bookworms Blog

"The Skipper's Child" written by Valerie Poore (book review)

2010-02-04T17:33:00.012Z

Hi,

last week I started with reading the new book written by Val (Valerie Poore). Good we had bad weather with a lot of snow here, so I could read every evening and yesterday night I finished "The Skipper's Child".

It's a book written for these winter days.
The novel started at 21. December 1962. The story is about a young boy called Arie and he spent his school holidays together with his both sisters on their parents barge (the Rival). The barge is on her way from Gent (Belgium) to France ...
I do not want to write about the story, because I hate accurate book contents. Every one should read it by himself. Only some words about. It's a mystery story and a book about familie life.

Val's book is written so great and I was dunking in the deep of the words and the story. It was if I reside on this barge, but I never stood on one. I saw the waterways and the snow on the boat. Very good was the writing about the familie solidarity. The cohabitate of the three kids and their parents on the limitedness on a barge. I love this book and it's written in an awesome speech. Hope it will find a lot of readers. It's a very exciting book and if you start, you will go on and on.

Here is the link to buy Valerie's book as a paperback edition or as a hardcover.

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/the-skippers-child/7822516

If you will buy the "Skipper's Child" enjoy reading.

Bist wishes
Stefan xx

Snow

2010-01-16T21:56:00.014Z

Last weekend my daughter Charlotte and I had a walk with our both sledges around the "Habichts Wald" above our hometown Kassel. We do it alone, because Konstantin don't like the cold weather. He is freezing after some minutes.

Photo: Charlotte Schaetzky © 2010

Photo: Charlotte Schaetzky © 2010

The top of the Oktagon with the giant Herkules

Wilhelmshöhe Palace and Kassel

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2010

Wintertime

2010-01-03T14:09:00.009Z

A Happy and a Peaceful New Year 2010

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2010

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-20T13:00:00.007Z

Dear friends,

I wish you all a peaceful 4. Advent and and next week a Merry Christmas.

Today it's very cold outside (-13° celsius). We have some snow and the countryside looks like a baker sprinkled some white sugar over the trees, the land and houses.
I'm sitting here at home and I will be writing the last Christmas cards, later. Listen to some music and near me a bowl of Christmas cakes.
Together with my both kids I opened our bakery last sunday.
I finished the Christmas shopping and now all presents are waiting to find her way under the Christmas tree.

Hope you all will be have a great celebration.

Love from Germany
Stefan xx

Photo: Stefan Schaetzky © 2007

Silbermond

2009-11-29T18:59:00.017Z

Hi,

last saturday my both kids and I saw the German band "Silbermond".
The gig was taking place in Bielefeld, 1.5 hours away from Kassel.
The weather was very bad and rainy. We arrieved at 5 o'clock and we got the numbers 113 - 115 for the entrance. So we could stand in one of the first rows. (more than 7000 people stood in the arena). It was the forth time we saw the band. The last time it was in May this year.

I'm not a friend of German rock / pop music, but "Silbermond" is the exception.
It's a group with such a power. They made three CD's with great songs and I love the fantastic lyrics.
Live they are on the same level like Bruce Springsteen. You can feel all the music passion the band give the audience every night. After the show (125 minuten) we and some others were waiting in the arena and so we had the luck to meet Stefanie, Nowi, Hannes and Thomas. They gave autographs and were talking with the fans.

It was a great night for us and we hope to see "Silbermond" again in the near future.

Here is a link from the ECHO show 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnRHuqt-1IU

Stefanie Kloß - voice

Andreas Nowak (Nowi) - drums

Johannes Stolle - bass

Thomas Stolle - guitars and piano

Best wishes to all my blogger friends.

Stefan xx

"Modern Art"

2009-11-22T12:25:00.006Z

This summer is gone ...

2009-10-13T09:03:00.009+01:00

Hi,

fourteen days ago I made a short walk together with my daughter. The pictures are made near our home. This park is bordering at our property. In the meantime the trees changed the leafs into red and yellow. Now the summer is gone ...

Stefan xx

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009

Born in the USA (23. September 1949)

2009-09-23T07:03:00.007+01:00

Happy Birthday Mr. Springsteen.

Bruce Springsteen (The Boss)
was born September 23. 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey (USA)

Photo: Stefan Schaetzky © 16. June 2008 (Düsseldorf / Germany)

COLDPLAY is in my mind.

2009-09-02T09:06:00.026+01:00

... eight days have past and the music is still in my head. COLDPLAY done a fantastic gig last week. I saw lots of bands live, but Coldplay is one of the best. Chris, Guy, Jonny and Will played loud and clear and we could understand every word and every instrument. I feel that they love to play her music live and I hope to see them again in the near future.

