Oben ist es still

Helmer van Wonderen, a reluctant farmer, sets things straight. He moves his bedridden father upstairs, clears out the living room and parents' bedroom, paints the floors, windows, doors, and walls, and brings in new furniture. The painting of the black sheep, the photographs of his mother, and the old grandfather clock go upstairs, while all the plants that can bloom end up on the compost heap. Since his father does not do him the favor of simply disappearing, being swept away by a gust of wind, or at least dying, Helmer rearranges his life downstairs. However, he cannot so easily dispose of his unfulfilled dreams. One day, when he unexpectedly receives mail, memories resurface. "Henk should have lived here. With Riet and with children." Henk, the twin brother, has been dead for a long time. But Riet is alive, and she has a son.

Gerbrand Bakker's first novel was a great success in the Netherlands. With a keen observation of people and nature, subtle allusions, and tender eccentricity, Bakker's dry, laconic narrative style creates an irresistible pull from the very first page. Before you know it, you find yourself reminded of the big questions of life alongside a taciturn farmer amidst dairy cows, Texel sheep, a fog crow, and two donkeys, understanding that comedy and tragedy, wit and wistfulness, above and below are inextricably linked.