literature

23 Dutch Books To Prolong The Summer Holiday (2023)

17 August 2023 3 min. reading time

Why not read a book by a Dutch or Flemish author? Here you will find a selection of books that recently have been translated or soon will be translated into English, most of them with support from the Dutch Foundation for Literature or Flanders Literature. You will find more translated literature in this database.

FICTION

Breakwater

Author: Marijke Schermer
Translator: Liz Waters
Publisher: World Editions
Original title: Noodweer (Van Oorschot, 2016)

Good Men

Author: Arnon Grunberg
Translator: Sam Garrett
Publisher: Open Letter
Original title: Goede mannen (Nijgh & Van Ditmar)

What I'd Rather Not Think About

Author: Jente Posthuma
Translator: Sarah Timmer Harvey
Publisher: Scribe
Original title: Waar ik liever niet aan denk (Pluim, 2020)

We Are Light

Author: Gerda Blees
Translator: Michele Hutchison
Publisher: World Editions
Original title: Wij zijn licht (Podium, 2020)

Read our review

POETRY

What Only Painters See

Author: Willem M. Roggeman
Translator: Philippe Ernewein
Publisher: Bamboo Dart Press
Original title: Wat alleen schilders zien (C. de Vries Brouwers, 2015)

Earthskin

Author: Elmar Kuiper
Translator: David Colmer
Publisher: Copper Coin
Original title: A selection of Dutch and Frisian poetry from Hertbyt (2004); Ut namme fan mysels (2006); Hechtzwaluwen (2010); Granytglimkes (2011); Hiemsiik (2015); Ruimtedier (2016); Stienkeal (2018); Wite Mûle, Swarte Molke (2020)

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

A Book To Make Friends With

Author & Illustrator: Lukas Verstraete
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Publisher: FantaGraphics
Original title: Een boek waarmee men vrienden maakt (Bries, 2017)

CHILDREN'S & YOUTH LITERATURE

My Especially Weird Week with Tess

Author: Anna Woltz
Illustrator: David Dean
Translator: David Colmer
Publisher: Rock the Boat Books
Original title: Mijn bijzonder rare week met Tess (Querido, 2013)

Read HERE why translator Kristen Gehrman loves this book.

The Complete Jip and Janneke

Author: Annie M.G. Schmidt
Illustrator: Fiep Westerdorp
Translator: David Colmer
Publisher: Querido
Original title: Jip en Janneke (Querido, 1979)

The Starling’s Song

Author & Illustrator: Octavie Wolters
Translator: Michele Hutchison
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Original title: Het lied van de spreeuw (Ploegsma, 2021)

Bear Is Never Alone

Author: Marc Veerkamp
Illustrator: Jeska Verstegen
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Publisher: Grand Rapids & Eerdmans
Original title: Beer is nooit alleen (Leopold, 2021)

The Wonderful Book of Water

Author: Sarah Garré & Marijke Huysmans
Illustrator: Wendy Panders
Translator: Anna Asbury
Publisher: Prestel
Original title: Het grote waterboek van zwetende planten tot verwoestende tsunami’s (Lannoo, 2021)

Tourmaline

Author: Davide Cali
Illustrator: Fatinha Ramos
Translator: Siska Goeminne
Publisher: Tate
Original title: Toermalijn (De Eenhoorn, 2020)

Wheels. The Big Fun Book of Vehicles

Author & IIlustrator: Tom Schamp
Translator: Florian Duijsens
Publisher: Prestel
Original title: Het vrolijkste en grootste boek van alle voertuigen (Lannoo, 2022)

NONFICTION

The Dream of Europe

Author: Geert Mak
Translator: Liz Waters
Publisher: Vintage
Original title: Grote verwachtingen (Atlas Contact, 2019)

After the Annex

Author: Bas van Benda-Beckmann
Translator: Tony Langham and Plym Peters
Publisher: Unicorn
Original title: Na het Achterhuis (Querido, 2020)

In Search of Sleep

Author: Bregje Hofstede
Translator: Alice Tetley-Paul
Publisher: Greystone Books
Original title: Slaap vatten (Das Mag, 2021)

In the Spell of the Barkley

Author: Michiel Panhuysen
Translator: Tanya Behiels
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Original title: In de ban van de Barkley (Ambo | Anthos, 2021)

Why Paintings Work

Author: Jurriaan Benschop
Translator: Susan Ridder
Publisher: Garret Publications
Original title: Waarom een schilderij werkt (Van Oorschot, 2022)

In Light-Years There’s No Hurry

Author: Marjolijn van Heemstra
Translator: Jonathan Reeder
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Original title: In lichtjaren heeft niemand haast (De Correspondent, 2021)