On the Bright Side: The New Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 85 Years Old (Hendrik Groen, 2)

Getting old and being an old geezer can be fun if you don't do it alone. Find friends and enjoy.

Hendrik Groen: On the bright side, the new Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 85 years old.I read author’s first “Diary” when he was 83 and I liked it, therefore I did not hesitate to order its sequel. The rumor of being even better than his previous book was true. Granted you meet there the people from the first book, but the writer made sure that the fact of not knowing them did not prevent the new reader from enjoying their funny misfortunes or from sympathizing with their real hardships. Through out the book written again as a diary, a reader slowly acquires from the actions and reactions of the clients of a nursing home an important life lesson: we, as human beings are designed eventually to die but regardless of what sickness, accident we are afflicted with, our actions depend on the attitude; in this we have a free choice. A small group of men and women calling themselves “Old but not dead yet” chose a positive approach toward their life. The activities suggested by the management seem to them as being naïve, treating the residents as children. Therefore every month designated person is responsible to find a special activity for the group such as a museum, concert, art exhibition or restaurant visit. They have also their own table for eating with a sign “No talk about your own or somebody else sickness”. This group influences the mood of other clients who ask to join the group and after a careful screening some of them are accepted. The writer touches also some themes concerning all the people in Netherland and beyond, such as immigration policy, euthanasia, the healthcare etc. He does not present them as boring lectures, but by submitting them as the opinions of the individuals embellished by witty comments. I was very enthusiastic about his objective approach except his presentation of religion, specifically Christianity. For him it was “scientifically” proven that God does not exist and the believers are just stupid people. Since we all are accepting religion proselytizing as “politically incorrect” I would expect the same for atheism. Tolerance on both side is an intelligent approach. All being said I still recommend Groen’s diary for adult readers and more so for the seniors.Karel Kriz

I read the first book, The Diary of ..., and was totally blown away. I live in a senior independent living community, and although it differs in many ways, it was spot on. On the Bright Side is just as entertaining and accurate. But it does delve deeper into the serious side of growing older. Because of this, I didn't laugh as much. But growing old isn't always funny. One thing that made the book less enjoyable for me had to do with the discussions of the government and politics. Local celebrities were unknown to me. This is simply because the book is based and written outside of America. You can't fault it for that. But overall, it added wonderfully to the first book. I recommend it highly!

It’s hard to find a truly unusual book these days, and this is certainly one.There is no better testimony to the fact that we are quite different at our core Han our outer appearance might suggest. Henrik at 83 1/4 is every bit as young and vital of mind as anyone. Many of his cohorts in the OAP home can’t claim the same, but Henrik is blossoming in this year and puts new meaning to the term late bloomer.This is indeed a coming of age story that we can all take a lesson from.As a translated book I’m truly impressed that very little was lost … it’s universal!!!

This is a slow moving novel, but interesting in it's own rite. We all get old. Some get old earlier than others. Some fight aging, others quietly accept it. This book treats aging like it's inevitable but workable. I like that.

The second book in the series picks up where the debut novel left off. Familiar friends and “adversaries” are again at the heart of the diary entries. The relationships of the OBND members are strengthened through good times and bad. Book Club suggested questions are at the end as well as an interview with the author.

Liked how the author felt with issues of aging - incontinence, hearing loss, constant discussion about health issues. I've met older people who are like that and pray I can handle those issues with dignity and humor.

It deals with a home for the elderly located in Amsterdam. One gets to know several of these characters. They sometimes plan an outing and have to deal with the head of the institute. At times this works out well, at other times they have to band together to get permission for certain things. There is a lot of humor in this book and I just loved it.

