Weekly Reading Roudup
March 18, 2013 17 Comments
*****
The week
Generally a quiet week. My son got a new bike which means I can use mine again! He “stole” my bicycle several mornings in the past few weeks to get to the station (to take the train to school). I need mine almost every day for getting around town – you know, here in the Netherlands we do a lot by bicycle. In fact, my particular town is built such that it’s faster to get around by bike than by car!
On Wednesday I went for a walk & diner with an author and his publisher (together with a new friend of mine). I read the author’s book, enjoyed it, entered a competition, and won. The walk was around Amsterdam visiting the places that are mentioned in the book. This was very good fun, I loved every minute of it. The author and publisher people were very friendly and it was a great night out. See my report (in Dutch) for photographs.
*****
Books I finished in the last week: 3 and a DNF
Click on the blue links to see my review
MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche. Non-fiction (memoir) about a woman who moves to a new town and tries to make new friends by “dating” someone new every week for a year. 4 stars
De wake [The Wake] by Ronald Giphart [Dutch]. Three long short stories with three impossible narrators: a dead man, a boy in a coma and the heart of a young woman. 4.5 stars
Gone: Fear by Michael Grant. Part 6 of this science-fiction for YA. Some developments, finally! 4 stars
The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver. Historical fiction. Started really good, but after changing view points (and time setting) twice I lost interest. Did not finish.
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Books I’m reading and planning to read
![Zoet als zure kersen [Sweet as Sour Cherries] by Claudia Schreiber](https://boekblogger.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/zurekersen.jpg?w=95&h=146 "Zoet als zure kersen [Sweet as Sour Cherries] by Claudia Schreiber")
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Other Reviews
The Double by Jose Saramago. A fun story about a man who discovers that there is someone in his home town who looks (and talks) identical to himself. 4 stars
Dark Tide by Elizabeth Haynes. Thriller about a woman whose past as a pole dancer in a shady club comes back to haunt her. 4 stars
Maar buiten is het feest [But Outside It’s Party-Time] by Arthur Japin. [Dutch] A woman recalls how she was abused by her stepfather and now tries to stop the same fate from happening to her niece. 4 stars
De vergelding [The Retalliation] by Jan Brokken. [Dutch] Non-fiction about a small Dutch town in WWII where seven men where killed by the Germans after one soldier is lethally wounded through what may have been sabotage. 4 stars
*****
That’s it!
What are you reading this week?
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Leeswammes' Blog 
Yay for the bicycle back, that does really help you get around in our town, though with the two stations it is almost possible to walk to one of them *eyes son*.
I was curious what you would think of The End of The Point cause I have seen it a lot around lately and was not sure about adding it. Seeing the reason why you put it down I guess I will not add it.
Have a great week!
Ciska, do we live in the same town? Somehow this must have escaped me!
I can walk to the station in about 25 minutes. I do it for exercise but only *when I feel like it*. 🙂
As I have seen you tweeting about going to the library, shops and some other specific places in the town I guessed we actually live in the same one, though I suspect on totally different sides.
A walking tour with the author I am sure was fascinating. What a fun evening you must have had.
It was really good fun, Suzanne. Better than I had hoped.
I’m guessing narrow streets or hills, for your town? Good to hear about the walk with the author (clicking the link to see your photos!) Changing viewpoints and then time changes also, sound a lot to keep up with.
Charlie, no narrow streets or hills whatsoever! My town is for the most part very new and it’s designed so motorized traffic have to follow the ring road (which goes around the small town, all the built-up areas are within the ring of the ring road) and can only reach a certain part (estate) of the town when they turn off the ring road. To get to a different part of town, they have to join the ring road again and follow it further along. By bike, you can cross town all over, so that can be much quicker (sometimes, not always).
Yeah we def live in the same town 😉
Oh, funny, Ciska. I never realised!
Apologies for being quiet here recently but am sure you understand why. Anyway I just had to congratulate you on your win, what an interesting one.
Thanks, LindyLou!
I remember all the bicycles everywhere in Amsterdam! I’m not a cycling lover, but I loved to see everybody, even in suit clothes, skirts, etc. cycling there. And most important: nobody steals other people’s bikes! (in general, I suppose). Here you just can’t leave your bicycle with a lock withouth watching at it every 10 minutes, just in case.
And I don’t know any of the books, as always 😉
Isi, bike stealing is a big problem, especially in the big cities! But since there are so many bikes, the chance that *yours* is stolen, is not so large. 🙂
In my small town I’ve left my bike unlocked in the town center several times and I was amazed it wasn’t stolen, but I guess our town maybe only has one or two part-time cycle thieves.
Too bad about The End of the Point, from the description it sounded like it would be good. I just accepted an audio review copy of Dark Tide. I usually like suspense novels.
I really liked The Dark Tide, Leslie!
American’s drive everywhere. I know people who drive a minute rather than walking or getting on a bike. This contributes to the weight issues no doubt. I tend to walk everywhere (or run to and walk back with bags) since I couldn’t possibly bike up a five mile hill. It’s quite fun to see the shock on someone’s face when they discover I have walked ten minutes.
I hope you find time to read, relax and get a little two wheel time in 🙂
Mari, I had a comment walking back the other day with a bag from the supermarket. A man in the street said: “That’s a long walk”, and I said “Yes, that was the idea.” 🙂
I do walk, other times I cycle. I picked up my laptop from the repair shop today – the laptop (in its bag) just fitted in my cycle bags….
We’re lucky there are no hills here – I can understand why you prefer walking. Good for you not taking the car at every opportunity!