MEMORIAM READ FOR ANITA (FAMeulstee)

I hope I remember enough to write something coherent ;-)

These were the last words Anita left us with. Her last post to her thread.

She was always coherent. Always warm hearted. Always a friend in this wonderful group.

She was also a prodigious and eclectic reader.

She selected her favourite books from 1920 onwards (ordered chronologically - she was always organised) and I hope you will join me in choosing a book to read in loving memory of her.

The link is here:

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User:FAMeulstee

The link to the copy prepared by Nina so we can record which books we have read is here:

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User_talk:FAMeulstee

I will read the first book on that list - Storm of Steel



Rest well dear lady. If there is a library in heaven, I know where you will be headed. xx

I chose Turtles All the Way Down by John Green from Anita's list as I know she was a huge YA book fan, a love she shared with many people in the group.

>4 alcottacre: Don't have that one on the shelves, Stasia.

>5 PaulCranswick: I am borrowing it from the local library so that I can read it as I do not have it on my shelves either.

I would join you in your read of Storm of Steel but I just recently read that one. I also read another one on her list in the past few days, Brave New World.

I am currently reading The story of a new name by Elena Ferrante which was a favourite of Anita's from 2012, and from now I will be doing so in her memory.
I will most certainly select another from her favourites to read as well.

I have that one on the shelves too, Megan.

Thanks for the list, Paul. I will have a look and see if I can find something to read in Anita’s honour. I was always impressed with the breadth of her reading.

>9 PawsforThought: There was one month when she read 93 books for the TIOLI Challenge. It has never been bettered. 27 is the best I have ever managed.

I just read a book with Anita, last month; All Souls Day by Dutch author (1001) Cees Nooteboom. I will miss Anita. I enjoyed her so much and I am stunned at the news that she has left us. She will be missed. I have not selected something yet, though I haven't read Storm of Steel as I have access to that one and had it on my radar to read.

Wonderful idea, Paul! Thanks for creating this thread and including Anita's list.
I saw Anita and I gave My Name is Red five stars, a book you either love or you don't. I was considering a re-read but noticed Snow by the same author, Pamuk, is also on her favorites list. Since I've not read it and it is on my shelf, I will read Snow in Anita's memory.

I will read English Pastoral James Rebanks

The Gardener's Year, an old favorite for both of us, was written by Karel Capek,
who invented the word Robot in R.U.R.

I'll start it tonight with his chapter on the month of June, and continue through the year.

Also ordered Angle of Repose from Abe and will search Save Shelves
for On Tyranny, Walden, Kavalier and Clay, and The Overstory.

So many great and inspiring books from Anita's list...

I am saving Storm of Steel for November so I think I will read Secondhand Time by Svetlana Alexievich and maybe I will try to do a read each month in honor of Anita.

I will read Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk. I also have Storm of Steel saved for November.
I mostly matched Anita with childrens & YA reads as I looked out for several of her favourite Dutch children's writers in translation. I'll also do a reread of a Jan Terlouw or Tonke Dragt book.
I was always in awe of her ability to read so many of the world's great books over those years when she was able to read unfettered by medication. I remember her beautiful dogs that she posted about when I first joined up with the group.

Thanks for setting this up, Paul. I will read HMS Surprise.

I will read Anita's choice for 1982: The assault by Harry Mulisch.

>18 labfs39: That is a good choice. Read it a number of years ago and really liked it.

>15 Kristelh: Kristel, what do you think of adding a TIOLI Challenge each month for the remainder of the year in honor of Anita? We would have to ask Madeline if it is OK, but it would allow people to read books in her honor as they can and spread out the love for Anita.

>20 alcottacre: One thing I did think of yesterday since Anita has made 60 TIOLI sweeps that we help her to 61 with what is left of June. I would certainly be open to participate in the challenge per month in her honour.

>21 PaulCranswick: I have sent a message to Madeline to see if we could set up a challenge every month from July-December in Anita's honor. I will keep you posted when I receive a reply.

I'll read The World of Yesterday, Anita's choice for my birth year. I don't know that I'll finish it this month, but it will eventually be my contribution.

ETA: I've also pulled out a copy of Christ Stopped at Eboli, which I also want to read.....

For those of you who participate in the TIOLI challenges, I will be setting up a monthly challenge for the remainder of the year in honor of Anita. I checked with Madeline and she OK'd it.

>24 alcottacre:, That is great news Stasia, thanks for doing this!

>25 Kristelh: No problem, Kristel! It is just a small way of honoring our friend Anita, who was an integral part of the TIOLI challenges.

>26 alcottacre: Thank you Stasia, I will participate too.

>27 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Anita was such a huge part of TIOLI, it just felt natural to have challenges in her honor and memory.

>24 alcottacre: Thank you so much for doing this, Stasia. Setting up TIOLI challenges remembering our long-time friend Anita at this sad time is a wonderful way to honor her memory and keep part of her soul with us.

>29 SqueakyChu: Thanks for allowing multiple challenges in honor of Anita, Madeline.

>30 alcottacre: We are all blessed to honor Anita’s memory in any way we can.

Thanks Paul, Stasia and Madeline. I’ll take a look at Anita’s list and the TIOLI challenge.

Gosh, I’ll miss her around LT :’(

Hi, I love the idea of doing a memorial read for Anita. She’ll be really missed here.
I’ll be reading Life and Fate. And it will keep me occupied for some time to come.

I was also tempted to pick up that one as it was her favourite book. I may try to get to that one next. I will finish Storm of Steel today.

>35 EllaTim: I had already planned to read it, but it’s a big book!

Wow those lists are overwhelming! Does she have a list of childrn books? I know thats something we had in common

>36 cindydavid4: Cindy, if you look on the wiki that Paul linked to you will find YA reads listed but not children's books. I am unsure as to whether she put one of those up or not.

ok thanks. Ill look at that

>38 cindydavid4: No problem!

I completed Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger just now. Turning the pages I kept thinking about our friend and those she loved and was leaving behind (in particular, Frank). Junger's book aims towards an emotionless and dispassionate account of war but he managed to move me nonetheless.

Thanks Paul for setting this up in honor of our beloved friend Anita. I think she would be very pleased with it. I will pick The Fountains of Silence. I am glad to be reminded of this one, since it had fallen off the TBR.

I only just found this specific thread. As I said over on your thread, Paul, I will join you in a memorial read for her. I already had The Once and Future King on my list to read this year. It's a TBR that's been on my shelf for a long time, and I was going to read it in any case for the Reading Through Time challenge on Arthurian Britain. I see it is on Anita's list of the "Best 50 Books I Have Read" so I will now also be reading it in Anita's memory.

I have also read both The Eagle of the Ninth and The Silver Branch, which were favorites of hers, already this year. Maybe I can get to The Lantern Bearers as well.

I have never heard of this book but it appears to be calling my name. from her top 50

Monsieur Linh and His Child

I'm going to try Life and Fate which is on it's way from one of the sister libraries in my system.

And from EllaTim's thread, I've also requested The Poet's Dog. I've enjoyed several of Patricia MacLachlan picture books this year.

>2 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul there was a mention of a list of YA books that Anita read - do you know where that is located?
Thank you.

I finally got Turtles All the Way Down from the local library and will be starting it today.

>45 m.belljackson: Marianne, in the later years of listing her favorite reads, Anita lists both YA and nonfiction books along with fiction reads. I am not sure if that is what you are looking for or not, but you can see them in the link Paul posted to Anita's wiki.

>46 alcottacre: Thank you - I will try that...

Found some under "Five Star" books!

thanks for asking; Ill have to do the same

I started 1977's Between the Woods and the Water a couple of weeks ago, and knowing that it was highly regarded by Anita will make the rest of the book even more special.

have you read a time for gifts? this tells the beginning of Fermors journey. Im not entirely sure you need to read that one first, but since you seem to be having no trouble its probably fine. You can always go backto the othre latr. It is one of my all time fav travel narratives and know it was Anitas too Either way, its all good

>47 m.belljackson: Good! I am glad.

Monsieur Linh and His Child is a lovely story . I figured out the twist early, but that doesnt matter. So glad I found this story from Anita. Would have loved to discuss it with her.

>50 cindydavid4: Yes, I read that one about a year and a half ago. Thanks for checking! I am glad to have a connection to Anita through books that she loved.

>44 streamsong: Oh, Life and Fate is a wonderful book, first recommended to me by a Russian immigrant I worked with. He knew what he was talking about!

Next book go went gone Ive read a few of her books, and will read this one for Anita

I'm going to read The Hangwoman by Pavel Kohout.

