I absolutely adored Hendrik's first diary and had to rate the second collection five stars as well. He is such a loveable character and I so hope I have such a good group of friends around me when I'm 85! The Old-But-Not-Dead club are a delight to read about. They make you laugh, cry and feel genuine joy. I had to put the book down several times because it just broke my heart - but then a few pages later it would lift you back up again. Absolutely wonderful and I hope there is a third diary in the future.

I first made the acquaintance of Hendrik Groen back in August 2016, when he was 83 and I was, well, younger. Hendrik is now, in this second book, a couple of years older (which I guess I am too…) but, I’m happy to say, he hasn’t decided to reform and become a model for demure old age. With his fellow Old-But-Not-Dead club members he is still a thorn in the side of the authorities running the old people’s home.

The group is now short of two of its original members – Eefje, with whom our hero fell in love, has, sadly, died and Gretje is now living on the floor of the home used for those with dementia – but they find some excellent replacements. Geert, who continues to encourage Hendrik to explore on his mobility scooter, and Leonie, a big woman, full of laughter and inappropriate jokes, join the group as they continue their monthly outings and begin a series of culinary adventures as they explore Amsterdam’s restaurants. A reminder, once again, that older people are not fossilised – it’s just easier for us if we assume that they all want to live back in the days of their youth and eat soft food. They also take on the management by reviving the Resident’s Committee and discover that the home itself may be at risk as the government pursues a policy of helping older people to be cared for in their own homes (even if that is not the best for them…). They also have to deal, once again, with loss as a one of their number falls seriously ill.

This is book is about the lives of a group of people in their 70s and 80s so it is a bit light on sexual shenanigans, car chases and explosions. Fair enough – there are enough of those around in other books, films and tv shows. What is does show is realistic people – with all their ordinary faults, idiosyncracies and digestive issues (let’s be honest, when was the last time you read a book not aimed at children that mentioned when people farted?) – living lives which could, one day, be ours. We will, hopefully, become old people ourselves one day – when we do I hope we are like Hendrik: accepting that we may need to give ourselves a bit more time to do things but never closing ourselves off to new experiences. It would be easy to see a book about older people being old, and living in a care home, as depressing. But if you think that you’ve never come across old people as vibrant and, well, full of life as this lot.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book featuring octogenarian Hendrik Groen and his group of friends so I was looking forward to reading about what they got up to in this new novel. I wasn’t disappointed.
With this book I decided to read a month at a time and found it more engaging. All of the characters reappear along with some new ones and they continue with their antics. Mainly to enjoy some good times together and annoy other residents and staff whilst doing so.
Hendrik talks about the devastation he feels over the loss of his daughter, his wife’s health and the news that he mentions throughout the book. Much of the reports concern the atrocities that occurred in France but Dutch politics is also mentioned. We also see his reaction to the failing health of a very dear friend and how the close-knit group helped him cope.
It’s a lovely book to read, different because it most of the characters are elderly but still shows spirit, devotion and humour.

I'm sorry to say that I didn't get on with On The Bright Side. I have not read Hendrik's first Secret Diary but on the basis of all the rave reviews I was expecting to enjoy this very much. I'm afraid I didn't.

I recognise that the book tackles important issues about ageing and the treatment of older people, and that it does this in a spirit of wit and determination. These are issues which are important to me and which I genuinely care about. The trouble is that I just found the book thoroughly dull. I didn't find it funny, neither Hendrik nor the other characters seemed very real to me and his thoughts and antics didn't tell me much that I didn't know or inspire me to do more than I already do. There is an awful lot of this book (440 pages) and having struggled to about half way, I gave up.

I am sorry to be so critical of a book which has a noble purpose, but it wasn't for me. Many, many others have enjoyed Hendrik Groen so don't let me put you off, but this really wasn't for me.

(I received an ARC via NetGalley.)

