Hendrik Groen

A #1 international bestseller in the vein of Fredrik Bachman's A Man Called Ove: an irresistible, funny, charming, and tender-hearted tale about friendship, love, and an old man who is young at heart. "FUNNY AND FRANK...A STORY WITH A GREAT DEAL OF HEART."--Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of THE ROSIE PROJECT Technically speaking, Hendrik Groen is....elderly. But at age 83 1/4, this feisty, indomitable curmudgeon has no plans to go out quietly. Bored of weak tea and potted geraniums, exasperated by the indignities of aging, Hendrik has decided to rebel--on his own terms. He begins writing an exposé: secretly recording the antics of day-to-day life in his retirement home, where he refuses to take himself, or his fellow "inmates," too seriously. With an eccentric group of friends he founds the wickedly anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club--"Rule #3: No Whining Allowed"--and he and his best friend, Evert, gleefully stir up trouble, enraging the home's humorless director and turning themselves into unlikely heroes. And when a sweet and sassy widow moves in next door, he polishes his shoes, grooms what's left of his hair, and determines to savor every ounce of joy in the time he has left, with hilarious and tender consequences. A bestselling phenomenon that has captured imaginations around the world, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen is inspiring, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny with a deep and poignant core: a page-turning delight for readers of any age.

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen

Lara Engle

This book is sneaky with its gut punches. It ambles along, alternately sweet and acerbic, with Hendrik's wry observations about life in a care home at 83 1/4 years old. Then it sneaks in a moment of everyday tragedy amongst the custard cups and whining. Hendrik is a surprising, cantankerous gem. These characters and their lives will make you laugh, fear, hope, and love.

Jan Talkington

It took me a few pages to get into the flow of this book, but when I did I enjoyed getting to know the people living in this care home in Amsterdam. Hendrik opens up the book to the good, the bad and the ugly - I laughed out loud in some parts and was saddened by others.

Dakota Gigout

Wow. I was unprepared for the emotional journey through this book! Hendrik discusses relevant political issues during the years in which this book is written as well as the difficulties of old age. However, as raw as his descriptions are, it does not deter from the exuberant life he and his “gang of old but not dead” experience and many silly anecdotes of his time in an old folks home.


For anyone wanting to expand their reading on the elderly or simply read a heartwarming novel, I highly recommend this book.

Be AWARE: suicide, not politically correct

Kaelan Chambers

** THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON ** ''There are many laughs in this book but it''s so much more than just a comedy. It''s a story about how friendship, selflessness and dignity lie at the heart of the human experience. When I''m an old man, I want to be Hendrik Groen'' John Boyne, author of international bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas *** ''Another year and I still don''t like old people. Me? I am 83 years old.'' Hendrik Groen may be old, but he is far from dead and isn''t planning to be buried any time soon. Granted, his daily strolls are getting shorter because his legs are no longer willing and he had to visit his doctor more than he''d like. Technically speaking he is ... elderly. But surely there is more to life at his age than weak tea and potted geraniums? Hendrik sets out to write an expos�: a year in the life of his care home in Amsterdam, revealing all its ups and downs - not least his new endeavour the anarchic Old-But-Not Dead Club. And when Eefje moves in - the woman Hendrik has always longed for - he polishes his shoes (and his teeth), grooms what''s left of his hair and attempts to make something of the life he has left, with hilarious, tender and devastating consequences. The indomitable Hendrik Groen - Holland''s unlikeliest hero - has become a cultural phenomenon in his native Netherlands and now he and his famously anonymous creator are conquering the globe. A major Dutch bestseller, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen will not only delight older readers with its wit and relevance, but will charm and inspire those who have years to go before their own expiry date. *** Praise for The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 � Years Old ''A story with a great deal of heart, it pulled me in with its self-deprecating humour, finely drawn characters and important themes. Anyone who hopes to grow old with dignity will have much to reflect on'' Graeme Simsion ''There are many laughs in this book but it''s so much more than just a comedy. It''s a story about how friendship, selflessness and dignity lie at the heart of the human experience. When I''m an old man, I want to be Hendrik Groen'' John Boyne ''A funny but also touching diary praised for its wit and realism'' BBC Radio 4 Front Row ''I laughed until I cried and then laughed and cried some more'' David Suchet ''Thoughtful, anxious and gruff... Laced with humour'' The Best New Fiction Mail on Sunday ''Amusing [and] wickedly accurate ... I was constantly put in mind of One Flew Over The Cuckoo''s Nest, another comi-tragedy concerning the tyranny of institutions of the unwanted. Enjoy Groen''s light touch but do not be fooled by it. We live in an ageing society. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen is a handbook of resistance for our time'' ***** FIVE STARS Sunday Express ''Highly entertaining ... a delightful and touching saga of one man''s way of coping with old age ... we may assume that Hendrik Groen is a character of fiction. But it is a fiction so closely based on the observation of real life that it is utterly convincing'' Daily Express ''A joy to read, as much concerned with friendship and dignity as it is with the debilitating effects of aging ... An entertaining and uplifting story of a man in the winter of his days, stoic in the face of bureaucratic nonsense and an unabashed need to wear a nappy. Imagined or not, this is the diary of someone who wants nothing more than to be allowed see out his days with dignity and respect. It''s not too much to ask, really, is it?'' John Boyne Irish Times ''Full of off-beat charm and quirky characters'' Cathy Rentzenbrink, Stylist ''Hendrik pens an expos� of his care home, sets up the Old-But-Not-Dead club and relishes the arrival of a new female resident. This geriatric Adrian Mole made me laugh and think. Terrific'' Fanny Blake, Woman and Home

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1⁄4 Years Old

Pierke Bosschieter

Emma Wärnberg

Gia Palamos

Caitlin Hooker

Pedro Pinheiro 

Jeanie Cha

In the vein of bestsellers like A Man Called Ove or The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes a funny, tender-hearted tale about friendship, love, and an old man who is young at heart.

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen

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