Tag: The Netherlands

Saving a Whole World.

Book Review for “The Last Train to London” by Meg Waite Clayton. This is the fictionalized story of Geertruida Wijsmuller, aka “Tante Truus” the Dutch, Christian woman who saved over 10,000 mostly Jewish children from the clutches of the Nazis through what came to be known as the Kindertransport. Although this is historical fiction, the … Continue reading Saving a Whole World. →

A Dutch Treat

Book Review of A Light of Her Own by Carrie Callaghan. Judith Leyster lived in Holland in the 17th century, during a time when such things as painting, needlework and music, were acceptable as feminine pastimes. For example, artist Frans De Grebber taught all his children to paint, including his daughter Maria, and he even … Continue reading A Dutch Treat →

Mysterious Models

Book Review of "The Miniaturist" by Jessie Burton The blurb for this book reads as follows: "On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives at a grand house in Amsterdam to begin her new life as the wife of wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt. Though curiously distant, he presents her with an extraordinary wedding … Continue reading Mysterious Models →

Landscapes of Deception

Book Review for "The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith. In reality, none of Sarah van Baalbergen's works survived, but Dominic Smith decided to turn the few known facts about her into fiction by renaming her as Sara de Vos and resurrecting her work. Starting out in 17th Century Holland, Smith shows … Continue reading Landscapes of Deception →