Haidji's first collection of short stories, Harables - Short Stories 1, brings together eighteen of Haidji’s short stories. Each story is prefaced by a quote from the story, such as: “To be shaped for life is never easy…”; “Life seemed to be just a letter, or a few words, in the metaphor of the Earth’s biography”; “All lines are drawings!"; “For the Earth to survive, for the human race to survive, we need to overcome our own survivor instinct”. Readers will have their own favorites among these amusing, delightful and thought-provoking tales. Everyone will appreciate Haidji’s unique eye for detail and imagery and enjoy her sometimes unexpected conclusions.
just... Haidji Her interest in art began at the age of four when she got a blackboard for Christmas. She then started to draw objects around the house: chairs, tables, and so on. As she was 12 she started to write her stories and poems. Handwritten and hand painted books for family and friends. Her University education was at the University of Applied Science at Idar-Oberstein, Germany, where she obtained a Diploma (equivalent to a Master's Degree) in Jewelry and Precious Stones Design, and Painting. She is also a qualified Goldsmith.
Haidji is a talented and creative artist who produces abstract work that resonates with warmth and life. Her stories create images in the reader’s mind, as would a word be a brushstroke painting inside your imagination.
www.haidji.blogspot.com There is a very spiritual feel to her work, almost an otherworldliness.
A captiving blend of Brazilian flair, Teutonic precision and Dutch pragmatism makes Haidji's work unique, appealing and thought-provoking. Since 1995 Haidji has exhibited her work, realised her projects and told her stories in many countries: Germany, Brazil, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, England, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Australia, and the United States...
Contacts Blog – www.haidji.blogspot.com Email – haidji@gmail.com Facebook official page- Haidji Twitter - Haidji
i reread this book few days ago and I seem to discover new things i missed the first time around. i still love it and i think it's brilliant
"A thought can be, negative or positive, depending on how you feel about it"
What is there to say? it's just perfect, I love this book. It is clever and cute and fun, it’s one of those books where at the end I just sigh and wonder how I can convince other people that it's worth reading.
Some stories were so sweet & cute “SRUGAR”
Her mother looked at her "Melanie,Try it again,Say SUGAR" and Melanie said" i can't, i can't, i can't ,Mom! " and she said"srugar", whispering several times ', "srugar,srugar,srugar,srugar,srugar" smiling... and feeling like a pinkcess The srugar pinkcess
And some Stories were just relatable Work brain, Work, if you like it or not , you need to work now, 8 hours in a row, under the torture of boringness, stay awake,and work , even if you were up until 3 AM jumping between whatsapp and snapchat
i received a paperback copy in exchange for an honest review
This is a beautiful collection of many short stories that contain numerous message and lessons about life and much more. I throughly enjoyed most of the stories especially "Hot Chocolate" which is about an orphan on her birthday discovering the real meaning of family.
The writing beautifully unveils messages about numerous topic like love, friendship and family which give you a different insight or perspective on these areas. Many stories were uplifting and made me reconsider how I view my past experiences and how to approach difficult areas of life. One story especially did this,"Who Cares" as it turns into an elevating story that gives excellent advice on how to tackle depression. The story highlights that every experience can be good depending on the way you look back on it or feel about it.
The stories are unique, blending reality and fantasy to create something magical and different.Thank you so much to the author,Haidji for sending this out to me as the stories are intriguing and uplifting.
Harables is like a soothing breeze amidst the scorching heat in the world.
If you are reading this review, then I think you should read Haidji's books. With pure perfection, innocence and quality, her words sing a passionate song in mind and soul. Her books has all the ability to bring joy in anyone's life.
Her stories has a voice that directly converses with the soul and gives it tranquility and peace. Harables is a collection of short and sweet "SRUGAR"stories that stays with you all your life, leaving a significant impact.
Reading Haidji's books, is refreshing and a gift to ourselves.
In a world that never stops talking, complaining and crying, her books are a blessing.
Stories I liked in this part 1. One Euro 2. The New School 3. War Love Story 4. The last to go
Before I start my review I would like to apologize Haidji and my husband for ignoring these books for more than a year. In 2017 beginning my husband became so active in book blogging that I got excited to help him (as he got this bookworm-iness from me). So in excitation, I gave him a list of genres I can help him. He gave confirmation on my promise to few authors. "Harables: Short Stories 1 & 2" by Haidji were two of them. I still remember my husband giving me the deadline of 3 months while handing me thse two books. But later on, I got busy with my kid and was not able to finish 50-60% of the books I took. During this year Diwali cleaning I found these two books in the storeroom and I got guilty feeling so I took them on my vacation.
