Language read: Dutch. No translations (yet). Uitgebreidere Nederlandstalige blogpost op Standplaats Berlijn.

F. Springer (Carel Jan Schneider, Batavia 1932) was the Dutch ambassador in East Berlin between 1985 and 1989. Diplomacy plays a big part in Springer’s Berlin novel Quadriga.

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Read in: English. In 2010, this book is finally translated into Dutch.

The rich boys, called the Socs, are fighting the poor boys, the greasers, all over town. As greasers, Ponyboy and his brothers always have to watch their step. Luckily they can count on their friends Dally, Two-Bit, Steve and Johnny to help them fight the Socs. But one night things get out of hand, and Ponyboy learns all about the true meaning of friendship.

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Read in: Dutch; English translation here; Edicion original en Español aquí; Deutsche Übersetzung hier.

Extract in English here (The Guardian).

Journalist Gabriel Santoro publishes a book with a seemingly innocent background: the life of the German woman Sara Guterman, who, shortly before WW2, emigrates to Colombia. There she lives in a German colony, where different political views come together. These differences are ‘respected’ as much as possible and people are able to live fairly peaceful next to each other. But then the Colombian government chooses to back the side of the United States. After that decision, everybody with the (slight) impression of sympathizing with the Nazis end up on black lists.

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Language: English. Dutch translation can be purchased here.

With The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, Mitchell created an epic novel, situated in Japan around 1800. The protectorate doesn’t allow Japanese people to leave the country, throws foreigners out and bans religions. Only the small artificial island of Dejima in the port of Nagasaki is open for a small society of traders. On Dejima, this group of Dutch (with a lone Belgian, Prussian or Brit) manages to do business with the Japanese.

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‘It’s...’ my voice trails off.

‘It’s what?’ Rip wants to know.

‘It’s… I don’t think it’s right.’

‘What’s right. If you want something, you have the right to take it. If you want to do something, you have the right to do it.

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Language: Dutch. English translation not (yet?) available. Deutsche Übersetzung hier.

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On this blog, I will write about the 52 books I'll read in 2011. 52 weeks, 52 books.

I always have books around me. Without exception, I feel the urge to discuss my reads after putting them down. Let's do this here!

Each book will be posted with the publisher's recommendation on the back cover, a review/opinion, and some quotes.

Blogging about books helps me to keep better track of things I've read and recollect contents of books easier. Besides that, I welcome discussion in the commentary fields at every stage of this year-long process. Share your opinions on books, provide reading suggestions, agree with me, disagree with me!