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Review The last chairlift- John Irving
28 May 2023

Review The last chairlift – John Irving

Not a big fan of Irving, I had to have this book. Reason was the promise he had used Aspen as his background for this novel. ‘The last chairlift’ was quite disappointing, when you think he takes you back to Aspen. Sure, he mentioned the Jerome, Explore, Isis and some streets in Aspen, but it’s obvious his knowledge comes directly from the Aspen historical Society. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but at times I wondered if he had actually ever been to Aspen. Yes, he has.

Story

The story contains of much, much more than ghosts in and from Aspen. In my humble opinion, a little too much. Irving seems to have wanted to tackle every taboo he could ever think of, and then some. Again, nothing wrong with wanting to address some issues, but enough is enough. How many times can you mention male and female body parts and what pleasure you can gain from using them. As a European I’m quite used to our fascination with sex and the need to be as open about it as possible.

Enough

But after pages and pages reading about bodily functions, homosexuals, lesbians, little people, disabled people, colored people, transgenders, I was so ready to give this book a miss. Enough already. Don’t some authors (and filmmakers) realize that the more you want to bring taboos into the open, the more you set them apart as something ‘freakish, something not completely normal’? ‘Cause when you would be convinced that any people and their actions, are the most ‘normal’ in the world (which most of them are of course) you would not even think of putting them into the spotlights. ‘Look how hip (and courageous)  I am by writing about this, how non-racist I am, how I welcome everybody slightly different than many of us.’

Adam

Adam is the son of a, non-married, lesbian mother. His niece, and his best friend, is lesbian and gets a relationship with a non-speaking lady. ‘Mute’, she finds her way through life miming her thoughts and needs. Adam’s mother finds love with a female co-worker, and simultaneously with a little man who turns out to be transgender. Hopping from one bed to the other and back, she teaches Adam to be openminded about love, sex and relationships. That she also shares her son’s bed is part of this open-mindedness. The author really wanted to crash boundaries. Nobody was going to tell him he held something back, or forgot some ‘iffy issue’. Again, too much. Especially since he feels the need to go into detail, way too much detail.

Halfway through

When I was halfway through I seriously considered putting this book aside. As a hardcover with close to 900 pages, was I willing to spend any more time on this? I’m glad I did. The second half of the book is way better than the first. It seems like the author finally gets to the storyline and leaves the bits of infantile pieces about pee and poop behind. Now the story unfolds and gets interesting. We get to be more intimate with the minds of the characters instead of their physicalities. The interaction between the characters is interesting. I like psychology and, admittedly, John Irving can definitely write. He has succeeded in putting all the different storylines together at the end.

Late

A bit late in the story, but happy I finally got to enjoy the book, I was nontheless glad I finished it. John Irving is a Canadian/American writer and has many fans all over the world. His extreme ways of introducing his world in his work is not quite my cup of tea. Though I have to admit I loved his book ‘Cedar House rules’. A script writer as well as a novelist, his work is appreciated by many. He has won several awards and his books have been translated in almost every language. ‘The last chairlift’ is his 15th novel.

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Foul-mouthed
21 March 2023

Foul-mouthed

Watching the news I all of a sudden perk up. The next segment was about the dubious honor of living in the most foul-mouthed country in the world. Did that surprise me? Heck no. We, Dutch, tend to speak our minds. And apparently we all have dirty minds.

Disagree

Also, we are not easily satisfied. We never agree on anything. It’s not by chance we have the most political parties in the world, as well. Everybody needs to speak up and if there is just one tiny little issue you disagree with, well you start your own party. Easy, peasy.

Cussing and swearing

While I kind of like this ‘having your own vision’, I am dead against all the cursing and swearing around me every day, all day. It has literally become a part of life to cuss your way through everything. We cannot seem to be able to utter one sentence without a few 4-letter words or some terrible disease thrown in. Is this very different from other countries and their languages? Well, yes.

Comment

Whenever I comment on this issue my friends all wonder about this statement. ‘You mean to tell me they don’t use many more cuss and swearwords in the US?’ Ehm, no. What you learn from movies isn’t quite the ‘real’ life. On public tv stations any ‘bad’ word is beeped over. And I’m talking about ‘innocent’ words like sh.t. Also, I only know American moms and dads who will correct their kids saying bad words. Not that I know the whole American population, mind you. All I know is that bad manners, which include bad language, is corrected.