I would like to tell the author to come up with an attractive cover, another major reason for the delay in the review was the cover, I didn't get strong urge/appeal to read the book at first go.
When I started first part I was not sure whether I would be able to read second as well due to dull cover. But content or I would say amazing stories of part-1 made me jump to part-2.
Both books contain short gems (yes I would call story/poem gem, read the review to know why) with a different tone. Some were funny, some were cute, and many of them are thought-provoking. It will take you in a rollercoaster of various phases and emotions. Inspiring messages are the real reason I called there stories as a gem. And the icing on the stories are quotations given for each story as a crux.
The language usage is simple and narration style is straight and sweet. You may fall in love with many characters. I sure shot recommend to any genre lovers. Even if you don't like some stories, you can simply skip them.
Harables!!! First things first: I received this book through a giveaway on booklikes.
I took this book with me to the clinic every day for the last week and read a few pages whenever I could. It was the perfect book for that.
Like always, the writing was just amazing. I just love how Haidji writes her stories. It's more like poetry than 'simple' storytelling. This is a collection of short stories and even though I had my absolute favorites, all the stories touched me in some way.
My favorite ones have been, Maria's Hand, The Lost Little Star, SRUGAR, The Invisible Girl - A Christmas Tale, and New Year's Resolution. I marked them, cause I want to re read them from time to time (even tho, I'm pretty sure, I will just reread the whole book).
If you never read a book by Haidji I HIGHLY recommend her books.
This book is a collection of short stories , each speaks its own language and leaves you with a new perspective. and i think that everyone would gain a different thing from each story; It was inevitable to find yourself in the folds of one of the stories and relate, to understand and reach your own conclusions. some stories were funny and so cute while others definitely changed the way i think about lots of stuff for example : the lake girl and the crystal girl: they really spoke to me on how its about time I should stop lusting over the picture of myself I could never be and love myself the way I am, because the things I see as flaws are what makes me , and how I should just dismiss the shallow definitions of beauty I have shoved down my throat. i'd diffidently recommend this because everyone would enjoy at least a couple of stories from it .
"....The lake girl turned and Lisa saw her face, and Lisa said, “You are so pretty!”
The lake girl did not say a word. Just looked into Lisa’s eyes, as would she be saying, “Do you like me now?
At this moment, Lisa saw that the girl on the lake was herself. ....." - The Lake Girl, Harables short stories 1.
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Harables short stories 1, is a collection of 18 short stories by the author Haidji. The content covered is so varied and sometimes unexpected. You never know which emotion will hit you next. She enmeshes reality and fantasy amazingly well in her stories, and each of it touch you on a personal level. There is so much to take from this book that though I am not a fan of short stories I have already read it twice.
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I loved 'The Crystal Girl'. How it teaches us to just let it be. How it's time to just stop. Stop chasing. How inner peace and happiness is so much more important than chasing all the riches and wealth in the world. 'Lost Star' takes you to a magical outer world and gives you hope. I loved 'The War Love Story', a simple romance in the backdrop of a war. I loved the 'Name of Dreams', simply because I can relate to it. Basically, I loved them all. 'The Three Questions', 'Freedom', 'The Umbrella', all so simple yet so beautiful.
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My favourite amongst all?
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'The Lake Girl'. Simply because I relate to it on a personal level.
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So go give this a read right now and pick your favourites.
Harables (Short Stories 1) brings together eighteen of Haidji’s short stories. Each story is prefaced with a hint of what’s inside, for example: “To be shaped for life is never easy…”. “Life seemed to be just a letter, or a few words, in the metaphor of the Earth’s biography.” “All lines are drawings!”… “For the Earth to survive, for the human race to survive, we need to overcome our own survivor instinct.”
This is the 3rd book I have read by the author and although I am not a huge fan of short stories, I do enjoy her writing. The author seems to have a unique writing approach and pays a lot of attention to detail. The imagery that she creates with her more "flowy" writing is quite poetic. Some of the sort stories are only a page with others are 3-4 pages. If you like short stories and poetic type writing I would definitely recommend. Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book.
Another great book by Haidji. Her writing has so much meaning to it. You experience so much more than just a story with her lyrical words. In some cases she can create such feelings with just the placement of a period.
This isn't a book you pick up expecting to read a traditional story. This is unique, I have not seen anything else written like this. When I first picked up one of her books I looked at the way the words were placed on the page and seriously doubted that a story would work written the way it was. That book was "Life into Mist," which ended up being one of the most meaningful, emotional, and remember able books I have ever picked up.
I received this book for free from the author through LibraryThing. I was pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of the stories and enjoyed the words-of-wisdom within each one.
