Hugo Claus’s semi-autobiographical Het verdriet van België (The Sorrow of Belgium) is Belgium’s Big and Important Book about World War II. It covers a lot of themes — growing up, family, Flemish small-town life, collaboration — as seen through the eyes of an impressionable child. I found it a bit of a slog. Mostly, I… Read more »
Monthly Archives: April 2018
Overheard at Lunch
“So, Easter, last weekend, did you listen to the Matthäus-Passion?” “No, but I did listen to Jeanny” And in my head, the following scene played out: And so it came to pass that on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, Jeanny went to the tomb, bringing the fragrant spices she… Read more »