Thank you for sharing this, Paul. I am not sure exactly when but I am planning to read A Wizard of Earthsea.

I finished Turtles All the Way Down tonight and I can see why Anita loved the book. Her thoughts on it can be found on her October 2017 thread, post #195.

Anita inspired me to pull my pippi longstanding books out of storage some time ago. I think of Anita when I see them on the shelf. I plan to read some again.

>12 Carmenere: I just wasn't feeling Snow by Pamuk so i switched that out for A Moveable Feast from Anita's favorites of "the 1960's" 1964, to be exact.

Thanks to all involved for this lovely positive way to remember Anita.

I've ordered >11 Kristelh: All Souls Day as I'd recently said I wanted to read this after Anita mentioned it.

I have a tag for Anita's recommendations in my wishlist. I admired her reading of books about Dutch colonialism, although some of them are not (yet?) In English. I have ordered one that is - House of Glass: 4 (Buru Quartet) by Pramoedya Ananta Toer.

>58 alcottacre: Ordered Turtles all the way down from Abe - said it was sending a signed, maybe first, edition...for $5.

>62 m.belljackson: Wow! What a great deal!

I've been away from Library Thing for over two weeks now and was devastated to hear that our sweet friend Anita has passed away. I grabbed my copy of The Little Prince and read it straight through for the umpteenth time. Very comforting to know that it was one of Anita's favorite books as well. I will miss her.

Thank you to everybody for your support of the memoriam read for our dear Anita.

Question: I thought of creating a wiki for the Memoriam read for Anita so we could see what books everyone was reading especially as Stasia is setting up TIOLI challenges for the rest of the year based on Anita's wiki.

ETA: link to Anita's wiki https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User:FAMeulstee

I could copy her wiki to a new one so we don't touch hers. Or we could use the discussion page attached to her wiki and that way it would be linked.

I prefer the second one myself, if everyone is okay with it? Or we could leave it and just use this thread and the TIOLI threads.

>66 humouress: Nina, I am thoroughly confused. I have no idea what this means. I'm going to defer to Stasia to decide with you whatever you both would like to do.

>66 humouress: Is there a tag to use for books read as a part of the memorial?

>67 SqueakyChu: Oh dear, sorry. I've added the link to Anita's wiki to >66 humouress:

If you look down the left hand side, there's a link labelled 'discussion' under 'this page' which allows you to discuss the wiki page. I was thinking that we could use that if we wanted to keep track of who is reading what books for Anita.

>68 quondame: As far as I can see, we're not keeping track in any way at the moment. We don't need to, I suppose, but there are various ways we could do it if we wanted to, tags being one of them.

>69 humouress: I never saw that page of Anita's before! I guess that's why I couldn't understand what you were saying. I love the idea that everyone who reads one of these books, either on the TIOLI challenges or on the Memorial thread, then enters their name under the book read. I'm looking forward to seeing how you do this. Perhaps copy Anita's page to another wiki page and then under each book, people can list their name after they finish each book. From a list like that, we can also see which books are most popular (and you know Anita loved stats!). I'm guessing that tags would be another way to do this, but it might be more difficult. I'm looking forward to see what you come up with.
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Idea: I just played with Anita's wiki (not changing anything, of course). I think the easiest thing to do is copy her wiki to another page with a different title. Then under each book finished make an entry like this:

#SqueakyChu

The # sign gives the name a number. The names would be in numerical order. I suggest also adding date of completing the book, so the entries would look like this:

(book title)
#SqueakyChu 06/23/24
#humouress 06/24/24

but the results would look like this:

(book title)
1. SqueakyChu 06/23/24
2. humouress 06/24/24

I personally think wikis are best for this type of project because everyone can make his or her own entry. They can also easily be corrected if mistakes are made.
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I also now see the discussion page. That's a great idea, Nina!

>70 SqueakyChu: Thanks Madeline. That's the kind of thing I was thinking of. I can put it on the Discussion page if no one has any objections?

>71 humouress: No objections from me, Nina.

Please have a look and see if you think my edit is ok or even appropriate?

As a fellow Dutchman, I choose a Dutch book, that I haven't read yet :

Torenhoog en mijlen breed by Tonke Dragt

Condoleances for Frank, family and friends. She will be dearly missed and remembered

>66 humouress: I like this idea and really like the idea of using it for the TIOLI challenges. Would you be willing to handle setting it up for those as well? I have already set up the challenge for July (it is number 8).

Thanks, Nina! What a great idea!

>74 alcottacre: Stasia, the way I picture this, it would not interfere or be connected to the TIOLI challenges in any way. The person who finishes his or her entry in your Anita-related TIOLI challenge(s) would simply then just go to Anita's discussion wiki to also enter their name there. You could add a "rule" to your challenge to encourage people to do this. As my granddaughter Isabel would say, "Easy peasy, lemon Squeezy!"

I agree that Nina's idea is superb!

I vote that Nina set up the mirror of Anita's list on Anita's wiki discussion page today so that we can start listing our names on the "Anita Memorial Reads" there. Anyone else in favor of this?

P.S. I see that Paul already started to do this on the original wiki...so we should get moving on this idea. Whatcha all think?

I like ninas ide but am confused because we are discussing Anita in many threads;and Im not sure which thread(s) to focus on. could we streamling them for easier use? I like the idea of the wiki but I havent used it before. (and thanks to all of you organizing this! Anita would be smiling, Im sure)

>75 SqueakyChu: OK, works for me!

>77 cindydavid4: The wiki is easy to use.

The way you would enter your name in the book list would be to

1. Find the book you read on the wiki.
2. Click the “edit” button on the right.
2. Go to the end of the book’s line and hit the enter button on your keyboard which will open up and start a line under the book.
3. Type #cindydavid4
4. Scroll down to “I’m not a robot”. Click that little box.
5. Click “Save changes”.

That’s it!

Do NOT do this on Anita’s original wiki. Let Nina set up a duplicate page for this first.

oh I was all set up on Anitas wiki, then I read the last sentence. Ok Ill wait thanks for the info

>80 cindydavid4: I just think it’s nicer to leave Anita’s original page as is. Also, should we make mistakes on the duplicate, it won’t be as nerve-wracking for those new to using a wiki.

>81 SqueakyChu: Yes I was thinking that too, Madeline. I will go and edit mine back to what it was before and wait for Nina's copy.

>81 SqueakyChu: oh of course, I totally get it! I was just laughing because I didnt read all the instructions no worries

>83 cindydavid4: I’m bad at reading instructions as well so you’re excused! :)

(I'm borrowing superboy's account because I'm updating the catalogue of the kids' books at the moment)

No problem. I'll get to it in the next day or two, if you don't mind waiting :0)

- Nina/ humouress

Okay, I've copied it across. Please make sure you edit the copy and not Anita's original. I'm adding the TIOLI challenge links at the top, so the difference should be clear. Just doing some tidying up.

This is the link to the copy, or you can get there from 'This page --> Discussion' in the left-hand menu bar:

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User_talk:FAMeulstee

Stasia and Madeline; I've borrowed (ie wholesale copied and pasted) your words where relevant :0)

>85 superboy: My words are not copyrighted, but I give you permission to repost them, anyway! :D

Wow! It looks so nice. Thanks for doing this, Nina. This is a lovely way to keep Anita in our hearts (...really, for as long as we are active on LT!).

There is one other thing I've noticed of which participants should be cognizant. The dates on the copied wiki are written using the pattern "day/month/year" as is usual elsewhere in Europe and many other countries. This is the way dates are written in the Netherlands, so let's stick to this format.

>86 SqueakyChu: Ok where do I put the #? Ive tried under, beside, on and nothing happens Is there something else I need to do first? my apologies for being clueless

>87 cindydavid4: On a new line under the book you just completed, put the # first, put a space and type your name. You can scroll to the bottom and click on "preview" to see if it looks right. If it's wrong, change it, and preview it again. If it then looks right, click "save changes". You can do this as many times as you need to! LOL! Then...Voila!

# SqueakyChu
# cindydavid4

If there is another name already under the book you just read, put your name under the last name. This keeps our name lists in chronological order.

I love that LT has these wikis! I got pulled in with them right from the beginning. That is how the TIOLI challenges started. I just wanted to play with them. Their beauty is that all of us can work on the same document without leaving LT. Learn more about them while you're at it. They can have so many uses.

>87 cindydavid4: I've added the books on this thread that I can see have been read, including Monsieur Linh and His Child. If you click on 'edit' in the top right hand corner of the relevant section (in this case, the decade the book was published) you can see how I did it and you can to do future edits the same way (worst case, copy and paste).

