Books Ive read in July

In the last weeks, I have managed a more balanced way of living my daily life. Usually, I tend to focus on one thing and then one thing only. This results in neglecting the rest of the things I want to do. April until the end of May were low-reading months. I focused on eating better, working out a lot and getting more structure in my life. Now that this is, partially, implemented and in place, I took July to focus on my true passion: books. And somehow I ended up with 12 books that I finished this month. I have never ever read that much and will probably not read that many books in the near future, so sit down, get a good cup of coffee or tea, some cookies and find out which books I really liked this month and which I will probably forget within the year.

Bücherstapel – Annes Lektüre im Juli — Annes Lektüre im Juli – eine bunte Mischung

Book-highlights of July

The Forest of Wool and Steel by Matsu Miyashita

I received this book as a present from my boyfriend and it was such a perfect gift. This Japanese novel tells the story of Tomuta, who grows up in the mountains. His life is changed fundamentally when he witnesses a piano tuner perform his job at Tomuta’s school. The student decides to become a piano tuner. We follow him through struggles and first successes. This book is beautifully written. The characters are delicate, soft and unique. Miyashita manages to create a somewhat mystique but yet familiar atmosphere without using stereotypes. I enjoyed a lot how little you know about the protagonists in terms of age and looks, but how well you get to know them through their thoughts, behaviour and speech.

What I talk about when I talk about running by Haruki Murakami

Book What I talk about when I talk about Running

Murakami is one of my favourite authors, and I gave this book to my boyfriend last year in his Advent-Calendar because he is a runner. It was his first Murakami book (but not his last hehe) and hearing him talk about it made me want to read it as well. I have no connection to running, however, this book is so much more. We get to know the famous author on a different level. He explains why running is essential for him and how it helps him be a better writer. I feel like I know Murakami better now and I got the impression that he is a very humble, kind person. That just makes me want to read his books even more.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

I read this book for one of my book clubs and I think it was the perfect time for me to read it. Conrad managed to create a very intense, exciting atmosphere while not adding a lot of action to the story. I enjoy good symbols in novels, even if they might be a bit obvious as they are in this book. The river Thames and the Congo both symbolising the differences between the “worlds” and how culture is seen by the “other”. Many have claimed that the book is just about a man rambling about his time on a boat and I think this does not do it justice. It is a document of the thinking of Conrad’s time and gives us a deep insight into the racism and prejudices of the end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century.

Books I learned from

Of course, I also learned from the other ones, but these books helped me with a problem or question I had recently.

Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

This book is a collection of 21 tools/principles that help you organise your (work) day better and more efficiently. I have just finished it this weekend and have started to use two of suggestions yesterday and could already feel a difference. I plan to test them for longer and write a full review of them here in a couple of weeks.

Laufen by Jean Echenoz

I had never heard about the Czech runner Emil Zátopek. Echenoz tells a fictional portrait of the wonder-runner who shook the world after the Second World War. The book made me want to learn more about Zátopek and in general about athletes who have to face repercussions from their or other countries.

Creative Confidence by Tom and David Kelley

The two brothers wanted to write a book to share their passion for creative confidence. Creative confidence is your own belief in your abilities to change the world around you for the better. I felt that the book focuses a lot on managers, inventors and less on smaller, independent artists. However, I learned that it is essential to overcome your fear of showing your work to others. I tend to plan and plan and work something out in great detail before showing it to others. After reading this book, my goals have shifted and I want to show the rototype of my new project within the next 2 months.

Other books I have enjoyed

Normal people by Sally Rooney

The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli

Inflight Science by Brian Clegg

Buchcover — Tasha Eurich: Insight (2017)

So you want to publish a magazine? by Angharad Lewis

Books I did not fully enjoy

Girl, interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

Emotional Intelligence: Happiness published by Harvard Business Review

Which books have you read this month? What was your highlight?

Challenge Time: How I change my life one month at a time

The first six months of the year are already over and I have participated in a few challenges to help me lead a better life. Let me tell you what I have been up to, one challenge at a time.

