Anita!

>240 FAMeulstee: Those were my exact thoughts on The Rosie Result. Better than the second but not as good as the first. Being in the field of ASD, I thought Simsion took a nice approach to the subject. I sometimes cringe when authors or TV try to depict people with disabilities

>218 FAMeulstee: The Hilary McKay book I recently finished was The Time of Green Magic. Reviewed on the book's title page --- 4-stars. I really enjoyed the story.

>246 Caroline_McElwee: I might have it from your thread, Caroline, not sure.
For years I didn't like mountains, as I had my worst vacation ever in Switserland. Took some years to appriciate them again.

>247 EllaTim: I prefer reading about them, Ella.
I am perfectly happy with our one week vacations walking the Pieterpad.

>248 PersephonesLibrary: I saw there is a German translation of this book, Käthe. Two years before Flaubert traveled along the Loire and through Brittany, can't find a German translation, but it is available in English: Over Strand and Field.

>249 jayde1599: Glad we agree, Jess. It is not easy to help others understand in a good way.

>250 SandyAMcPherson: Thank you, Sandy, sadly it isn't available in Dutch translation (yet).

>238 FAMeulstee: and >246 Caroline_McElwee: and >247 EllaTim: and >251 FAMeulstee: I grew up in the Upper Midwest with very limited topography but yearned for hills and mountains at least as much as forest. Love hills and mountains! But not sure I'm in shape for the mountains anymore either. My job used to be hiking up and down and across mountain slopes day after day. Now I find 2-3 stair flights a challenge.

I cannot imagine living without mountains! I grew up on the west coast, so always with mountains around. I went to college in Chicago, so it was very flat; and I never got used to it.

Now, I know others who grow up in a flat place, and mountains make them feel hemmed in.

>254 banjo123: Heh. Back in fall 2019, I went on a road trip (remember those?) with some folks I didn't know that well (but wanted to know better) into the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan for you folks from further away)--peak color too! Anyway, I was laughing because up there, we were surrounded by trees and I was just drinking it in, while the other person in the back seat felt all hemmed in and claustrophobic. She's a total prairie girl, whereas I feel all exposed and sunblind on the prairie.

Huh. Well, I'm a suburbs girl and fairly adaptable I think. I need some outdoors at least; though I could survive in a city, I'm not a fan of being 'trapped' in an apartment and I don't mind countryside/ seaside/ mountains.

>238 FAMeulstee: 'made me realise how much I am a flatlander, born and raised mostly below sealevel' :0)

>253 justchris: >255 justchris: Funny how different we can experience our surroundings, Chris. Forests give me the same feel as mountains, after a short while I long to see horizons.

>254 banjo123: I think most people prefer the landscape they grew up in, Rhonda. For me mountains and hills can be beautiful, but they block the view to the horizon.

>256 humouress: I need the outdoors as well, Nina, but I also liked living in an appartment with a nice view.

Yes, large parts of our country are below sea level, the lowest point is -6,76 m. Without the dikes our country would look like this:

>257 FAMeulstee: Wow; Amsterdam would be under water? Has it subsided since it was built? I'm assuming it was founded before the dikes were created.

book 17: Gewaagd leven by Astrid Roemer
own, Dutch, no translations, 239 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Beautiful story of a boy growing up in Suriname. Set around the time Suriname got independent, and got into deep economical trouble.

Dutch title translated: Risky life

>258 humouress: No, the dikes came first, Nina.
Although our Amsterdam Ordnance Datum is approximately sea level.

ETA: all Dutch places with a name ending with "dam", are named after a dam in a river. The first part of the name is the name of the river. Amsterdam, a dam in the Amstel; Rotterdam, a dam in the Rotte.

book 18: Ideeën van Multatuli. Tweede bundel by Mutatuli
own, e-book, Dutch, non-fiction, no translations, 469 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book by an author that you have read before

Second of seven books of Ideas by Multatuli. Essays, one-liners, and interwoven the story of Woutertje Pieterse. Written in the second half of the 19th century.
He critisises the government, parliament, the policy towards the Dutch-Indies, publishers, preachers, teachers, etc. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes boring.