- Please, everyone, make sure you are editing the copy and not Anita's original wiki.
- If you can't remember which year your book belongs to, if you go to the 'Common Knowledge' page of your book/ work, it should (hopefully) be there.

>89 superboy: Should you add a warning to the top of the original thread, do you think? Some LTers are not familiar with wikis (...yet!).

>89 superboy: oh click edit...du'oh thx

I'm not sure how to do this for the book I chose to read. Paul's original message about doing a memorial read on his thread linked to https://www.librarything.com/topic/361235#8551235, and from there I went to her list of "The best 50 books I have read (fiction)." She has The Once and Future King on that list, and since I already have that one queued up to read this year, I thought I would also go ahead and read it in her memory. However, it does not appear to be anywhere on the page you are using for the memorial read. So I don't know where to track my read.

Well, all I have to say is that I hope I do it right because I do not want to be the one who messes it up for all eternity.

BTW - My words are copyrighted in contrast to Madeline who makes free with hers :) Lol

>90 SqueakyChu: You're probably right (oh - I'm me again). I thought about it and didn't want to change Anita's wiki but I think I had better put something at the top.

>92 atozgrl: Hmm, good question. I was also initially looking at one of her other lists but this seemed to be the one that Paul meant so I used this.

I suppose I could copy across the other lists, or would that get too confusing?

But Irene, either way, you are still reading a book in Anita's memory.

>86 SqueakyChu: Thanks Madeline :0)

I just copied across Anita's list and added a few things to the top.

>93 alcottacre: Darn - I'd better go and change it all then ;0)

>91 cindydavid4: :0)

I had earlier exampled an edit to Anita's wiki. I have edited it back to its original state just now as I suggested and will look for Nina's copy.

Thank you all for what you are doing in Anita's memory.
I have just added 1984 to the copied wiki.

>95 humouress:. Perfect! Both lists look great. Thank you, Nina.

Re >90 SqueakyChu:; it occurs to me now ... Paul, would you mind adding a link to the copied wiki at the top of this thread to make it easier to find the right one, please?

>95 humouress: >97 SirThomas: You're welcome :0)

>99 humouress: Done dear lady.

>89 superboy: thx

>88 SqueakyChu: got it! how do I put in the to be read symbol?

>95 humouress: by george I think shes got it!

>102 cindydavid4: That you have to ask Anita! LOL!

>103 cindydavid4: Almost! Now go back and put your cursor in front of the hashtag. Then press “return” on your keyboard. That will magically move your entry down one line and give it a number.

I corrected it for you. Then I uncorrected it so you can go back and learn how to do this. Go ahead! You can’t mess anything up that can’t be corrected.

I need to leave Nina alone on this project for our friend Anita now and head back to the TIOLI challenges. :D

done!I think

>104 SqueakyChu: You can’t mess anything up that can’t be corrected.

I do not believe it for a minute, lol. If I can figure out a way to mess up technology, I will, even inadvertently.

>105 cindydavid4: Not done! Go back and click on "edit" again. You see where your entry is to the right of the book name? Put your cursor in front of the hashtag. Then press "enter"on your keyboard (forcing your entry to move to the line UNDER the book title. NOW press "save changes". You are not "done" until your entry is preceded by a number! :)

>106 alcottacre: LOL!

>100 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul.

>102 cindydavid4: Do you mean this one: 🗓️? It's an emoji (calendar) or you can copy & paste it from the top of the list.

>105 cindydavid4: Cindy!! You did it! *high five* :)

well I just finished this book lady to fox by David Garrett. What a treat! Writtn in 1928 takes place in 1880

"Lady into Fox follows the mysterious case of Mrs. Silvia Tebrick, who, when watching a fox hunt with her husband, turns into a fox herself. Mr. Tebrick and Mrs. Tebrick are both astounded and horrified, but at first attempt to carry on as best they can; Mrs. Tebrick still wears her jackets, plays cards, and likes music. her husband goes to great lengths to maintain their marital bliss, but Mrs. Tebrick’s animal nature cannot be denied As time goes on, Mrs. Tebrick becomes wilder and wilder until, one day, the two part ways–until the day Mrs. Tebrick returns… with a litter of kits in tow."

this is a very dark story in many ways but at the same time filled plenty of chuckles, and as Mr Tebrick spins deeper into madness, the reader still has pity at the fall of this man. Highly recommended 5*. Thank you Anita for sharing this story with me

"A portrait of love, silence, and secrets under a Spanish dictatorship."

I am reading The Fountains of Silence in honor of our dear friend Anita, who selected this title as her favorite read of 2019. I read and enjoyed 2 of this author's books. I loved Salt to the Sea. Glad to return to her work. I know there are many fans of Sepetys, here on LT.



^We miss you, Anita.

I finished a reread of A Movable Feast by Hemingway. I love this book more with every reread but especially now as a memorial tribute to Anita. May she rest in peace within an eternal bookstore.

I am currently reading The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin, from Anita's 1980s list. I entered my name and the little emoji on the wiki, I hope correctly. Still getting the feel of working with wiki's. Once I am finished, is there a symbol for that, or shall I just remove the little smiley guy and leave only my name?

>113 laytonwoman3rd: That's perfect, thanks Linda. Once you've finished, just remove the little smiley guy and add the date you read the book.

ETA: Actually, you put your name under her YA book for that year. I've moved it up for you.

Please note, if you're using the wiki, that Anita included YA books from the 1950s onwards so there are two books for each year. Make sure you put your name under the correct one!

I'm going through the wiki and if I see that someone's put their name under a book, I'm trying to add a link to Anita's comments on it. It'd be helpful if you could do it whenever you add a book, please. It's not too hard, but a bit time consuming to do lots of them.

1. Go to the work page of the book and click on 'Conversations' in the left-hand bar.
2. Look for Anita's threads (usually a 75 challenge thread) and try and pinpoint when she read it. That's the time consuming part. Usually she'll mention it in her December wrap-up since this list is for her favourites of the years, as well as the month she read it and the TIOLI challenge for that month. If you find the thread, Anita - being so organised - has a post at the top of each thread with links to the specific posts about each book. Since you've been to the work page, the book name should be one of the pink ones in the list rather than blue.
3. Click on that link, which will take you to the post. Click on the post number and then copy the address for it from the address bar.

4. In the wiki, under the name of the book, type an asterisk and then add that address within square brackets with Anita's name and the date she read it. And (outside the brackets) the star rating that she gave it.
for example:

* [https://www.librarything.com/topic/260781#6114501 Anita 15/07/2017] 5 stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

should give:
• Anita 15/07/2017 5 stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

>114 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

>116 laytonwoman3rd: No problem.

>114 humouress: I added a title I’m reading, but where do I find those particular emoji’s? Sorry, first time doing this.

>118 EllaTim: No problem.

You should be able to find them in your texting app or just copy and paste them from the key under the TIOLI challenge list at the top of the wiki. I've edited it to make it easier to see/ navigate to.

My texting app calls them:
🤓 'smiling face with glasses' (for currently reading) and
🗓️ 'spiral calendar' (for planning on reading)

>115 humouress: Ah! I was wondering how some books had that additional notation. I'll go back, when I have the chance, and locate my book's Anita Rating and date.

>120 Carmenere: Thanks. That would help :0)

Let me know if the instructions make sense.

For those who do not normally take part in the TIOLI challenges but might want to do so, now is a great time to jump in! Anita loved the TIOLI challenges and always took part in them.

We are memorializing her in the TIOLI challenges in a couple of different ways: DeltaQueen (Judy) picked one of Anita's old challenges and submitted it for July and I am setting up monthly TIOLI challenges based on her wiki, so for July we are reading books Anita loved from the 1920s and 1930s.

Come on over and check out the July TIOLI thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/361639

If you have questions, we will be more than happy to answer them!

I have gotten a copy of Skippy Dies for the memorial read, but I’m not sure when I will read it this year..

Although I have had this book on my radar for a while, I am reading it now in memory of Anita. She listed read it on January 16, 2017 and gave it 4.5 stars. It was excellent.



The Assault by Harry Mulisch, translated from the Dutch by Claire Nicholas White

>119 humouress: Thank you for explaining. I managed it! Copied from the wiki itself, as you suggested.

I didn't find it her Favorite Books by Year, but I am reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. She has another Wiki that is her Top 50 books. I found it there

https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/User:FAMeulstee/Top-50

Just wanted to share.

>126 mahsdad: Yeah, that's the same list that the book I am reading is on. The books there don't seem to be on the list that we're using for the memorial read.

