"Originally published in 1933, this classic Dutch comedy tells the tale of a determined but misguided marine shipping clerk enmeshed in a cumbersome cheese-centered farce."

I felt as though some of the deadpan Dutch humor may have been lost in translation, but for the most part, the comedy of errors was spot on! I enjoyed this novella and plan to begin a bookring with it.

I am starting a bookring for this book. Please PM me if you're interested. Bookring will remain open until the book is returned to me.

Participants so far:

Megi53 (from US, will ship intn'l)
Lucy-Lemon (UK to UK)
mafarrimond (UK, pref to ship EU)
Kingfan30 (EU ship to EU)
Simson-Shilitoe (EU to EU)
Danielle23 (EU, pref EU)
Frutz (EU)
Shovelmonkey1 (EU)
4evagreen (EU to EU, can int'l)
Brunton11 (EU will ship int'l)
Duza-kaluza (Chile will ship int'l)
Azuki (US to US,can int'l)
Oppem (US)
Arugh48187 (US to US)
back to Ayntastic (US, last) Made it back home

Note: Order is subject to change based on shipping preferences and others joining the bookray.

How the bookring works:
* Someone will PM you for your address, PM them back and provide your address
* When you receive the book, please make a journal entry letting everyone know that you received it
* Put the book at the top of your TBR pile (under other rings/rays that arrived first)
* Read the book (take your time and enjoy the book, don't feel rushed to finish it but try to pass it on within a couple of months - others are waiting!)
* When the end is in sight, check the book's journal and PM the next person to get their address
* Finish the book, make another journal entry and let everyone know what you thought of the book
* Send the book to the next person on the list (please use the cheapest shipping method available), make release notes (Controlled Release) or journal entry to let everyone know that it's in the mail
* END OF THE RING, The last person in the ring mails it back to me, Ayntastic, and I will then donate it to the 1001 library.


Please feel free to PM me at any time with questions, or check the forum post here: http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/20/452101/

Arrived in the mail today; looks unique! Will begin reading as soon as I finish my current bookray (< 100 pages).

This story was exceptionally enjoyable! I can certainly see why it was chosen as one of the "1001".

The translator wrote a rather dry introduction, but he did an excellent job with the actual text. It was intriguing that Elsschot added chapter 15 in 1941 after a debacle with personnel at his favorite literary journal.

I loved the characters of the children, Jan and Ida. Even if ol' Frans was a mediocre human being (and his wife Delfine a total wimp-ess), there's a foreshadowing that the offspring will far outdo them.

The Wednesday evening gatherings at Van Schoonbeke's house fed my fascination with social class strata. I felt so sorry for Frans when he tried to brag about a posh restaurant he'd only heard of from a friend, and the others told him it had been closed for three years.

The concerned co-workers from General Marine and Shipbuilding left a warm, congenial feeling after reading about their visit and their gift of a backgammon set to a man they presumed to be suffering from nerves.

Elsschot (aka de Ridder) explicates how authors and composers build "tragic tension" in his introduction/afterword. It was interesting, if chilling, to read. I'm intrigued by his theory of a standard artistic framework "clothed so completely differently by different temperaments that no one would suspect that there was the same framework underlying such totally different products."

At the point where the cheese tower is threatening to collapse, one paragraph made me stop and sigh. Yes, Frans is somewhat a Mama's boy, but this is still nice: "I suddenly think of my mother. It's lucky she has not witnessed this cheese catastrophe. Once upon a time, before she started picking kapok, she would have paid for those ten thousand cheeses to spare me this suffering."

Very interesting to learn a bit about how the world of wholesale and retail works, as well. Just like young Van der Zijpen, "I have absolutely no aptitude for business."

Thanks so much for starting this bookring, Ayntastic. I'll PM for lucy-lemon's address now.

Mailed this morning -- included the nice quilt postcard from Ayn for the next reader to enjoy.

This arrived on Friday, but I have been at my parents house for the weekend. As I had the day off work today, I devoured it all in one go. I liked the length of the book - usually I love long novels, but this felt perfect. I really enjoyed it! I love it when I read a book from the 1001 list that I wouldn't have read (or heard of!) otherwise.

Messaging mafarrimond for her address now.

The book has arrived safely. Thank you for sharing it.

What a wonderful little book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. some of 1001 books are a little strange but this one a pure delight.

Book arrived safe and sound, will get to it as soon as I can, thanks for sharing.

24 May 11 - What a funny little book, all about one of my favorite foods. Had I not had to stop reading for work it would have been a one sitting read (damn work :) !), a very short and easy read, and a great storyline. I think we can all picture someone we know who is like this, it is a great insight into how not to run a business. Like Megi53, I also had to smile at the part about his mum buying all the cheeses had she sill been alive. I will get this passed on this week for you.

On its way to the next reader

The book arrived safe and sound in today`s mail.

At the moment I am reading "The Rights of the Reader" by Daniel Pennac, a bookring started by "hakkalina". So I hope to start with "Cheese" soon.

Thank you "ayntastic" for sharing.

And Thank you "kingfan30" for posting and the sweets.

"Cheese" is a simple and sad parable about a man who tries to do, and be, what others expect of him rather than simply being himself.

Elsschot had a wonderful gift for telling a story in just a few pages and "Cheese" is a wonderful example of it.

Other pluses for the book are the bright red jacket and the crisp writing style. I finished the book in one sitting.

"Cheese" is just as delectable as the full-cream Edams featured in it. Dig in!


