The reason why I put Anne Frank’s diary on my list of forty books to read before my fortieth birthday is quite simple: it’s probably the most important Dutch book from the last century. As such, there’s absolutely nothing left to be said about it. It is what it is: the diary of a young, [...]
Category Archives: 40 books before 40
First Lines: The Hero with a Thousand Faces
December 28, 2011 – 23:47
The monomyth or hero’s journey is the pattern that underlies most, if not all, myths, folk and/or fairy tales that have been told since the dawn of mankind, and was first described in The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. It goes a little bit like this: a hero ventures forth from the [...]
First Lines: The Catcher in the Rye
October 15, 2011 – 12:57
Holden Caulfield. With his goddamn red hunting cap. He kills me. He really does. But I felt sorry as hell for him too. I really did. Not because he’s just a sixteen year old boy. And not because he’s some kinda phony, complaining about other people being phonies or anything. I’m not saying that. But [...]
Eerste regels: De avonden
September 4, 2011 – 23:04
Op de lijst van de 40 boeken die ik voor mijn 40e verjaardag gelezen wil hebben konden een aantal klassiekers uit de Nederlandse litaratuur niet ontbreken. Opvallend is wel dat ik verhaaltechnisch vooralsnog weinig plezier aan die categorie beleef. Niet dat De avonden een slecht boek is. ‘t Is eerder dat een beschrijving van een [...]
First Lines: The Great Gatsby
June 13, 2011 – 17:37
The only inhabitant of West Egg not to enjoy Jay Gatsby’s legendary parties is Jay Gatsby. The one girl he seeks to impress with them is already married. Glamorous, dangerous, hopeful and desperately in love, Gatsby’s naive dreams can only lead to destruction. Don’t worry that this back cover blurb gives away the ending. The [...]