After having adored the first “diary” by Hendrik Groen, I was excited to find out what the now 85-year-old had been up to. Although perhaps unsurprisingly a little bleaker in tone, the writing still feels searingly true to life. There is love and loss of all kinds in the second year Groen documents. There are of course more outings for the Old-But-Not-Dead Club, progressing to restaurant gatherings and even a trip abroad. For a time of life that can be extremely lonely for far too many people, Groen absolutely has it made, living as he does in the home with his friends, fighting the Director by re-forming a residents’ committee. There are new characters and dramas in the home. We learn a little more about Henk’s long life. Drawn out from memory almost casually is the death of his young daughter - not in a sensationalist way, since it is likely more than fifty years - but rationally, with acceptance. I am not sure exactly who Hendrik’s target audience is, but I recommend his diaries to all. He professes a desire to write his first novel “next year” - actually 2016 (this second book was published in his native Netherlands in January of that year). I understand via Google Translate on a Dutch publishing news site that the novel will indeed be published in 2018. I hope for an English translation soon after.

I was pleased that the writer was able to maintain the standard of the first book. He brings the characters to life in all their various guises and prejudices and their interaction is masterful.
A second very funny and perceptive piece. Can he do it again?

I thought that this was a really great book – very witty and funny!

I normally read a lot of crime books and I’m really picky with what I read from other genres, but as soon as I saw this book I knew it was one that I wanted to read and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it over the recent festive period.

Great writing style, a story that captivated me, kept me interested and genuinely made me laugh – really enjoyed it – Hendrik Groen is a brilliant character – 4 stars from me!

I loved the first book and this is just as wonderful. Endearing, funny, true to reality.

My 100 year old Mum was recently in a nursing home for a few months. It was a totally new exper not just for her but for our family. So much in this book resonates, the good and the bad.

I love the defiant refusal to be engulfed in the rules and routines, it takes over a person so quickly, this book made me laugh and saw me through some awful moments.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Michael Joseph for allowing me read the book in return for a review.

Do read it, it’s not depressing. quite the opposite.

This sequel is as good as the original book...............real life in an Old Person's Home in Holland. Great fun, great characters although one of the best ones dies in this book.. The Old - But- Not- Dead Club is hilarious.
Must be read.

This second book about Hendrik Groen was just as charming as the first. A wonderful mix of light hearted humour and jibes at the pitfalls of being old. But this is only the top layer of this story. Underneath it is the battle to keep on moving, to keep on living and most importantly to keep on enjoying life. Hendrik beautifully adds in little touches to make you realise that all is perhaps not as tranquil as it seems. Have I said that before?

I love the characters in this book, they're so rich and warm and endearing, even when they try their hardest not to be. And I can obviously relate to them as was apparent when my eyes welled up more than once.

I think for a younger person this person also makes you stop and think. If a 85 year old is living life is well, maybe we should all try a little harder too. Bravo Hendrik Grown.

Sequel to a wonderful glimpse inside a Dutch care home - more life-affirming diaries with Hendrik

I ummed and aahed about buying the first Hendrik Groen for my 87-year-old grandmother this year - would she find talk of mobility scooters, dying friends and illnesses depressing? Or would she see Hendrik as a role model, an old codger trying to see the best of his last years, as I did?

I took the plunge, bought her a copy, and she's already happy to hear that there's a new Hendrik book out.

This is one of those books and characters that might inspire you later in life (or sooner depending on your current age!). Hendrik writes his diary from an old people's home in Amsterdam, a second year of entries.

He talks about life as any person would, things that interest him and those around him - the national news, the menus, the future of his care home. But Hendrik is a member of the 'Old But Not Dead Club' as well, a group of eight residents who do all they can to make life fun - going out for meals, trips, watching out for each other and making their friends laugh. Enjoying life, in other words and making the most of it.

The diary is similar to his last, with some emotional moments encouraging lumps to form in throats (as Hendrik remembers his long-dead daughter, or sees a friend in the dementia ward), but mostly we see the joie de vivre of him and his friends as they stand up to Management, eat and drink and venture out into the seasons, and help each other through their rough patches and declines.