Monthly challenges

The greatest thing I am experiencing this year in terms of my goals are the monthly challenges that my boyfriend and I are thinking of. Each challenge lasts exactly one month: We think that 30 days are enough to make a start to change habits but is also not too long if the challenge is not up your alley and you wish you could just quit after the first day. (And believe me, that happened to me in June). We have started with the first challenge in April and so far have done the following challenges:

April: Eating no added sugar
May: Working out every day
June: Cleaning every day
July: Triple C

April

The goal was to not eat any added sugar for a whole month. That meant to check all the food we had and get rid off the sugary things we had before the month started. I was nervous because I love sweets and have been eating them very, very regularly. The weekend before the months started, I bought some items like sugarfree mayo, sugarfree salad dressing and made sure we had enough snacks without sugar. And then the month started and on April, 1st a colleague from Norway gave me a huge chocolate bar with liquorice, which I love. But not eating it was actually much easier than I thought. I didn’t eat added sugar once for the whole month and I was so surprised by myself. In week two, Igot a little ill but from week 3 I noticed an increase in energy. I was surprised to find myself working out in the gym and thinking about doing a bike-tour because I had still so much energy. That was definitely a new experience for me.

What have I kept from the challenge?
My boyfriend and I still don’t buy a lot of sugary foods, although I must say that I have been slacking a lot in the last two weeks. I am a very emotional eater and tend to turn to sugar when I am not feeling well. I know that this will pass and I also know that eating less sugar makes me feel better.

May

The goal was to work out every day. For me, I decided that it meant at least 30 minutes and I have to sweat. And man, was it amazing. I went to the gym, cycled and went swimming. I was so motivated to work out and in combination with eating less sugar, it really gave me a good push in becoming the fittest version of myself. We had so much fun that we decided to just keep going also when the month was over and I am super proud to say that I worked out 44 days in a row. We tried different exercises, challenging ourselves even more and it is such a rewarding feeling to see the weights on the bar go up and feel that your body is getting stronger.

What have I kept from the challenge?
We are still working out a lot. On average, I would say 5-6 times per week which is amazing for me. The last weeks, I am having some problems with my hip and legs which lead to some kind of constant pain which then again leads to me not sleeping well so I have been taking it rather easy with the sports but my mindset made a good shift and I feel I am capable of so much more. So much even that we will spend a cycling holiday in September: We will cycle from the Netherlands to Belgium, France and then take the ferry to England where we will continue cycling. A year ago that would have been unbelievable for me. Now I am excited and cannot wait to do it.

June

And here we have the first challenge that we failed at miserably. The initial idea was to clean for 20 minutes every day. On day two, we felt like this is not ideal because I was travelling for a few days and did not really feel like cleaning at my parent’s or friend’s house just for the purpose of cleaning. We then decided to divide our home per week and made a list of things we wanted to clean in each room. Well, let me just say that we did barely anything. We realised that the challenges should be something we want to establish in our daily lives and cleaning every day was not something we feel adds a lot of value.

What have I kept from the challenge:
Nothing, because we didn’t succeed in it. Haha.

The current challenge

The current challenge is what we call the triple C and the C stands for Cardio. I have the challenge to cycle 300km, walk 30 km and row 40 km. It is a big challenge for me I am not feeling the best lately, but I know I will make it happen. My boyfriend has almost the same distances, but he has 80km running instead of 30 km walking. My hip starts hurting immediately for weeks when I “run” so I will walk and he runs.

What do you think of such monthly challenges? Have you ever participated in any kind of challenge?

Milkman – Anna Burns

The day Somebody McSomebody put a gun to my breast and called me a cat and threatened to shoot me was the same day the milkman died.

Cover of Anna Burns book Milkman. Person walking along water. Background is a colourful sunset

Wow, what a first sentence to a novel. This very first sentence sets the mood for the whole story. A story where almost nobody has a name. A story that shows how far rumors, stalking and your community can determine your present and future.

