We look forward to seeing you on your next visit to the library. Find a location near you.

The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen
(OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, OverDrive Listen)

Book Cover
Average Rating
5 star
 
(0)
4 star
 
(3)
3 star
 
(2)
2 star
 
(0)
1 star
 
(1)
Published:
Hachette Audio 2017
Status:
Available from OverDrive
Description
A #1 international bestseller in the vein of Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove: a funny and tender-hearted tale about friendship, love, and an old man who is young at heart.
Technically speaking, Hendrik Groen is....elderly. But at age 83 1/4, this feisty, indomitable curmudgeon has no plans to go out quietly. Bored of weak tea and potted geraniums, exasperated by the indignities of aging, Hendrik has decided to rebel - on his own terms. He begins writing an exposé: secretly recording the antics of day-to-day life in his retirement home, where he refuses to take himself, or his fellow "inmates," too seriously.
With an eccentric group of friends, he founds the wickedly anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club, and he and his best friend, Evert, gleefully stir up trouble, enraging the home's humorless director and turning themselves into unlikely heroes. And when a sweet and sassy widow moves in next door, he polishes his shoes, grooms what's left of his hair, and determines to savor every ounce of joy in the time he has left, with hilarious and tender consequences.
A bestselling phenomenon that has captured imaginations around the world, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen is inspiring, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny with a deep and poignant core: a page-turning delight for readers of any age.
Also in This Series
Formats
OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
Works on MP3 Players, PCs, and Macs. Some mobile devices may require an application to be installed.
OverDrive Listen
Need Help?
If you are having problem transferring a title to your device, please fill out this support form or visit the library so we can help you to use our eBooks and eAudio Books.
More Like This
Other Editions and Formats
More Copies In LINK+
Loading LINK+ Copies...
More Details
Format:
OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, OverDrive Listen
Edition:
Unabridged
Street Date:
07/11/2017
Language:
English
ISBN:
9781478970040
Reviews from GoodReads
Loading GoodReads Reviews.
Citations
APA Citation (style guide)

Hendrik Groen. (2017). The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Unabridged Hachette Audio.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)

Hendrik Groen. 2017. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Hachette Audio.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)

Hendrik Groen, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Hachette Audio, 2017.

MLA Citation (style guide)

Hendrik Groen. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Unabridged Hachette Audio, 2017.

Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
Copy Details
LibraryOwnedAvailable
Shared Digital Collection32
Staff View
Grouped Work ID:
d8f9d38f-0d47-fc1d-36be-38275d8f0d90
Go To Grouped Work
Needs Update?:
No
Date Added:
Jun 12, 2018 17:54:15
Date Updated:
Jun 12, 2018 17:54:15
Last Metadata Check:
Apr 24, 2024 22:07:32
Last Metadata Change:
Feb 08, 2024 17:59:08
Last Availability Check:
Apr 24, 2024 22:07:34
Last Availability Change:
Apr 24, 2024 22:07:34
Last Grouped Work Modification Time:
Apr 26, 2024 02:10:38

OverDrive Product Record

sortTitle
Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen
crossRefId
3007290
images
    • cover:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0887-1/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img100.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • thumbnail:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0887-1/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img200.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover150Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0887-1/190/9B6/6B/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img150.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover300Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0887-1/190/9B6/6B/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img400.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
formats
      • identifiers:
            • type: ISBN
            • value: 9781478973690
      • name: OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
      • id: audiobook-mp3
      • identifiers:
            • type: ISBN
            • value: 9781478973690
      • name: OverDrive Listen
      • id: audiobook-overdrive
mediaType
Audiobook
primaryCreator
    • role: Author
    • name: Hendrik Groen
id
1909b66b-251e-42db-a5d7-60c52fad59a6
title
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen
starRating
3.9
dateAdded
2017-08-25T13:50:00-04:00
contentDetails
      • href: https://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=141&titleID=3007290
      • type: text/html
      • account:
          • name: Sacramento Public Library (CA)
          • id: 1151