He has a lot to say about the care home situation, something all of us should be concerned about:
"What old age homes actually stand for is infantilizing, dependence, and laziness."

We are able to see the bizarre side of shared living (not unlike student accommodation):
"A kiwifruit was found in the toilet" and the ensuing gossip and speculation.

Euthanasia is discussed seriously and in the context of Hendrik and his friends, feels appropriate and timely. An atheist vicar explains his position. The refugee crisis of 2015 is viewed through the eyes of the residents of a care home who "shed tears over a ladybird with a broken leg... they're indifferent to hundreds of refugees drowning in the Mediterranean... Great tragedy is impossible to comprehend, it seems, whereas small tragedies can be mended."

Hendrik's comments on the news and modern technology remind us that we all of us, young and old, live in the same world, see the same things going on around us, and may even have similar views on things. Older people are entitled to opinions, respect and care.

It's a hard job, weighing up pathos and humour in a book where the characters are all in their eighties and physically declining, but Hendrik even manages to talk of nappies, cancer and the indignities of old age without it feeling distasteful.

And there is a lot to laugh about too, with Club members dropping tea on bullying residents, enjoying their drink and dancing, riding in formation on mobility scooters.

A role model for the older generation and the rest of us who will one day be them... I hope to see another year's worth of diaries before Hendrik throws in the pen.

With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy.

It is a huge pleasure to return to the endearing company of 85 year old Hendrik and his coterie of friends and companions at the Amsterdam care home for their second outing. We learn through Hendrik's diary that the Old But Not Yet Dead club is in rude health and it's comforting to find that our elderly cohorts are hellbent on enjoying life no matter what. They go on enlivening day trips, visits to restaurants and more. Evert, Hendrik's best friend continues to shock, and there is mischief and mayhem involving the two friends. Hendrik remains a charismatic and thoughtful character imbued with depth. The travails of old age hit harder than before with declining health, infirmity, cancer, and the ever looming presence of death, rendering this book a darker, and more sorrowful read whilst highlighting the strength that friendships provide. The care home itself is under threat and global contemporary issues such as the harrowing refugee crisis are raised.

On the Bright Side continues to raise the profile of a sector of the population that is often considered invisible and does it with humour, verve and wit. The realities of getting older cannot be escaped in their inevitability and are represented with authenticity and the accompanying sadness and grief that ensues. This is an engaging, moving and emotionally touching read with a strong sense of joie de vivre. Hendrik continues to provide a strong role model on how to live life as you get older. Long live Hendrik! Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

I was so thrilled to see another year in the life of the wonderful 85 year-old Hendrik Groen, after the success of his first 'secret diary' volume, which I loved. Having entered into his world of quiet insurgency at the care home, I feel he has become a close friend and my hero of how to survive old age in the 21st century. His model of superficial politeness hiding a sometimes grumpy, sometimes outrageous interior is perfect for the Old-But-Not-Dead Club and he encourages their gentle rebellion to make the most of life while they can. This inspiring, liberating, funny, sad and often touching book is an absorbing read and well worth the time spent in Hendrik's company. Long may he rattle the cage!

This is the sequel to Hendrik Groen 83 and a quarter years old. Hendrik keeps a diary. He is determined to grow old with dignity and to rise up against the care homes director. He dreams of escaping the confines of his care home.

Hendrik Groen is a marvellous character. He is like a naughty schoolboy. There are some very funny parts in this book but it is also very touching. I could actually see some of the events playing out in my head as I was reading some of the antics Hendrik and the members of the Old-But-Not-Dead club got up to.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin UK, Micheal Joseph and the author Hendrik Groen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On the Brightside is the 2nd book in the Hendrik Groen Series. I have read the first one and I enjoyed it immensely, so I was looking forward to reading this one.
Hendrik is now 85 years old set in 2015 and it tells of the life in a Care home in Amsterdam, and as a founding member of the Old-but-Not-Dead-Club. It tells of the outings they go on and also the fine dining restaurants and the relationships he has with the other members of the club and the other people in the Care home. They still try and have fun and live life to the fullest the best way they can. But Hendrik finds out that his best mate Evert has Cancer, an another of the residents has dementia. Not only that, they think that home future is unstable and maybe one day close.
Like the first book I enjoyed very much but this was a bit more serious than the first one. It was very emotional as well, sometimes funny and then sad, especially when Hendrik finds out about Evert and how he deals with it.
Thank you Penguin Michael Joseph for and ARC of this book.

