During “Heel Nederland Leest” (a national reading campaign) – annually during the month of November – Raoul de Jong will be at Drachten Library (a Dutch spoken activity). De Jong (Rotterdam, 1984) is an author, columnist, playwright, program maker, and podcaster. He has written and continues to write columns and articles for NRC Handelsblad, Vrij Nederland, Elle, Het Parool, and De Correspondent, among others. De Jong debuted as a novelist in 2005. His work is characterized by a humorous, autobiographical, and spiritual tone.
His book Jaguarman (2020) is about his search for his Surinamese father and earlier ancestors. It has been translated into German, English, and French and was nominated for the Libris Literature Prize, the European Union Prize for Literature, the Boekenbon Literature Prize, the Boon Literature Prize, and the E. du Perron Prize. In 2023, Raoul de Jong wrote the National Book Week essay Boto Banja. Last year, the short story collection Groningen door dromersogen was published, which he wrote after a year-long residency at the University of Groningen. He is currently writing a film script about the life of Anton de Kom.
About Heel Nederland Leest (The Netherlands Reads)
Every November, you’ll receive a different book as a gift from the library. Because reading a good book together sparks conversations and connects people. In 2025, the gift book will be “Onder de Paramariboom” (Under the Paramaribo Tree) by Johan Fretz. In this bestseller, Johannes, who is of mixed blood, experiences being Surinamese for the first time.
Photo: Stephan Vanfleteren
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