What the book is about

Anna Burns tells the story of a female protagonist who is being stalked by the Milkman, who follows her where ever she goes and is slowly but steadily creeping up on her and her life. The milkman, a man in a high position, wants to start an affair with the 18-year-old protagonist, who is in a maybe-relationship with maybe-boyfriend. The society and its rules make it impossible for her to fight against him. Unable to not let him take over her life and mind: “At the time, age eighteen, having been brought up in a hair-trigger society where the ground rules were – if no physically violent touch was being laid upon you, and no taunting looks in the vicinity either, then nothing was happening, so how could you be under attack from something that wasn’t there?“

Blurb of Anna Burns' book Milkman held in one hand

Living in a time of conflict

Set in probably Belfast in the 1970s, the story unfolds not only what stalking and rumours can do to you, but also how the North Ireland conflict destroyed lives, careers and families. How relationships are formed, maybe not based on love but on convenience and lack of choice.

Why I liked the book

The book spoke to me because it feels relatable. I also once experienced some kind of a stalker: a guy at school I had never spoken to found out who I was and where I lived and waited at the entrance to our row of houses several days in a row. It was creepy, it was frightening and I felt helpless because I didn’t know what to do. Afterall, he didn’t harm me physically and who can see which damage is being done mentally anyway.

The characters, apart from one, all don’t have real names. They have names such as maybe-boyfriend, first-brother-in-law or the Milkman. This stylistic geniality generates some sort of anonymity and transferability: it could happen toanyone and it could happen anywhere. All this could happen to you and me, right now, right here.

Why you should read the book

Milkman by Anna Burns takes you on a journey without leaving the confines of one city. It tells you about the Northern Ireland Conflict without explicitly naming it and without making the story about just that conflict. The conflict is more of the background to the way people might act the way they do. You should read the book because it beautifully and uniquely tells a story about the past and the present at the same time.

Anna Burns: Milkman. ISBN 978-0-571-33875-7, 348 pages.

Books Ive read in March

The month of March was full of exciting things: It was my boyfriends birthday and we spent half of the day together eating pancakes, sweet potato fries and playing tons of Pandemic. I also opened my etsy-shop and my first enamel pin arrived and I am so proud of it. The first sales via my etsy-shop and friends and colleague came in and it makes me just very happy.

In March, I’ve read six books which I want to tell you about now. Well, apart from one book because I absolutely did not like it. You will very easily tell which one it is 🙂

Books I’ve finished in March

**1. Die Abenteuer meines ehemaligen Bankberaters by Tilman Rammstedt**

This book was so funny. It tells two stories at once: The story of the former bank adviser of the author and the story of the author trying to convince Bruce Willis to play this bank adviser in his new novel. The story is so absurd, yet funny, that I had to laugh out loud multiple times. The humour is right up my ally. This book was definitely one of the highlights this month and I can only recommend reading it.

Er habe vor Kurzem angefangen, Sport zu treiben, sagte mein ehemaliger Bankberater. Und dann habe er wieder damit aufgehört. “Ich bringe Dinge eben gerne zu Ende”, sagte er.

**2. 12 Rules for Life. An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson**

I had to read this book for a book club and all I can and want to say is that I disliked it with a passion.

**3. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson**

This book was the highlight of the books I’ve read in March. It has taught me so much. My review can be found here.

**4. Guru by Ru Paul**

Buchcover über Selbstoptimierung und Unternehmertum

Another book for another book club. I was expecting a book about his life, some kind of autobiography. When I picked up the book, it turned out it is more a coffee-table-book, a picture book. It is full of photos of Ru Paul but I was rather disappointed by it as I feel it has no clear structure and is not cohesive.

**5. “They Can’t Kill Us All”. The Story of Black Lives Matter by Wesley Lowery**

Another book I really enjoyed reading. The book takes us to the protests of the Black Lives Matter movement and I find this such an important and often overlooked topic. My review can be found here.

**6. No More Bullshit. Das Handbuch gegen sexistische Stammtischweisheiten by Sorority**

This book debunks typical sexist statements such as “Women simply don’t want to be in managing positions” and offers a lot of fact based on studies. I am already quite informed about the topics mentioned in the book, so it offered little new for me. However, I believe these books are so important and unfortunately still necessary. The book was published by Sorority, a women network from Austria. And reading about such strong women inspired me to start my own network of women here in the Netherlands and this will be a nice project for this year.

Which books have you read in March?