I do hope I may be able to read more than just this one book, but it's the one I'm starting with.

>125 EllaTim: Yay!

I have just read The Way Back by Erich Maria Remarque from Anita's list.

Our dear friend was certainly a good judge of a book as this was extremely moving and thought provoking

>16 avatiakh: I've read two children's books by Jan Terlouw and Tonke Dragt, both these Dutch writers were favourites of Anita. How to become king & The Goldsmith and the Master Thief.

Another of her favourite children's writers was Thea Beckman though only one of her books has been translated to English, Crusade in Jeans.

The tribute reads to Anita in the TIOLI challenges continue into August. DeltaQueen (Judy) has once again picked one of Anita's old challenges and submitted it for August and I am setting up monthly TIOLI challenges based on her wiki, so for the month we are reading books Anita loved from the 1940s and 1950s.

For further information about the August TIOLI challenges, check out the August thread here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/362242

I'm reading All Souls Day (in an English translation of course).

>132 charl08: Charlotte. Anita and I had read that one in May as a shared read. I look forward to your thoughts.

Has anyone heard from Frank I wonder? I hope he's doing OK.

>134 LovingLit: I wondered the same.

>133 Kristelh: I finished All Souls Day. Found it very dense, I can imagine reading as a pair would be a great way to get more from the book. I loved the reflections on walking Berlin. I've only visited once but the obvious changes since the book was published made for interesting comparisons. I liked the discussions about the history thesis on an ancient Spanish Queen. The possibilities of history vs fiction when sources are limited are always interesting to me.

Overall I thought it worked well as a book to remember Anita, as I had met up with her and with Frank when I went to Berlin. Also as it has plenty of reflections about the Netherlands.

>135 charl08:, Wow, Charlotte. that is so great that you were able to meet Anita and Frank and that you were able to have a sense of place when reading the book. Good comments on the book too.

>134 LovingLit: I hope he's doing well.

I read The Little Prince by Comte de Saint-Exupéry on my last night in Singapore, for Stasia's Anita's memorial challenge for August and have added it to Anita's memorial wiki.

I think you could read this book as a simple child's story but as an adult there are more allegories within it. I remember reading about de Saint-Exupéry after I read the book and was quite taken with him. He flew for the French armed forces during the Second World War (despite technically being too old) and crashed in the Sahara, where he hallucinated from lack of water. He may have based his Little Prince character on his brother who was, I think, a year or two younger than him whom he was close to but who died as a young teenager. I had that in mind as I read the book this time on the night before we left Singapore and it had especial poignancy for me as I had watched my sons spend their last moments together (for the next few months) as my eldest departed for university abroad.

The following is my review from February 2013:

55) The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

(Stand alone, children's, fantasy. Translated from French)

The narrator (who is possibly but not necessarily the author), stymied as a child in his efforts at drawing, finds himself in the desert with a limited water supply after his plane had crashed. Miles from habitation and with no one to help him, he must repair his plane before his water runs out. To his surprise, he is woken after his first night by a soft voice asking him to "Please ... draw a sheep", and so he meets the Little Prince.

Like him, the Little Prince is a traveller who has fallen from the sky. Though the Little Prince always asks questions, and never gives up until they are answered, he never answers questions himself, but the aviator is able to piece together the story of his travels as they talk while he repairs his plane.

The Little Prince's home is an asteroid, with two active volcanoes and one inactive one, which he tended carefully. One day, from a plant that grew from a seed that had landed on the asteroid, a flower bloomed. The Prince looked after the flower, but found it capricious, and felt he had to leave the asteroid. On his travels, he landed on other asteroids with various odd characters who left him marvelling at what odd creatures grown ups are. Finally, he travelled to Earth, where he learned from a fox how and why he loved his flower, and realises that he can return to her.

This is a short, poignant story, simply told, that stays with you long after you finish it. It can be considered a child's story, or as an 'allegory for the human condition', to quote the description on the cover, i.e. the people that the Little Prince meets on other asteroids.

Comte de Saint Exupéry was a WWII hero and an aviator who did crash badly in the desert at one point. The Little Prince and the emotion vested in the story may have been influenced by that event and also by the loss of his brother, whom he was close to, as a teenager.

February 2013
5 stars

>137 humouress: Your review makes me think I'm due for a reread.

>137 humouress: first read it in jr hi, reread it many times over the years, got more out of it each time. Need to try it again.

>137 humouress: >138 labfs39: >139 cindydavid4: I agree with Lisa and Cindy. I really need to reread The Little Prince. Thanks for the reminder, Nina!

>140 alcottacre: >139 cindydavid4: >138 labfs39: Thank you and welcome :0)

I agree with everyone else, Little Prince has gone on the Libby wishlist. I'll read it soonish.

>137 humouress: I loved The Little Prince when I first read it as a young adult, probably because it was a gift from a boyfriend at that time who had underlined all the important quotes. When my daughter wanted a copy of that book (insisting on a vintage copy, not a new one), I told her she could not have my precious copy, but I found a similar copy to mine at an antique book store! :D

It's lovely that such a small book can bring back so many different memories for different people. Anita keeps on giving!

It's been my wife's favorite book since childhood and we had quotes from it at our wedding.
It has been with us for a long time and we have also been to various exhibitions and readings.
I've already read it several times and will now read it again, for Anita - and for me.

That would be great if so many people read it! Please add it to the wiki when you do - and if you read it this month, why not add it to the TIOLI challenge too?

I completed The Silver Branch by Sutcliff.

>146 humouress: Yes, it is a book that is worth reading often - I read and wikied it.

I also love The Little Prince! What a treasure.

For this memorial, I read The Fountains of Silence which was really good, and full of action, if anyone else would like to read some YA historical fiction.

I have finished reading The Once and Future King in Anita's memory. Since this one came from her list of "The best 50 books I have read (fiction)," I haven't added it to the wiki.

I am hoping that I will be able to get to The Lantern Bearers later this year, as that one is on the wiki, and I have read the previous two books in the trilogy earlier this year.

I have finished Matilda - a wonderful reread!

I listened to Billards at Half-Past Nine in honour of Anita. She read it as her sixth book this year and encouraged me to borrow it from my library as an audio book. Whatever spheres you are always whirling around in, dear Anita, you were always very present to me when I listened.

>152 Ameise1: I have been thinking about Anita too this week, as I looked at a couple of art exhibitions I would like to visit. She was so good at inspiring that on her thread.

In October, I re-read Maus in Anita's memory and also got in a read of Winterdance. Maus is just terrific and I loved Winterdance. Thank you, Anita, wherever you are!

>153 charl08: I believe/hope that many LT friends will think of her again and again in various situations. We will be in the Netherlands at the end of November/beginning of December. I would have loved to meet her, but all I have left are the memories of good telephone conversations with her.
Instead I will meet Connie, who was also once in the 75 group, but is now in the ROOTs group.

>155 Ameise1: Connie is a lovely person, Barbara. Please give my love and best wishes to her.

I read The Hiding Place in memoriam of Anita in October and I can see why it was on her list. Some of the parts are both vivid and very moving.

Hi bookchallenge members, Paul
How lovely and thoughtful this thread!
In the Netherlands Anita was a member of a Dutch Booksite, Hebban, since 2019.
Also there she was active and she was loved. She shared her love for books and recommanded people/us books precisely fitting their/our taste. (for me it was The overstory by Richard Powers)

Today has started a read for November in Netherlands in remembrance/memory of Anita.
Members will pick 1-3 books out of one of Anita's lists to read.
The choice for the thread in Netherlands is wider than you do. Not only one of the year favorites is possible. It may come from any of her lists.

Only a few Members of Hebban have an account on LT.
Will it be good to you when I put the read titles in this thread?
I think it would be nice to have all the books/reads together in one thread.
Please let me know.
Esther

>157 EMS_24:,I think that would be wonderful if you did that.

>157 EMS_24: Please do! I'm sure everyone here would love to see what you all are reading in her memory. She certainly touched a lot of people.

>158 Kristelh: >159 atozgrl: Thank you, very kind. I think I will weekly update the readings of the 'Hebbanists and Hebbanistas' .
By now 75 titels have been intended to be read, by more than thirty readers.

>160 EMS_24: That is wonderful.

Thanks Nina,
I forgot to mention that readers from Belgium, Flanders, are among our open group, Important readers and speakers in Dutch.
Esther

>162 EMS_24: Hi Esther! I think everybody here would appreciate this.