Mr. Grumpy, Hendrik Groen is back - and I am delighted. Following on from The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen 83 1⁄4 Hendrik has had a bit of a break before deciding to pick up his diary again at the age of 85.

Hendrik's best friend Evert, previously a bit of a naughty influence on Hendrik, is declining noticeably in health and Hendrik is worried for him. Evert won't hear a word of it, and constantly tries to reassure Hendrik that he is fine. But they both know that is not the truth.

As members of the Old-but-not-dead club, a group of seniors who regularly 'escape' the nursing home for meals out, trips to the cinema etc both Hendrik and Evert see it as their responsibility to create as much havoc as possible often with hilarious consequences.

But whilst for the most part Hendrik and Evert act like irresponsible teenage boys, the message hidden within this novel is a serious one. We are all getting older, and there is much to think about if we don't want our families to have to think about it for us...

I don't want to give too much away as I think that everyone needs a bit of Hendrik in their lives, I kind wish he was my Granddad!!

I really hope that there is another sequel in the pipeline because I can't wait to read what Hendrik and his friends might get up to next!

The prequel to this book – “The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen 83 ¾ Years Old” was my favourite fiction book of 2016. I bought several copies for friends and family, recommended it to everyone and so thrilled to find out that there was another diary to come. On a recent trip to the Netherlands, this sequel was splashed all over the bookstores – a deservedly big hit in Hendrik’s home country – and I was overjoyed to discover on my return to London, that it had been already translated, and that I was invited by the publisher to read and review an advance copy.
A year on from the last book, Hendrik has decided to take up his pen again. His ‘Old-But-Not-Dead’ club is still going strong, although now missing two of its inaugural members. Their number have been made back up to a manageable (and exclusive) eight with the addition of the mobility scooter enthusiast, Geert, and the voluble Leonie. As well as arranging monthly club excursions to interesting (and novel) local attractions and events, this year they are also focussing on visiting restaurants offering food from around the world – each time a new cuisine – to complement their monotonous diet at the old people’s home: “The first veal cheek of my life was delicious, and my first smoked duck was also divine. You’re never too old to try something new, even if many old people don’t seem to think so. There’s nothing tastier than a meatball if you never choose anything but meatballs”.
They also attempt to try the 28 flavours sold at a nearby ice cream parlour, but have to give up when the shop keeps changing the order of flavours, and they can’t remember which they have already tried.
The ‘Old-But-Not-Dead Club’ is seldom afraid to broaden their horizons, unlike their fellow stay-at-home ‘inmates’, although Hendrik does decline an invitation to ‘Rollator dancing’: “It sounds horrific to me. I don’t like to dance and I don’t like rollators. To be perfectly honest, rollator-dancing strikes me as worse than waterboarding”. However, swimming and two-night trip to Bruges are great hits, when ably assisted by younger, able-bodied friends and family: “Experience has taught us that sad lesson: once old people stop doing something, they are unlikely ever to do it again.”
Hendrik is well aware of the problems and disabilities that affect the elderly, but sees them as difficulties to be worked around where possible, rather than reasons for not doing something: “You never forget how to swim, same as riding a bike,” someone remarked recently. I would suggest that the person in question, if he’s thinking of climbing on a bike again, start off not far from the A & E entrance. He’ll never stay on for more than twenty metres” and his musings on an invention of a personal air-bag to prevent broken hips in the elderly are hilarious.
The old people’s home still contains the detestable Mr Pot and Mrs Slothouwer, as well as the arch nemesis, Director Stelwagen. For some light relief, there is Mrs Schansleh with her spectacularly mangled sayings: “Time is slipping through my fingers like a ripe banana” and “Clumsiness is the mother of the bull in the china shop”.
The ‘Old-But-Not-Dead Club’ decide to resurrect (and hijack) the Residents’ Association, so that they can force Mrs Stelwagen to tell them about any plans to close the home, as seems to be happening to a number of the homes around them. While that does not go as planned, they do manage to arrange a high tea, a residents’ art exhibition, and a table in the lounge where all talk of ailments and death is banned.
“Death is always looming over our Old-But-Not-Dead Club. With eight members well into our eighties, we can expect one and a half funerals a year, statistically speaking. It’s just like waiting for the bus: the longer you wait, the greater the likelihood that it will eventually get here. To make life bearable, we ignore the statistics. Old ostriches, we are: we bury our heads in the sand, as the Grim Reaper saunters among us with his scythe in search of his next victim.” For most of the book, the ostrich approach wins, and the Club get on with living their lives to the full, and only the unmissed die. But, death does finally come to the group, and all the Club members are hit hard – especially Hendrik.
The other ever-present bane of old age is dementia: “You never get used to not being recognized by someone you love or once loved. Just as you never get used to recognizing very little or nothing about a loved one as he or she once was”. Hendrik regularly visits Gretje, who is now confined to the closed ward: “There’s an entire life still buried somewhere inside that head. She can’t access it anymore, but I cherish the little piece of that life I was privileged to share with her”.
In the diary, Hendrik muses on every part of life in the Home and in the world around him: Syrian refugees and terrorists (“the ones we’re most worried for are the terrorists in their explosive vests, who are bound to realize soon enough that in eternity, seventy virgins won’t last forever”), biscuits, cakes, modern technology and the monarchy.
Hendrik and his Club, with their incredible zest for life, curiosity and compassion are a model for all people – old and young – and I recommend this wonderful book to everyone with any life left in them.

