What connects us are our stories

April 9, 2015
April 9, 2015 Theo Brainin

What connects us are our stories

What Connects Us Are Our Stories

Annegreet van Bergen’s book ‘Gouden Jaren’ (Golden Years, ed.) has a firm position in the top five bestsellers , showing up there for the 29th week in a row. Alongside stories of everyday life, Annegreet describes the growth of prosperity in the past half century. Stories that spark recognition and connection.

Fresh pineapple 

‘One morning a few years ago, I was preparing a pineapple when I suddenly realised how special I had found that fruit when I was little. My father, a manager at a publishing company, got a fresh pineapple as a Christmas gift from a business partner. My sister and I couldn’t get over how exotic and special it was. We were familiar with canned pineapple, but this was something totally different. Since then, the pineapple has degenerated from an exotic object to an everyday fruit and is thus a great example of economic growth.’

The desire to look back 

Annegreet van Bergen signing books

Annegreet signing books

Twaddle about the economic crisis circa 2009 and people’s tendency to worry about the future gave Annegreet the motivation to begin writing ‘Golden Years’. ‘My initial thought was to demonstrate to readers how much more comfortable daily life has become over the last 60 years. Since the Second World War, the mean income of the Dutch has quadrupled. An unprecedented growth, shown never before in history. To illustrate this, I needed to say what this growth really means. Leaving aside the abstract numbers that rule the news, I wanted to show growth in terms of human stories.’

Never did Annegreet expect she would call up so many shared memories for her readers. ‘Apparently, my stories evoked something for a lot of people. I’m in my sixties now and, in the process of writing the book, I have been contemplating a lot of memories with people my age. So many readers responded by telling me about their personal experiences and the things they recognised in the book. Lots of them wanted to tell me their stories and said: “That’s exactly how we did it at home!” Stories about the past can thus bring about great connectedness.’

For younger people, it’s not about recognition of the past, but the book still offers a peek into a world that existed only a short time ago and yet differed so much from their current reality. It can bring about a

renewed interest between generations. ‘I overheard a conversation between a grandmother and her grandson. The boy asked her: “Didn’t you have iPads when you were young? Or phones? And no television? But granny… were there houses in those days?”’

‘As a little boy…’

Storytelling is something not uncommon within Annegreet’s family. ‘My father told many, many stories from his youth. He’d start with this introduction: “As a little boy…” My sister and I knew that an extended story would follow. Apparently, it’s in my genes.’

Annegreet van Bergen and family car

Young Annegreet and their family car

While writing the book, Annegreet had to put right some of her own assumptions from her youth. ‘I always thought my parents were extremely thrifty people, because they would reuse everything. Stubs of matches, plastic bags, everything got a second or even a third life. By talking to so many people about their memories as research for the book, I discovered that half of Holland did exactly the same.’

Apart from that, the book caused memories and images that had long faded to resurface to the top of her brain. ‘By standing still and taking the time to reflect on the past, I found that so many beautiful things returned to me. Far from everything is in the book, so I might want to write yet another one about those further memories. The material is already there, since I have more than a cubic metre of diaries. Before I die, I want to have read all of those one more time. They’ll probably have me blushing with shame, but they’re a treasure of memories nonetheless.’

A book is to keep 

Annegreet van Bergen as baby

Young Annegreet

The project ‘Golden Years’ has not quite come to an end yet. ‘Since I find it evokes so much for so many people, there will be a sequel. A lot of people say: “I wish I could write down my memories for my children or grandchildren.” That’s what brought about the idea of some sort of DIY book that enables readers to write down their own experiences when I write about certain historical events. You often need to call up particular events to get people to remember. Ask your grandma about her love life and you’ll have difficulty getting started. It’s only when you ask after her carnival memories that she’ll start telling you about her first love.’

Shouldn’t it be an online document, in accord with digital developments? ‘A book is to keep; that is my firm belief. I’ve heard someone state that in later years not much will be preserved about our time, because of technological developments. Documents will be lost, technology will move on, and older technologies will thus become inaccessible. But books are here to stay, readily available for everyone.’

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By Anne Brugts, content manager

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