10 Word Reviews: A woman's touch

STATISTICS:
Title: Yuri Monogatari
Author: Collection of several artists/authors
Genre: Manga (lesbian)
Publisher: ALC Publishing (2004)
Pages: Paperback, 137
Language: English
Rating: 6/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Manga comics with lesbian characters
10 WORDS REVIEW
Had expected less cliches and shameful generalisations and better drawings


STATISTICS:
Title: To The Lighthouse
Author: Virginia Woolf
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Wordsworth Classics 2003 (1927)
Pages: Paperback 154
Language: English
Rating: 6/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Observations of family visiting beachhouse
10 WORDS REVIEW
Lacks plot, instead confusing overdose of characters with internal monologues.

Also see longer review about Woolf's debut Mrs Dalloway.


STATISTICS:
Title: Yesterday's Weather
Author: Anne Enright
Genre: Short stories
Publisher: Vintage Random House 2009
Pages: 306
Language: English
Rating: 7/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Separate stories about various women
10 WORDS REVIEW
Emotional peek into the different lives of every day women

10 Word Reviews: We believe the glory of the word

STATISTICS:
Title: Onmacht
Author: Charles Den Tex
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: De Geus / St.CPNB (for Thrillerbookmonth 2010)
Pages: Paperback, 92
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Son knows about stepfather's cheating
10 WORDS REVIEW
A lot of interesting storylines, but author missed a turn.


STATISTICS:
Title: Inherit The Wind
Author: Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Genre: Play, Religion
Publisher: Dramatists Play Service Inc. 2000 (1951)
Pages: Paperback, 90
Language: English
Rating: 7/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Evolution on trial in Biblebelt
10 WORDS REVIEW
Saw the play earlier; too many characters, but good stuff.


STATISTICS:
Title: De Klank Van Sneeuw
Author: Arthur Japin
Genre: Short stories
Publisher: SingelPocket 2009 (2004)
Pages: Paperback, 119
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Two women in the spotlights
10 WORDS REVIEW
Fascinating point of view on showbusiness and state of mind.


STATISTICS:
Title: Duel
Author: Joost Zwagerman
Genre: novel
Publisher: De Arbeiderspers/ St.CPNB (for Bookweek 2010)
Pages: Hardcover, 95
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Museum director's art project derails
10 WORDS REVIEW
In-depth set up leads to very interesting turn of events.


STATISTICS:
Title: xkcd: vol O
Author: Randall Munroe
Genre: comic, science
Publisher: Breadpig, 2009
Pages: Paperback, 111001 ;)
Language: English
Rating: 10/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Collection of webcomic plus additions
10 WORDS REVIEW
Jokes are occasionally too nerdy, often recognizable and always brilliant.


STATISTICS:
Title: Mobilhome
Author: Dirk van Weelden
Genre: novel
Publisher: De Bezige Bij / ECI
Pages: Hardcover, 210
Language: Dutch
Rating: 5/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Explorations of town and mind
10 WORDS REVIEW
Starts off promising, but author soon loses himself in drivel.

10 Word Reviews; how do you like them sprouts?

STATISTICS:
Title: Oeroeg
Author: Hella S. Haasse
Genre: novel
Publisher: Querido 1948
Pages: paperback, 105
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Dutch classic about Colonial Indonesia

10 WORDS REVIEW
Friendship tainted by class-difference saddened me; historical and emotional rollercoaster.

STATISTICS:
Title: De Wraak Van Het Spruitje (The Revenge of the Brussel's Sprout)
Author: Jan Paul Schutten
Genre: Children's book, educational, food
Publisher: CPNB, 2009
Pages: paperback, 94
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Trying to make sprouts appealing

10 WORDS REVIEW
Nice effort, but still not convinced they're worth a bite.

10 Word Reviews: The grass is always greener....

STATISTICS:
Title: De Bruid Staat Rechts Van U (The Bride Is On Your Right)
Author: Rudi van Dantzig
Genre: Romance, Drama
Publisher: De Bijenkorf (1997)
Pages: Paperback, 78
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Husband's boyfriend makes three.

