literature
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The Resilience of a Bird: Two Poetry Collections by Mattijs Deraedt
In his debut, poet Mattijs Deraedt closed his eyes to engage in introspection. In his second collection, Deraedt keeps his eyes wide open and shows the reader a fragile but shining world, down to the smallest details.
![Schrijfopleiding header Lenny Oosterwijk Toine Donk Lieve Blancquaert Stan Bouman Schrijfopleiding header Lenny Oosterwijk Toine Donk Lieve Blancquaert Stan Bouman](https://www.the-low-countries.com/uploads/_article415x300/Schrijfopleiding-header-©-Lenny-Oosterwijk-Toine-Donk-Lieve-Blancquaert-Stan-Bouman.jpg)
Writing in the Pressure Cooker: The Writing Course as a Springboard
What exactly do students get out of their writing courses? Authors Lize Spit, Ester Naomi Perquin, Jante Wortel and Corine Hartman share their experiences.
The Temperature of Literature
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Publishing in 2024: Scatter Gun or Targeted Shot?
Big publishers of literature are suffering hard times, while smaller niche players appear to be doing pretty well. What's going on?
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Egan Garr’s Choice: Radna Fabias and Simone Atangana Bekono
American-born queer poet and translator Egan Garr stirs up enthusiasm for two poets who showed an original voice in Dutch literature in recent years.
The Translator’s Pick
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The Library Is Back
The library is experiencing a revival. How exactly do these ‘living rooms of towns and villages’ look? And are there differences between the Netherlands and Flanders?
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‘De daden’ by Anne Schepers: On Engagement and Cynical Journalism
In her debut novel, Anne Schepers tells the story of an intern at a leading newspaper, who gradually finds herself caught between her activist inclinations, her cynical bosses, and the poor neighbourhood in which she grew up.
First Book
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TikTok Won’t Solve the Reading Crisis
Literary education expert Jeroen Dera argues that learning to read well is achieved with texts that appeal to the imagination and linguistic ability.
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22 Dutch Books to Daydream in the Sun (Spring-Summer 2024)
Our selection of Dutch-language books that have recently been translated into English.
Friday Verses
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Imagination With Jet Black Edges. 'My Heavenly Favourite' by Lucas Rijneveld
Every character navigates between conflicting desires in Lucas Rijneveld's second novel. It all makes My Heavenly Favourite even more claustrophobic than The Discomfort of Evening, Rijneveld’s debut novel, which brought him international acclaim.
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Hester Velmans’ Choice: Lucas Rijneveld and Herman Franke
Hester Velmans excites us for a ‘gripping, shocking, upsetting and gross’ novel by Lucas Rijneveld, winner of the 2020 International Booker Prize, and for the last book by Herman Franke, who died far too early.
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Jaap Robben’s Mastery Shines Through In The Dialogues Of ‘Afterlight’
In his third novel, Jaap Robben once again shows himself to be one of the most subtle novelists in the Dutch-speaking world.
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Alice Tetley-Paul’s Choice: Annie M.G. Schmidt and J.J. Voskuil
Literary translator Alice Tetley-Paul makes a plea for an iconic
children's book and a novel cycle that caused a minor craze in the Netherlands.
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Shimanto Reza’s Choice: Ivo Michiels and Vincent Van Meenen
Shimanto Reza wants to whet your reading appetite with an innovative novel that inspired a generation of Flemish writers and a story about the shadowy world of bitcoins and cryptocurrency.
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Jente Posthuma Longlisted for the 2024 International Booker Prize
After Harry Mulisch, Tommy Wieringa, Lucas Rijneveld and Jaap Robben, Jente Posthuma is the fifth Dutch author to be nominated for this prestigious literature prize.
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Tom Lanoye Wins the 2024 Dutch Literature Prize
According to the jury, Lanoye’s writing has been a ‘linguistic virtuoso spectacle’ for forty years.
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Zindzi Tillot: buzzbuzzbuzz
A silver-lidded ewer in ‘lobed’ or ‘auricular’ style, made by Adam van Vianen (I), inspired Zindzi Tillot to write a text.
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Oumaima Belkhdar: message from the _____: come back girl
Oumaima Belkhdar wrote a text to accompany Dirck van Delen’s painting 'Interior of a Gothic Church'.
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Merel van Slobbe: We have to accept that it will never be possible to see the sky in its original state
Merel van Slobbe wrote a poem in response to the painting Girl in a Large Hat, by Caesar Boëtius van Everdingen.
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Leonore Spee: Sleeping In State
Leonore Spee took her inspiration for a short story from the model of a life-size marble statue of William of Orange.
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Jef Last: A Life of Commitment in the Twentieth Century
The biography of the committed Dutch writer Jef Last offers a splendid introduction to the twentieth century.