The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old cover art

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old

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The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old

By: Hendrik Groen
Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
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About this listen

Hendrik Groen is 83¼ years old, and he has decided that it is time to make something of his life. He may be rich in years, but he refuses to give in to all the trappings of old age just yet. Hendrik's hilarious and touching diary documents his life as an OAP living in a care home.

When he recruits some similarly young-at-heart friends to join his Old but Not Dead Club, Hendrik proves that love can blossom, rules can be broken and fun is within reach, even at their age. So begins a charming, poignant and moving novel that reminds us not to underestimate the oldest amongst us.

©2016 Hendrik Groen (P)2016 Penguin Audio Biographical Fiction Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Political Satire Comedy Heartfelt Witty Biography Feel-Good

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All stars
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Love the insight into the minds and lives of the residents in the care home. Really great narrating too

A joy to listen to

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I absolutely loved it. the narrator draws you in and you feel part of Hendrik's world

excepcional

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A truly delightful book. Funny, poignant, witty. I haven't enjoyed a book so much in a long time - and I now have some great ideas for my old age!

Derek Jacobi's narration was superb.

A delight

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Loved this.

A diary telling the reader about the day to day mischief, sadness, thoughts, observations and triumphs of an octogenarian stuck in a care/sheltered community. Hendrick wants to live his live to the full and won't be beaten by his age or infirmities. He's feisty.

Gosh I went through all the emotions with this one. Hendrick actually at times reminded me of Victor Meldrew.


I read this in small sound bites so I could enjoy the golden tones of the marvellous Derek Jacobi who was by far the best choice for the reading. He brought to life Hendrick and all the other inmates of the home superbly.


Different but so much fun :)

Marvellous

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loved this book. lots of laught out loud moments but also very moving in places

funny and poignant

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I'm not sure what to make of this translation of a huge bestseller in Holland with its anonymous author. The whole is a one year-long Diary-Blog written by Hendrik Groen, a resident in a care home in Amsterdam. Whoever the author really is, he has intimate inside knowledge of such a place.

Hendrik's blog tells us like it is - the oldest resident is 'senile as a goldfish'; dementia patients are 'trussed up like escape artists who have forgotten how to escape'. There's no shying away from the minutiae of humiliations suffered by these 'ramshackle bodies'; the nasty undercurrent of bullying between residents, or the endless groaning and complaining. This all makes it sound awful to listen to, and in some ways it is a profoundly distressing and hideous scenario of what may await us. BUT it is saved by Hendrik's spirit. As he says, it's 'sad, grim and funny' in the care home, and friendships forged there are his saviour.

Hendrik is witty, acerbic without being cruel, and switched on to his country's politics of care for the aged as well as the world. He organises outings for those able enough to join his Old but Not Dead Club; he loves his mobility scooter, and gives and receives kindness and consolation. The more Hendrik reveals about himself, the more we respect and admire him as he keeps his private tragedies to himself. He is tolerant and positive, enjoying smartening up for his Christmas dinner, and making comments which are heart-breaking and funny at the same time, 'Old people, like children, are always losing things, but no longer have a mother to tell them where to look'. He makes jokes at his own expense as when he reels at the cost of a haircut which soon will be 1 euro per hair the rate his hair loss is going.

The winning element is Derek Jacobi's narration which makes the whole a dramatic monologue creating Hendrik as a complete person with a full supporting cast. Jacobi himself is 78 - a younger narrator could not have done it.

This is certainly a one-off. It will move you to tears and laughter, but, dominated as it is by Hendrik's humour, courageous spirit, respect for old people, and sense of the absurd, it is ultimately a listening experience not to be missed.

The Old but not Dead Club

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Loved every moment of this book, easy listening as the storyline is brilliant and funny! Well worth it!

Brilliant funny and heartwarming

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This was a fantastic listen. In parts hilarious, others sad, it was worth every second. Derek Jacobi reads this absolutely masterfully. Not one single word that he doesn’t bring to life, even the dates that head up each entry.

Beautiful, illuminating, funny, heartbreaking

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A real mixed bag of emotions in this, beautiful and sad and lovely. I wasn’t ‘gripped’ and couldn’t say it was a ‘page turner’ but I wasn’t definitely heavily invested in the characters, they felt so real. This is my second listen and I think I’ll go back again

Lovely, gentle, sad but joyful

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Having lost two close and very elderly relatives in residential care in the past few years I recognise everything in this diary! It has been written so perceptively and with such a light touch that over its duration I experienced the entire range of emotions. Knowing that if I live long enough I could be looking at my own future made the whole thing even more poignant. There are though very many 'laugh out loud' moments and I found myself chortling away continually!Inspirational is the 'Old But Not Dead Club' and I hope that in similar circumstances I would be able to set up something similar to that! The narrator, Derek Jacobi, is brilliant and adds tremendously to the impact of the book .. it would be a pleasure to listen to him all day!
I would thoroughly recommend this book/audiobook to all ages .. but .. it should be made compulsory reading/listening for everyone's 60th birthday!!!!

Absolutely Marvellous

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