This is the second book about Octogenarian Hendrick Groen and his friends in the Old People's Home. Although not as funny as the first book, I still loved reading the antics the friends got up too: their vest for life, coping with the constant changes of the world as well as their own health.
The characters appeared so real and you could imagine them in real life!
This book is definitely worth reading.

Many thanks to Penguin for remembering to send me an ARC of the second installment of Hendrik Groen's secret diary via NetGalley.

What a wonderful note on which to end 2017: Hendrik Groen is back, and so is the Old-But-Not-Dead Club! After a year's pause, the eighty-five-year-old is back to delight us with the daily goings-on in Amsterdam's most written about care home for the elderly.

Unforgettable characters emerge and re-emerge, whether it is the stern Stelwagen or Mrs Schadenfreude Slothouwer, both ever determined to put obstacles in the way of our heroes, the mouthy Mr Bakker, never lacking in things to rant about, or Mrs Schansleh and her fascinating homemade proverbs and idioms ("Time is slipping through my fingers like a ripe banana"). The gallery of memorable personages and their endearing or annoying quirks (depending on whom you ask) make for a swift page-turning experience, punctuated with the appropriate number of chuckles per page.

Mr Groen's talent as a chronicler lies in the ability to excite both giggles and tears, often in the same breath:

"I used to wonder what the siren sounds like from inside the ambulance. I finally had a chance to find out, but I forgot to pay attention."

The practically perfect English translation was well worth waiting for in order to join the lovely squad of lively seniors in another year of defying the system, consuming culinary delicacies and courageous amounts of alcohol to wash it all down. It really is a marvel to follow them in their attempts to keep up with the times, like when they try to order "the house wine" at McDonald's.

When you and all your friends are older than seventy or eighty, it's difficult to turn your back to the fact that the end might be just around the corner. The year 2015 brings its share of both laughter and loss for the closely-knit Club, and with that also a valuable lesson: time stops for no man or woman, and we can't afford to spend a single day as sad sacks. Get up, buck up, get this show on the road. As long as there's life.