News

The news discussion about this issue continues. On how easy and without thinking we wish the worst diseases on another. Something other countries don’t even think about. We use slang (sexual) words for body parts and profanities with every other word in the language. No matter where you are and who you are speaking to. The newscaster wondered how we sank so low.

The c-word

After hearing an upper-class lady use the c-word on public television time and again, when she couldn’t think of the other word she wanted to say, this discussion went haywire. Isn’t it time for us to clean up our act, and thus our language? According to studies it all comes from our inheritance. We never, like most other European countries, came from royalty.

William of Orange

Our founding father, William of Orange, was but a quiet ‘city-holder’ appointed by the king of Spain. He was gifted three cities in what is now called the Netherlands. After that he took care of the several provinces surrounding the cities and united the states into a country named: Holland, now The Netherlands. He was named Prince and from then on we had a kingdom.

Reason

Is that the actual reason we speak a foul language? I highly doubt it. But who am I to dispute this truth that many professors spend a lot of time on. Quite frankly I think it still has to do with upbringing. When we kids uttered a ‘bad word’ we were corrected by our parents and teachers. And not in a foul language. They gave a good example. When I hear young parents shout at their offspring in 4-letter words, I don’t wonder their kids will use the same words later on.

Party against cursing

I’m not kidding you, we even have a party against cursing. Not that they make any difference, but hey at least they try! No, I am not very proud of being a citizen of the most foulspeaking country in the world. I am conscious of what I say and which words to use. Most of the time.

Let us know

What do you think? Should we all be able to say what we think, even if it’s not in the prettiest language? And how about wishing people bad diseases- Oh not for real of course, but just because it’s part of language? Do you believe in the importance of words? Please, Let us know at ‘redactiesophiamagazine@gmail.com’

 

 

 

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In gesprek met

Graffiti
7 March 2023

Graffiti

Across the street from my apartment are some very high-end stores. One sells designer clothes and shoes for men, its neighbor sells design furniture. I don’t know if that’s the reason, but there is a graffiti artist who scratches all kinds of things on the wall between the two.

Mind

Now I’m all for graffiti, when it’s done in a nice way. I know some graffiti artists are true artists. The artwork they leave on old decrepit walls is amazing. I can also see that there are people who want to share their opinions with the world. Please do! But I don’t get graffiti that don’t seem to have any meaning.

Example

Now this thing across the street, for instance, it says: ‘MC FOF’. Since I have to look at it all day I’d like to know what it means, so I googled it. Nobody knows. It must be an inside thing. It’s very funny and creative the ideas people come up with though. They try to work it out. ‘McFries Or Fanta’, MasterChef Fish or Fries’, ‘MacFast Or Fart’, anyway, nobody seems to get to the answer of this mystery.

Inkling

I have an inkling it’s in the English language. So I’ve also tried my best to solve this puzzle. I’m inclined to look for FOF in the direction of ‘Fight or Flee’ , or ‘Freedom or Fight’, something like that. But the MC? And maybe I couldn’t be more wrong with my FOFs. I would really like to know though. So, anybody acquainted with (or maybe being a) graffiti artist? Please let me know, ’cause it’s driving me crazy.

Tasteful

Again, I know what it’s like to have an itch to share your thoughts with the rest of mankind. I have a few requests though. Since you’re being such an artistic and creative person, why don’t you put your text on a T-shirt or hang a poster up in you window. Instead of writing on somebody else wall. I mean, they will only wash it off again. What’s the fun in that?

Sense

And then when you do share something let us know what it is you want to share. Please. How can you want to get something out there that nobody understands. I fail to see the sense in all that. But maybe I’ve got it all wrong. Maybe that’s just what it’s meant to be. Nonsense.

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Review Firefly Lane – Kristin Hannah
5 February 2023

Review Firefly Lane – Kristin Hannah

In the book ‘Firefly Lane’ two teenagers meet when Tully moves across the street from Kate, with her hippy mother Cloud. Kate lives in a christian family. Loved and safe she still can’t help feeling lonely. As all teenagers do. Tully is used to fend for herself, as her mother is always high or drunk. She becomes Kate’s lifesaver. As she is for Tully. They will be best friends.

