Grooks, #3

Grooks #3

by Piet Hein

For those already familiar with Piet Hein, this third volume of Grooks offers a new supply for appreciation.

For those unfamiliar, this volume will introduce a unique experience, for taken individually each Grook captures some truth regarding the human condition; and, collectively, they form the philosophy of a multifaceted man who is optimistically realistic.

Genres: Poetry, Humor

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Danish mathematician, inventor, designer, author, and poet, often writing under the Old Norse pseudonym "Kumbel" meaning "tombstone". He has been called an universalist. In that way a spiritual affinity existed between him and the Renaissance ideal - a modern variant of Leonardo da Vinci. However, contrary to the historical ideals, in Piet Hein's works is found an easily recognizable element whether it is a matter of scientific publications, essays, poetry or architecture. The special Piet Hein touch is the supe-riority of the form in relation to the objectives, the medium and - for that matter - the contents.

http://www.piethein.com/piet_hein-en....

Reviews

[Gijs Limonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise, stumbled on Piet Hein (yes, a distant relative of the 17th Dutch admiral and privateer for the Dutch Republic) via a quote by Richard Dawkins in his River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life;

"“Nature, it seems, is the popular name
for milliards and milliards and milliards
of particles playing their infinite game
of billiards and billiards and billiards.”

[J. Nic Fisk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worse than Grooks 1, better than Grooks 2, but still a 5/5 in my eyes. These are clever, heartfelt, brief, and meaningful poems that are easy to pick up and will prompt a lot of measured thought for the rest of the day.

[Giuseppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few writers can convey the amount of significance Piet Hein does in his "grooks". Wry and wise, sly and scathing; For you see, they would have to be in the environment these were written in. After the Danes fell to Nazi Germany in 1940, Hein's words struck back against the oppression and dreary reality under their iron presence.

As times' rhyme, as they are want to do for they never repeat, the unique grook writing style still is a source of light in the written format. Characterized by irony, paradox, brevity, precise use of language, sophisticated rhythms and rhymes which are often satiric in nature - they are a pleasure to read and a pleasure to share.