Although the weather has been very unreliable, I’ve managed to steal a few hours of dolce far niente and lazy reading at the beach. My favourite summer read so far? You Don’t Need Another Self-Help Book by Sarah Salway. I have to admit that I’m in the habit of reading poetry books cover-to-cover before putting them down. Not this one, though! I found Salway’s book to be like a box of individually wrapped chocolates with different flavours, which you covet so much that you eat only a few because you want to save the rest for later. Her poems are enchanting, poignant, tender, sensual, humorous and bittersweet. There are so many that I want to read over and over again. Some of them made me smile (“Things to Do Today”), others brought tears to my eyes (“Left”), and along the way long-forgotten memories were found (“The Interruption”), and shared idiosyncrasies revealed (“Through Carved Wooden Binoculars”).
Golden melody
I’ve been reading a lot during my holiday. Most of the books are classics: Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I have also picked up a copy of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, which I keep within arm’s reach at all times. The most recent addition to my bookshelf is De muziek van het huis by Cor Gout. (Unfortunately, my English readers, it’s written in Dutch.) Gout’s poems are about the house he grew up in, or rather, by it: the house itself is the storyteller. Some of the stories gave me goosebumps (“Pijn”), some made me laugh in recognition (“Metamor-phosen”), and some were simply mesmerising (“Het zijn de”). His poems have a marvelous melody to them, which shouldn’t be surprising, given that he is also a singer-songwriter. The book presentation was an emotional tour-de-force – where poems sprung from memories naturally. The book itself is like your favourite album that you want to listen to on repeat.
The acorn theory
A year later I found myself at another crossroads. Before I could decide to go to left or right, I had an accident. Somebody BOUNCED me off my feet! I found myself beneath the leaves again. With all this time on my hands, I read The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling. The book is about the question “What is it, in my squirrel heart, that I must do, be, and have? And why?” To answer this, the acorn theory is presented. It’s the idea that each life is formed by a particular image. Just like the oak’s destiny is written in the acorn, your destiny is written too. Besides genetics and the environment, everyone is also given a character upon birth. The theory refers to Plato’s idea of a ‘daimon’ (a nature spirit who cares about you). You might call it your guardian angel. Even what seems like an accident belongs to the pattern of the image and helps fulfill it. It reflects the blueprint that gives direction to your life. You may postpone your calling, but eventually the daimon will make its claim.
Finders, keepers
A few weeks ago I cycled past a shop called Normal Gets You Nowhere in The Hague. Seeing those four simple words painted on the shop window made me smile. How awesome, I thought. I had a similar sentiment at the book presentation of Ilona Verhoeven’s Voor de Eerlijke Vinder at the Torpedo Theatre in Amsterdam. It was an evening of stories by Ilona Verhoeven and music by Hans van Koolwijk and Danibal. I felt incredibly inspired by this celebration of individuality, uniqueness and eccentricity. By the time I got back home, I had finished her book, and felt like a skylight had been added to my roof. Her short stories are fantastic, both literally and figuratively. They are miniature tales about humans, animals, and inanimate objects – like a flying poppy seed challah. I particularly loved finding sensical nonsense (“Mogelijk”), shared childhood dreams (“Flora was hier”), and things that remain hidden (“In een tuin gevonden”).
The squirrel diaries
Diary of a wounded squirrel
In The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle Hugh Lofting tells how 9-year-old Tommy Stubbins met Doctor Dolittle. It all started when Tommy came across a hawk on a rock with a squirrel in his claws. The hawk is so startled that he drops the squirrel and flies off. When Tommy picks the squirrel up, he sees that the squirrel’s legs are badly hurt. He carries the squirrel to Puddleby-on-the-Marsh to find someone who can help. His friends advise him to go see the famous animal doctor, John Dolittle, who has the extraordinary gift of speaking the animals’ language. Doctor Dolittle is away on a voyage, so Tommy has to wait for the doctor’s return. When he finally meets Doctor Dolittle, they visit Tommy’s home to take a look at the squirrel. After having talked to the squirrel, Doctor Dolittle ties the broken leg up with matchsticks and prescribes two weeks of bed rest under dry leaves, which is difficult for squirrels as they are very active and cheerful creatures. I am the squirrel and this is my diary.