EM - June/July 2011 - (Page 35)

Life An apple a day is good for you Natural Health Health & Habitat, page 33 35 On your marks... ESB Beach Race Health & Habitat, page 31 June/July 2011 www.esb.ie/em Image in-box 2 1 a selection of your photography 3 6 7 5 4 9 8 1 ‘US Airways Boeing 757 - Dublin Airport’ by Michael Hughes. 2 ‘I told you not to call dear when I’m having a smoke’ by Tony Hickey. 3 ‘Passing Time in New York City’ by Catherine Bracken. 4 ‘Lightning - Iowa City’ by Michael Hughes. 5 ‘A nightly visitor’ by Tom Cleary. 6 ‘Garden colour’ by Clídna Geoghegan-Quinn. 7 ‘Spring morning at Lough Dan, Co. Wicklow’ by Brian Fleming. 8 Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata, Almeria’ by C. Bracken. 9 ‘Giraffes at Fota Island’ by V. O’Dwyer. By Kathleen Thorne book review The Twin Written by Gerbrand Bakker Published by Vintage Price €10.55 Helmer and Henk Van Wonderen are twin sons of a Dutch farmer whose farm is situated on polder land. As the boys grow up, it becomes clear to their father that Henk will be the land’s future farmer and that Helmer will have to study to become something else. The latter is therefore sent to college in Amsterdam. Henk has a girlfriend called Riet. One day they go driving in her car. She loses control and they end up at the bottom of a lake. She survives, but Henk drowns. Soon after the funeral, the father banishes Riet from the house. He decrees that Helmer must abandon college and become the farmer that his brother was. Thus Helmer becomes the reluctant farmer of a mixedfarming operation that includes some dairying and some sheep. This completely ties him down for many years. During these years, he silently but bitterly resents his father. Much of the story deals with how this resentment works itself out towards its sad conclusion. This is a tale of isolation, unfortunate family relationships and often misguided human behaviour. In the hands of a lesser writer it could have been a de- pressing book. However, it is far from depressing. It is saved by the accuracy of its observations, leaving the reader to make his own judgements. Equally, the Dutch landscape, the animals, especially Helmer’s pet donkeys and the sheep, draw the reader into an attractive and sympathetic way of life. There is the malign presence of a hooded crow in the ash tree outside the farm- house. It seems to symbolise the shadow side of life on this Dutch farm. This is a book that gently draws the reader in, making it at so many levels a truly fascinating read. n http://www.esb.ie/em

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of EM - June/July 2011

EM - June/July 2011
In This Issue
News
Services & ESB Electric Ireland
ESB Networks Ltd
ESB Energy International
Aghada in the Spotlight
Health & Habitat
Sligo Walk 2011
Life

EM - June/July 2011