literature

P.C. Hooft Prize 2025 Honours ‘Erudite Novelist’ Maarten ’t Hart

The prestigious P.C. Hooft Prize, the most important Dutch oeuvre prize for literature, has been granted to a master storyteller in the truest sense of the word: Maarten ’t Hart. The jury described his extensive body of work as ‘critical, poignant, loving, thrilling, vulnerable, and witty.’

Maarten ‘t Hart (b. 1944) will receive the P.C. Hooft Award next year for his narrative prose.

Upon hearing the news, the author was taken aback. Yet, the author, who recently turned eighty, expressed his deep joy at receiving this recognition. ’t Hart remarked, ‘This is the most beautiful prize one can receive in the Netherlands. This oeuvre prize, awarded since 1947, carries a long tradition, and many great names have received it in the past. Now I find myself in the same league as Simon Vestdijk—what more could one wish for?’

The jury praised ’t Hart’s role as a storyteller, highlighting his exceptional talent for dialogue: ‘His mastery is particularly evident in his dialogues. He has a remarkable ear for how people converse and understands, better than anyone, that spoken language must be stylized to bring a dialogue to life in a novel.’

Maarten ’t Hart debuted in 1971 under the pseudonym Martin Hart with the novel Stenen voor een ransuil (Stones for an Owl), which earned him an honourable mention from the Reina Prinsen Geerligs Prize jury. His breakthrough came in 1978 with the publication of Een vlucht regenwulpen (A Flight of Curlews). Over 100,000 copies were sold in its first year, and the book has since been reprinted multiple times and adapted into a film. Numerous works followed, with his most recent novel being De nachtstemmer (The Night Tuner, 2019). In 2021, he published De toetssteen (The Touchstone), a correspondence with Kees ’t Hart (no relation) about Simon Vestdijk.

Commenting on his extensive body of work, the jury stated: ‘Since his debut Stenen voor een ransuil in 1971, ’t Hart has built an impressive and qualitatively remarkable oeuvre, characterized by critical, poignant, loving, thrilling, vulnerable, and witty elements. Maarten ’t Hart is an erudite novelist. His books, where themes of desire, politics, and the Reformed faith vie for prominence, have captivated many readers and will undoubtedly continue to resonate with contemporary audiences.’

This sentiment captures ’t Hart’s passion for his craft. He believes a writer’s greatest gift is providing readers with a temporary escape from reality. ‘When deeply engaged in a book, the world around you fades away. That’s something incredible, and it feels special to offer that to my readers,’ he shared.

About the prize

The P.C. Hooft Prize was established in 1947 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the death of Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft. This annual lifetime achievement award is presented to Dutch authors, alternating between narrative prose, non-fiction, and poetry. Recent laureates in the narrative prose category include Arnon Grunberg (2022), Marga Minco (2019), Astrid Roemer (2016), A.F.Th. van der Heijden (2013), and Charlotte Mutsaers (2010).

The award carries a monetary prize of €60,000. The Literatuurmuseum organizes the selection process and celebratory ceremony, which will take place in May 2025, when Maarten ’t Hart officially receives the honor.

Source: Literatuurmuseum

• Maarten 't Hart
• P.C. Hooft Award