I was given a copy of this book, along with another book I won.
I love short stories. They are my favorite kind of stories. This book is full of them. I love them all and I would like to someday visit the world that Haidji lives in because it is beautiful. The stories are full of hope and love and wonderful things.
Firstly, I want to state that I won a print copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I imagine the author of Harables, Haidji, to be a mysterious nymph-like woman who lives peacefully through the art she creates. Her author picture on the back of this copy doesn't show her face, which I think adds to her magical charm. This book introduces us to a wide range of emotions and common memories, and does so in an innocent, charming way that weaves dreams, fears and reality together to produce a portrait of not only the reality of life, but all its possibilities.
There is a sweet little spot in my heart for this book, because it reminds me of the way I used to write when I was sixteen. And I don't mean for that to sound bad -- it is just that I used to open Word documents and just start typing, hoping to reach a certain philosophy or self-realization. I did this because I couldn't find a creative outlet that worked for me, and it was quite a cathartic experience. You will notice with these short stories that each one is segmented into many parts, alternating between the actual story's development and the grains of truth that sprinkle the work. To me, this is a delicate way by which the author's inner processes are expressed; we see Haidji's mind wander creatively.
This book is lovely, because it is light and simple -- it may touch on unpleasant emotions such as pain, betrayal, change and forlornness, but it does it in a way that does not leave a foul taste in your mouth, figuratively speaking. Instead, you are uplifted, nurtured and made to feel at peace; this is certainly a book I will reread, preferably on a rainy day in my room, alone with a mug of hot chocolate.
Of course, there are weaknesses to this read just like with any other. I often did feel as though the philsohopical "truths" that were presented as the underlining themes were a tad platitudinous, while others came across as too forced -- this is a drawback that goes back to my previous comment about these stories reminding me of my sixteen-year old self.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised (especially as my copy was signed! Thank you!) with the first volume of Harables. There are wonderful little sparks in this short read that will keep you feeling warm long after having read it. I recommend ♡.
Short stories are not my favourite form of literature, but I thought I would like to give this collection a try.
I assume that “Harables” means “Haidji´s parables”, but of course I don´t know.
The author writes simply, clearly and imaginatively about the world of sensitive, dreamy young people.
The stories are written in a unique and creative style.
One little girl says “srugar” instead of “sugar”, because she finds the word “srugar” beautiful and the word “sugar” boring. Her mother presses her to say the word “correctly”, but she refuses. She does things her own way.
These are not superficial stories, but require to be read closely and perhaps re-read in order to get the most out of them, to grasp what Haidji is trying to teach us.
“Hot chocolate” is about an orphan called Lisa. It was her birthday, and she was afraid her colleagues would not remember or did not know this. But they did remember, and Lisa learns that “Family is not overrated. Sometimes, you just need to find out who your real family is, who shares your dreams and reads your wishes”. “Trust is a basic element to survive in the world, and one of the fundamental ways to happiness.”
Some of the stories, like “The name of dreams”, I find quite challenging. Kelsey loved autumn and snow and heard the call of the magic White Mountain. Richard fulfilled other persons´ dreams but forgot his own ones. We are told that “one day, because the Earth makes all its effort to put persons with common dreams together, they will meet each other".
The name for Kelsey´s dreams was the “White Mountain”. Richard was looking for someone who shared the same dreams. But he feared that Kelsey perhaps was a dream thief.
In fact, most of the stories are somewhat challenging, and all have messages. “When something belongs to you, it comes back to you, even if you move forward, even if you give up or try to replace it. It comes back.”
Or, “Sometimes life is just like it is: A beautiful chaotic construction made by dreams, deceptions and small miracles.”
I would recommend this small collection of stories to those who are young at heart, dreamy and imaginative, or need to be more so, The stories are about dreams, ideals, perhaps illusions, and have an innocent and pure feel to them.
A couple of months ago I read the book Life Into Mist by Haidji and I loved it. Beautiful and poetic..unlike anything I had ever read. Then I had the opportunity to read another book by the very artistic and unique Haidji..Harables: Short Stories 1. I am glad that I did. True to Haidji form this book is odd and beautiful and poetic...I absolutely enjoy reading her work. Again this is unlike anything I typically read and I think that is what intrigues me so much about Haidji and the beautiful stories that she puts out for the world.
A collection of short stories each one so poetically written..each one odd in such a beautiful way. It's refreshing to read something from someone that is not afraid to be different. There is no drag to her work..no overly descriptive unnecessary paragraphs...she does not get deep into character description. Sometimes that is what is needed in other stories but not in Haidji's. She makes each collection of stories into a piece of poetry...sentences flowing gracefully...and the reading time in them is quick but perfectly so.