I finished Life and Fate in memory of Anita. It took me a lot of time, as this is a tome of some 900 pages. It’s also very impressive, touching on history, the war, politics and philosophy. It’s clear to me why she loved it. I also learned that it is in fact part two of a series of two books dealing with the story of the siege of Stalingrad. The first book is called Stalingrad, and a Dutch translation of it is only now being published, too late for Anita.

Thank You Ella! I will make a first list of read books here end of the week. Maybe I wil make an official list here as well. I wil think about it.

Untill today 53 books are read in The Dutchspeaking countries in memory of Anita. People have chosen a book for different reasons. 60 more books are intended.
Next weeks I will complete the lists.

Anita rated 5*:
De filosoof, de hond en de bruiloft - Barbara Stok _ Vuurvogeltje 5*: 'The ideal drawing style for a story about cynicism, a philosophical movement that seeks happiness in simplicity'
Gaten - Louis Sachar _ Marijke 5*: 'the story has touched me
1984 - George Orwell _ Simone 5*
IJzig hart - Almudena Grandes _ Margot 4,5*
Mevrouw Verona daalt de heuvel af - Dimitri Verhulst _ Marjolein 4*: 'read with great pleasure. It is clever how Verhulst managed to put so many layers into a story of limited scope. '
Middernachtbibliotheek - Matt Haig _ Susanne ánd Ursula 5*
De oorlog heeft geen vrouwengezicht - Svetlana Alexijevitsj _ Sanne 5*
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien _ stokstaartje123 5* : What did she read widely, so there must be something for everyone
Mijn haat krijgen jullie niet / You will not have my hate -Antoine Leiris _Anneke Gieling 5* : Goose bump moments throughout the book ... Leiris' story is full of sad metaphors that may make him escape cruel reality for a moment. A man who crawls deep behind his grief and stubbornly persists in this for his infant son. The man writes as if he is doing a literary survival dance. Recommended!'
Een klein leven / A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara - MargotB 5* : A Little Life - It's read. It will take me a while 'to shake off this book , the mood it left me in. I couldn't put it down.
Leven en lot / Life and Fate - Vasili Grossman - ElsTimmer10 5*
Brief voor de koning / Letter for the King- Tonke Dragt, Susanna: I found that book so beautiful and exciting as a child.5* / Marja 5* =5* I had some cold feet about these books, (Geheimen van het wilde woud - Tonke Dragt - Marja 5*) because of the many rave reviews. How glad I am that I have now read these books.
De Toverberg /The Magic Mountain - Thomas Mann - Zwaantje 5* : Lots of books from her lists I have also read
Een weeffout in onze sterren / The Fault in our Stars- John Green - Ursula 1969 5*
Dichtbij ver van hier - Tonke Dragt - Sterrezee/Esther/EMS_24 5* - Tonke Dragt, one of the authors we both favor. Enchantingly creative. It makes me want to start making my own collages.

After last edit:
Hoe ik talent voor het leven kreeg / Sleeves - Rodaan Al Galidi _ Annet =5* Rodaan Al Galidi vertelt over zijn aankomst in Nederland als vluchteling/asielzoeker en dat is behoorlijk heftig om te lezen / Rodaan Al Galidi recounts his arrival in the Netherlands as a refugee/asylum seeker and it's a pretty intense read
Muizen en mensen - John Steinbeck _ Willy 5*
The time of singing (Het zingen van de tijd) - Richard Powers _ Jolande 5*
Verloren woorden - Robert MacFarlane & Jackie Morris _ Famke 5* De liefde die spreekt uit de vertaalde odes voor de dieren en planten. Tof zijn daarbij de speelse woord-vondsten / The love that speaks from the translated odes to animals and plants. Good are thereby the playful word he finds

Anita rated 4,5*:
Watership down (Graphic novel adaptation)- Richard Adams _ Marije Mi 5* : 'They really portrayed the emotions and atmospheres very strongly.'
Het kerkhof / The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman - Katja van Neer 4*: 'I have long wanted to read something by Gaiman and thanks to Anita, I finally did. It won't be my last Gaiman. '

After two weeks:
The hate u give - Angie Thomas _ Jeanet 4*=GV1000 : What an intense story. I will let it sink in for a while.
Heerlijke nieuwe wereld /Brave New World - Aldous Huxley _ Glawen
Client E. Busken - Jeroen Brouwers _ Marijke 4* : Reading the book was initially a struggle for me, I started it up to three times and now I persevered for Anita. And I'm glad I persevered. Jeroen Brouwers uses beautiful, impressively long sentences. I read them with a smile and a tear. the relationships between the constantly mistaken characters
Schaaknovelle / Chess Story - Stefan Zweig _ *wil2* 4*
Een man die Ove heet / A Man called Ove - Frederik Backman _ Simone 4* : Really a book with a laugh and a tear
De ijzeren harp en andere fantastische verhalen - Anton Quintana _ Annet 4* : I got to know this author by Anita, thank you Anita, I am sure I will read more by him. Comics
Jaag je ploeg over de botten van de doden/ Drive your Plough Over the Bones of the Death - Olga Tokarczuk _ MargotB 3*
Samen onder dak / Homeoming ll - Cynthia Voigt _ Marije Miggiels 5* . I liked this volume better than the first, mainly because it is better balanced. Series: Tillerman Cycle

Till last edit
Pastorale - James Rebanks _ *wil2* 4* : Ik geniet met volle teugen van ‘Pastorale’, veel overlap met het eerste deel, maar beter geschreven. Heerlijk. Het is een hoopvol verhaal met de boodschap dat we ons voedsel meer waarde moeten toekennen, zodat de boeren op een eerlijke manier hun geld kunnen verdienen, het landschap kunnen onderhouden en ook dat de kwaliteit van het eten gewaarborgd wordt. / I am thoroughly enjoying “Pastoral,” much overlap with the first volume, but better written. Delicious. It's a hopeful story with the message that we need to give more value to our food so that farmers can earn a fair living, maintain the landscape and also that the quality of the food is guaranteed.
De wereld van gisteren - Stefan Zweig _ Ine 5* : het oordeel van Anita heeft me ertoe aangezet om het nu te lezen. Dat er zoveel parallellen te trekken zijn met wat we nu meemaken is veelzeggend / Anita's assessment prompted me to read it now. That there are so many parallels to what we are experiencing now is significant
Ze hebben mijn vader vermoord - Edouard Louis _ MarijeMiggiels 5* Het doet zeer en het ontroert / It hurts and it touches

Anita rated 4*:
Het pad van de roverkoning (De zeven sleutels) 'The Path of the Robber King- Tom Rijpert _ Ursula 4* : I was so caught up in the story that before I knew it I had finished it'
De onzichtbaren / 'The unseen'- Roy Jacobsen - Gigi 4* : 'What a beautiful and hushed book. I keep hearing the silence of the island with the unmissable sounds of the sea for a while.'
Het verdwenen leven van Esme Lennox / The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell _ IngridBs 5*
Added wth Edit
Extreem luid & ongelooflijk dichtbij Extremely Loud ans Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer _ Theekoekje 4* : .., the confusing was just right for the type of story. The different typography really added value for me
Haas/ The Year of the Hare - Arto Paasilinna _ Karin Marcellina 4*

update nov. 22
De kant van Swann / Swann's way - Marcel Proust _ Els Lens 4*
Een algemene theorie van het vergeten - José Eduardo Agualusa _ Tinwara 4* : Het is een verhaal dat een beetje op afstand blijft, waarschijnlijk door de licht absurdistische toon. Ik heb ervan genoten, hoewel dat misschien niet helemaal het goede woord is, want er gebeuren nare dingen in het boek / It's a story that stays a bit aloof, probably because of its slightly absurdist tone. I enjoyed it, although that may not be quite the right word, because nasty things happen in the book
Joe Speedboot - Tommy Wieringa _ IngridBs 3* : Het boek is vervreemdend / The book is alienating
De val - Albert Camus - Zwaantje 5*
Van steen en been / 'of stone and bone' - Bérengère Cournut _ Theekoekje 4* : Mooi en bijzonder boek over de manier van leven van de Inuit, hun spiritualiteit, gewoontes, mythen enz. / Beautiful and extraordinary book about the Inuit way of life, their spirituality, customs, myths, etc.
Kinderen van moeder aarde 'Children of Mother Earth' (Thule 1) - Thea Beckman _ AvdP85 5* : Heerlijk genoten van deze Beckman, die toekomst en toch ook historie weet te verbinden in een soort van SF / Deliciously enjoyed this Beckman, who manages to connect future and yet also history in a kind of SF
Wormmaan 'Worm Moon' - Mariken Heitman - Sterrezee 4* Er wordt veel gezegd met weinig woorden. / Much is said with few words.
Zusterklokken / The Bell in the Lake - Lars Mytting _ Marije Mig 4* : Ik bevond me bijna in een andere wereld, terwijl het toch "gewoon" in Noorwegen speelt, in een andere tijd weliswaar, maar het deed bijna sprookjesachtig aan en toch ook weer niet. Heel bijzonder! / I almost found myself in another world, even though it is “just” playing in Norway, in another time admittedly, but it almost felt fairy-tale like and yet not. Very special!