The prequel to this book – “The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen 83 ¾ Years Old” was my favourite fiction book of 2016. I bought several copies for friends and family, recommended it to everyone and so thrilled to find out that there was another diary to come. On a recent trip to the Netherlands, this sequel was splashed all over the bookstores – a deservedly big hit in Hendrik’s home country – and I was overjoyed to discover on my return to London, that it had been already translated, and that I was invited by the publisher to read and review an advance copy.A year on from the last book, Hendrik has decided to take up his pen again. His ‘Old-But-Not-Dead’ club is still going strong, although now missing two of its inaugural members. Their number have been made back up to a manageable (and exclusive) eight with the addition of the mobility scooter enthusiast, Geert, and the voluble Leonie. As well as arranging monthly club excursions to interesting (and novel) local attractions and events, this year they are also focussing on visiting restaurants offering food from around the world – each time a new cuisine – to complement their monotonous diet at the old people’s home: “The first veal cheek of my life was delicious, and my first smoked duck was also divine. You’re never too old to try something new, even if many old people don’t seem to think so. There’s nothing tastier than a meatball if you never choose anything but meatballs”.They also attempt to try the 28 flavours sold at a nearby ice cream parlour, but have to give up when the shop keeps changing the order of flavours, and they can’t remember which they have already tried.The ‘Old-But-Not-Dead Club’ is seldom afraid to broaden their horizons, unlike their fellow stay-at-home ‘inmates’, although Hendrik does decline an invitation to ‘Rollator dancing’: “It sounds horrific to me. I don’t like to dance and I don’t like rollators. To be perfectly honest, rollator-dancing strikes me as worse than waterboarding”. However, swimming and two-night trip to Bruges are great hits, when ably assisted by younger, able-bodied friends and family: “Experience has taught us that sad lesson: once old people stop doing something, they are unlikely ever to do it again.”Hendrik is well aware of the problems and disabilities that affect the elderly, but sees them as difficulties to be worked around where possible, rather than reasons for not doing something: “You never forget how to swim, same as riding a bike,” someone remarked recently. I would suggest that the person in question, if he’s thinking of climbing on a bike again, start off not far from the A & E entrance. He’ll never stay on for more than twenty metres” and his musings on an invention of a personal air-bag to prevent broken hips in the elderly are hilarious.The old people’s home still contains the detestable Mr Pot and Mrs Slothouwer, as well as the arch nemesis, Director Stelwagen. For some light relief, there is Mrs Schansleh with her spectacularly mangled sayings: “Time is slipping through my fingers like a ripe banana” and “Clumsiness is the mother of the bull in the china shop”.The ‘Old-But-Not-Dead Club’ decide to resurrect (and hijack) the Residents’ Association, so that they can force Mrs Stelwagen to tell them about any plans to close the home, as seems to be happening to a number of the homes around them. While that does not go as planned, they do manage to arrange a high tea, a residents’ art exhibition, and a table in the lounge where all talk of ailments and death is banned.“Death is always looming over our Old-But-Not-Dead Club. With eight members well into our eighties, we can expect one and a half funerals a year, statistically speaking. It’s just like waiting for the bus: the longer you wait, the greater the likelihood that it will eventually get here. To make life bearable, we ignore the statistics. Old ostriches, we are: we bury our heads in the sand, as the Grim Reaper saunters among us with his scythe in search of his next victim.” For most of the book, the ostrich approach wins, and the Club get on with living their lives to the full, and only the unmissed die. But, death does finally come to the group, and all the Club members are hit hard – especially Hendrik.The other ever-present bane of old age is dementia: “You never get used to not being recognized by someone you love or once loved. Just as you never get used to recognizing very little or nothing about a loved one as he or she once was”. Hendrik regularly visits Gretje, who is now confined to the closed ward: “There’s an entire life still buried somewhere inside that head. She can’t access it anymore, but I cherish the little piece of that life I was privileged to share with her”.In the diary, Hendrik muses on every part of life in the Home and in the world around him: Syrian refugees and terrorists (“the ones we’re most worried for are the terrorists in their explosive vests, who are bound to realize soon enough that in eternity, seventy virgins won’t last forever”), biscuits, cakes, modern technology and the monarchy.Hendrik and his Club, with their incredible zest for life, curiosity and compassion are a model for all people – old and young – and I recommend this wonderful book to everyone with any life left in them.I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I loved the energy and zest for life the characters have despite various ailments and age,always willing to try something new.Friendship is key throughout from little Frida to the new members of the old but not yet dead club.

Loved this author enough to get another of his books. Loved it. Very funny. I liked his characters and i liked the comparison between the two European countries public support systems for their elderly

オランダ，アムステルダムの老人ホームに入居する85歳のおじいさんの日記風のエッセイ．著者名 Hendrik Groenは筆名で，オランダの雑誌に匿名で連載されて大好評を博し，各国語に翻訳されたという．2015年1月から12月まで，ほぼ毎日のように日記形式で書かれている．本書に先行して2013年の1年間を扱った前編「Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen」があることを知らずに本書を読みはじめてしまったが，本書単独で充分理解でき，楽しめる．また続編として出版された小説も好評らしい．内容は老人ホームの日々の暮し，特に病気の話し，食事の話し，入居者と管理部門の確執，オランダの老人問題，社会情勢(ちょうどトルコ難民の流入が問題になった時期)まで多岐にわたり，安楽死の先進国オランダならではのトピックも語られるが，やはりそれぞれに個性的な入居者の日々の言動がユーモアを交えて描かれているところが面白い．著者を含む8人は "Old but not dead" (トシはとってるが死んでない) クラブを作って，小旅行やいろいろなイベントを企画するなど同じホームの中でもとくにアクティブなメンバーだが，何分にもそれぞれに病気をかかえており，失禁したり，転倒したりともうタイヘンである．後半には著者の無二の親友が末期癌で逝くところが描かれており，悲しみを誘う．全編を通じて老人ならではの悟りの心境と，現世への動物的な執着とが共存し，交互にあるいは同時に登場する．日々の日記の長さは一定しないが，短いものは半頁，長くても数頁で，その中に複数のトピックスが書かれているので読みやすい．ただし舞台はオランダなので，流行歌，テレビ番組など，ピンとこないところも少なくない．原文はわからないのでこの翻訳をNativeがどのように受けとるのかわからないが，訳文にはかなり面白い表現がたくさん使われている．いずれも自分も同じ立場になる，その前に予習して，少しでも恥ずかしくない，悔いのない老後を過ごすための教科書になる．前編も読んでみよう．

Hilarious and insightful. Easy read.