Also for lovers of all things Belgian: Harry Pearson's comic travelogue "A Tall Man in a Low Land," which brings the 1933 Belgium of "Cheese" into the present.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/9706182/


The journal entry picture is taken from the 2011 Alkmaar's cheese market at the Waagplein, one of the Netherland`s most popular tourist attractions.


Posting to "Danielle23" as soon as I get an address.

I am going to mail the Cheese-package to the UK tomorrow in the late afternoon after finishing work.

Happy journey and happy reading, Danielle.

The book is now safely with me after its very speedy journey. Thanks so much Simson-Shilitoe for another great package; chocolate always goes down well and the postcard is beautiful.

I should make a start on this book by the end of the night, thank you xx

I finished this book earlier today and with so much happening in my life at the moment it was a calming experience. I still can't believe however, that a whole book can be based on cheese, lol. I felt that Frans was a weak character and he should never have attempted to enter the cheese business as he was so obviously not suited to it.

A quick, lighthearted read abd another to be ticked off the list; number 290 to be precise. I will get this off to the next in line as soon as I can xx

Off to the next in line, thanks for sharing xx

The book has arrived safely. Thank you Danielle23 for sending it.

A nice, fun and quick read :) A little strange but I liked it...

Send on to shovelmonkey1 today. Have fun with the Cheese!

Received today! Thank you very much for sending this book and the lovely card. I've got about half of Junky by William Burroughs left to read and then I will be starting on this book.

Mmm cheese. This book is a thoroughly enjoyable tranche of fromage-y goodness. Bit of a random choice for the 1001 book list I think, but a neat little parable wrapped up in the wax jacket of the Edam. Was torn between feeling a bit sorry for the protagonist and wanting to shake him and shout " sell some cheese, for the love of god man - decorating the office can wait". Also felt a bit sorry for his long suffering wife who would have probably made a more logical business person. All in all an enjoyable read without a rancid after taste.

Get the wine and crackers ready because the cheese is on its way!

Waiting for me when I get in from work will try to read when I finish my present read.

What a delightful little book and an interesting addition to the 1001 list, in fact I would probably never have even heard of it otherwise. Elsscot true genius is to take such a banal, mundane subject matter as Edam cheese and turning it into something rather more interesting..

Frans Laarmans is a bored shipping clerk who after the funeral of his mother enters into the world of business as a cheese magnate in an attempt to escape his humdrum life and impress his new friends whom he feels inferior to. However, Frans has no aptitude for business and is a dreamer, fritters away his time away outfitting his new office rather than actually trying to sell the product. He does not even like the cheese.

It is a good job that this is a short book as I did not find Laarmans a particularily appealing character and am not sure how I would have felt if the story had dragged on for another 100 pages or so. In the end this short book is quirky rather than being funny, sad but never tragic, a parable of everyday life, the grass is not always greener on the other side or something about birds in hand and bushes.

On it's way to Brunton11. I hope that you enjoy this quaint little book.

Arrived today. Thanks everyone for sharing and 4evagreen for the sweets - Brightened my day after a long day in the office after the bank holiday!

I liked this one. It made me smile every time I picked it up because I couldn't resist saying 'Cheeese Gromit?' - Small pleasures and all that! One of the more interesting easy going 1001 books.

I have an address for duza-kaluza and will get this one in the post tomorrow. Thanks all for sharing.

After nearly 3 months this book has been returned undelivered from Chile! I've contacted Azuki who is next on the list and will post this book on once I have their details.

I posted this book to azuki earlier today - Fingers crossed it arrives safe and sound. this time round.

No worries, book has arrived safely and shiftly!
This time of the year is not a fast reading time for me, but will put this on top of my TBR pile.

Finished this a few days ago. The story is almost comical if it isn't also rather sad. The protagonist is not very likable, but probably more alike us than we would like to admit.

What a shame he doesn't like cheese. I do, so I wish this book were more about cheese, as it is, the type of product is non-consequential.

This will head to oppem tomorrow.

Just wanted to let you all know that this very interesting looking book arrived in today's mail.
I am leaving next week for 3 weeks vacation & am not at all certain will be able to get to reading this before I leave but I promise that on my return it will be the first book in line... I hope this is not going to be a problem with anyone & thank you Azuki for sending it on to me...

Firstly, sorry to have kept this little book so long before reading it..
It was as I said the first book on my pile when got back from vacation...

My thoughts - a charming, witty little read about a 'little man' who is probably like many of us in this world - a good citizen, working honestly to provide for his family. Not very exciting but law abiding and inheriently 'good'.
He likes his life to be in order - he is a clerk by profession & in his every day life - not a decision maker, not a leader... just hard working & rather mudane...
You have to feel very sorry for him as his life gets more & more out of his control and at the end you breath a sign of relief as he settles back into the life he is suited for - back once more safe & sound in his own 'little pond'..

I have contacted the next person on the list - no response as of now but hope to have the book moving again very soon.

Thanks for sharing this book - am sending it back to you as the last person on the list never responded to my emails...

Came in the mail while I was travelling for spring break. Glad to have this one home, may give it a re-read. I'm now "donating" it to the 1001 Library so that hopefully it can travel some more. Thanks everyone who participated in this ring!

Thanks so much for your donation ayntastic!

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.

Sending to dicentragirl

Received from ayntastic as a trade.

This was a quick little read. Quirky book. He takes on the task of selling 2 tons of cheese, with no business or selling experience whatsoever. Everyone wants to better their lives and this was his attempt...