Dutch title translated: Ideas of Multatuli. Second bundle

January 2021 in numbers

18 books read (5.137 pages, 165,7 pages a day)

own 2 (11 %) / library 16

13 male author / 5 female author
  4 originally written in Dutch / 14 translated into Dutch
14 fiction / 4 non-fiction

18 books in TIOLI Challenges
  8 e-books
  1 1001 books
  4 mystery/police procedural

--
pages:
0 - 100 pages: 1
101 - 200 pages: 2
201 - 300 pages: 8
301 - 400 pages: 5
401 - 500 pages: 2
501 - 999 pages: 0
1000+ pages: 0

longest book 469 pages
shortest book 92 pages
average book 285 pages

--
own books read were on the shelf since:
2016: 1
2019: 1

--
date first published:

4th centry BC: 1

19th century: 1

20th century
1910s: 1
1950s: 1
1960s: 1
1970s: 1
1980s: 2
1990s: 1

21st century
2000s: 1
2010s: 8

--
ratings:
2 x
8 x
6 x
2 x

--
Best books in January


Boven water (Konráð 2) by Arnaldur Indriðason
De dood in Rome (Death in Rome) by Wolfgang Koeppen

>254 banjo123: I, too, grew up on the U.S. west coast with mountains in my backyard and the ocean in the front yard. I miss both when I'm away from them. My son was born in the Netherlands and when he was about two we were driving through the middle of the country when he proclaimed from the back seat while pointing at a slight mound on the horizon "Mama -- mountains!" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

My January went well though not as smoothly as one would've wished.

Your comment up-thread about being a flatlander made me smile. I grew up in mountainy places...my part of Texas, Austin, has some very exhaustingly thorough hills, and Northern California is a mountain range smack up against the ocean...but have lived in coastal flats for 35 years. Somehow it's more home-like for me, not my native mountains.

>262 FAMeulstee: who stole January? A good start to the year Anita. I may finish the book I'm reading tonight, so will have managed 8, with 2 others almost done which will go into Feb.

>262 FAMeulstee: Great statistics, Anita! I will be too lazy to do such an extended overview. But it's interesting to take a look at other readers' reading achievements.

>264 richardderus: I grew up in the high desert with high mountains on the east and west and distant ones providing farther horizons to the north and south. I couldn't get lost since I could tell from the view the direction. When I visit a desert landscape it does feel home like, but I like woods and city as well. Flatlands don't appeal nearly so much.

>267 quondame: Deserts give me awful anxiety. I hate being hot. I am *paranoid* about having enough water. Reptiles (especially the venomous ones) are not my friends. So I don't go where they're the happiest and expect they will return the courtesy.

So far, at least, they have.

>263 RebaRelishesReading: Completely understandable that your son called a slight mound moutains, Reba :-)
Like in the song by Jacques Brel "... hemelhoge kerken, die in dit vlakke land de enige bergen zijn".

>264 richardderus: Glad you had a good January reading, Richard dear. The month didn't start smooth, I think that affected us all.
I hadn't realised how much I love the flat land before I read The Living Mountain. Good you found your home in the coastal flats. We all need a place where we feel comfortable, wherever that may be.

>265 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you, Caroline, again a month flew by ;-)
Good luck finishing your book tonight.

>266 PersephonesLibrary: I just saw yours, Käthe, and it was fairly extended in my eyes :-)
I always love to see what numbers others keep in their statistics.

>267 quondame: I have never been in a desert, Susan, so I can only imagine how that would be.

>268 richardderus: With you in disliking hot weather, Richard dear.
I have no problems with reptiles, probably because there are few here.

>269 FAMeulstee: That's one of his best songs Anita! With lovely lyrics.

This whole discussion has reminded me of one of my favourite songs: In the Dutch Mountains, by The Nits.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tPyiZI_WrXw&t=6s

>271 EllaTim: Lovely lyrics and his French accent, Ella :-)
Ernst van Altena translated the lyrics.

Thanks for the link to The Nits, we also love that song.

To the next thread.

>269 FAMeulstee: Love the Jacque Brel lyric