One small note of caution there is some nudity, and some graphic images of injuries, so I would not reccommend this book for small children.This is one of my stranger and more embarrassing tales.įor some bizarre reason, gnomes are a recurring theme in my life. They discuss the conection that gnomes have with these creatures of darkness.Īt the end of the book are a few fairy tales about gnomes, these brought back many fond memories of my father reading them to me before bed time!

The book also briefly covers other mythological figures, of a more sinister nature. Each subject is carefully organized, and written about fully! The book covers all aspects of Gnome life, from birth to marriage, and on to death. Many of the illustrations are accompanied by hand-written notes. It is formatted as a diary of Gnome facts and sightings. This book is a must have for any fantasy lover. Twenty five years later, a special edition has been released to the public.įor the art lover, this book is filled with wonderful illustrations! It was illustrated by Rien Poortvliet, and I will be doing an article on him later, for those who are interested. Luckily for us, the Abrams publishing company found this book and translated it to the english version, titled 'Gnomes', in 1977. It was titled 'Leven en werken van de Kabouter'. In 1976 a delightful book was published in the Netherlands. Overall I think it is a book for everyone who is young at heart, or who likes a little magic in their everyday lives. If you want a book with magnificently detailed ilustrations, this is a book for you.

So if you want a little whimsy in your library, or on your coffee table, this is the book for you. The section which shows a cut away of their house is worth the purchase price alone - the imagination and thought that has gone into this book is amazing. It has a believable and detailed discussion of the food is are most loved by gnomes, how they raise their children, when they marry, where they live, what sorts of pets they have (cute mice in little baskets!) and how they tend to animals in the wild. Please don't be fooled into thinking that it is just a children's book - it is a wonderful addition to any library. Everyone should own this book - it is utterly irresistable! It has magical characters, magnificent finely drawn illustrations, and presents an overall philosophy of life that we could all learn lessons from.

Wil huygen gnomes