GV-100 https://www.hebban.nl/de-gv100-van-2023 :
A list of hundred children's books, yearly chosen by Dutchspeaking readers. Anita wanted to read them all, she was almost finished, we are so sorry she couldn't finish the list.
11/23 the new yearly list will be announced. List is composed by readers/ everyone who can submit five books. https://www.librarything.com/award/637/De-Grote-Vriendelijke-100

De meester van de zwarte molen - Otfried Preussler _ stokstaartje 4* , Anita5*
Het grote boek van Madelief - Guus Kuijer _ NicoleW 5*=GV100 / His writing is insidiously simple, but although I am completely off-_target, I was fascinated until the end.' This book was still on Anita's TBR
Onder de blote hemel / Homecoming, Part 1 - Cynthia Voigt _ Marije Mi 4* Anita 4,5*
De gebroeders Leeuwenhart - Astrid Lindgren _ Sanne 5* a reread Anita 5*
Afer two weeks:
Kleine Kapitein / Little Captain- Paul Biegel _ Margreet 4* : She read a total of 13 books by this author Anita 4*
Weg met Eddy Bellegueule / The End of Eddy - Edouard Louis _ Marije Miggiels 5* : What a wonderful book, an autobiographical book about a boy who from a young age has had to hear and feel that he is not allowed to be who he is Anita 4*

The BFG De GVR - Roald Dahl _ Theekoekje 5*
Gozert 'Dude'- Pieter Koolwijk _ Sterrezee 4* : Aquareltekeningen zijn sprankelend, wat een beweging zit er in! / Watercolour drawings are sparkling, what movement is in them!

Best Children's Book of:
'64 : Niku, de koerier 'Niku the courier' - W.F.H. Visser _ Margreet 4* onderwerp: 'hoe behoud je je menselijkheid in de oorlog' / topic: 'how to preserve your humanity in war'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1001 books you must read before you die:

King Lear - William Shakespeare _ Donthaf 4,5* , Anita 4*
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte _ Rebecca 4* , Anita 3,5*
The Merchant of Venice - William Shakespeare _ Donthaf 3*, Anita: TBR
Robinson Crusoë - Daniël Defoe _ Rebecca2424 4*

Some other reasons:

Other books by favorite authors of Anita:
Het einde van de eenzaamheid / The End of Loneliness - Benedict Wells _ Jolande 4* personal souvenir
Perspectieven perspective(s) - Laurent Binet _ Raymond1980 4*
Asterix en de Belgen / Asterix in Belgium - René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo _ Anneke Gieling 5* : Certainly the Asterix used Anita to keep reading/restart reading when reading did not come naturally.

Inspired by Anita's lists:
The Comedy of Errors - William Shakespeare _ Donthaf : Before reading the play, I first made an outline of the relationships between the characters. S's strength in this play is the development of the relationships between the constantly mistaken characters. Much WS on her TBR

Personal recommendation by Anita:
Stilte heeft een eigen stem / The Fountains of Silence- Ruta Sepetys _ Anneke Gieling 4*
Lincoln in de Bardo - George Saunders _ Angèle 5* Het is een favoriet van mij geworden. Vijf sterren. Wat een mooi boek. Wat een schrijver! / It has become a favorite of mine. Five stars. What a beautiful book. What a writer!

Anita would have liked:
Kolja - Arthur Japin _ Raymond1980 5*
Het geknetter in de sterren The crackling in the stars - Jon Kalman Stefansson _ Angèle van Baalen 4* : The reason was the beautiful title and that I was given that book by someone dear to me.
Graphic Novel
Lord of the flies - William Golding / Aimee de Jongh _ Katja van Neer 5* De tekeningen van Aimée de Jongh zijn heel indrukwekkend. Het laat keihard de meedogenloze en gruwelijkste kanten van de mens zien Aangezien Anita ook van het beeldverhaal hield / Aimée de Jongh's drawings are very impressive. It boldly shows the ruthless and gruesome sides of man Since Anita also loved the Graphic Novel ( But maybe not what they did with the pig)

Appealing mysterybooks in Anita's Library:
De vrouw met de moedervlek / Woman with Birthmark - Hakan Nesser _ Mario 5* : 'Anita gave it 3 stars and I can safely say I have a new favorite author there. '
De kille maagd (Broeder Cadfael 6 ) - Ellis Peters _ Mario 3,5* a reread , Anita 3*
De moordclub op donderdag / Thursday Murde Club - Richard Osman _ Ursula 3,5* , Anita 3,5*
Laatste duivel die sterft / The last devil to die- Richard Osman - Annet 4* : Anita's lists look wonderfully varied. I have been inspired by them (I have wanted to read that one for some time and it comes at a good time)
Moord in de pastorie / The Murder in the Vicorage - Agatha Christie _ Mario 3*
Moord op de moestuin Murder in the vegetable garden- Nicolien Mizee _ Ursula1969
Het grofmazig net / The Minds eye - Hakan Nesser _Mario 3*

Favourite author
Moederdag Bodenstein & Kirchhoff 9 - Nele Neuhaus _ IngridBs 3*
Sofia draagt altijd zwart 'Sofia Always Wears Black'- Paolo Cognetti _ Famke 4*: Het verhaal van Sofia vertelt Cognetti boeiend, fraai en met flair / The story of Sofia Cognetti tells engagingly, beautifully and with flair

.

Work in Progress, I will place these books above in the right boxes later on.

064. De val - Albert Camus - Zwaantje 5* Ik vind het een mooi . Ik doe niet aan sterren maar maak een uitzondering voor Anita. 5 sterren.

065. Van steen en been - Bérengère Cournut - Theekoekje 4*
Het verhaal gaat over een jonge Inuitvrouw die door een scheur in het ijs gescheiden raakt van haar familie en zich daarna zelf moet redden.
Ik vond het een mooi en bijzonder boek over de manier van leven van de Inuit, hun spiritualiteit, gewoontes, mythen enz. Bijzonder zijn de liederen die gebeurtenissen weergeven of meer duiding geven aan gebeurtenissen/personages).

066. Kinderen van moeder aarde (Thule 1) - Thea Beckman - AvdP85 5*
Na eerdere boeken van Beckman was ik wat huiverig om aan 'Kinderen van Moeder Aarde' te beginnen. Echter valt het erg mee en leest het een stuk lekkerder dan bijvoorbeeld 'Geef me de ruimte', mogelijk omdat het meer SF/Fantasy is dat toch redelijk bij het heden blijft. Al hoop ik niet zo'n wereld oorlog mee te maken
Ursula1969 Ik vond 't erg mooi te lezen over de samenleving op Thule, geleerd van de lessen uit t verleden. Tegenover het Badense rijk, waar niets geleerd is zo lijkt t. Ik gaf m 5 sterren. Gezien de omschrijving van 2e deel, minder voor mijn gevoel ben ik er vooralsnog niet aan begonnen.

067. Wormmaan - Mariken Heitman - Sterrezee 4*
Bijzonder boek dat barst van de vergelijkingen. Zinnen waarop je kan kauwen, er wordt veel gezegd met weinig woorden.
Ontwikkeling, kweken, onderzoeken, waar kom ik vandaan, wie wil ik zijn en meer.
En het gaat niet alleen over erwten.

068. Verloren woorden - Robert MacFarlane & Jackie Morris - FamkeLaLiseuse 5*
De ondertitel is ‘Een betoverboek’ en dat is het ook wel: geflankeerd door de prachtige illustraties van Morris trekt Macfarlane je met zijn gedichten mee de natuur in. Alwaar je je kunt verwonderen over het moois dat daar groeit en bloeit. Omdat ‘we’ de rijkdom daarvan uit het oog verliezen en de woorden ervoor steeds meer ongebruikt laten.
Macfarlane noemt zijn gedichten daarom overigens geen ‘gedichten’ maar “bezweringen die door de kracht van het hardop benoemen dromen en liedjes zullen oproepen. Die de verloren woorden zullen terugbrengen naar onze verhalen, in het oog en in het hart”. Elke ‘bezwering’ heeft zijn eigen, veelal vrije versvorm, al vervat hij het verhaal van de varen bijvoorbeeld wel in een acrostichon (de beginletters van de dichtregels vormen samen het woord ‘varen’).

