The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old

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Conversely, Hendrik displays a charming personality and is more caring and gentle which has become a rarity in today’s society. Hendrik pledges to try to be more assertive but he cannot help but be a more giving and thoughtful person. Yes, just keep going the way you’re going, and you’ll get there soon enough,’ Evert egged her on. She liked the prospect of trustingly leaving her shoe by the hearth again. Since he lives in a retirement home, he starts documenting the daily grind against which he rebels and in the process writes a very juicy and nearly scandalous expose. We learn very little about Hendrik’s past. We never discover what he did for a living and are told only a few details regarding the death of his daughter and his wife’s subsequent slip into depression. Hendrik refuses to wallow in unhappiness, and the book is all the better for that. This was not helped by the fact that Meulenhoff his publisher never released any information regarding the identity of one of his most popular clients. For years, he hid under a pseudonym as he published several literary passages in “Torpedo Magazine.”

Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old review: a nome de The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old review: a nome

Grietje de Boer, a lovely lady, who is friendly and sympathetic without fawning, and Graeme Gorter who appears insecure and introverted but always tells it to you straight.At the heart of the story lies a sweet and unsentimental relationship between Hendrik and Eefje, an elderly widow who takes up residence on his floor after a previous occupant has died. Eefje is a sparkling presence, as insubordinate as her new friend. Although the relationship remains platonic, a wonderful bond of mutual support and companionship develops between them. Toen Pogingen iets van het leven te maken in 2016 de Publieksprijs voor het Nederlandse Boek won, haalde De Smet de prijs dan ook niet persoonlijk op. In 2018 won ook zijn tweede boek Zolang er leven is de NS Publieksprijs. De prijs werd in ontvangst genomen door de acteur Kees Hulst.

Hendrik Groen Series by Hendrik Groen - Goodreads Hendrik Groen Series by Hendrik Groen - Goodreads

I found this book helpful, informative and reassuring. It allowed me to enter my father’s world and see it from his eyes. When I read this, I thought “that’s my dad!”...It's definitely not a depressing read, don't let the thought of a book about residents in a care home deter you. There are tons of witty funny moments with Hendrik and his friends getting into all sorts of trouble and fun to pass their days. Such as the time Hendrik is invited in for a cup of tea with Mrs Visser which resulted in Fish Gate- three slices of cake, 6 pink fondant fancies and two fish tank massacres. Their day trips out with the Old But Not Dead Club which results in the other residents feeling a bit bitter, a few pet catastrophes, souped up mobility scooters as status symbols, dribbling and horse meat lasagne.

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old - Goodreads The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old - Goodreads

Hendrik is fed up of being a civil, ingratiating, courteous, polite and helpful bloke. He tends to choose the path of least confrontation to try to please everybody. To stop himself spiralling into depression and boredom - in a place where to some residents the most exciting moment of their day is wondering what biscuits will arrive with their tea and coffee - he decides to give the world a taste of the real Hendrikus Gerardus Groen, by writing an uncensored diary into a year in the life of a group of "inmates" (as he calls his fellow residents), in a care home in north Amsterdam. His whistleblowing account shows us what life is really like for people in care homes; the rules, regulations and human interactions. The book, written in the form of a diary, holds acutely astute observations on what it is to be 'old'. Rendered in a direct and simple way, without artifice, the book just works. The result is a story we all can relate to and possibly, one day, find ourselves remanded, as one of its’ inmates (his word).

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Everyone in here has strong views on the subject of cake crumbs in fish tanks. But ask them what they think of the war in Syria and they’ll stare at you as if you’ve just asked them to explain the theory of relativity. A handful of fish floating belly-up are a thousand times worse than a busload of women and children blown to smithereens in some far-off country. bizim huzurevi dediğimiz ortamlara biraz aşinalık kazanıyor insan bu kitapla. tabi ki Hollanda'daki şanslı yaşlıların dünyasına.

Hendrik Groen (Author of Pogingen iets van het leven te maken) - Goodreads Hendrik Groen (Author of Pogingen iets van het leven te maken) -

Ar fi putut fi un an bun și, în parte, a și fost. Însă ce se întâmplă la sfârșit influențează cel mai mult părerea finală. Am întâlnit o persoană pe care aș fi preferat să o întâlnesc acum o jumătate de secol. Acum a trebuit să mă mulțumesc cu opt luni frumoase și două triste. Ar trebui să fiu recunoscător pentru fiecare zi fericită, așa cum face Grietje, și încerc asta din răsputeri, însă puterile astea uneori nu sunt de-ajuns (..) Hendrik Groen is 83 years old and living in a retirement home in Amsterdam. His secret diary is both funny and sad as he records the daily hassles of aging and of living with a host of other people in the same boat. What a touching read. Truly this is up there with the best ones I have read. It was recommended to me by my dad's primary health professional with the words that it is one of the funniest, most poignant and cutting reads about old age you will come across. And it is. This novel's narrative in the form of daily diary entries describes life in an eldercare facility. The individual who is writing these entries and his friends live in the independent living portion of the facility, but they have the option of eating meals prepared and served in the center's dining hall. There are parts of the facility available for full nursing and memory care. As part of her plan of action to combat the dementia, Grietje has composed, with my help, two new notes she is to carry with her at all times: ‘What to do if I get lost’ and ‘What to do if I don’t remember exactly who someone is.’ Both notes start with: ‘Please forgive me, but I’m a bit forgetful.’We all are aging everyday of our lives and we give it no thought. Friendships are bonded and become so important as we get older. What I will take away from this book is the funny and the sad. I think this is a better book for me to read at my age (a stone’s throw away from retirement age) to be reminded of what will be in store for me if I make it to 70, 80, or beyond…than if I read a scientific book chapter on “this is what happens as the body ages” and statistics on rate of falls and onset of aging-related maladies. Because it’s all in this book, and I got the sobering message, at the same time not sinking into too deep a funk—because the context of the message was presented in a book that I would say had me laughing or grinning a great deal of the time. I have no hesitation in recommending The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 ¼ Years Old as an uplifting, at times hilarious though heartbreaking read. This is a book that resonates with me personally. I spend a good two afternoons a week visiting my stepfather who is in just such a nursing home. I must confess I wish he were a little more like Hendrik... Sadly, his wits are not always about him...