OverDrive MetaData

isPublicDomain
False
formats
      • duration: 12:01:29
      • fileName: TheSecretDiaryofHend_9781478970040_3007290
      • partCount: 12
      • fileSize: 342526160
      • identifiers:
            • type: ISBN
            • value: 9781478970040
      • rights:
            • type: PlayOnPC
            • value: 1
            • type: PlayOnPCCount
            • value: -1
            • type: BurnToCD
            • value: 1
            • type: BurnToCDCount
            • value: -1
            • type: PlayOnPM
            • value: 1
            • type: TransferToSDMI
            • value: 1
            • type: TransferToNonSDMI
            • value: 1
            • type: TransferCount
            • value: -1
            • type: CollaborativePlay
            • value: 0
            • type: PublicPerformance
            • value: 0
            • type: TranscodeToAAC
            • value: 1
      • name: OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
      • isReadAlong: False
      • id: audiobook-mp3
      • onSaleDate: 7/11/2017
      • samples:
            • source: Part 1
            • formatType: audiobook-mp3
            • url: https://excerpts.cdn.overdrive.com/FormatType-425/0887-1/3007290-TheSecretDiaryOfHendrikGroen.mp3
            • source: From the book
            • formatType: audiobook-overdrive
            • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=1909b66b-251e-42db-a5d7-60c52fad59a6&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
      • duration: 11:53:30
      • fileName: SecretDiaryofHendrikGroen83¼YearsOld-12854
      • partCount: 0
      • fileSize: 342484736
      • identifiers:
            • type: ISBN
            • value: 9781478970040
      • name: OverDrive Listen
      • isReadAlong: False
      • id: audiobook-overdrive
      • onSaleDate: 7/11/2017
      • samples:
            • source: Part 1
            • formatType: audiobook-mp3
            • url: https://excerpts.cdn.overdrive.com/FormatType-425/0887-1/3007290-TheSecretDiaryOfHendrikGroen.mp3
            • source: From the book
            • formatType: audiobook-overdrive
            • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=1909b66b-251e-42db-a5d7-60c52fad59a6&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
keywords
      • value: Netherlands
      • value: neighbors
      • value: Dutch
      • value: retirement homes
      • value: humorous fiction
      • value: books about friendship
      • value: Graeme Simsion
      • value: Elderly people
      • value: books on aging
      • value: modern contemporary fiction post c 1945
      • value: books about neighborhoods
      • value: books like a man called ove
      • value: books like harold fry
      • value: books like the office
      • value: books like the rosie project
      • value: charming funny books
      • value: funny book club books
      • value: unusual love stories
      • value: writers like fredrik backman
creators
      • role: Author
      • fileAs: Groen, Hendrik
      • name: Hendrik Groen
      • role: Translator
      • fileAs: Velmans, Hester
      • name: Hester Velmans
      • role: Narrator
      • fileAs: Jacobi, Derek
      • name: Derek Jacobi
imprint
Grand Central Publishing
publishDate
2017-07-11T00:00:00-04:00
edition
Unabridged
isOwnedByCollections
True
title
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen
fullDescription
A #1 international bestseller in the vein of Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove: a funny and tender-hearted tale about friendship, love, and an old man who is young at heart.
Technically speaking, Hendrik Groen is....elderly. But at age 83 1/4, this feisty, indomitable curmudgeon has no plans to go out quietly. Bored of weak tea and potted geraniums, exasperated by the indignities of aging, Hendrik has decided to rebel - on his own terms. He begins writing an exposé: secretly recording the antics of day-to-day life in his retirement home, where he refuses to take himself, or his fellow "inmates," too seriously.
With an eccentric group of friends, he founds the wickedly anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club, and he and his best friend, Evert, gleefully stir up trouble, enraging the home's humorless director and turning themselves into unlikely heroes. And when a sweet and sassy widow moves in next door, he polishes his shoes, grooms what's left of his hair, and determines to savor every ounce of joy in the time he has left, with hilarious and tender consequences.
A bestselling phenomenon that has captured imaginations around the world, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen is inspiring, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny with a deep and poignant core: a page-turning delight for readers of any age.
reviews
      • premium: True
      • source: Publisher's Weekly
      • content:

        May 29, 2017
        Delightful and moving, Groen’s novel shares a full year of the eponymous octogenarian’s journal entries, detailing his day-to-day observations, humorous inner monologues, and overall zest for life within a nursing home in Amsterdam. Bored with the daily monotony of life at the center, he decides to keep a journal for a complete year to expose the frustrations, gripes, and groans of his fellow “inmates” and the realities of growing old. Between hilarious quips about life, Hendrik regales readers with the joys of the motor scooter and his decision to relent and wear adult diapers. Hendrik’s good friend Evert—a crotchety old fellow who gets his kicks riling up the other residents—helps stave off the loneliness, but it’s when new resident Eefje arrives that Hendrik feels a spark he hasn’t experienced in a long time. Hendrik, Eefje, and Evert, along with a small group of wily seniors, decide to have a little fun while they still can by organizing the Old-But-Not-Dead Club to plan outings and excursions, including tai chi and cooking classes, and visits to the casino and museums. Engaging and hilarious, Hendrik’s diary gives a dignity and respect to the elderly often overlooked in popular culture, providing readers a look into the importance of friendship and the realities of the senior care system in modern society.