They Cant Kill Us All – Wesley Lowery

Michael Brown
Eric Garner
Tamir Rice
Walter Scott
Philando Castile
Freddie Gray
Alton Sterling
Jamar Clark

All of the above are no longer alive. All of the above were killed by police in the United States in the last years. Between January and August 2015, 24 unarmed black people had been shot and killed by police. I had heard about these killings. I had heard about the Black Lives Matter-movement, but I had not investigated a lot myself. In the last years, my interest and awareness for racial profiling increased. So when I saw the book “They Can’t Kill Us All” The Story of Black Lives Matter I bought it immediately. And I have learned so much. About the people behind the movement. The people who were killed and whose deaths were the tipping points. And most definitely what the groundwork feels like for journalists. Wesley Lowery, a journalist at The Washington Post,takes us to the protests. He gives insight into his work and what it means to write about killings, police violence and suffering on a daily basis.

Why I liked the book

Lowery was and still is right in the middle of the movement. He is not just a bystander who watches everything unfold from afar. The journalist gained attention because he got arrested in 2014 while covering the protests in Ferguson. He describes what reporting about such a personal matter feels like and how he approached the families of the victims. How he worked with other reporters together and how being surrounded by death impacts his own well-being. I liked the book because it talked about the Black Lives Movement in the context of the history of the US. I learned how the movement came to live. Most of all, I liked the book because it told the stories of the victims and gave a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves anymore. I had never heard about Jonathan Butler, Martese Johnson, Netta Elzie or DeRay Mckesson but now I am definitely wanting to learn more about their impact and activism.

Lowery’s way of writing is easy to follow and understand. It is personal and a little all over the place, which has been criticised by others. I think it only shows the impact these killings are having and helps the pace of the book. It never slows down. The idea of local reporters via social media is interesting and has a lot of power. We cannot always wait for the newspapers to publish information, and we all long for the unfiltered truth.

Why you should read the book

If you are anything like me (white, European woman, female) you probably don’t face racism or racial profiling often. We all have to be aware and most of all acknowledge that racial profiling and institutional racism exists. That it is a huge part of the daily life for many people. Especially in the USA. Black men and women make up around 12 percent of the nation’s population, “but they accounted for nearly 25 percent of those who were being shot and killed by police.” Lowery’s book gives a deep insight into a movement we all have to join. A movement we have to support and to make sure that we raise awareness for. A movement that is called Black Lives Matter for a reason. The book helps to understand the movement. It helps to be outraged. It helps to get angry. About politics, about racial profiling and about the ignorance of so many people. Sometimes we have to get angry to make a change and Lowery’s book shows how being outraged can turn into a movement.

A seat at the table isn’t worth much if your fellow diners refuse to pass you a plate.

Why it has to be Black Lives Matter and not All Lives Matter

While researching about the Black Lives Matter movement I came across the movement of All Lives Matter. I was astounded by it. I cannot understand why people feel offended by the name of the Black Lives Matter movement and I am wondering if these people actually understand what this movement is for (or against) and why the name matters. The Black Lives Matter movement fights against violence and systematic racism towards black people. It does not mean that only black lives matter and that there are people who started a movement called All Lives Matter makes me angry. This name implies that all lives are facing the same risks, which is simply not true. It shows how people don’t understand structural racism and tend to focus on themselves. The Black Lives Matter movement is not a thread to your privilege, it is a movement for basic rights that should be granted to everyone, no matter the skin colour.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

I learned a lot in school but I must admit that I had really no idea about chemistry, physics or biology. Ever. These topics always seemed impossible for me to understand. Sometimes this made me feel a little embarrassed and I was always hoping no one asks me anything about atoms or how the moon influences the tides. During school, I was never really interested in topics such as water, stones and fossils. This all changed because of Bill Bryson’s book A Short History of Nearly Everything. A Journey Through Space and Time which my boyfriend gave me for Christmas last year. You might wonder What is so interesting about fossils? What’s the deal with water? I get it. But read the review and you might understand why this book is here to change your perception.