Again, just like in Life into Mist, Harables delivers in that same way. If you love poetry...if you love abstract...heck, even if you don't but are not afraid to try something different then I recommend this book. I don't typically buy poetry books although I do enjoy some poetry from time to time...so I am never sure what to attempt to read...Haidji's books are the perfect fit because I am reading fiction, great stories but I also feel like I am getting my poetry fix. Get the book...and HAPPY READINGS!!
Thanks to Haidji and the peeps over at LibraryThing for my opportunity to win my copy of this book free in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
My favorites.
The Crystal Girl 21 Clare My favorite: “Diversity is what creates the beauty and the charm of the world.”
The New School 29 I lived in 13 different states & attended at least 23 different schools. I can relate to Gaia. "Why does life need to change every time when things are amazing?" Later I/adopted sister never ask. We adapted & went with the flow. A new cultural learning experience.
The Lost Little Star 39 Anne Marie Stair (nee Daugaard) my God daughter who just had a baby boy 2/24/15 name. John Paul (child) Josh (baby) Angel of Reconciliation Karen Rob Fernanda (head nurse)
SRUGAR 49 I love/cherish every moment I get with my 2 granddaughters now 4 & 6. Melanie (4, aka Srugar) Claudia (5, sister)
Freedom 119 Empty nest syndrome My 2 kids growing up & moving on in life. I have a twin in heaven also. Emma Luciana Meneghetti (18) mom brother
War Love Story 131 Since I’m a retired Army veteran. William (amputee) Nada (NYU) Baghdad Connor (William BMF, burn victim) William Randolph Hearst Burn Center Dr. Smith
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. 18 very well written short stories (book). Each has its own different theme. They were all very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars for all of them.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; PDF Short story (book) Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
the book consists of 18 short stories building up along the years passing and following in the footsteps of the 4 seasons, which I personally adored in the midst of reading.
Each story began with a quote selected and making it into an adventure to find it within the pages.
The Authors work is the closest in the pure feeling to my all time favorite Author A. J. Cronin. whenever I feel overwhelmed I find consolation within the pages of these books.
These are the kind of short stories you can read over and over again and with time you find even more and more meaning to it.
The format is making the book a light to carry and read work, its incredible fast pace allows the reader to switch out the outside background noise and have their harboring heart calm a bit down from the everyday troubles.
I have it 4/5 stars on Goodreads simply because I felt like some of the stories deserved re- appearance in the future volumes, and that I would have loved to read more about them, and the fact that there isn’t any apparent diverse theme in it which is nowadays makes the literature one of the strongest platform of reaching peoples minds and hearts to connect to.
Besides that I thorough the book felt like walking on the softest most comfortable clouds of well chosen words and soothing tales.
10/10 recommend it, and to read the 2nd volume.
but ill make a comparing review of the two of them because the works deserve it.
This book is full of enticing, entertaining and beautiful collection of short stories that every reader will be touch and come to think of their terms living in this modern world. It is also relatable and every word and line are just perfect for reading which makes me calm and thoughtful every time I read each story.
This brings some topics about family, relationship, friendship, love, passion and many others that will make you think different perspective and insights in each story. Also, in each of the short story, you will be uplift by its message whether how good it is or bad. It will just really take you to reconsider your past action in life on whether it became on how you think it will look like or just regret it happens.
If I will be asked what story I like from all, it will be ‘One Euro’ because I feel the message that wants the story to convey which I really like and the story is just what I can say good to read. I like how some people come to contemplate what other did to them that they realized how much they become after. It was what I want if ever I come to that time thankful for what others or specifically my family give to me.
I really recommend this if you want some stories to read that can give you experience on some useful and beautiful message in your life. Happy reading!
Harables is a collection of short tales prefaced by a quote from the stories its found within. It was a delightful read with an astonishing insight on various topics. While some stories were only a single page long, it was still intruging poetic and deep read. It was easily seen that there were some poetic techniques found throughout the book. Although some of the stories were found to be slightly confusing, 'The Crystal Girl' for example, it made sense towards the end. To read Harables was a great experience. It allowed me to see things in different perspectives. I've never read a book like it. Behind each story is a motto that should be used and apllied to everyones daily lifes. Harables is a book that teaches lessons schools can not. I would recommend this book to anyone who is open minded and enjoys short yet poetic stories with thought-proking tales. My favourite quote woul have to be from 'The Invisible Girl - A Christmas Tale': "Not every star I saw was real, not every dream I had, fulfilled. Sometimes life is just like it is: A beautiful chaotic construction made my dreams, deceptions and small miracles."
