Cruel Paradise deftly weaves together the firsthand stories of men and women who emigrated from the Netherlands throughout the twentieth century. Hylke Speerstra interviewed transplanted Netherlanders in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa for this book, which vividly recounts the trials and successes of these emigrants.

“An entertaining discussion” of the role memory plays in our lives as we age, including an interview with Oliver Sacks (Times Higher Education Supplement). When we can’t call to mind the name of someone we’ve known for years, or walk into a room and forget what we came for, we start worrying. Are these lapses just “senior moments,” or something serious like dementia? In this book, a renowned specialist explores the topic of memory in later life—not only the problems but the surprisingly unexpected pleasures it can offer, such as the “reminiscence effect.” Avoiding jargon, Douwe Draaisma explains neurological phenomena and also includes a long interview with Oliver Sacks, who speaks of his own memory changes as he entered his sixties. Draaisma moves smoothly from anecdote to research and back, weaving stories and science into a compelling description of the terrain of memory and forgetfulness, dismantling myths and helping us to value the abilities of the aging mind. “For readers, the most welcome aspect of this book may be his heartening examples of the wisdom that comes with old age.”—The Washington Post “He engages with topics of considerable social and psychological importance…his use of varied sources is refreshing.”—Times Higher Education Supplement

For forty years Dutch Immigrant Memoirs and Related Writings has enlightened and stimulated readers interested in the Dutch heritage. This classic collection of nineteenth-century travel accounts and personal reminiscences by Dutch immigrant pioneers provides a unique perspective on the colorful history of Dutch immigration from the Netherlands to the United States. Compiled by respected historian Henry S. Lucas in 1955, this anthology lets the immigrants speak for themselves through letters, diary entries, addresses, formal writings, other direct sources. Beginning with the "new immigration" in 1846, this expansive volume explores the daily course of life during the early days of Dutch settlements in places like Holland, Michigan, and concludes by examining further Dutch migrations to states like Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.