Book cover of Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. Atlas holding the world

Why I liked the book

It is the first book I’ve read by Bill Bryson and I had no expectations other than to maybe learn a little. Bryson manages to make the most difficult theories and finding easy to understand and even entertaining. He writes with wit, deep knowledge and from a perspective of infinite wonder and desire to know more. To know more about the earth, the oceans and its inhabitants, theories and concepts. He takes us on this journey through the history of our planet and the (human) beings on it. The book consists of many chapters, one not longer than 20 pages which makes it easy to read.

Bryson writes in a way that made me stand still and marvel at the things we know about the world, but also at the things that are still unknown. His enthusiasms for science and finding answers really took me by surprise and I am still amazed by how science changed the world, how we take certain things for granted. I have, for example, always thought that Dinosaurs have been known/discovered ages ago. But it turns out the T-Rex was only discovered in 1902.

Why you should read the book

I recommend the book to anyone who has a (very) basic knowledge of physics, biology and our planet or thinks these are topics that are just boring. We all need to be reminded that books actually teach us a lot, that we can get enthusiastic for topics we believed to be boring. I remember my geography lessons and being bored because I was not interested in stones and levels of earth. But after reading A Short History of Nearly Everything I am amazed by the knowledge people have and how we can find beauty and surprises in ordinary things.

Things I learned

The Big Bang Theory became popular only in the mid-1960s.

Only about 6000 stars are visible to the naked eye from Earth.

Isaac Newton was the first person in Britain knighted for scientific achievements.

Richard Owen (a horrible person apparently!) coined the term dinosauria in 1841. It means “terrible lizard”.

Even the cookbooks of Marie Curie contain so much radiation that they are too dangerous to handle.

The plates of Europe and North America are parting at about the speed a fingernail grows – approximately two meters in a human life.

There are apparently 2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 or greater somewhere in the world every day

Tokyo stands on a meeting point of three tectonic plates, which makes it an easy target for earthquakes

The Earth would be uninhabitable if it was situated 5% nearer or 15% further from the Sun

At any moment, 1.800 thunderstorms are happening around the globe, making it around 40.000 per day

Every second, around 100 lightning bolts hit the ground.

The Pacific holds just over half of all ocean water (51.6%), the Atlantic holds 23.6% and the Indian Ocean 21.2%.

Extract

This paragraph was my favourite and illustrates brilliantly how Bryson writes about the really interesting characters of the past:

On another occasion, while poisoning himself wit elevated levels of oxygen, Haldane had a fit so severe that he crushed several vertebrae. Collapsed lungs were a routine hazard. Perforated eardrums were quite common, too; but, as Haldane reassuringly noted in one of his essays, ‘the drum generally heals up; and if a hole remains in it, although one is somewhat deaf, one can blow tobacco smoke out of the ear in question, which is a social accomplishment.”

Do you enjoy reading books about science? Did any of the facts above surprise you?

Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything. A Journey Through Space and Time., ISBN 978-0-552-15174-0, 574 pages. All quotes are from the book.

Dear Mrs Bird – the gift of friendship and books

Sometimes I want to read books that warm my heart. That make me realize how happy and lucky I am to have great frienships. I believe that books help us learn and grow, but also to reflect and readjust believes. When I started reading Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce I was in need of some uplifting story; I had just finished 1984. The book starts off rather funny, even though it is said in the middle of the Second World War:

When I first saw the advertisement in the newspaper I thought I might actually burst. I’d had rather a cheerful day so far despite the Luftwaffe annoying everyone by making us all late for work, and then I’d managed to get hold of an onion, which was very good news for a stew. But when I saw the announcement, I could not have been more cock-a-hoop.

The novel tells the story of Emmeline Lake and her best friend Bunty. Both women live in London. Emmy wants to be a fearless Lady War Correspondent, reporting from war scenes and becoming a journalist. When she sees the job advertisement for a position at The London Evening Chronicle she cannot believe her luck. She even gets an invitation for an interview, but when she enters the building things take an unexpected turn.

The power of words

Emmy starts a job at a magazine, but it is not as a war correspondent and it is not for The London Evening Chronicle. She starts typing letters for the woman magazine Woman’s Friend and has to pre-sort letters for Mrs Bird. Mrs Bird is answering the letters in a kind of help-section for the magazine. But Mrs Bird does not reply to all letters and has a long list of topics that are taboo. Mrs Bird won’t reply to any letter concerning any type of relationship, political activities or cookery. The list is long and Emmy soon realises that the women who write are in need of answers and advice. She does not understand why Henrietta Bird refuses to reply and she soon starts to think of her own way of helping these people.

