You live life to the full. You have a great job and you are proud of what you have achieved so far. A nice family life, just like everyone with their own little struggles. You have a rich social life, you love running and you have, seemingly, a healthy body.

How many books have you already read about the Second World War? I never counted them, but I must have read at least dozens. Already at primary school, you soon start to learn the countless stories, primarily from a Dutch perspective.

What if Willem Holleeder is your brother? Then you really have big balls, when you dare to write a book about him. I’m talking about the book Judas by Astrid Holleeder.

A tiny second-hand bookshop in the south of England, where even I had to duck to get inside. Books, piled up from the ground to the ceiling in little creep and crawl niches. The smell of old paper and all those book titles that stared at me, pick me, pick me.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is definitely a jewel. Donna Tartt writes grandiose. I am a big fan of her. For every book enthusiast, it is a must read.

I would like to talk about New York once more, because visiting Ground Zero had such an impact on me. Therefore this book blog, with a story about the 9/11 attacks.

Suddenly you emigrate to another country. Packing all your belongings and in no time you have a to-do-list from the Netherlands to Tokyo. No, I did not move to Tokyo, but to Australia.

I absolutely love it when several people recommend the same book and it turns out to be a really thick book. Marvellous! Extra quality time for myself to enjoy yet another wonderful, moving, exciting or bizarre story.

In Lucia’s Eyes by Arthur Japin is a beautiful love story! After all, it is about Casanova, yes the well-known womanizer.