Every day until Christmas Eve, a member of Suffolk Libraries staff will reveal a book, CD or DVD they will be giving as a Christmas present, and why. Today, stock team member Jo Dixon recommends The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 ÂĽ, by an anonymous Dutch author.
I will give this fictional diary to several friends this year, because it is funny, intelligent and full of humanity. John Boyne said of it, “There are many laughs in this book but it’s so much more than just a comedy. It’s a story about how friendship, selflessness and dignity lie at the heart of the human experience. When I’m an old man, I want to be Hendrik Groen.” I can’t think of a better recommendation. And I wish I didn’t keep thinking of the old adage “Don’t get old. And if you get old, don’t get ill.” To which I would like to add “And before you do get old, read The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen.”
Catnip of a book.