Dear Mrs Bird book cover, postcard with balloons, candle, green plant flat lay

The power of friendship

Although Emmy and Bunty are best friends, Emmy is reluctant to tell her what she is about to do. We follow their friendship, join them when they go on dates and trying to find a partner for Emmy. Bunty is Emmy’s biggest fan and their friendship endures some ups and downs, which I don’t want to spoil here. Reading the book reminded me of my best friend and how close we are, even though we don’t live close and what my life would be without her. She is the rock by my side, my fan and cheerleader. I know that I can count on her, always, and that nothing can happen that would tear us apart.

The power of books

My best friend and I share one big love: books. We met during university, in our first lecture actually. Reading Dear Mrs Bird reminded me of how powerful books are. When I started reading the book, I was kind of sad and not so happy. Then I started reading and the book changed my mood in an instance: I laughed, cried and laughed again. I realized again how books do have the power to change the world, to change people. How words and letters can change lives and how we must make sure to share them with as many people as possible. How we must do our best to spread good stories, how we must make it possible for as many people as possible to be able to read. Because I don’t want to miss reading and books for anything in the world and can only imagine that others want to feel this joy too.

Which books have changed your life?

Books Ive read in February

February was a very good month for me. I started working only 24 hours per week to have more time to focus on the things that make me really happy and to move forward with my blog and crafting-ideas/business. In February, I finished 5 books which I find great. In the middle of the month, I started a book (“12 Rules for Life” by Jordan B. Peterson) and find it very difficult to get through it. I still haven’t finished it yet and it took me around 10 days to read 120 pages. I have to finish it though because it is for my book club in March 🙂 Wish me luck, this book is hard work for me. The books I finished in February were quite the opposite and I enjoyed reading all of them.

Books I’ve read in February

1. You May Also Like by Tom Vanderbilt

This non-fiction book started slowly for me and I first couldn’t get into it. After the first 100 pages, it started to focus on art and literature and how we acquire a taste and why we like one painting and “hate” another. I found it very interesting to read about how and why we like the things we like and what our preferences actually tell about us.

2. Das 4-Stunden-Startup (The 4-Hour-Startup) by Feliz Plötz

My best friend gave me this book for my birthday to help me make the next steps towards my dream of having my own business. I found the book quite helpful as it gave great tools to work with. For example, I had never heard about the website fiverr.com, a site where you can get all kinds of services. I used the site to have my first enamel pin design created and had an amazing experience. I paid 10 USD and git a great design which I can also use commercially. And all this within three working days!

3. 1984 by George Orwell

Finally!! I have finally read 1984 and enjoyed it a lot. My friend Zu and I read it for our book club. Reading the book, it scared her thinking that “technology and politics are slowly taking over and making people dumber “. I did not share this feeling. However, I found it super interesting to see that Orwell predicted that literature such as Shakespeare will be simplified and use less complex words. I found it fascinating to see how some things are actually taking place right now in real life. I liked the pace of the story and the style of writing. Unfortunately, I found the plot a bit predictable but enjoyed reading this classic nonetheless.

4. Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce

This book is definitely my favourite of the five books of February. The story takes place in the Second World War and tells the story of two best friends: Emmeline and Bunty. Emmy wants to be a Lady War Correspondent but ends up typing and answering letters for the Women Magazine Woman’s Friend run by Henrietta Bird. The story shows what true friendship can endure and that having a friend by your side makes you move mountains. I laughed, cried and laughed again while reading this book and can only recommend it.

5. Talking With Female Serial Killers by Christopher Berry-Dee

This is the second book I read by Berry- Dee. The other one being Talking with Psychopaths and Savages. This book about female serial killers disappointed me for several reasons: First, many chapters and persons described are not serial-killers. They have killed one or two people. Of course, this is horrible, but if I buy a book that has the word serial killer in the title, I want to read about serial killers. Second, this book was supposed to be about female serial killers. Yet there are several stories about male serial killers. Why? I understand that this was necessary to give some kind of perspective but I just wished this book would be what the title promised. Lastly, I find it annoying when books have a noticeable amount of typos. I don’t mind a typo here and then but when it affects the reading flow, I am no big fan. I have Talking with Serial Killers still on my to-read-pile and hope that this book will keep its promises.

