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==Development==
==Development==
[[File:Arnon-gruenberg-ffm001.jpg|left|thumb|Grunberg modeled the title character after himself.]]
[[File:Arnon-gruenberg-ffm001.jpg|left|thumb|Grunberg modeled the title character after himself.]]
Grunberg owned his own publishing house, called "Kasimir" in 1993, but after he had published five books he got in financial trouble and had to sell his publishing house.<ref name="TO">{{cite news|title=Flying Dutchman. Will Arnon Grunberg's hit debut novel take wing in the U.S.?|page=41|work=[[Time Out]]|date=1997-06-09|author=Greenman, Ben}}</ref> In order to do so, he went to the Frankfurt Book Fair, in [[Germany]], where he met a dutch publisher.<ref name="CSM" /> The two had dinner in a chinese restaurant, and started to talk about Grunbergs life.<ref name="TS" /> At a certain point, the publisher offered Grunberg to publish his story if he would write it down.<ref name="TS" /> Since the publisher was drunk, Grunberg thought he was joking, but after two months the publisher called asking for the first chapter, and Grunberg started writing.<ref name="TO" /><ref name="TS">{{cite news|date=1997-10-27|title=The Youngest Writer|work=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> Although the title character of the book shares the same name as Grunberg, a big part of the book is ficition.<ref name="CNNfn">{{cite interview|title=New Book, Blue Mondays|last=Morris|first=Valerie|program=It's Only Money|callsign=[[CNNfn]]|date=1997-03-18|interviewer=[[Arnon Grunberg]]}}</ref> In comparisation between himself and the character in the book Grunberg stated "We were both kicked out of high school at 17, did different jobs, and my father died, too. I took those from reality. But when I felt I should lie for the sake of the story, I lied. That's one definition of fiction: lies."<ref name="TS" />
Grunberg owned his own publishing house, called "Kasimir" in 1993, but after he had published five books he got in financial trouble and had to sell his publishing house.<ref name="TO">{{cite news|title=Flying Dutchman. Will Arnon Grunberg's hit debut novel take wing in the U.S.?|page=41|work=[[Time Out]]|date=1997-06-09|author=Greenman, Ben}}</ref> In order to do so, he went to the Frankfurt Book Fair, in [[Germany]], where he met a dutch publisher.<ref name="CSM" /> The two had dinner in a chinese restaurant, and started to talk about Grunbergs life.<ref name="TS" /> At a certain point, the publisher offered Grunberg to publish his story if he would write it down.<ref name="TS" /> Since the publisher was drunk, Grunberg thought he was joking, but after two months the publisher called asking for the first chapter, and Grunberg started writing.<ref name="TO" /><ref name="TS">{{cite news|date=1997-10-27|title=The Youngest Writer|work=[[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> Although the title character of the book shares the same name as Grunberg, a big part of the book is ficition.<ref name="CNNfn">{{cite interview|title=New Book, Blue Mondays|last=Morris|first=Valerie|program=It's Only Money|callsign=[[CNNfn]]|date=1997-03-18|interviewer=[[Arnon Grunberg]]}}</ref> In comparisation between himself and the character in the book Grunberg stated "We were both kicked out of high school at 17, did different jobs, and my father died, too. I took those from reality. But when I felt I should lie for the sake of the story, I lied. That's one definition of fiction: lies."<ref name="TS" /> On an interview with [[CCNfn]]'s ''It's Only Money'', Grunberg explained that the name of the novel comes from the dutch expression "Blue Monday", which indicates a quick brief moment, he named the novel ''Blue Mondays'' because the novel's title character did a lot of things for only a short period of time.<ref name="CNNfn" />


Grunberg explained that the name of the novel comes from the dutch expression "Blue Monday", which indicates a quick brief moment, he named the novel ''Blue Mondays'' because the novel's title character did a lot of things for only a short period of time.<ref name="CNNfn" /> In a 1994 interview with ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', Grunberg described the novel as "tragich slapstick".<ref>{{cite news|author=van Schoonhoven, Gertjan|date=1994-05-06|title=You can't trust tears|work=[[NRC Handelsblad]]}}</ref>
The novel has had several genre classifications. It has been variously referred to as a ; However, in a 1994 interview with ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', Grunberg described it as a "tragick slapstick" novel.<ref>{{cite news|author=van Schoonhoven, Gertjan|date=1994-05-06|title=You can't trust tears|work=[[NRC Handelsblad]]}}</ref>


