I read a couple of beautiful books in the past weeks, and I have some amazing ones on my TBR-pile.
What have I read?
I had two weeks Christmas vacation these past two weeks, so I had a lot of time to read. I read a book by a Dutch writer that I utterly disliked, but that was the only book I did not like.
I also read Starry Night by Martin Bailey, about Vincent van Gogh and his year at the asylum. It was beautiful and interesting and I will post a review later.
I read two books that were very good, but unfortunately there are no English translations yet. The first was by Dutch author Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, who wrote a book that I read in almost one go. It is a great novel about a writer who writes about the woman he lost, but also the problems in the world with mass-tourism. The book is called Grand Hotel Europa, and I hope it will be translated into English soon. (his last novel, La Superba about the city of Genoa is also amazing, and that one is translated already)
Another book I absolutely loved is also not yet translated. This was the French novel L'arte de perdre (the art of losing). This is about Algeria and the war of independance that was fought between 1954 and 1962. It focusses on an Algerian family who have to move to France in 1962 and what impact that had on their lives. It was absolutely beautiful and I could not put it away. I read a Dutch translation of this book.
After reading Anna Karenina last year, I took an 19th century Dutch novel Eline Vere, and read it again. And loved it as much as all the other times I read this book. I reviewed it a while ago and it can be found: HERE
And finally I read the third book in the French detectiveseries by Philippe Georget: Crimes of Winter. It was good, but not as good as the previous two books. I am looking forward to part four, which I think will be set in Spring :-)
What am I reading?
At this moment I am reading a Dutch book about the beginnings of Opera in Venice. It is a difficult book since it has a lot of musical terminology that I am not that familiair with, but I look things up and it is very interesting. It does make me want to go to Venice again!
And I am reading All our yesterdays by Italian author Natalia Ginzburg. Is is set in Italy during the twenties and thirties and it is a family history, set against the rise of fascism in Italy.
What will I read next?
I have a book about the history of Rome: Rome, a history in seven sackings by Matthew Kneale, and this looks very promising.
What else did I do?
The Christmas vacation is a time when you can really do a few new things. I discovered the Sims. I play the free online version (Sims Mobile), because I am not prepared to pay for these things, but I like it very much.
I also discoverd making a photobook online. I am still working on it (am making one for each holiday I took in the past years: Nice, Bologna, Napels, Porto etc). When I am happy with one, I will have it printed. I am curious to see what the quality is and how much I like it.
And finally I watched both the film version and the miniseries of Dr. Zhivago. Such a beautiful story and the minis-series is amazing.
School has started again this week, so I have to pay attention to other things again, but on the whole I had a good vacation and I am glad I did so many fun things.
What have I read?
I had two weeks Christmas vacation these past two weeks, so I had a lot of time to read. I read a book by a Dutch writer that I utterly disliked, but that was the only book I did not like.
I also read Starry Night by Martin Bailey, about Vincent van Gogh and his year at the asylum. It was beautiful and interesting and I will post a review later.
I read two books that were very good, but unfortunately there are no English translations yet. The first was by Dutch author Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, who wrote a book that I read in almost one go. It is a great novel about a writer who writes about the woman he lost, but also the problems in the world with mass-tourism. The book is called Grand Hotel Europa, and I hope it will be translated into English soon. (his last novel, La Superba about the city of Genoa is also amazing, and that one is translated already)
Another book I absolutely loved is also not yet translated. This was the French novel L'arte de perdre (the art of losing). This is about Algeria and the war of independance that was fought between 1954 and 1962. It focusses on an Algerian family who have to move to France in 1962 and what impact that had on their lives. It was absolutely beautiful and I could not put it away. I read a Dutch translation of this book.
After reading Anna Karenina last year, I took an 19th century Dutch novel Eline Vere, and read it again. And loved it as much as all the other times I read this book. I reviewed it a while ago and it can be found: HERE
And finally I read the third book in the French detectiveseries by Philippe Georget: Crimes of Winter. It was good, but not as good as the previous two books. I am looking forward to part four, which I think will be set in Spring :-)
What am I reading?
At this moment I am reading a Dutch book about the beginnings of Opera in Venice. It is a difficult book since it has a lot of musical terminology that I am not that familiair with, but I look things up and it is very interesting. It does make me want to go to Venice again!
And I am reading All our yesterdays by Italian author Natalia Ginzburg. Is is set in Italy during the twenties and thirties and it is a family history, set against the rise of fascism in Italy.
What will I read next?
I have a book about the history of Rome: Rome, a history in seven sackings by Matthew Kneale, and this looks very promising.
What else did I do?
The Christmas vacation is a time when you can really do a few new things. I discovered the Sims. I play the free online version (Sims Mobile), because I am not prepared to pay for these things, but I like it very much.
I also discoverd making a photobook online. I am still working on it (am making one for each holiday I took in the past years: Nice, Bologna, Napels, Porto etc). When I am happy with one, I will have it printed. I am curious to see what the quality is and how much I like it.
 |
| One of the photographs I selected for the photobook about Nice |
And finally I watched both the film version and the miniseries of Dr. Zhivago. Such a beautiful story and the minis-series is amazing.
 |
| Hans Matheson and Keira Knightley as Joeri Zhivago and Lara |
Sounds like you've had a lot of good books to read. That one, Starry Night, looks interesting. But then anything about van Gogh interests me. :) Can't wait to read your review of it.
ReplyDeleteIt is very good and I think you will like it! And yes, I was lucky with the books I read, almost all of them were good.
DeleteKind regards,