10 WORDS REVIEW
Love is blind, I'm annoyed she can't see.


STATISTICS:
Title: Erken Mij (Acknowledge Me)
Author: Esther Verhoef
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Ambo-Anthos (2009)
Pages: Paperback, 90
Language: Dutch
Rating: 6/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Therapist screws (with) her (head).

10 WORDS REVIEW
Not my favorite genre, but I liked the bloody mess.


STATISTICS:
Title: Groener Gras (Greener Grass)
Author: Annelies Verbeke
Genre: Short stories
Publisher: De Geus (2007)
Pages: Hardcover, 222
Language: Dutch
Rating: 6/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Common people on the edge.

10 WORDS REVIEW
Disturbing disconnected stories made me feel rather sad about mankind.

10 Word Reviews: about humans and other animals

STATISTICS:
Title: Een Tafel Vol Vlinders (A Table Full Of Butterflies)
Author: Tim Krabbé
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Prometheus (CPNB, 2009)
Pages: Hardcover, 90
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: First stepfather's story, then son's.

10 WORDS REVIEW
Shift in point of view changes perspective in shocking way.

STATISTICS:
Title: Piep (Peep)
Author: Midas Dekkers
Genre: Essays
Publisher: Contact (CPNB, 2009)
Pages: paperback, 60
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7.5/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Essays about animals in literature

10 WORDS REVIEW
Not as sarcastic as his usual style, but entertaining nevertheless.

STATISTICS:
Title: Ik Heb Altijd Een Roos Klaar Staan Op Het Balkon, Voor Het Geval Dat (I Always Keep A Rose Ready On My Balcony, Just In Case)
Author: Loesje
Genre: Politics, Sociology, History
Publisher: A.W. Bruna, 2008
Pages: Hardcover, 175
Language: Dutch, some others (see excerpt/picture below;)
Rating: 9/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Posters that changed the world

10 WORDS REVIEW
In hindsight these provocative statements make an even bigger impact.





Do You Have Room In Your Head For Amazing Plans?
More about Loesje

BOOK: Bad Girls Of PulpFiction

STATISTICS:
Title: Bad Girls Of PulpFiction
Author: Nancy Armstrong etc.
Genre: Parody
Publisher: Running Press
Pages: unknown (tiny booklet;)
Language: English
Rating: 8/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Cult novel covers and quotes

10 WORDS REVIEW
Awesome collection of delicious pictures and seductive excerpts, see picture!

B for Books: 3 recommendations, 1 not so much

Do you also have problems to find the time (and words) to write essays on the books you've read? But still want to tell people about them? Why not try this method: summaries in only five words (5!) and my opinion in ten (10!) Ready, set, GO!

STATISTICS:
Title: De Liefde Komt Altijd Te Laat (Love Always Arrives Too Late)
Author: Karel Glastra Van Loon
Genre: Short Stories
Publisher: B for Books
Pages: 61
Language: Dutch
Rating: 8/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Journalist travels through war-struck Armenia

10 WORDS REVIEW
Point of view made me feel like tourist of war.


STATISTICS:
Title: Liefste In De Verte (Darling From A Far)
Author: Jeroen Brouwers
Genre: Short Stories
Publisher: B for Books
Pages: 42
Language: Dutch
Rating: 7/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: His memories of catholic boardingschool

10 WORDS REVIEW
Written like a film, but it's not very eventful.


STATISTICS:
Title: Kijk Naar Me (Look At Me)
Author: Susan Smith
Genre: Short Stories
Publisher: B for Books
Pages: 40 (*read about 10)
Language: Dutch
Rating: 4/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: She can not resist him

10 WORDS REVIEW
*Two smokers; it would have been torture to read on.


STATISTICS:
Title: Mannenwerk (A man's job)
Author: Yvonne Kronenberg
Genre: Short Stories
Publisher: B for Books
Pages: 46
Language: Dutch
Rating: 9/10
5 WORDS SUMMARY: Differences between men and women

10 WORDS REVIEW
One of my favorite authors on the subject of relationships.