Which books have you read in February?

5 places for book lovers – Den Haag

I have been living in The Hague since the summer of 2016 and I can honestly say that I really love the city. There is so much to discover: museums of all kinds, the beach right around the corner and wonderful unique shops and places. The Hague has a lot to offer for book lovers and I want to show you my top five places for book lovers in this post.

Collage mit Buchläden und Highlights aus Den Haag — Buchliebhaber-Guide Den Haag

1. Stanley and Livingstone – book shop

This book shop sells every book possible when it comes to travelling – hiking guides, general travel guides, travel experience-books, but also maps and globes. The owners, husband and wife, have been running this gem for over 25 years now and are going to hand the shop over soon – to do more travelling. Who can blame them?
What is special about this book shop is the way they wrap your purchase: brown paper, a post stamp from any country around the world (when I bought our hiking guide the other day I got a stamp from Chad!) and a lovely stamp that makes the package look like mail. I absolutely love this eye for detail. If you visit, also look up at the ceiling to discover even more beauty.

Stanley and Livingstone, Schoolstraat 21, 2511 AW Den Haag
Opening times are:
Tuesday, Wednesday + Friday: 10.00 – 18.00
Thursday: 10.00 – 21.00
Saturday: 10.00 – 17.00
Sunday: 13.00 – 17.00
https://www.stanley-livingstone.eu/

2. Bookstor – book shop and cafe

This book shop combines everything I love about life: books, cakes, hot drinks, dinner-events and music. Situated in Noordeinde, Bookstor is a popular meeting place for readers and coffee lovers. When you walk in, it feels like you entered someone’s living room. Couches and chairs are spread around the whole shop and you can easily forget time while drinking delicious fresh apple juice and read either a newly bought book or one you brought from home.
Books and delicious pastry is not all Bookstor offers: every once in a while, they also offer special dinner-events, where two women are cooking for the guests. The food is always around a different country.

Bookstor bookshop in Den Haag – interior with bookshelves and dinner event setup

Bookstor Den Haag – cosy bookshop atmosphere with reading corner

Books on display at Bookstor in Den Haag, the Netherlands

Bookstor bookshop interior – handpicked book selection in Den Haag

Bookstor Den Haag – warm lighting and carefully curated shelves

Bookstor Den Haag – detail of book display in the bookshop

Bookstor, Noordeinde 39,2514GC Den Haag
Opening times: Monday – Saturday: 08.00 – 19.00
https://www.bookstor.nl/

3. American Book Center – book shop

This book shop really offers something for everyone – books on every topic possible, postcards, board games, little gifts for book lovers. The perfect shop. This is why I also buy most of my books here. I love browsing the shop and discovering books I have never heard about and getting advise from the very helpful and knowledgeable staff. The ABC has a second shop in Amsterdam and is hosting many great events, such as the feminist book club, writing courses and book launch-parties.

ABC The Hague, Lange Poten 23, 2511 CM Den Haag
Opening times are:
Monday: 11:00 – 19.00
Tuesday + Wednesday: 10.00 – 19.00
Thursday: 10.00 – 21.00
Friday + Saturday: 10.00 – 19.00
Sunday: 11.00 – 18.00
https://abc.nl/

4. Literatuurmuseum

The museum shows portraits of 500 famous Dutch writers. The portraits show a great diversity which represents the Dutch literature-world in a great way. I personally love looking at portraits and discovering new writers. Honestly, I barely know Dutch authors so visiting the museum gave me a very good impression of what there is to discover and I have some names on my to-read-list, now.
In the same building, you can also find a children’s book museum which I have not visited yet, but I heard great things about it. The museums here in the Netherlands are in generall very interactive and I heard the staff member explain different events, such as workshops, to other visitors.