      • premium: True
      • source: AudioFile Magazine
      • content: The humble diary of a gentleman who is fighting depression in the twilight of his life is masterfully brought to life by Derek Jacobi's outstanding narration. It's a treat to listen to Jacobi's rich voice and musical intonation as they carry the listener through Hendrik's year as he makes new friends and fights bureaucracy and boredom, carrying on through fear and loss and reveling in small joys. The characterizations are vivid and flawless; each of Hendrik's friends and foes is given a unique voice that conveys individual personality while also revealing Hendrik's attitude about the speaker. Most impressive are Jacobi's beautifully tuned emotional beats, ranging from Hendrik's sly humor to his layered indignation and delicate but penetrating grief. A delightful and richly rewarding listening experience. D.L.Y. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
      • premium: True
      • source: Booklist
      • content:

        Starred review from June 1, 2017
        For one year, 83-year-old Hendrik Groen keeps a diary of life as an inmate in an Amsterdam nursing home with both hilarious and deeply moving results. Hendrik (an alias for a famous writer, leading to much speculation) chafes at the countless, seemingly meaningless regulations and decides to form a group with five like-minded friends: the Old but Not Dead Club. Every three weeks or so, one member plans a club outinga trip to the bird park; a night at a cooking school; a 3-D movie excursion. Along the way, Groen touches on local and worldwide politics and addresses the sorry state of senior care in his home country. One of the group faces serious diabetes complications; one the onset of dementia; and Hendrik's closest female friend, Eefje, suffers a massive stroke. Groen details how the other members pitch in to help during these hard times, movingly portraying the strong bonds they've developed over this one year. Even difficult moments are interspersed with Groen's biting wit and comic take on aging and all it entails, from memory loss to adult diapers. A best-seller in Europe, Groen's diary is a page-turning delight for adult readers of any age and locale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

popularity
2010
links
    • self:
        • href: https://api.overdrive.com/v1/collections/v1L1BWwAAAA2I/products/1909b66b-251e-42db-a5d7-60c52fad59a6/metadata
        • type: application/vnd.overdrive.api+json
id
1909b66b-251e-42db-a5d7-60c52fad59a6
starRating
3.8
images
    • cover:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0887-1/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img100.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • thumbnail:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0887-1/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img200.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover150Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0887-1/190/9B6/6B/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img150.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover300Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0887-1/190/9B6/6B/{1909B66B-251E-42DB-A5D7-60C52FAD59A6}Img400.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
isPublicPerformanceAllowed
False
languages
      • code: en
      • name: English
subjects
      • value: Fiction
      • value: Literature
      • value: Romance
      • value: Humor (Fiction)
publishDateText
07/11/2017
otherFormatIdentifiers
      • type: ISBN
      • value: 9781455542178
mediaType
Audiobook
shortDescription
A #1 international bestseller in the vein of Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove: a funny and tender-hearted tale about friendship, love, and an old man who is young at heart.
Technically speaking, Hendrik Groen is....elderly. But at age 83 1/4, this feisty, indomitable curmudgeon has no plans to go out quietly. Bored of weak tea and potted geraniums, exasperated by the indignities of aging, Hendrik has decided to rebel - on his own terms. He begins writing an exposé: secretly recording the antics of day-to-day life in his retirement home, where he refuses to take himself, or his fellow "inmates," too seriously.
With an eccentric group of friends, he founds the wickedly anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club, and he and his best friend, Evert, gleefully stir up trouble, enraging the home's humorless director and turning themselves into unlikely heroes. And when a sweet and sassy widow moves in next door, he polishes his shoes, grooms what's left of his hair, and...
sortTitle
Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen
crossRefId
3007290
publisher
Hachette Audio
bisacCodes
      • code: FIC016000
      • description: Fiction / Humorous / General
      • code: FIC019000
      • description: Fiction / Literary
      • code: FIC027250
      • description: Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy