The Black Diamond

I'm not the first person to admire the Royal Library in Denmark, which is both the National Library of Denmark and the University Library of the University of Copenhagen. And my couple of photos will probably not match those many, many found on the web. However I had the privilege to visit and get a tour by the Director and will add my photographs to the Internet.

The building has a 'black' glass exterior.

Looking out of that glass from inside gives a view of the waters.

The view is pretty nice from other places too.

As you rise up in the interior you look down on the escalators and bridge.

Looking to one side you can see into the reading room. If you look closely you will see that these are reserved seating for scholars who are using material out of the collection and they may have that space for six months or longer. The valuable books surround them as they work.

And I can't finish without noting, again, the dominance of the bicycle, this time in Copenhagen. You also get a good view in this picture of the much older buildings at the rear onto which the modern extension has been built and which also forms part of the library.

Men at work in Helsinki

I looked out my window. Not sure what I was seeing. A truck. Some men.

It opens!

So does the top.

What could go wrong?

Phew!

Now for the brown blob, but what is it? It is looking at me.

On the top.

Now what? Ah, the poster is changing.

Ice cream.

Men are gone. Photo from the ground. Vanilja, yum.

The doors

I am fascinated by doors and I know that I am not alone. Here are a few from my recent travels in Northern Europe. I am a good tourist but a poor historian and you will have to wonder where they are.

I like the unusual design above the door, sort of two symbolic fish tail to tail.

Everything looks ancient here except the doors, presumably renewed from time to time. I also liked the tunnel and wonder if it was a later addition being so close to the door.

Again a mixture of old and new, electric night light, electric cable up the wall and letter slot.

Rather grand entry statement, except for the cafe sign!

There is a decided lopsideness to these doors.

And in this last one it is very much the doors that attracted my attention. I'm a sucker for lions and engraved figures in general.

And it is of course not actually the doors but the arch and walls and the pieces that go together to make a statement about what is on the other side. These are not just convenient entrances but expressions of what some person wanted.

From large to small

I like to stop for a moment when I am in a new place and focus on the small. There is usually too much large to take in but a detail can stick in the mind and put the overwhelming large into perspective. An example is when I walked through the Binnenhof, a large historic courtyard in The Hague (http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/culture-and-arts/to/The-Binnenhof.htm).

This is one of the entrances.

This is the vista of the courtyard with interior chapel and lots of interesting detail.

And this is a gilt fountain that caught my eye.

And finally one detail from the fountain.

The unfortunate golden dog sticks in my mind and brings the whole scene to life.

A little more bike

As I mentioned in my previous post I was rather taken by the cycle culture in The Netherlands.

At the main train station in The Hague bikes were stacked two deep, row after row.

And they were inventive in their accessories.

Enjoy.

The cycle of life

I discovered last week, during my first visit to the Netherlands, that it is true - their streets are cycle friendly, and they cycle in huge numbers.

A few observations.

They have clearly separated cyclists from pedestrians from trams and from cars. In that order of priority. 

They reduce the barriers to cycling, not just by having cycle paths but by having lots of bike storage at your destination.

The locals don't have fancy bikes, don't dress for cycling and largely don't wear helmets. In many cases their bikes are without gears (it is very flat) and rather ratty. They have custom baskets or designs for carrying children and shopping. 

I'd be interested in their overall health statistics given the lack of helmets, but I suspect there may be fewer per capita accidents given the urban design.

In the rain they just grimace or raise a brolly (I saw this first hand!).

My anecdotal observations was of a very fit people and one in which good design facilitated good manners.

Tintin and the Picaros - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-seventh in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

In this last of the published adventures of Tintin Herge is a little derivative, reminiscent of his earliest work and lacking the spark of the previous dozen or more excellent books. A nice read but not much more. For the observant, Tintin has finally modernised his trousers!

Flight 714 - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-sixth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

In this book we have some memorable moments; touching down down under, return of very familiar villains (who get their dues), a little UFOlogy and stunning images. Another master work by Herge.

The Castafiore Emerald - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-fifth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

Another adventure without a villain. However amusing and entertaining. A worthy addition to the canon.

Tintin in Tibet - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-fourth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

This is my favourite Tintin adventure. Unusually it doesn't feature a conspiracy or blaggards but does have some familiar faces including a character from a much earlier adventure. I'm not entirely sure why this story works so well, perhaps the costume and scenery, perhaps the relentless faithfulness of Tintin, but whatever I suspect I am not alone in finding it deeply satisfying. I also have to repress the odd shout of 'Chang'.

The Red Sea Sharks - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-third in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

We return to old villains and old friends, but there is an engaging familiarity in their presence and once again I found myself caught up in the tension of the story (and the comedy) as I skimmed the book! Herge was really comfortable at sea and it shows.

The Calculus Affair - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-second in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

We return to earth and to familiar territory, chasing the in-demand Professor Calculus in cars and planes, revisiting old friends and old enemies. There are lots of great visual gags in this delightful book (sticking plaster).

Explorers on the Moon - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirty-first in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

The exploration of the moon has been a dream for mankind for an age, and was still a dream when Herge wrote this book. This adventure is one of exploration of the unknown which cannot be disentangled from the more mundane treachery of humanity and in this case redemptive sacrifice. Great read.

Destination Moon - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-thirtieth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

This is a pearler of a story, all the more impressive for being written nearly two decades before the first actual trip to the moon. Herge has shown a fine eye for people and places but he also shows his real interest in the detail of science. This was an inspirational book for me and the frisson from the first time I read it, when I realised that I needed to find the next book At ONCE, has stayed with me. I particularly like the way Professor Calculus dominates this story in a manner not seen in earlier books.