Here are some pictures I made:

Guy Berryman

Will Champion

Jonny Buckland

Chris Martin

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009 (Hannover 25.08.2009)

COLDPLAY (pictures especially made for Val)

2009-08-29T09:23:00.023+01:00

Chris Martin

Jonny Buckland

Guy Berryman

paper butterflies

paper butterflies

Will Champion

Chris Martin

The end of an incredible show!

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009 (Hannover 25.08.2009)

Coldplay 25. August 2009 (Hannover / Germany)

2009-08-26T09:47:00.005+01:00

Setlist:

Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Yellow
Glass Of Water
Cemeteries Of London
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)
Talk (techno version)
The Hardest Part (Chris piano)
Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)
Viva La Vida
Lost!
Green Eyes
Death Will Never Conquer (Acoustic, sung by Will)
Billie Jean
Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
------
Politik
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends
-------
The Scientist
Life in Technicolor ii
The Escapist (outro)

Photo: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009

The Edge & Bono

2009-08-13T07:22:00.005+01:00

The Edge

Bono

Larry Mullen Jr. & Adam Clayton

2009-08-11T07:41:00.004+01:00

Larry Mullen Jr.

Adam Clayton

BONO

2009-08-07T13:58:00.004+01:00

Bono (3. August 2009)

U2 live in Gelsenkirchen (03. August 2009)

2009-08-05T13:08:00.005+01:00

Bono and Adam Clayton

Here is the setlist:

Breathe
No Line On The Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Mensch (Snippet) / Beautiful Day
Elevation
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Movin' On Up (Snippet)
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Unknown Caller
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (Remix Version)
Sunday Bloody Sunday / Rock The Casbah (Snippet)
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
MLK
Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (Snippet)

Encore:
Desmond Tutu Speech
Where The Streets Have No Name
One / Mensch (Snippet)

Encore:
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment Of Surrender
(U2tour.de)

The Edge and Bono

Mr. Springsteen and the E-Street-Band in Frankfurt 3. July 2009

2009-07-11T10:20:00.005+01:00

Hi,

here are two pics I made in Frankfurt.

Clarence Clemons (The Big Man), Max Weinberg (Mighty Max), Background singer, Bruce Springsteen

Charles Giordano, Roy Bittan (The Professor), Bruce Springsteen

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009 (Frankfurt 03. June 2009)

He was playing my favorite live song!

2009-07-07T07:29:00.035+01:00

Bruce Springsteen

Photo: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009 (Frankfurt 03. June 2009)

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street-Band played my favorite live song in Frankfurt.
It was one of the wishes he got from someone in the first rows.
I love the music of this great song.

Here you can listen and watch the song:

http://media.brucespringsteen.net/non_secure/videos/080331_1S.mov
It will be some minutes to open this side, but it's working!

Here you can find the lyric:

"TRAPPED"
written by Jimmy Cliff

http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/Trapped.html

Photo: Stefan Schaetzky © 2009 (Frankfurt 03. June 2009)

one, two, three ...

2009-07-04T14:44:00.003+01:00

Bruce Springsteen and the
E-Street-Band

Working on a Dream Tour 2009

The Set List:

3. July, 2009
Frankfurt, Germany
Commerzbank Arena

Badlands
Adam Raised A Cain
The Ties That Bind
My Lucky Day
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
The Factory
Something In The Night
I'm Going Down
Ramrod
Trapped
Because The Night
Waiting On A Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Point Blank
The River
Kingdom of Days
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Encore
Hard Times
Jungleland
American Land
Bobby Jean
Dancing In The Dark
Twist & Shout

The CD of today, this month, maybe this year!

2009-06-07T14:46:00.005+01:00

Hi,

Friday I got the new CD from Mark Oliver Everett (E), or better known as EELS.

The CD is named "HOMBRE LOBO 12 songs of desire".

The first time I heard about EELS, was as he stood together with Rachel, Pete and Mikey at one of the legendary "In the Attic" shows.
I own the CD EELS with strings (Live at Town Hall). A great CD, too.

The new one contains alternate Rock songs and slowly songs. It's difficult to characterize his music. It's EELS!

Here are two links and you can form an own opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fLQ9ATx7n8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wREjT7DlI7M

Enjoy his music.

Love
Stefan

Pete Townshend

2009-05-19T07:20:00.005+01:00

Happy birthday Mr. Townshend.

Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello

2009-04-17T07:04:00.007+01:00

Hi friends,

yesterday I had a look at the internetside from Bruce Springsteen. I do this very often. (think every day.)

On this side you can watch a fantastic video from Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street-Band featuring Tom Morello. The song they performed was "The ghost of Tom Joad".

Tom Morello is such a fantastic guitarplayer, but very special.