{{-}}
{{-}}

==Reception==
==Reception==
''Blue Mondays'' was positively received in the Netherlands, Grunberg's native country, critics had described it as "funny"<ref>{{cite news|title=Storytelling with doubts on your heels|work=[[De Volkskrant]]|date=1994-05-13|author=Peters, Arjan}}</ref> and "strong".<ref>{{cite news|title=Without a visible smile|work=[[Vrij Nederland]]|date=1994-06-04|author=[[Jessica Durlacher|Durlacher, Jessica]]}}</ref> Dutch writer Ronald Giphart believed the book was a "dreamdebut".<ref>{{cite news|author=Giphart, Ronald|date=1994-05-06|work=[[Het Parool]]|title=This is not suicide, just strangulation sex}}</ref> Book critic Tom van Deel of ''[[Trouw]]'' stated the following: "''Blue Mondays'' is the debut of a born storyteller, who understands that humor is the best way too show the tragic side of things. This causing that the novel is not heavy, but light, although, judging the story, that seems almost impossible."<ref>{{cite news|author=van Deel, Tom|work=[[Trouw]]|title="Your dad is a mop, a mop who thinks he is Heine"|date=1994-05-20}}</ref> ''[[Elsevier]]'' critic Doeschka Meijsing compared it to the book ''[[Portnoy's Complaint]]'' by [[Philip Roth]], saying ''Blue Mondays'' was "just as funny".<ref>{{cite news|title=Talent and Humor, The Debut of Arnon Grunberg|work=[[Elsevier]]|date=1994-06-18|author=Meijsing, Doeschka}}</ref> Various dutch critics agreed with Meijsing's comparison, describing Grunberg as "a young Philip Roth".<ref name="CSM"/><ref>{{cite book| last = Korver| first = Steve | title = Time Out Amsterdam | publisher = Time Out Guides| year = 2005| page = 297| isbn = 904978363}}</ref> Much to Grunberg's surprise, ''Blue Mondays'' sold over 70,000 copies in The Netherlands.<ref name="CNNfn"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Sex, Drugs and Slivovitz|author=J.D. Biersdorfer|date=1997-02-02|url=http://www.nyt.net/books/97/02/02/reviews/970202.biersdorf.html|work=[[New York Times]]|accessdate=2009-04-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/must-have-must-do-wednesdays-book-blue-mondays-by-arnon-grunberg-1293518.html|title=Must Have Must do: Wednesday's Book: Blue Mondays by Arnon Grunberg|work=[[The Independent]]|date=1997-11-12|author=Arditt, Michael|accessdate=2009-04-25}}</ref> It won two dutch awards, the 1994 Anton Wachterprize and the 1995 Golden Donkeyear, both awards were for best debut novel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/kunst/article187653.ece/Grunberg_wint_AKO-Literatuurprijs|title=Grunberg wins AKO-Literatuurprijs|work=[[De Volkskrant]]|date=2004-08-22|author=''Algemene Nederlandse Pers''|accessdate=2009-02-20}}</ref>
''Blue Mondays'' was positively received in the Netherlands, Grunberg's native country, critics had described it as "funny"<ref>{{cite news|title=Storytelling with doubts on your heels|work=[[De Volkskrant]]|date=1994-05-13|author=Peters, Arjan}}</ref> and "strong".<ref>{{cite news|title=Without a visible smile|work=[[Vrij Nederland]]|date=1994-06-04|author=[[Jessica Durlacher|Durlacher, Jessica]]}}</ref> Dutch writer Ronald Giphart believed the book was a "dreamdebut".<ref>{{cite news|author=Giphart, Ronald|date=1994-05-06|work=[[Het Parool]]|title=This is not suicide, just strangulation sex}}</ref> Book critic Tom van Deel of ''[[Trouw]]'' stated the following: "''Blue Mondays'' is the debut of a born storyteller, who understands that humor is the best way too show the tragic side of things. This causing that the novel is not heavy, but light, although, judging the story, that seems almost impossible."<ref>{{cite news|author=van Deel, Tom|work=[[Trouw]]|title="Your dad is a mop, a mop who thinks he is Heine"|date=1994-05-20}}</ref> ''[[Elsevier]]'' critic Doeschka Meijsing compared it to the book ''[[Portnoy's Complaint]]'' by [[Philip Roth]], saying ''Blue Mondays'' was "just as funny".<ref>{{cite news|title=Talent and Humor, The Debut of Arnon Grunberg|work=[[Elsevier]]|date=1994-06-18|author=Meijsing, Doeschka}}</ref> Various dutch critics agreed with Meijsing's comparison, describing Grunberg as "a young Philip Roth".<ref name="CSM"/><ref>{{cite book| last = Korver| first = Steve | title = Time Out Amsterdam | publisher = Time Out Guides| year = 2005| page = 297| isbn = 904978363}}</ref> Much to Grunberg's surprise, ''Blue Mondays'' sold over 70,000 copies in The Netherlands.<ref name="CNNfn"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Sex, Drugs and Slivovitz|author=J.D. Biersdorfer|date=1997-02-02|url=http://www.nyt.net/books/97/02/02/reviews/970202.biersdorf.html|work=[[New York Times]]|accessdate=2009-04-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/must-have-must-do-wednesdays-book-blue-mondays-by-arnon-grunberg-1293518.html|title=Must Have Must do: Wednesday's Book: Blue Mondays by Arnon Grunberg|work=[[The Independent]]|date=1997-11-12|author=Arditt, Michael|accessdate=2009-04-25}}</ref> It won two dutch awards, the 1994 Anton Wachterprize and the 1995 Golden Donkeyear, both awards were for best debut novel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/kunst/article187653.ece/Grunberg_wint_AKO-Literatuurprijs|title=Grunberg wins AKO-Literatuurprijs|work=[[De Volkskrant]]|date=2004-08-22|author=''Algemene Nederlandse Pers''|accessdate=2009-02-20}}</ref>

