Literary Blog Hop and Give Away

February 18, 2012 by pburt

Welcome to Reflections of the Hinterland – I hope you are all enjoying the Blog Hop and Give Away, there are so many great books out there. Thanks to Judith of Leeswammes’ Blog for her organization. Most blog hops are geared toward very genre specific books but this one is for geared towards giving away books with more “literary merit”. Today I am offering one book to give away – The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker (translated from the Dutch by David Colmer) and winner of the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. My review of the book can be found here. It is a quiet novel set on a Dutch farm, more introspective then plot heavy but well worth reading. The copy is a once-read paperback and is beautiful. Archipelago Books printed it an an unusual size (5 3/4″ x 7″) with a drop dead gorgeous cover. I must say, it did felt as good to read as it was well-written.

Here is a description of the book from Archipelago Books:

When his twin brother dies in a car accident, Helmer is obliged to return from university life to take over his brother’s role on the small family farm, resigning himself to spending the rest of his days ‘with his head under a cow.’

The novel begins thirty years later with Helmer moving his invalid father upstairs to have him out of the way as he sparsely redecorates the downstairs, finally making it his own. Then one day Riet, the woman who had once been engaged to marry Helmer’s twin, appears and asks if she and her troubled eighteen-year-old son could come to live with them on the farm.

Ostensibly a novel about the countryside, TheTwin is ultimately about the possibility or impossibility of taking life into one’s own hands. It chronicles a way of life that has resisted modernity, a world culturally apart yet laden with romantic longing.

Here are the rules:

The contest is open to readers from the United States and Canada
Please comment to this post with your email address to enter.
Entries close 2/22/2012 at 11:00 pm (PST)
I will randomly pick a winner and notify that person by email. They have three days to get back to me. If I don’t hear within that time frame, I will pick another winner.
One entry per person
You don’t need a blog to enter (just an email and a valid address to receive the book) not do you have to follow my blog (although followers are always welcome)
Enjoy the blog hop – there are some great literary blogs on the tour and I plan to spend some of my weekend happily reading about books

Here are the rest of the blog hop participants:

Posted in Uncategorized | 29 Comments

29 Responses

on February 18, 2012 at 10:36 am | Reply Wolfy

Count me in on this one. I love literary blogs. Especially those from outside the US. The bookshops here offer lots of junk.
on February 18, 2012 at 10:49 am | Reply Nancy

Thanks for the giveaway! I love to read!
on February 18, 2012 at 11:08 am | Reply ikkinlala

This definitely looks interesting – thanks for the opportunity!

ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
on February 18, 2012 at 11:15 am | Reply debbie

I would love to read it, it sounds really good.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
on February 18, 2012 at 11:20 am | Reply Francine Anchondo

Thanks for the giveaway
fmd518(at)gmail(dot)com
on February 18, 2012 at 11:36 am | Reply stephanie christmann

Sounds like a splendid read.

~Steph
soklad82@hotmail.com
on February 18, 2012 at 3:36 pm | Reply Debbie Rodgers

I love reading about “way(s) of life that…resist modernity”. Sounds fascinating – thanks for the chance to win it.

debbie at exurbanis (dot) com
on February 18, 2012 at 4:52 pm | Reply Rachel Shaffer

everynewday at hotmail dot com
on February 18, 2012 at 4:54 pm | Reply Vicki

I haven’t seen this book before but it sounds like one I’d really enjoy!
irbratb(@)gmail(.)com
on February 19, 2012 at 4:49 am | Reply Diane@BibliophileBytheSea

This looks like a lovely book; glad u are participating in this event. Have a great week!
on February 19, 2012 at 6:54 am | Reply Leeswammes

How nice you chose a Dutch book! I’m Dutch, but I haven’t read this book yet.

Thanks for joining the blog hop (don’t enter me, I’m not eligible).
on February 19, 2012 at 7:09 am | Reply curlygeek04

I’m entering! The book sounds interesting. I enjoyed visiting your blog.
curlygeek04(at)gmail(dot)com.
on February 19, 2012 at 8:17 am | Reply Elizabeth (BookAttict)

Thanks for the amazing giveaway!

elizabeth @ bookattict . com
on February 19, 2012 at 11:53 am | Reply Nan

Hmm, curious story. I’d like to give it a try.
on February 19, 2012 at 2:56 pm | Reply Marjorie

Thanks for the chance to win a great read.
on February 19, 2012 at 3:51 pm | Reply Carol N Wong (@Carolee888)

This one looks very interesting. Thank you for this giveaway.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
on February 20, 2012 at 12:36 am | Reply AnnaZed

That does look interesting. Thank you for hosting. I have added your blog to my future literary adventures via RSS

margueritecore [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com
.
on February 20, 2012 at 5:15 am | Reply mamabunny13

I read your review and am intrigued. I would love to win a copy of this book.
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
on February 20, 2012 at 9:42 am | Reply Lilian

I would love to enter!

lilianxcheng AT gmail.com
on February 20, 2012 at 12:41 pm | Reply Ruth Hill

Please enter me. Thanks!
on February 20, 2012 at 4:15 pm | Reply Linda Kish

This sounds like a very interesting story. One that I would love to read.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com
on February 20, 2012 at 7:21 pm | Reply zaraalexis

Thanks for participating in the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop. It’s tough to part with books! I know, I’m a book hoarder. I’m also an avid reader, book reviewer, and blogger, too, which means I’m always more than happy to add another book to my collection for review.

Thanks for a chance at this.

See you at the end of the hop!
Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez
Email: zgarcia(dot)alvarez(at)gmail.com
On Twitter: @ZaraAlexis
on February 20, 2012 at 10:19 pm | Reply vinci777

Thanks for the great book hop.
would love to read the Twin, sounds
like a good read.
dayleb at telus dot net
on February 21, 2012 at 7:12 am | Reply Katrina Page

Sounds pretty good. Count me in. 🙂 thanks.
oneagainst at hotmail dot com
on February 21, 2012 at 8:47 pm | Reply Jennifer O @ Lit Endeavors

sounds like a wonderful read!

litendeavors(at)gmail.com
on February 22, 2012 at 12:08 am | Reply Leslie

Thanks for the giveaway. This is a new title for me and sounds like an interesting read.
on February 22, 2012 at 1:44 am | Reply Kim Reid

Wonderful giveaway – Thank you!
kimberlybreid at hotmail dot com
on February 22, 2012 at 7:15 pm | Reply Alex W.

Thank you for this chance to experience a great book! 🙂
on February 22, 2012 at 7:58 pm | Reply Darlene

Please enter me in the draw, and thanks for the giveaway!

darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com