Literatuurmuseum, Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 5, 2595 BE Den Haag
Opening times are:
Monday – Sunday: 10.30 – 17.00
https://literatuurmuseum.nl

5. Museum Meermanno – oldest book museum in the world

Situated right next to the Malieveld, this museum offers not only temporary exhibitions but also a miniature book library “Bibliotheca Thurkowiana Minor” created by Guus Thurkow. This collection shows 1515 miniature books. The library includes books about history and nature but also whole novels, such as Don Quixote who inspired Guus Thurkow and whose statue is part of the miniature library. You can watch a video about the library here (Dutch only).
The museum also offers insights into printing and you can print your own bookmark on an old printing press in the open printing atelier. Isn’t that amazing?

Museum Meermanno, Prinsessegracht 30, 2514 AP Den Haag
Opening times are:
Tuesday – Sunday: 11.00 – 17.00
https://www.meermanno.nl

I hope you enjoyed this trip to The Hague. Next month, we are going to explore another beautiful city in the Netherlands.

Starting my own business

For years, it has been my dream to produce something in a creative way. I dreamed of being able to paint the most beautiful illustrations and knitting the most amazing jumpers – only to realise that I don’t have a lot of talent for either. For years, I have been feeling bad about myself, not trying to change anything about my drawing or knitting skills. My own limiting thoughts were holding me back, There are so many who already do it. They are sooo good. No one would ever like what you do anyway – so don’t even bother. In the last months of 2018, I somehow felt that I really had to give it a try, that I don’t want to be old and realise that maybe I should have just worked a little bit harder (or at all) for my dream.

An idea is born

And that is what I have been doing since January. I thought of products I would like to create and eventually, hopefully, maybe, but mostly hopefully, sell this year. It is no secret that I love books and authors, so it was clear very early on that I wanted to combine my love for books/authors with my love for crafting, especially embroidery and cross-stitch. Eventually, I had an idea.

Letterboard mit Autorennamen als Inspiration für Stickmotive — Anne’s Letterboard mit Literatur-Ikonen: Kafka, Woolf, Mann

My literature-portraits

I love embroidery portraits but most of the ones I see are very detailed. At this moment, I don’t know yet if I am able to create beautiful realistic portraits. My portraits are therefore very minimalist, but I really like the way they have turned out so far. Photographs of the authors inspired me and I wanted to add my own touch to it by adding a dash of red to almost every portrait.

Minimalistisches Stickportrait von Virginia Woolf mit rotem Detail — Stickportrait Virginia Woolf – mit Anne’s charakteristischem roten Akzent

The first three portraits are showing some of my favourite authors: Virginia Woolf, Thomas Mann and Franz Kafka.

Stickportrait Thomas Mann
Stickportrait Franz Kafka

All three authors have a very special place in my heart and life. My German teacher introduced me to Franz Kafka, my father is a huge fan of Thomas Mann and I did an internship at the Heinrich-and-Thomas-Mann-Museum in Lübeck years ago. Virginia Woolf has been one of the first person whose diary I ever read and she was such a delicate, yet strong person.

My goals for 2019 – business

In my post about my goals for 2019, I already mentioned that I want to craft on a regular basis. For this year, my goals for my crafting-business are:

Design 30 portraits of famous authors feminists and embroider them
Open my own etsy-shop (goal: Open the shop by the end of March)
Sell one handmade-item
Design my own enamel-pin
Produce my own enamel-pin
Design one linocut print that I am happy with
Make linocut cards
Design cross-stitch-pattern of my pin-design
Design a feminist calendar 2020
Design a literature calendar 2020
Design two tote bags
Participate in the Swan-Market in The Hague in September

A lot of ideas and I am very excited to continue working on the projects I have already started and to start with the other ones.

Steps taken so far

I have reduced my working hours from 32 to 24 hours per week to have two days off per week to focus on my creative adventures. In January, I have designed my very first enamel-pin and it is currently being produced. If all goes well, I will receive it in around three weeks. Every year, I visit the Swan Market in The Hague, a handmade-business market in the open air. This year, I am going to participate myself: I made a reservation for a stall in September.

I am very excited, also to mention it here in public and to people that know me in real life, but I think the more people know about it, the better.

Do you like to craft? If yes, what do you like to do most?