http://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=frederikv
frederikv's reviews from LibraryThingThe Secret History by Donna Tartt
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/115647110
frederikv's review: "Great novel. The introduction actually already reveals the key plot element, which makes it more enjoyable to read unless you're into who-did-it kind of crime stories (or unless you skimmed over the intro and had to be reminded about this well into the book by your wife). It's part 2 that really make this book stand out. The reflections on why the characters did what they did are great. You'll get pulled in!"
Wed, 21 Jan 2015 08:25:45 -0500Surfari by Tim Baker
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/93764554
frederikv's review: ""Never let the truth get in the way of a good story" comes to mind reading this book. The setting - a surf writer taking his family on a year-long roadtrip along the Australian coast - is perfect stuff to dream about as a surfer with a day job that doesn't require him to travel the world breaks. The day-to-day hassles that make this trip a lot less epic than imagined unfortunately cause some pain reading the author's tale. While this is obviously done on purpose, it doesn't really work perfectly. It leaves a rather plain story of a family trip in an expensive 4WD (of which we read a little too much, to satisfy the sponsor) down under, reminding the reader that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. That in itself is an accomplishment not to discard."
Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:44:24 -0500
Occy: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Mark Occhilupo by Mark Occhilupo
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/93764563
frederikv's review: "The voice of Occy filters through really well in this partial auto-biography, partial biography of the icon surfer Mark Occhilupo. Maybe not enough a critical account of his life - the role of drugs and alcohol in his fall are a bit too shaded for instance - this book does let the reader into the life of a professional surfer with a remarkably long time at the top. Mixing the main story with quotes from colleagues, friends and family is something of a trademark of Tim Baker, and for some reason it works a bit less well in this book compared to how he used this style in Bustin' Down the Door."
Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:44:52 -0500Bustin' Down the Door by Tim Baker
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/93764602
frederikv's review: "Great account of how professional surfing came about. Tim Baker leads Rabbit Bartholomew in putting his life story on paper, from a young kid surfing on the Gold Coast to being the CEO of the Association of Surfing Professionals.
The book touches on the lives of other surfers on the world circuit. Reading the book in combination with Surfers Code from Shaun Tomson, Occy by Tim Baker and The Life from Malcolm Knox makes the stories even stronger, as you'll read different views on the same situations."
Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:49:13 -0500
Kook: What Surfing Taught Me About Love, Life, and Catching the Perfect Wave by Peter Heller
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/73906982
frederikv's review: ""Surfing is an addiction". It is impossible not to believe Peter Heller when he writes this simple statement, after having read him describing several months of his quest to become a surfer. He takes his reader along on a journey from California south deep into Mexico, all the while truthfully describing his progress on the surfboard. The book is about a 40-something who decides to become a true surfer in 6 months: from novice to surfing big, fast waves in only half a year. To that end, he travels with his girlfriend from surfspot to surfspot along the Pacific coast, and meets several interesting characters along the way. If you've ever wanted or actually tried to surf, or if you can admire someone's dedication to achieve a challenging goal, this book should be a good pick for you."
Mon, 30 May 2011 12:33:03 -0400
Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs: (She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse) by Paul Carter
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/73907012
frederikv's review: "Not so much an autobiography as a collection of anecdotes, this book still manages to capture your attention until you finish it. With a bit more attention from the editor, this could have been a truly funny and sometimes shocking account of Paul Carter's life in the oil business. Now it's still a capturing overview of the life-defining moments the author experienced while working on oil rigs all over the world."
Mon, 30 May 2011 12:34:04 -0400
Tegenvoeters een reis door Australië by Bill Bryson
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/73906799
frederikv's review: "Bryson's love for the counrty is obvious througout the book, not only because he explicitly proclaims it a number of times. The mix of dry humour and odd details about places you may have visited yourself works really well."