Revision as of 14:56, 8 May 2009

Blue Mondays
File:BlueMondays.jpg
Original cover
AuthorArnon Grunberg
Original titleBlauwe Maandagen
TranslatorArnold Pomerans
Erica Pomerans
Cover artistRon van Room
LanguageDutch
GenreLiterary novel
PublisherNijgh & van Ditmar (Dutch)
Farrar, Straus & Giroux (English)
Publication date
May 1994
Publication placeThe Netherlands
Published in English
February 1997
Pages278
ISBN90-388-2682-6

Blue Mondays (Dutch: Blauwe Maandagen) is a dutch drama novel, and the debut of writer Arnon Grunberg.

Plot

Development

Grunberg modeled the title character after himself.

Grunberg owned his own publishing house, called "Kasimir" in 1993, but after he had published five books he got in financial trouble and had to sell his publishing house.[1] In order to do so, he went to the Frankfurt Book Fair, in Germany, where he met a dutch publisher.[2] The two had dinner in a chinese restaurant, and started to talk about Grunbergs life.[3] At a certain point, the publisher offered Grunberg to publish his story if he would write it down.[3] Since the publisher was drunk, Grunberg thought he was joking, but after two months the publisher called asking for the first chapter, and Grunberg started writing.[1][3] Although the title character of the book shares the same name as Grunberg, a big part of the book is ficition.[4] In comparisation between himself and the character in the book Grunberg stated "We were both kicked out of high school at 17, did different jobs, and my father died, too. I took those from reality. But when I felt I should lie for the sake of the story, I lied. That's one definition of fiction: lies."[3] On an interview with CCNfn's It's Only Money, Grunberg explained that the name of the novel comes from the dutch expression "Blue Monday", which indicates a quick brief moment, he named the novel Blue Mondays because the novel's title character did a lot of things for only a short period of time.[4]

The novel has had several genre classifications. It has been variously referred to as a ; However, in a 1994 interview with NRC Handelsblad, Grunberg described it as a "tragick slapstick" novel.[5]

Reception

Blue Mondays was positively received in the Netherlands, Grunberg's native country, critics had described it as "funny"[6] and "strong".[7] Dutch writer Ronald Giphart believed the book was a "dreamdebut".[8] Book critic Tom van Deel of Trouw stated the following: "Blue Mondays is the debut of a born storyteller, who understands that humor is the best way too show the tragic side of things. This causing that the novel is not heavy, but light, although, judging the story, that seems almost impossible."[9] Elsevier critic Doeschka Meijsing compared it to the book Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth, saying Blue Mondays was "just as funny".[10] Various dutch critics agreed with Meijsing's comparison, describing Grunberg as "a young Philip Roth".[2][11] Much to Grunberg's surprise, Blue Mondays sold over 70,000 copies in The Netherlands.[4][12][13] It won two dutch awards, the 1994 Anton Wachterprize and the 1995 Golden Donkeyear, both awards were for best debut novel.[14]

The novel was positively received internationally, . One particular negative review came from the Christian Science Monitor, reviewer Merle Rubin stated she wondered why the book was ever published.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Greenman, Ben (1997-06-09). "Flying Dutchman. Will Arnon Grunberg's hit debut novel take wing in the U.S.?". Time Out. p. 41.
  2. ^ a b c Rubin, Merle (1997-06-15). "A Publisher Makes a Dare That Should Not Have Been Taken". Christian Science Monitor.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Youngest Writer". Toronto Star. 1997-10-27.
  4. ^ a b c Morris, Valerie (1997-03-18). "New Book, Blue Mondays" (Interview). Interviewed by Arnon Grunberg. {{cite interview}}: Unknown parameter |callsign= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |program= ignored (help)
  5. ^ van Schoonhoven, Gertjan (1994-05-06). "You can't trust tears". NRC Handelsblad.
  6. ^ Peters, Arjan (1994-05-13). "Storytelling with doubts on your heels". De Volkskrant.
  7. ^ Durlacher, Jessica (1994-06-04). "Without a visible smile". Vrij Nederland.
  8. ^ Giphart, Ronald (1994-05-06). "This is not suicide, just strangulation sex". Het Parool.
  9. ^ van Deel, Tom (1994-05-20). ""Your dad is a mop, a mop who thinks he is Heine"". Trouw.
  10. ^ Meijsing, Doeschka (1994-06-18). "Talent and Humor, The Debut of Arnon Grunberg". Elsevier.
  11. ^ Korver, Steve (2005). Time Out Amsterdam. Time Out Guides. p. 297. ISBN 904978363. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
  12. ^ J.D. Biersdorfer (1997-02-02). "Sex, Drugs and Slivovitz". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  13. ^ Arditt, Michael (1997-11-12). "Must Have Must do: Wednesday's Book: Blue Mondays by Arnon Grunberg". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  14. ^ Algemene Nederlandse Pers (2004-08-22). "Grunberg wins AKO-Literatuurprijs". De Volkskrant. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
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