"Amusing [and] wickedly accurate...Reading The Secret Diary, I was constantly put in mind of Ken Kesey's madhouse tale One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, another comi-tragedy concerning the tyranny of institutions of the unwanted. Enjoy Groen's light touch but do not be fooled by it....The Secret Diary is a handbook of resistance for our time."
—The Express (UK)
"Funny and frank - a story with a great deal of heart."
—Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project
"A story about how friendship, selflessness and dignity lie at the heart of the human experience. When I'm an old man, I want to be Hendrik Groen."
—John Boyne, internationally bestselling author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
"An incredible picture of friendship... something we could all stand to emulate, no matter where we are in our lives."
—Bookpage, Top Fiction Pick for July
"Interspersed with Groen's biting wit and comic take on aging and all it entails... A page-turning delight for adult readers of any age and locale."
—Booklist, starred review
"Poignant and true-to-life, an international bestseller."
—Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Engaging and hilarious, Hendrik's diary gives a dignity and respect to the elderly often overlooked in popular culture, providing readers a look into the importance of friendship and the realities of the senior care system in modern society."
—Publisher's Weekly
"You might say he's the Elena Ferrante of the octogenarian set - though whether or not he is actually an octogenarian (or a man) is also anyone's guess. It's an appealing novel with a lot of heart, reminding readers young and old that fun is to be found even in the routine of everyday life. And of course, the possibility that it's more memoir than fiction is delightful."
—New York Post
