Clarity of Head and Heart . The Enlightened Narrative Art of Arthur Japin

In the course of a mere decade, Arthur Japin (1956-) has amassed a literary oeuvre of which many would be envious. It is clear that here is an important writer who also knows how to appeal to a wide audience. One probably has to go as far back as Hella Haasse to find a Dutch-language writer capable of portraying historical characters with so much finesse and flexibility. Japin's combination of accurate documentation and a highly subtle sense of empathy became the hallmark of his storytelling. What is the secret behind the resounding success of Japin's books? What might be the recipe for his epic narrative art? (With an extract from 'The Sound of Snow')