069. De wereld van gisteren - Stefan Zweig - Ine 5*
Ik heb er lang over gedaan en het is nog aan het nawerken. Het is mijn eerste bijdrage deze maand en wellicht mijn enige. Een erg indrukwekkend boek, ik ben er stil van. Zweig, een Oostenrijker met Joodse roots, schreef zijn herinneringen op over zijn leven. Het is geen echte autobiografie, het gaat vooral over zijn publieke leven (en hij kende zowat alle ronkende namen uit zijn tijd) en over hoe hij als toeschouwer zag wat er in Europa gebeurde. Hij was een echte aanhanger van het Europese verbindende gedachtengoed, maar heeft in zijn eigen leven twee maal een droomverpletterende Wereldoorlog weten onstaan. Dat er zoveel parallellen te trekken zijn met wat we nu meemaken is veelzeggend (maar ik word er dus stil

070. Lincoln in de Bardo - George Saunders - Angèle van Baalen 5*
Wat een mooi boek. Wat een schrijver!

071. Gozert - Pieter Koolwijk - Sterrezee 4*
Die wending had ik niet verwacht; fantasie en werkelijkheid wisselen van plek.
Na een paar belevenissen met Gozert in het begin vond ik dat saai worden. Gelukkig voor mij als lezer verandert dan de plek van handeling. Dat het soms 'van-dik-hout-zaagt-men-planken' is stoorde mij dit keer niet. Er zijn grappige situaties.
Aquareltekeningen zijn sprankelend, wat een beweging zit er in.

072. Een heel leven - Robert Seethaler - Sanne 4,5*
Anita = vijf sterren.
"Een heel leven" is een heerlijke slow-read over het leven van Andreas Egger die hinkend door het leven gaat. Zijn leven bestaat uit vele rustige en kabbelende jaren tussen enkele veelbewogen momenten en herinneringen. Precies zoals de meesten van ons dat zullen ervaren. Deze momenten van oorlog, ongelukken, liefdes en sterfgevallen die vormend zijn en diepe indruk maken kunnen heel gewoon en weinig bijzonder zijn, maar iemand (in dit geval Egger) persoonlijk intens raken. En tussen deze indrukwekkende momenten leeft Egger zijn leven, werkend en eenzaam. Hij overdenkt aan het einde van zijn leven (zonder klagen) zijn verleden, wat was en wat had kunnen zijn. Een boek dat indruk maakte

073. Toestanden - Tsitsi Dangarembga - Riet 3*
Dit verhaal gaat over Tambu, een arm jong meisje uit Zimbabwe (voorheen Rhodesië). Ondanks vele beperkingen, vooral op financieel vlak, wil Tambu dolgraag naar school. Ze mag naar de missieschool van haar rijke oom Babamukuru, dit biedt haar kansen, maar confronteert haar ook met vormen van onderdrukking, vooral van vrouwen, die ze voorheen nooit zag. Door deze ervaringen groeit Tambu op en leert kritisch nadenken, mede ook door de vele gesprekken met haar nichtje Nyasha. Zo vindt ze uiteindelijk haar eigen weg en probeert ze de beperkingen van haar opvoeding te doorbreken.

Ik vond het boek lastig om te lezen, voor mijn gevoel liepen de zinnen niet altijd even vloeiend. Ook de (bewust) onvertaalde woorden maakten het soms ingewikkeld. Toch vond ik het zeker wel de moeite waard om te lezen hoe het was om als arm zwart meisje in de jaren ’80 in Zimbabwe op te groeien. Ik geef het 3 sterren.

074. De rest van de dag - Kazuo Ishiguro - Els Lens 5*
Wat een boek! 5 sterren.
Het gaat over meneer Stevens, de perfecte butler. Hij is hondstrouw aan zijn werkgever, een echte "lord".
Het verhaal zit geweldig goed in elkaar. Door het terugblikken van de butler (in 1956) kom je er achter wat er allemaal is gebeurd in de jaren '30, de gloriejaren van het chique huis waar Stevens de butler was.
Er werd ook een film gemaakt, gebaseerd op dit boek, maar ik heb de indruk (na het zien van de preview) dat de film met Anthony Hopkins nogal stevig de nadruk legt op een liefdesverhaal, ... wat in het boek helemaal niet voorkomt.

075. Koekoeksjong - Robert Galbraith - MargotB 3*
Een heerlijke ouderwetse = detective. 3 sterren. Prima tussendoortje.

076. Schildpadden in het oneindige - John Green - Marjolein 4*

077. De geruchten - Hugo Claus - Raymond1980 4*
In 'De Geruchten' weet Hugo Claus op meesterlijke wijze de lokale dorpse geruchtenmolen als vehikel te gebruiken voor een duister verhaal. Gruwelijke episodes over oorlogsmisdaden begaan door de hoofdpersoon worden in hoog tempo afgewisseld met kneuterige anekdotes waarbij de lokale geestelijke het allemaal niet zo nauw neemt met het celibaat en een oude landeigenaar een oogje heeft op de bekoorlijke dochter van zijn buurman. Cynische humor en boertigheid gaan hand in hand met gruwelijkheden waar Stephen King zijn vingers bij af zou likken...

078. Skippy tussen de sterren - Paul Murray - Jolande 3*
beste boek uitgegeven in = 2010. En gaf het 5 sterren,
Tijdens het lezen ontwikkelde ik een beetje een haat-liefdeverhouding met het boek. Bij vlagen werd ik helemaal meegezogen in het verhaal. Paul Murray schrijft namelijk met vaart en veel humor. Toch waren er andere delen waarbij ik reikhalzend uitkeek naar de laatste bladzijde en de ruim 600 die het boek telt een welhaast onmogelijk te nemen horde leken.

Met name het feit dat het boek doordrenkt is met (puber)hormonen werd mij hier en daar te veel.

079. Het wonderbaarlijke voorval met de hond in de nacht - Mark Haddon - *wil2* 3* =5
De hoofdpersoon is Christopher Boone, een vijftienjarige jongen die speciaal onderwijs volgt, maar wel een kei in wiskunde is en een fotografisch geheugen heeft. Het verhaal begint als hij ‘s avonds de vermoorde hond van de buurvrouw vindt. Hij gaat op zoek naar de moordenaar en ontdekt meer dan alleen maar wie het gedaan heeft.
Ik begrijp de functie van alle beschrijvingen, maar als lezer word ik daar niet zo blij van.

080. De aaibaarheidsfactor - Rudy Kousbroek - FamkeLaLiseuse 4*

081. Melkboer - Anna Burns - Marceline 5*
Het lezen is intensief. Zinnen lezen heel soepel, de vertelstem is associatief: het gaat door en door. Tussendoor wordt van alles, niet chronologisch verteld.
. Ik vond het een heftig verhaal dat een ontluisterend inkijkje geeft in het dagelijks leven in een door een politiek conflict verscheurde samenleving. Het is prachtig geschreven en met iets luchtigs in de vertelstem waardoor het nergens zwaar wordt

082. Asterix en Obelix 'ne gansen toer - Goscinny Uderzo – Susanne
...", dat is de Ronde van Gallië, maar dan in het Limburgs. Asterix en Obelix spreken Maastrichts, de Romeinen Sittards en in de verschillende Gallische plaatsen die ze aandoen, spreken de inwoners dus steeds een dialect uit verschillende Limburgse plaatsen. Alleen de zeerovers praten Hollands. Is deze goedgekeurd Marije? Even voor jouw interesse: in Reims spreken de inwoners Heerlens!
. Ik heb weer erg gelachen, zoals gezegd om het boek zelf maar ook om de humor van de dialecten. Dubbel plezier dus.

083. Het ijspaleis - Tarjej Vesaas - Ine 4,5*
heel mooi boek. Over hoe overweldigend de natuur en de vriendschap kunnen zijn. Prachtige beschrijvingen, hallucinante beelden.

