Zwaluwen, first book ... story of my life

The swallows that each year return to the farm of the Schuurmans family have a special meaning to each family-member.Erik feels closely attached to the animal-life on his father's farm. He cannot understand, therefore, all the forms of animal abuse. Unfortunately, there is no way for him to ventilate his emotional reaction to this abuse to anybody in his surroundings, as it is simply not noticed.His father lives a one-sided, isolated life with his work as his chief fulfillment. His inability to communicate with his next of kin stems from his own younger years when a family dispute was never settled, lurching him into spells of deep depression and aggressive outbursts. Although his wife shares his passion for the farm any form of marital contact between the two is absent.The atmosphere within the family is one of mere tolerance and lack of communication.