Best friends forever

Although they are very different from each other, their friendship is tight and loyal. They decide to go to University together after finishing this school. Their careers will be the same too. Tully dreams of becoming the very best and most famous journalist ever. Kate secretly dreams of a husband and children, but goes along with Tully’s plans.

Jobs

When Tully gets hired at a small news agency, she introduces Kate to her boss. Soon Kate follows in Tully’s footsteps. With the one exception that their boss, Johnny, seems to be more interested in Tully than in Kate. Tully has a one-night stand and concentrates on her career, while Kate jealously watches the two and secretly thinks they are made for each other.

Marriage

To her utter surprise Johnny directs his attention to her, Kate, and promises her that the fling with Tully was just that, nothing more. Johnny and Kate get married and have children. Kate decides to leave her career in order to be a stay at home mom, much to Tully’s chagrin and disbelief. Still, the two keep in touch and stay friends over the years.

Career

Tully’s career takes flight. She gets what she always wanted. But is it enough? Kate figures her husband Johnny is still on Tully’s list to ‘have’. Will Tully jeopardize her friendship with Kate for Johnny? Or is she the best friend she always was? When Kate gets in trouble with her daughter Marah, now a teenager, she asks Tully for help.

Help

Tully, Marah’s godmother takes her role a bit too seriously. She takes Marah under her wing and introduces her to the world of glamour and celebrities. Much to the dismay of Kate. Then Tully comes up with another one of her great ideas. It backfires big time and the friends who promised to be together forever split up.

Finale

Without giving too much away, something disastrous is about to happen. Will this be the turnaround for the two best friends whom never forgot about one another? A chick-lit book but with a little more to it than just the happily falling in love after some struggle.

Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah was born in California and studied communication and law before having a few odds and ends jobs in Seattle. Then she decided to become a writer and became a bestselling author quite quickly. Firefly Lane has been translated into many languages and was turned into a movie.

 

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Review The disappearance of Stephanie Mailer – Joël Dicker
29 January 2023

Review The disappearance of Stephanie Mailer – Joël Dicker

The book ‘The disappearance of Stephanie Mailer’ starts with Jesse Rosenberg celebrating his going away party at the police station. He has decided that he wants to do something else with his life, something he has thought of for years. Now it’s time to say goodbye to his old job. He gets lots of compliments from all the big bosses. They call him the 100% man, meaning that he finished each and every case with a grade of 100 %.

Disappearance

There is one person at the party, however, who disagrees. She tells him his very first case has never been solved. The person he arrested was not the perp, somewhere someone is still living a free life, while being a murderer. He doesn’t believe her and gets angry. But when Stephanie Mailer disappears he rethinks her theory. What did she know that he didn’t and was she right? He visits his old colleague and friend and they both decide to re-open this old case.

Twenty years ago

It all happened 20 years ago, on July 30, 1994, when the new theatre was opened. The mayor of the town and his family, was murdered. Soon after they found the murderer, but during his arrest he was killed. Case closed. Now, exactly 20 years later they re-open the case and with this a whole can of worms is opened as well.

Personal lives

We get to know the characters’ personal lives page by page. It reads like a thrilling novel. Slowly everything comes together. But til the very last page we still don’t know who the murderer was and is… The hardcover book of 633 pages is hard to put down. It took me about a week to finish, but I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Very well written with so many twists to the story, I felt a little bereft when I finished it.

Joël Dicker

Fortunately the author Joël Dicker wrote more books. He was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, where he studied law. When he started to write, his first novel got him so many prizes, all his other books were translated into 30 different languages as well. Please check him out! You won’t regret it.

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Review The whale at the end of the world – John Ironmonger
1 January 2023

Review The whale at the end of the world – John Ironmonger

On this first day of the new year I would like to introduce you to one of the best books ever written. The title ‘The whale at the end of the world’ suggests a bit of a depressive story. What do you mean, the end of the world? It’s not as bad as it sounds. On the contrary. What a well-written story.

