(Thomas Rap, 1995, 286 pages)

The structure of this book betrays Scholten’s considerable cinematic talent. He succeeds in transforming a static theme into a dynamic story. The book is made up of 61 short chapters which take place in various settings. The language is simple and realistic, the dialogues ring true, and Frederik van H., the 23-year-old main character, frets and worries without becoming a moaning bore. Scholten fully deserves the success he has reaped with Tachtig.

(Contact, 2008, 268 pages)

The Spenglers are a well-to-do family from the province of Twente. They own landed estates, have several cars and servants, go hunting in their own woods, and in the early afternoon settle down to drinks around the open fire. Frederik Spengler, the narrator of the novel, grows up with his four brothers, all of them cut from the same cloth: they like fighting and joshing, they hide their feelings but stand behind each other to a man (that too is Spengler’s Law). The family moves to Belgium, where after a while the father commits suicide.