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Göteborg 2027

He burst onto the Dutch literary scene with Clausewitz (2010), a biblio-thriller inspired by the work of one of his great heroes, Harry Mulisch. In 2013 he was awarded the Charlotte Köhler Stipendium, and his second novel The Republic won the Golden Owl Award in 2014.

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Joost de Vries

His books are courageous puzzles on a grand scale, full of references to other books, yet original and infectious reflections of contemporary reality. His work is contemplative and delicate, pedantic and sophomoric, lucid and mysterious, but invariably written in a stimulating and fluent style.

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De republiek

The mysterious death of a prominent professor of Hitler Studies marks the start of a humorous and intellectually-challenging book, a combination of campus novel and spy thriller.

The Republic

His best yet (...) An effortless flair characterises De Vries’ prose. He is an assured storyteller, so consummately in control that he can permit himself all kinds of liberties. Quickfire, tennismatch dialogue, abrupt segues and associative leaps, lists, jokes, letters, transcriptions of radio interviews, and – of course – a handful of aphorisms.

With his ingenious storylines De Vries, deftly interweaving plots, is reminiscent in moments of Ian McEwan’s razor-sharp scrutiny of the zeitgeist and John le Carré’s brilliantly plotted espionage novels (…) His keen intellect is everywhere apparent.

More Fiction

A novel about a love affair as passionate as it is complicated, and an erudite whistle-stop tour of the 20th century

Hogere machten

It’s the early decades of the 20th century. James Welmoed is too British for his Dutch school – just like he’ll be too Dutch for London later in life. In 1930s Indonesia, he is an inscrutable member of the colonial establishment. No one knows what to make of him – including Elisabeth van Elsenburg, an eighteen-year-old so witty she could only be the brainchild of an author with a keen intellect and boundless dexterity. She’ll grow up to be a writer, but first she embarks on a love affair with Welmoed which, even though it will be cut short, will shape both their lives.

Higher Powers

More Joost de Vries

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