Mon, 30 May 2011 12:26:59 -0400
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/41405834
frederikv's review: "Focusing on the intriguing choices made by Lincoln as his cabinet members, this account of the US civil war period is a good read. The book deviates a little from its main purpose throughout the high-level account of the civil war that is included. In that section, we learn a bit about the relationship that Lincoln had with his generals. That isn't the best worked out part of the book though. In a way, one could skip this part altogether and still capture the main message of the book: Lincoln was a master at putting the right people in the right place politically."
Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:46:32 -0500
21: Bringing Down the House - Movie Tie-In: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions by Ben Mezrich
http://www.librarything.com/work/book/39906758
frederikv's review: "Reads like a movie."
Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:50:16 -0500
frederikv's review: "Great novel. The introduction actually already reveals the key plot element, which makes it more enjoyable to read unless you're into who-did-it kind of crime stories (or unless you skimmed over the intro and had to be reminded about this well into the book by your wife). It's part 2 that really make this book stand out. The reflections on why the characters did what they did are great. You'll get pulled in!"
frederikv's review: ""Never let the truth get in the way of a good story" comes to mind reading this book. The setting - a surf writer taking his family on a year-long roadtrip along the Australian coast - is perfect stuff to dream about as a surfer with a day job that doesn't require him to travel the world breaks. The day-to-day hassles that make this trip a lot less epic than imagined unfortunately cause some pain reading the author's tale. While this is obviously done on purpose, it doesn't really work perfectly. It leaves a rather plain story of a family trip in an expensive 4WD (of which we read a little too much, to satisfy the sponsor) down under, reminding the reader that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. That in itself is an accomplishment not to discard."
frederikv's review: "The voice of Occy filters through really well in this partial auto-biography, partial biography of the icon surfer Mark Occhilupo. Maybe not enough a critical account of his life - the role of drugs and alcohol in his fall are a bit too shaded for instance - this book does let the reader into the life of a professional surfer with a remarkably long time at the top. Mixing the main story with quotes from colleagues, friends and family is something of a trademark of Tim Baker, and for some reason it works a bit less well in this book compared to how he used this style in Bustin' Down the Door."
frederikv's review: "Great account of how professional surfing came about. Tim Baker leads Rabbit Bartholomew in putting his life story on paper, from a young kid surfing on the Gold Coast to being the CEO of the Association of Surfing Professionals.
The book touches on the lives of other surfers on the world circuit. Reading the book in combination with Surfers Code from Shaun Tomson, Occy by Tim Baker and The Life from Malcolm Knox makes the stories even stronger, as you'll read different views on the same situations."
frederikv's review: ""Surfing is an addiction". It is impossible not to believe Peter Heller when he writes this simple statement, after having read him describing several months of his quest to become a surfer. He takes his reader along on a journey from California south deep into Mexico, all the while truthfully describing his progress on the surfboard. The book is about a 40-something who decides to become a true surfer in 6 months: from novice to surfing big, fast waves in only half a year. To that end, he travels with his girlfriend from surfspot to surfspot along the Pacific coast, and meets several interesting characters along the way. If you've ever wanted or actually tried to surf, or if you can admire someone's dedication to achieve a challenging goal, this book should be a good pick for you."
frederikv's review: "Not so much an autobiography as a collection of anecdotes, this book still manages to capture your attention until you finish it. With a bit more attention from the editor, this could have been a truly funny and sometimes shocking account of Paul Carter's life in the oil business. Now it's still a capturing overview of the life-defining moments the author experienced while working on oil rigs all over the world."
frederikv's review: "Bryson's love for the counrty is obvious througout the book, not only because he explicitly proclaims it a number of times. The mix of dry humour and odd details about places you may have visited yourself works really well."
frederikv's review: "Focusing on the intriguing choices made by Lincoln as his cabinet members, this account of the US civil war period is a good read. The book deviates a little from its main purpose throughout the high-level account of the civil war that is included. In that section, we learn a bit about the relationship that Lincoln had with his generals. That isn't the best worked out part of the book though. In a way, one could skip this part altogether and still capture the main message of the book: Lincoln was a master at putting the right people in the right place politically."
frederikv's review: "Reads like a movie."