The impressing first novel of young writer Jowi Schmitz is guaranteed non-autobiographical. It tells the story of a retired, a little peculiar, but very inventive older gentlemen, Leopold. After a long busy life in Holland he now lives in Marbella/Spain. of course he wanted to share his last years there together with his wife, but unfortunately she passed away just before the move…His daughter, distrustful as usual, has second thoughts about that, and, worse than that, is announcing her visit…

Don’t get somber, old chap, he says to himself, you have to do something, something less stressful than all this family-business, families don’t appreciate your love and devotion, they have demands and nothing but demands. Is that the meaning of life? One day, Leopold is sitting at his terrace, he suddenly knows what do. Chickens! Raising chickens, sweet little animals, that don’t complain and quarrel, but are thankful and charming! So Leopold walks down the street to the grocery and buys eggs, impregnated ones, of course, and he wants to brood them himself. Which turns out to be a difficult job that confronts him with some quite hilarious situations. His daughter thinks he is crazy and making a fool of her. She wonders what his plans really are.

Schmitz’ novel is surprising from the first to the last page, and it mirrors wonderfully funny and earnest the fact, that we have an urgent need to share our feelings with someone. Be it a chicken. But in any case at our conditions.