Another wonderful piece of art from Haidji. These short stories we amazing!! Haidji is a modern day Philosopher! Each story had an amazing meaning behind it. Let your children read this book too. It will teach them about life, and mostly how to love themselves.
Do you love yourself?
My favorite short story out of the book is The Lake Girl.
It is about a girl who thought she was just average. She never thought she was beautiful. She hung around another girl, and thought they were friends. Lisa had a crush on a guy, but her friend went to him first. Her friend had a different boyfriend every other day. When she found out her crush wanted to be with her friend she no longer had a crush on him. He told her that everyone thought she was the most beautiful girl, but she was hard to get to.
This story shows us that our inner beauty reflects our beauty on the outside. It teaches that we should not bounce from guy to guy, but that love is more important.
Reading this book was a truly enjoyable experience. Every story represents a very subtle shade of human emotions. As I read the book, I was taken through a journey from the simple innocence of a child to more deep and spiritual questions of life. The choice of subjects and the flow (arrangement) of the stories is very smooth.The stories offer various flavours of emotions representative of life's intricacies. The style of presentation is enticing. The simple expressions used conjured up beautiful and pleasant images and ideas as I read along. The expressions are beautiful, insightful and thought-provoking. Portrayal of characters is subtle which allowed me to think and interpret. Overall it's been a very good read which left me thinking after every story on where I stand and how I look at myself. I'm sure any reader who appreciates subtlety and likes to think about life in general will enjoy this book.
I absolutely adored these short stories! Each story is unique in of itself and contains characters that you fall in love with and enjoy with each turning page. My favorite short story by far in this collection is "The Crystal Girl." Dreams and Goals are like shimmering crystals and diamonds in the sand. The metaphor of the Clare's dress being a "borrowed dream" from a friend is a great one. It's diverse and I read through it twice to understand all of the meanings to everything. I learned from it that One must never forget our dreams or how precious they all are. They are as precious as a shimmering diamond or crystal.--- Diane ™
All the stories range from children going to a new school to the impact of a car accident. I recommend this set of tales for anyone. Anyone of any age can read these and enjoy them.
Extremely full with quotable life lessons, Stories feel original and mind opening because they are, its atmospheric how the plot is sharply introduced and how quickly the characters stumble upon our emotions and beat their lives into ours ! and Its a great book to pass a long train or bus drive lol I'm not an avid reader nor i am the best person to talk about books, but this book made me realize that i should be. even though i gave it only 4 stars, that doesn't mean it wouldn't reside with me for sometime to come !
I received a copy of this book from Booklikes in exchange for an honest review. This is the second book I have read by Haidji and I loved it just as much as the first.Haiti's writing style is amazingly beautiful. This book of short stories mixes fantasy and reality, keeping up a good range of topics. Each story acts as a parable, ending with its own unique message. I love the way each story really speaks to the human conditionI cannot wait to read more by this author.
I really enjoyed my time reading this collection of short stories! All I can say is that I became a big fan of Haidji while reading them. There is some stories I really really liked, some not much but all of them left something inside of me.
So thank you Haidji for giving me the pleasure of reading this book!
This is a lovely collection of short stories that has something for everyone who reads them. I like her style of writing makes you think. It lets you use your imagination as you read. And true to its name, the stories have something to teach. Each person will come away with a favorite. I highly recommend this book.
Harables (Short Stories 1) brings together eighteen of Haidji’s short stories. Each story is prefaced with a hint of what’s inside, for example: “To be shaped for life is never easy…”. “Life seemed to be just a letter, or a few words, in the metaphor of the Earth’s biography.” “All lines are drawings!”… “For the Earth to survive, for the human race to survive, we need to overcome our own survivor instinct.” That was something new, and I had never come across something like this before.
Throughout the stories the author depicts her unique eye for detail, imagery and unexpected conclusions. As far as I know the author, she’s a beautiful, innovative woman who lives peacefully through the art she creates. Her unrevealing author picture on the back cover, adds to the charm of the book and so does the simple cover design. This book re-introduces us to ourselves, human emotions and life in general. The plots, the language and the characters are all very simply portrayed, but perhaps that is exactly what sets this apart from other books written by modern authors these days. However, had the author left the stories, devoid of end to end conclusions, the readers could’ve drawn out their own meanings for each of the pieces. Perhaps ‘a room for imagination’, as they say, could have been left for the readers to ponder in their heads. The stories have a poetic and dreamy charisma about the world and its happenings and could be a nice escape from the reality.