Sleepy town

The sleepy village St. Piran on the English coast is shocked by two events at the same day. First they find a huge whale seemingly lost in the big ocean. It swims dangerously close to the shore. Will it survive? Then upon further investigation some villagers find a naked man on the beach. It looks like he’s dead, but fortunately he still has some breath left. They pick him up and haul him over to the retired doctor of the village.

Joe Haak

The man, Joe Haak, gets better and tells a little of his story, though not all. He is an investment banker who has invented a special computerprogram that can predict the future. His boss wants him to use the program for the business, though Joe is reluctant. It doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, yet. And sure enough, the business crashes and loses billions of dollars.

Flight

Joe is held responsible and flees to the little village that nobody knows and where nobody can find him. There he makes lots of friends and falls in love. He wants to stay forever. Away from the big bad world that insists on surviving by the power of money. But what do you do when money becomes worthless? What if, say a pandemic breaks out all over the world?

Right

This book was written well before we ever heard of Corona, except in the brand of beer. In this book a flu pandemic is on its way and destroys everything and everybody in its hunger for victims. Joe relies on his computerprogram and takes charge. In order to save his new home and its population of 308, he has a plan.

Message

And what about the whale? The book comes with a hopeful message for mankind. Without any sentiment or sappy stories the author describes the best case scenario. And the only way we can survive. Only when we all work together and care for each other will we all make it. Not just a few, but everyone as long as we work together.

John Ironmonger

Not surprisingly this book has won several awards and has been an international bestseller. Translated in more then 13 languages, it seems that we all agree on this positive message. The author has written more literary novels and I can’t wait to read more. In any case, you really don’t want to miss out on this beauty.

 

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Review Unto us a son is given – Donna Leon
4 December 2022

Review Unto us a son is given – Donna Leon

The story of ‘Unto us a son is given’ tells the story of a police officer Guido Brunetti, who lives and works in Venice, Italy. Brunetti is happily married to Paola and they have two children, both teenagers. As with every Italian story family is important.

Father in law

So when Brunetti’s father in law, Count Falier, asks him to do him a favor he cannot refuse. The older man has a lot of influence in town and besides a title, he owns a lot of property. With all this wealth comes considerable standing. But even with all that he asks Brunetti for help in a delicate matter. His best friend, Gonzales, is about to make the mistake of his life.

Guido Brunetti

Can Guido Brunetti help the Count by talking to Gonzales and help him change his mind? Brunetti can only try. Gonzales is an elderly gentleman, who has made his fortune in the art world. Never married, he’s gay and openly so, Gonzales has a few brothers and sisters whom he never sees and lost touch with.

Adoption

Now Gonzales wants to adopt his much younger lover. In Italian law, the children inherit the wealth of their parents. All of Gonzales’ friends (including the Count) find it appalling to know his vast riches will go to some ‘gold-digging’ young man. Brunetti is pretty much the only person who believes Gonzales should do what he wants to do with his money. But he made a promise to the Count.

Death

Then Gonzales suddenly gets a stroke and dies. Berta, one of his best friends comes over to Venice to organise a memorial service. Nobody has ever heard of Berta before and when she is found dead in the hotel room some answers from the past come to light.

Story

The story is well written. I love to feel the charm of Italy throughout the book. The way the characters interact, the description of the beautiful city of Venice, the day-to-day business of taking the boat to wherever you want to go and the numerous cups of coffee people drink during the day and night.

Donna Leon

She was born in New Jersey but lived in Venice since 1985 for 30 years. Now she lives in Switzerland. She studied English in Italy and fell in love with Venice. All her books are situated in this beautiful town. She wrote in English. Her many books were translated into different languages but never in Italian. That seems odd, since the stories all happen in Italy. The reason she decided to keep them from the Italian people is because this way she feels more free to write about some of the malpractices in the Italian police force.

 

 

 

 

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    Wil je een avondje met vriendinnen op stap? Wie of wat houdt je tegen? Check de agenda dansen. Ben je meer een festivalgangster? Dan is de agenda festivals voor jou the place to be. De agenda vakanties is niet zo maar een overzicht met reizen. Dit zijn single reizen voor hogeropgeleide 40-plussers. Je vindt daar een lijst met lange en korte reizen van verschillende organisaties, zodat je niet een enorme zoekslag hoeft te doen naar een heerlijke vakantie of een weekendje weg.

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