Why a Booktrail?
2000s: Life in Amsterdam isn’t all windmills and tulips when you’re homeless.
Calvin’s Head
What you need to know before your trail
Jason Dekker lives in a jeep with his dog, Calvin, on the outskirts of the city. A thesis on Van Gogh brought him to the Netherlands, and the love of Dutch artist Willy Hart convinced him to stay. But things are not so good now and there is trouble ahead.
On a summer morning in the park, Calvin sniffs out the victim of a grisly murder. Unfortunately, it puts Dekker directly in the sights of the calculating stone-cold killer, Gadget. Their paths are destined to collide, but nothing goes according to plan when they end up together in an attic sex-dungeon.
Identities shift and events careen out of control, much to the bewilderment of one ever-watchful canine. Oscar Wilde wrote that each man kills the thing he loves. He didn’t mean it literally. Or did he
Travel Guide
History abounds
France: Arles
It’s famed for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh, which influenced the contemporary art displayed at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh. Once a provincial capital of ancient Rome, Arles is also known for many remains from that era, including Arles Amphitheatre, now hosting plays, concerts and bullfights.
France: Orleans
“They arrive in Orleans early afternoon and the city of Orleans comes to life, The bridges on the Loire River were bathed in sunshine. This was the city teenaged Joan of Arc helped liberate during the One Hundred /years War in the fifteenth century, two years before she would be burned at the stake. It was once home to the French royal family whose symbol was the fleur de Lys, hence the motto: It is by this heart that lilies flourish.”
Amsterdam
The Van Gogh Museum – Museum housing the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh paintings, alongside drawings & letters.
More significantly, Amsterdam features in the novel as the author explains he used to be homeless and living in the park and that he witnessed things he has then wrote about in this book.
Booktrail Boarding Pass: Calvin’s Head
Author/Guide: David Swatling Destination: Amsterdam Departure Time: 2000s
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