Go and enjoy

http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html

All the best.
Love
Stefan

PS: my son and I will see "The Boss" this summer again.

London (five) "Amy MacDonald"

2009-03-04T19:42:00.014Z

Hi, I'm back again.

This time I will write some about our evening at the Roundhouse
(9. October 2008) in Camden/London.

As I started to prepare our London week, we had the wish to see a performance at Covent Garden and a "Rock" concert.
I visited the Ticketmaster UK webside and discovered. There was announced a gig from the Scottish singer/songwriter lady Amy MacDonald.
I loved her CD "This is the Life".
The first time I heard abot Amy was 2008. She was playing at the Royal Albert Hall (Teenage Cancer Trust).
So I bought tickets for us three online and waited to get them, but no tickets arrived. Now I send some mails, but I got no answer. The last step was a phone call to London and it comes in the way I thought about. I heard the speaking of a waiting loop. (This is what I love every day"... please hold the line...)"I try it several times and days later I could speak with a lady and I told her the story and her answer was: "Come to the Roundhouse and pick up your tickets."
OK, this we done.
The Thursday morning we drove with the underground to Camden. There was a nice young lady, but she had no tickets for us. First two hours before the gig Ticketmaster give us the tickets, she told us. So we drove back to Kensington and made some shopping. Last but not least we got the tickets before the gig.

The show was sold out since month. We had the luck to be in one of the first rows.

It was a very good performance. Amy was playing acustic guitar and the band was fantastic too. She was playing all songs from her CD and some new.

The acoustic version of the Bruce Springsteen song "Dancing in the dark" was a highlight. Amy was speaking a lot with the crowds, but I understand only a few. She has such a Scottish accent. Amy was smiling every time and I think she like to be on the stage.

I must say it was a fantastic evening and if she is comming in the future near to Kassel we try to buy tickets again.

I promise to come back at the end of the month with the last post about London.

Love
Stefan

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2008

London (four)

2009-01-17T15:57:00.016Z

Hi,

now it's time to go on with my London diary.

I try to start my writing earlier, but every day it's the same. To much work and no free minutes.
This morning I had a walk to town to have a look at some bookshops, but I found nothing. It's good that I have a lot of books I haven't read up to now. On my bed is lying since some days the new P.D. James (The Private Patient). I bought this one in London from the bookshop Hatchards. We have not such a good shop in my hometown, mostly only shops like Waterstones. There are some small, but ever I miss books written by unusual writers.

Thursday we saw the weather was on the same way like the days before and so we drove with the Subway to St.Pauls Cathedral.

First we visited the Cathedral inside. St. Pauls is an imposing building and my both kids loved the Cathedral. Konstantin and I climbed up the stairs to the top. I read it must be 528 steps. Charlotte dosn't like such high positions and so we done it alone. We had a fantastic view.

Here some pictures.

After this exhausting climbing we had a coffee and later we went on with some shopping.

The evening ended with a fantastic gig by an extraordinary young singer songwriter lady. She is very popular. More, if I'm continue with London (five).

Love from the cold Germany
Stefan xx

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2008

Christmas 2008

2008-12-22T05:53:00.006Z

Hi all together,

I wish you a merry and a peaceful Christmas and all the best for the comming New Year.

This year, we three celebrating the Christmas Eve together with my parents at the home of my sister, her husband and her both sons.

The picture isn't made this winter, because we haven't snow yet, but I hope we will get some.

Love from Germany
Stefan

PS: I hope to continue my London diary in one of the next days.

Photo: Stefan Schaetzky © 2007

London (three)

2008-11-23T17:56:00.006Z

Wednesday we got up not late in the mornig and we saw only some clouds on the blue heaven. Such weather we had the rest of the week.

Or first stop was the Changing of the Horse Guards Parade.
The next we had a look on the House of Parliament and Big Ben from the Westminster Bridge.

After this we stopped at the Tate Modern. I can recommend every London visitors to go and see the exhibitions at this house. My kids and I love the Tate Modern with her great art exhibition. The best were that we saw "The Pack" from Joseph Beuys, which is a loan from a museum in Kassel. The museum is near the river Thames and after our visit we had a short walk over the Millennium Bridge to St. Pauls Cathedral.

We did some more shopping in the afternoon and had a tee with scones at Fortum and Mason.
The evening we closed with "Swan Lake" at the Royal Opera house Covent Garden. I saw this ballet, written by Pjotr Iljitsch Tschaikowski, years before, but I couldn't remember any details. Carly has a good CD (Conductor: Valery Gergiev)and so we know the music very good. Mostly the people only know the Swan Lake op. 20 - Suite. The performance and the orchestra was great. We saw a colourful scenery.

continue ...

Photos: Stefan Schaetzky © 2008