Land of Black Gold - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-ninth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

As a child I never owned a Tintin book. They were a treasure borrowed from the local public library. However their collection of otherwise excellent hardcover editions didn't contain Land of Black Gold. It was mentioned in other books in footnotes, as something that happened was related to an incident from the aforementioned book. I spent many years keeping an eye out for this book. I'm sure you have had a similar experience. It was many many years later that I first read it and it's elusiveness will always give it a certain mystique in my mind.

Prisoners of the Sun - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-eighth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

The Seven Crystal Balls ended with Captain Haddock and Tintin flying to Peru in search of the unfortunate Professor Calculus. I particularly loved this book as a child, perhaps because of the stunning Peruvian drawings and the sense of being drawn into an ancient culture but also the classic solar eclipse theme, all handled beautifully.

The Seven Crystal Balls - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-seventh in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

Herge draws on a popular theme, misfortune to the grave robbers, combines it with a South American theme and the usual cast of characters including the newly gentrified Captain Haddock (remember the monocle?). A simple story that leads us, and Tintin, across the world.

Red Rackham's Treasure - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-sixth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

This story picks up where The Secret of the Unicorn finishes and the hunt for lost treasure is (literally) full steam ahead. As well as the detectives and Sir Francis Haddock's descendant Tintin is joined by the persistent and irrepressible Cuthbert Calculus, whose mad (or slightly eccentric) scientist provides humour but also the critical tools that enable Tintin to succeed. The surprising and upbeat conclusion rounds out the story but also provides the underpinning of the remainder of the Tintin catalogue.

The Secret of the Unicorn - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-fifth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

For me the Tintin adventure really gets going with this book and its companion, Red Rackham's Treasure. The Haddock character gets a depth beyond expectation and beyond what had been glimpsed in the two previous books in which he featured. His engaging and colourful back story provides the grist for a mysterious mystery that Tintin pursues with typical tenacity, aided in the usual manner by the bumbling detectives. I'm not surprised that Spielberg chose this story line for his (in my opinion) successful translation of Tintin to the big screen. It is a ripper.

Cigars of the Pharaoh - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-fourth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

There are misunderstanding with the detectives from Scotland Yard, clues and red herrings and a trail of drug running, a mysterious eastern Fakir and a Prince. All ingredients for another adventure.

Tintin in America - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-third in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

Without doubt my least favourite book in the canon. The caricatures are too over-played and the plot is repetitive and lacks engagement. However it does have the elements that define Tintin, just not so well constructed.

The Blue Lotus - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-second in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

Early Tintin, not as well rounded as later book and with a tendency for the plot to be a little thin.However we are introduced to Chang, a young friend who plays a pivotal role in a much loved book later in the sequence.

The Shooting Star - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twenty-first in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

This has always been one of my favourite books. Tintin reunites with Captain Haddock, whose character is still developing, and Herge for the first time dabbles in science fiction. There is a lunatic predicting the end of the world and a giant spider! And very large toadstools. Excellent.

The Crab with the Golden Claws - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-twentieth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

We see some familiar themes in this book, the scourge of opiates and the lure of alcohol. Tintin finds and 'saves' Captain Haddock who is to become the foil for Tintin's faultless character, a companion who's vices threaten to sink him but whose courage and faithfulness comes through in the end. There are also some great dream sequences in this book, another defining feature of Herge's work.

King Ottokar's Sceptre - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-nineteenth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

I realised as I reflected on this adventure that Tintin is the accidental detective. He is a deliberate tourist and calculated taker of risks but he is a detective driven by other's needs and his own insatiable curiosity. His drive and success is underscored by the comic antics of the real detectives Thomson and Thompson.

The colouful, iconic cultural wallpaper of the 'mythical' Syldavia is one of the trademarks of Herge and it wasn't until I was an adult and had travelled a little that I realised Herge didn't stray far from what he saw in his own travels. 

This is one of my early favourites and is Herge at his best.

The Black Island - Herge

This is the Hundred-and-eighteenth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

I first discovered The Adventures of Tintin at my local library at an early age. I don't exactly know when but I suspect it was before my teenage years. I notice that this story can be traced back to the 1930's but this 1960's English edition is my canonical version. 

Firstly let me admire the artwork. I could happily look just at the pictures, especially when Herge got to work on a larger canvas such as the cover art.

Secondly let me admire the characters that leap off the page.

Thirdly I should comment on the humour, all pervasive but counter balanced by the serious and compelling story line and the earnestness of our hero. 

Lastly the dialogue, which I can only assume works as well in the original French, but I suspect some credit must go to the translators Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper and Michael Turner for capturing the humour, characters and that indefinable something that is just the Tintin magic.

I've chosen to start with this story, rather than go chronologically, partly because there isn't a strict reading order and I'm sure everyone discovers Tintin in a unique way but also because I think this is the first Tintin I read. There is a scene involving Tintin, a train, Snowy, a cooked chicken and Loch Lomond whisky and I am taken back many, many years when I reread it. As I have just done. Happy.

The eloquence of story with pictures

As I return to blogging my essential books there is a series that caught my eye, The Adventures of Tintin.

I can't imagine not having these books on my bookshelf. My better half and I bought them at a time when we couldn't really afford the expense, but these are just paperbacks and really they are a necessity rather than an indulgence and we got a discount on many of them from the very nice people at Westbooks because we were librarians. I notice that they are looking a little shabby in the spine and perhaps one day a new set might be required. In the meantime it will give me great pleasure to work through them and add them to my bookshelf.

The Ogre Downstairs - Diana Wynne Jones

This is the Hundred-and-seventeenth in my one-book-at-a-time bookshelf.

This is a just a story about a blended family coming to grips with their lot - and a little bit of magic thrown in for good measure. Diana Wynne Jones really is a delight. I never know what to expect when I open one of books, except that I am never disappointed.