Maria Noordman Books

Een Franse vrouw, analfabeet en jong getrouwd en gescheiden, trekt zich bij elke teleurstelling dieper terug in zichzelf.

Zaïda, een meisje uit de betere kringen in de negentiende eeuw, wil een leven leiden dat bij haar aard en capaciteiten past. Ze wenst zich niet te conformeren aan het conservatieve milieu van de adel in die tijd. Ze gaat medicijnen studeren en wordt een van de eerste vrouwelijke artsen, ondanks alle obstakels die ze moet overwinnen. De verschrikkingen van de Eerste Wereldoorlog doen haar besluiten zich te specialiseren in de psychiatrie: aan psychiatrische hulp is op dat moment een enorme behoefte. Ook de Tweede Wereldoorlog laat in Zaïda's leven zijn sporen na. Haar levensgeschiedenis wordt levendig en realistisch beschreven door de vele historische aspecten die de revue passeren. Ondanks de vele dramatische gebeurtenissen ademt het boek een groot optimisme uit: de liefde is vaak onvoorwaardelijk, de hoofdpersonen zijn sociaal bewogen, en ondanks de twee wereldoorlogen blijft het vertrouwen in de mensheid overeind.

There are ninety-nine names for God in the Koran, is it possible that there is a secret one-hundredth name? There are ninety-nine names for God in the Koran, and merely to know this most secret hundredth name will, Balthasar believes, ensure his salvation. schovat popis

Schetsen over de verschillende aspecten van de georganiseerde misdaad in het zuiden van Italië.

In this evocative tale, three adolescents navigate the stark realities of life in a remote Siberian village during the mid-1970s. The narrator, Alyosha, along with his friends Samurai and Utkin, find their existence defined by the limited scope of timber, gold, and the looming presence of a labor camp. Their lives take a transformative turn with the arrival of French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, whose charisma and carefree spirit introduce them to a world beyond their bleak surroundings. His presence shatters their understanding of freedom and possibility, contrasting sharply with the oppressive atmosphere of their daily lives. The boys, inspired by Belmondo, each identify with different aspects of his persona—Alyosha as the lover, Samurai as the warrior, and Utkin as the poet. This newfound perspective ignites their imaginations, expanding their horizons beyond the frozen Siberian taiga. Framed by reflections set in Brighton Beach, New York, two decades later, the narrative explores the stark contrast between the boys' youthful dreams and the realities they face as adults. The irony and heartbreak of their journeys highlight the enduring power of imagination amidst the constraints of their origins.

"All my life I have been interested only in men. That's how it is. You can call it a defect, if you want." Camille has begun divorce proceedings and a new novel. While sitting in a café, she falls in love with a man who walks past. She follows him, and discovers he is an analyst, specialising in marriage guidance. Camille sees this neither as an absurd cliché (falling in love with one's analyst!), nor as a strange coincidence, but as a slice of good fortune, a promise for the future - with him, she can go straight to the point, to love. In Those Arms is about the loving of men, and of being loved by them. Within it is Camille's own book, about a writer like herself and all the men in her life - fathers, brothers, grandfathers, friends, colleagues, bosses, husbands and lovers. Stylish, subtle and clever, this is a seductive and witty novel.

L'amore è un fenomeno strano. Tutti lo cercano, ma nessuno sa esattamente cosa sia. È causa di malintesi, alimenta disuguaglianze e lotte di potere, genera gelosia e solitudine, suscita incomprensioni e nasconde segreti. Tahar Ben Jelloun esplora nei suoi racconti fantasiosi i diversi aspetti dell'amore. Di fronte al dolce piacere dell'erotismo, pone la amara brama di possesso. Dietro a uno strato di romanticismo, l'amore si rivela un tiranno che tiene prigionieri uomini e donne.

Geschiedenis van het huwelijk van de twee belangrijke Mexicaanse schilders Diego Rivera (1886-1957) en Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).

Een jong meisje, opgegroeid in een dor gehucht in Marokko, ten prooi aan een boosaardige tante, emigreert naar Parijs.