I got the book at 50 DKK discount, because I waited three weeks before ordering. - That so much warms my Jutlander-heart.
Did I ever tell you that we in rural Jutland have a dear and almost inseparable bond with our money? No?
Anyway, it's an easy and quick read depending on how much you wish to reflect over the text.
No illustrations and no pictures.
You don't need strong reading glasses to read the book! The reason for that is that on each page where King Frederik "speaks" are listed the previous Danish monarchs, some 50+ of them - and their proverbs, if they had any that is known.
That little detail was very obviously missed by at least one book-reviewer. Hence the reason why the book is "stretched" to encompass more pages than is strictly necessary. - But again, it makes it much easy to read and as such can reach a wider audience and perhaps that was also the intention.
The book is divided into six chapters.
The first a personal brief summary of his early life.
The second is a reflection of his predecessors. - It's clear that he has studied them and reflected on them and perhaps even analyzed to some extent their time and the problems they faced.
The third and fourth chapters are about the reasoning behind the first two words in his proverb. - And here we/I learn that King is deeply conservative. In the Danish (I dare say almost party-political) definition of the word. I will describe him as a progressive, deeply conservative, humanist. I.e. someone who is and feel a deep connection to his roots, his faith and his country and his people or in his case people(s) - because he also feels deeply connected to especially Greenland. He is deeply patriotic and feel it's okay to be patriotic so long it doesn't go overboard of course. He also believe strongly in charity, compassion, duty and responsibility - for and by
all.
The fifth chapter is basically a pledge that he and Queen Mary will be the Regent Couple of the
whole Kingdom.
The sixth chapter is perhaps the most anticipated here in DK, because that outlines very roughly
how they, repeat
they, will approach their new role. It's almost written as a speech.
- In this book I see the man, Frederik, having come to terms with his future and is ready to take on, even embrace his role and be King Frederik.
It's a man who is a peace with his destiny. A man who is solidly anchored in the ground. And a man who is confident that he - and his wife - will handle the challenges ahead.
It is also man who has done on awful lot of reflection and thinking.
It is also a man who has found his God, in his way. QMII found God especially when she became Queen, and to her it meant that she was not alone in facing the many challenges.
I think that in Frederik's case God has become a part of his rock.
We should of course wear our critical glasses while reading this book, because this is of course meant as a positive presentation of King Frederik and as such it does not cover controversies that are not already contained. Like a strict childhood and the fact that PH was never approved as Rigsforstander etc. These things are mentioned and acknowledged but also glossed over.
- No surprise there either.
So to sum up:
Chapter one: Hi, I'm Frederik.
Chapter two: My predecessors.
Chapters three-five: I've been thinking.
Chapter six: Bring it on, we are ready!
I will end this review with two quotes from the book. Perhaps some here might find the second quote applicable.
"No king without a queen and in all thoughts, ideas and visions behind my King's Word you also find Queen Mary.
She can thank herself for that. Mary has been created into the role that to some extent has been build up by herself, because she is a woman of her time. She is attentive to all the changes that the world is facing and she is organized in her mindset in regards to where and how she wish to be and support me as Queen. There she and I have build a parallel track."
"It obligates to be a Monarch and one of the most important things in my function is consideration and love for my fellow beings. I am King for all who lives in Denmark and Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, and - you might add - people who feel Danish in their minds, whether that is in Canada, Costa Rica, Australia or Southern Schleswig."
-------------
What I'm going to do now is to scan the book, chapter by chapter, and upload the links here in this thread. That may take a week or so.
Later on I might write a deeper review of each chapter, or I will select some quotes I find speaks to me or I find interesting and translate them here. Because the whole book is basically one long quote. It's all in first person.
Or I will comb the book for trivia, that at least are unknown to me and post them here.
But no promises, no disappointments.
?