084. Eeuwige vriendschap - Nele Neuhaus - Marijke 3*
Deel 10 van de serie over de = rechercheurs Pia Sander en Oliver von Bodenstein.
ik struikel over al die personages en ik moet soms een stukje terug lezen omdat mijn gedachten afdwalen

085. Op Pieterpad - Wim Huijser - Zwaantje
Wim Huijser heeft Maarten en Nicolien van Voskuil nieuw leven in geblazen en hen in 2022 het Pieterpad van noord naar zuid laten lopen. Ik heb ooit een wandelboek van Voskuil gelezen en de sfeer was hetzelfde dus Huijser heeft het goed getroffen. Het echtpaar aan de wandel met de lol en de kleine irritaties onderweg, ik zag ze zo voor me. Het landschap zag ik ook voor me, zo mooi beschreven.
Met dit boek vang ik twee vliegen in een klap.
Anita heeft het Pieterpad gelopen en veel boeken van Voskuil gelezen en omdat dit boek de sfeer van de wandelboeken van Voskuil ademde denk ik dat ze het graag gelezen zou hebben.

086. De rest van ons leven - Els Beerten - Marja 4*
impact van WO II op het leven van een Italiaanse jongen in Engeland. Het boek bestrijkt ook de periode daarna, wanneer hij terugkeert in Italië en ook daar gezien wordt als een buitenstaander. Een boeiend verhaal, wat in grote stappen wordt neergezet. Je moet zelf veel open plekken invullen, aangezien de auteur alleen de meest belangrijke elementen van het verhaal deelt. De krachtige schrijfstijl en het verrassende plot zorgden ervoor dat ik geboeid bleef

087. Het kleine meisje van meneer Linh - Philippe Claudel - Simone 4* / Marceline 5*
Een compact maar ontroerend verhaal
Een klein verhaal waarin een hele wereld ligt besloten. Prachtig geschreven, ontroerend en met een ingenieus einde waardoor alles op zijn plek valt =5

088. Het helse paradijs (Thule 2) - Thea Beckman - AvdP85 4*
'Het helse paradijs' tot nu niet op het niveau van het eerste deel. Ik ben rond de helft van het boek, vooral doordat het verhaal niet echt pakt, maar het is tot nu dreigen, vernederen, plagen en op een vaste plek. De Thulenen nemen de Badeners wel erg goed te pakken, maar het verhaal is vooral vanuit de Badeners perspectief tot nu. Niet zo gemoedelijk en ontspannen. Ik ga het boek nog wel uitlezen komende week.

089. Jij bent de liefste - Hans en Monique Hagen - Karin Bennink 5*
een schitterende dichtbundel voor kinderen, jongeren, volwassenen en ouderen. Voor iedereen dus. Het bevat prachtige gedichten met geweldige tekeningen van Marit Törnqvist. Echt een cadeauboek deze maand!

090. De hemel is altijd paars - Sholeh Rezazadeh - Marceline 4*
een schitterende dichtbundel voor kinderen, jongeren, volwassenen en ouderen. Voor iedereen dus. Het bevat prachtige gedichten met geweldige tekeningen van Marit Törnqvist. Echt een cadeauboek deze maand!

091. Lied van verzet - Lin Jaldati - Anneke Gieling 5*

092. De boekendief - Markus Zusak - stokstaartje123 5*
Wat een apart, mooi en ook heel triest verhaal

093. Dora G., een weggegooid leven - Greet Jacobs - *Tau* 5*
De mooie, treffende, poëtische omschrijvingen spraken me echt aan. En de mengeling van feit en fictie vond ik ook heel mooi gedaan. Eigenlijk maakte het mij op den duur niet meer uit wat feit of fictie was, ik hing gewoon aan de lippen van deze rasechte verhalenvertelster

094. Vandaag houd ik mijn spreekbeurt over de anaconda - Bibi Dumon Tak - Karin Bennink 4*
Anita was groot fan van = Bibi Dumon Tak. Ik vond wel Morris van Bart Moeyaert, wat een lief boek. Niet genoteerd in deze lijst overigens, ook al las Anita ook graag van deze auteur en denk ik dat ze deze graag gelezen zou hebben

095. Heel de wereld wordt wakker - Jaap Robben - Karin Bennink 5*

096. Schoo-lidyllen - Top Naeff - AvdP85 4*
Qua verhaal spatte de vrolijkheid er vanaf, met af en toe een serieus moment. Het einde echter.... ik moet er even van bekomen. Ik heb stiekem genoten, met Jet als mijn favoriet van de vier. Blij dat ik, ondanks twijfel, toch voor dit boek ben gegaan.

097. To kill a mockingbird (Spaar de spotvogel) - Harper Lee - La vida es bella 5*
Het 'naïeve' standpunt opent de ogen van de volwassenen zoals haar discussie over het erfrecht. De kinderlogica zorgt voor een vrolijke noot in een beladen sfeer. =4

098. Het geslacht Wiarda - Theun de Vries - Maddy 4*
099. Zout op mijn huid - Benoite Groult – Jeanet
100. Ze gaan er met je neus vandoor - Ted van Lieshout - Glawen 4*

Gelezen boeken bonus:
009. Zijderups - Robert Galbraith - MargotB 3* prima tussendoortje.
010. Stoner - John Williams - MargotB 4*
. Een erg mooi boek over een vrij gewoon leven. Mooi ingetogen beschreven , waardoor het juist binnenkomt

011. Asterix en Obelix De grote oversteek - Goscinny Uderzo - FamkeLaLiseuse
. Een heerlijke trip down memory lane, want wat heb ik die strips een paar levens geleden vaak gelezen. Een warme bron van herkenning. (En het bezoek aan de VS van de Galliërs was natuurlijk helemaal in mijn comfortzone 😊)

012. Kwaad geluk - Tove Ditlevsen - Anneke Gieling 3*

013. Mus en Kapitein Kwaadbaard en de 5 slangen - Kevin Hassing - Annet 3*
heerlijk jeugdboek, spannend en fantasievol, wel een beetje veel wapens en gevechten naar mijn smaak.

014. Kindertijd - Tove Ditlevsen - MargotB 4,5*
. Heel mooi taalgebruik. Beschrijving van haar eigen jeugd , die arm was en waarin ze zich ongezien voelt

015. Tot het ons loslaat - Rutger Kopland – Zwaantje
Het zijn mooie gedichten. Anita heeft deze bundel en meerdere boeken van deze dichter gelezen. Kopland woonde in Glimmen, dit ligt aanhet Pieterpad

017. De wandeling - Robert Walser - Zwaantje 5*

018. Tot in de hemel - Richard Powers - Marije Miggiels 4*
dit was ook een prachtig boek. In opbouw heel anders, maar het taalgebruik is even mooi. bomen en die zijn samengevlochten tot een verhaal, alles haakt in elkaar met heel veel perspectiefwisselingen wat het ook heel intensief maakte om te lezen. Ik vind het waanzinnig knap geschreven maar het kostte me ook moeite om erbij te blijven,

019. Een zachte vernieling - Hugo Claus - Raymond1980 4*
Zoals bij meer romans van Claus, speelt veel zich in het verborgene af en kent het verhaal meerdere lagen. Zo hekelt Claus op satirische wijze de pretentieuze nonsens van het Parijse kunstenaarsmilieu van de jaren '50, heeft een van de hoofdfiguren een problematisch oorlogsverleden en is de vader van de hoofdpersoon onveranderlijk een afwezige tiran.

020. De man die twee keer doodging - Richard Osman - IngridBs 3*

021. Rotterdam - Arjen van Veelen - FamkeLaLiseuse 3*
Non-fictie het leest dus makkelijk weg en is onderhoudend. Tegelijk had ik gehoopt op meer verrassende, nieuwe beelden en observaties.

022. Een kat tussen de duiven - Agatha Christie - Comicbookpro (Mario) 3*

024. Het Psalmenoproer - Maarten 't Hart - Sterrezee 3,5*
Een verhaal geregeld in de taal van eind 18e eeuw. Maasluis. (dorps) Vissers. Rascalvinisten. Hoofdpersonage handig gekozen als Reder zodat je hoort over de bestuurders die ook wel omgaat met vissers en andere ambachtslieden.

For readers in Dutch and translators: here you can find our thread(s) https://www.hebban.nl/topics/ezzulia-uitdaging-anita-november-2024#1458094

Thanks Esther! So nice to see so many readers, what they thought of the books, and how they loved Anita! I’ll be visiting your thread on Hebban.

I have updated the progress of the readers on Hebban.

updating again, wk 3, see above

Early this year I read the first two books in The Roman Britain trilogy by Rosemary Sutcliff. Anita was glad that I had found the series. I was hoping that I would get a chance to complete the trilogy this year. But then after we lost Anita, I was truly hoping to be able to read The Lantern Bearers in her honor. I am glad to say that I was able to get to it this month. I know how much she loved these books and I have been thinking of her as I read this one.

I read Turtles All the Way Down this month in memororium. I also finished a The Melancholy of Resistance that she cheered me on to finish last April.