What a party. The top three floors of the Learning Dutch with Geert Mak Building are a mess. I don't even want to think about the bottom 28.
Bianca of the Dutch East Indies Heritage Project stopped by. She left some angklung to help everyone wind down.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Happy Birthday Geert Mak!
Welcome to the virtual birthday party for Geert "Big" Mak! The event is 33 hours long. We start at midnight, December 4th in the Netherlands and end at 11:59 p.m. on the same day in California.
Wherever you are, have some cake and ice-cream, a beer or maybe even a broodje kroket. This is also a good day to enjoy some haring. Start your version of this event off with Boogie-Woogie from the Netherlands' own Eeco Rijken Rapp. Here is The Youtube-Blues.
Wherever you are, have some cake and ice-cream, a beer or maybe even a broodje kroket. This is also a good day to enjoy some haring. Start your version of this event off with Boogie-Woogie from the Netherlands' own Eeco Rijken Rapp. Here is The Youtube-Blues.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
At the 1/3 point.
After nearly a year, I've made it through one third of this book. I hope the rest doesn't take 2 more years. I thought I would be faster by now. Things are going a little faster.
The action has moved back to the Indies. Mak found the letters between his parents and grandparents from the years 1932-46. He is also talking to his relatives about their memories.
An old aunt he visited would watch travel shows on German TV.
The action has moved back to the Indies. Mak found the letters between his parents and grandparents from the years 1932-46. He is also talking to his relatives about their memories.
An old aunt he visited would watch travel shows on German TV.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Het Zuigende Land
Usually, a chapter title is easy. As I closed in on the end of Chapter 5, this one started to drive me crazy. It all hinged on the middle word. The dictionary defines it as, "Sucking." I knew it wasn't, "The land that sucks." In some contexts, however, it means exactly what an English speaker would think it means.
I had to look further and further. The word also yields ads for paints and adhesives. Finally, I figured out that it means muddy or sticky. This would be sticky as in humid. I finally settled on, "The Muggy Land."
Near the end of Chapter 5, Mak describes the mutiny on the Zeven Provinciën. The event has no American counterpart, but it is similar to The Potemkin, even though it didn't help trigger a revolution.
The Netherlands did not sway to the extreme left or right as much of Europe did at the time. It took a middle course, and stuck with Colijn, who is even more like Herbert Hoover as he is described further. Like Hoover, he had an impressive resume. Again, in spite of this, neither was very ept at confronting The Great Depression. Basically, it was good that the Netherlands stuck to a middle course, but the middle course chosen was more suited to the past than the task at hand.
The rise of Hitler was met with some admiration in many quarters of Dutch society. To his credit, Geert Mak is willing to quote editorials written at the time that approved of the new order in Germany.
Finally, the chapter closes with a look at his family dealing with the death of baby Koosje. He talks about how his parents dealt with it, and how family members visited his grave for years afterwards.
I had to look further and further. The word also yields ads for paints and adhesives. Finally, I figured out that it means muddy or sticky. This would be sticky as in humid. I finally settled on, "The Muggy Land."
Near the end of Chapter 5, Mak describes the mutiny on the Zeven Provinciën. The event has no American counterpart, but it is similar to The Potemkin, even though it didn't help trigger a revolution.
The Netherlands did not sway to the extreme left or right as much of Europe did at the time. It took a middle course, and stuck with Colijn, who is even more like Herbert Hoover as he is described further. Like Hoover, he had an impressive resume. Again, in spite of this, neither was very ept at confronting The Great Depression. Basically, it was good that the Netherlands stuck to a middle course, but the middle course chosen was more suited to the past than the task at hand.
The rise of Hitler was met with some admiration in many quarters of Dutch society. To his credit, Geert Mak is willing to quote editorials written at the time that approved of the new order in Germany.
Finally, the chapter closes with a look at his family dealing with the death of baby Koosje. He talks about how his parents dealt with it, and how family members visited his grave for years afterwards.
Friday, November 27, 2009
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A Frequent Guest Returns
At the end of this blog, I'm going to post advice for the translator. I am now on p. 156. Vocabulary started getting harder. I went from almost going line by line to researching every word with multiple sources.
Finally, the man who is always preceded by wild vocabulary exercises showed up: Abraham Kuyper. Big Mak mentions that Colijn was in his shadow.
I was in too deep. I had to read some background in English. First, I found that Kuyper was a minister, journalist and politician. In the US you usually don't see all three in one person. Then, I found out that Kuyper was PM from 1901-5.
I wondered how Colijn could have been in Kuyper's shadow. I still do. Kuyper wasn't the first PM from the Anti-Revolutionary Party. Also, Colijn wasn't the end of a long drought for them. Theo de Meester succeeded Kuyper. The next Anti-Revolutionary PM was Colijn himself, from 1925-26.
Putting it into context for Americans, Hendrikus Colijn appears to have been like Grover Cleveland, an unremarkable president who was elected for two non-consecutive terms. During his longer term in the 1930s, he appears to have been as clueless as Herbert Hoover.
Anyway, I urge the translator to add an introduction and an appendix. Maps and a timeline would also be helpful.
Finally, the man who is always preceded by wild vocabulary exercises showed up: Abraham Kuyper. Big Mak mentions that Colijn was in his shadow.
I was in too deep. I had to read some background in English. First, I found that Kuyper was a minister, journalist and politician. In the US you usually don't see all three in one person. Then, I found out that Kuyper was PM from 1901-5.
I wondered how Colijn could have been in Kuyper's shadow. I still do. Kuyper wasn't the first PM from the Anti-Revolutionary Party. Also, Colijn wasn't the end of a long drought for them. Theo de Meester succeeded Kuyper. The next Anti-Revolutionary PM was Colijn himself, from 1925-26.
Putting it into context for Americans, Hendrikus Colijn appears to have been like Grover Cleveland, an unremarkable president who was elected for two non-consecutive terms. During his longer term in the 1930s, he appears to have been as clueless as Herbert Hoover.
Anyway, I urge the translator to add an introduction and an appendix. Maps and a timeline would also be helpful.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Colijn-oscopy
Finally, I'm reading the book again. The Maks went back to the Netherlands for a visit in the early 30s. There was lots of new technology being showcased, including television.
Of course, the Depression was on. The title of this post refers to (Prime Minister?) Colijn, who was in charge at the time. Like President Hoover, he had no idea of the depth of what confronted him. Like Roosevelt, he did radio chats. One of them included handy tips on how to get by with less and make fish head soup.
Mak points out that the Church opposed measures such as shorter workdays and early retirements, but so far, he isn't dwelling on it. This, along with some prior knowledge about the Depression makes for easier reading.
Of course, the Depression was on. The title of this post refers to (Prime Minister?) Colijn, who was in charge at the time. Like President Hoover, he had no idea of the depth of what confronted him. Like Roosevelt, he did radio chats. One of them included handy tips on how to get by with less and make fish head soup.
Mak points out that the Church opposed measures such as shorter workdays and early retirements, but so far, he isn't dwelling on it. This, along with some prior knowledge about the Depression makes for easier reading.
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