Tag Archives: Dutch literature
200 Years of Multatuli Posted by Karoly Molina on Mar 4, 2020
March 2020 will mark 200 years of one of the most renowned Dutch writers in history: Multatuli. To celebrate this, King Willem-Alexander inaugurated the Multatuli-jaar this past February at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. In this post, I will explain a little of Multatuli’s life and his masterpiece Max Havelaar. Wie was Multatuli? Multatuli was the…
Book Review: Last Call by Harry Mulisch Posted by Karoly Molina on Oct 10, 2018
It is no secret that I am a Harry Mulisch fan! From the moment I discovered his writing with De ontdekking van de hemel (The Discovery of Heaven), I always pick up any book I can find of his. During a walk around a bookstore in Utrecht, I found a new book of Mulisch that I had…
Book Review: A Letter for the King Posted by Karoly Molina on Aug 8, 2018
We still have a few more weeks of summer and you might be looking for a great Dutch read for your vacation or stay-cation! The latest book I read, The Letter for the King, by Tonke Dragt is an excellent option for these warm summer days. It has everything you might be looking for to keep you…
Book Review: Hendrik Groen Posted by Karoly Molina on Jul 18, 2018
My latest immersion in Dutch literature was the witty (and slightly heartbreaking) diary of Hendrik Groen. Hendrik Groen, both the name of the protagonist and the pseudonym of the writer takes us through a year of Hendrik living in a retirement home. About the book Het geheime dagboek van Hendrik Groen, 83¼ jaar was first published…
Book Review: Mama Tandoori Posted by Karoly Molina on Mar 28, 2018
I have to admit that my latest Dutch literature read was selected only because Herman Koch, one of my two favorite Dutch writers up until now, recommended it. When I saw on the cover that he said it was “the funniest and most moving book I have read this year,” I knew I had to…
Book Review: The Institute Posted by Karoly Molina on Feb 28, 2018
The novel Het instituut by Vincent Bijlo covered this month’s Dutch-literature fix, and it was an unexpected delight! About the writer Vincent Bijlo is, in summary, a jack of all trades! He is a stand-up comedian, a columnist, a musician and a writer! He studied Dutch language and literature at the University of Utrecht and quickly…
Book Review: The Song and the Truth Posted by Karoly Molina on Jan 17, 2018
My latest Dutch literature read is Het lied en de waarheid or in it’s English title The Song and the Truth by Helga Ruebsamen. Helga grew up in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) with her Dutch mother and her German Jewish father. Her family eventually moved to the Netherlands where she grew up. Het lied en de waarheid…