MARIËT MEESTER

Dutch author Mariët Meester spent her childhood in Veenhuizen, a prison village where inhabitants and inmates lived together surrounded by ‘No Trespassing’ signs. She writes both fiction and literary non-fiction. Important themes in her novels are the dilemmas that man faces when trying to preserve his humanity in difficult circumstances. Her non-fiction often deals with closed communities, similar to the one in which she grew up herself.
Dutch Books Biography Videos Contact
De tribune van de armen The Tribune of the Poor Personal investigation into the tradition of releasing each year one sentenced criminal in Málaga during an Easter procession. literary non-fiction, Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers 2017. Spanish translation La Tribuna de los Pobres Ediciones del Genal 2019, Málaga. Translation: Inge Luken
Koloniekak - Leven in een gevangenisdorp Colony Posh. Life in a prison village In ten stories based on the memories of former residents Meester depicts the peculiar Dutch prison village Veenhuizen Stichting Het Drentse Boek, 142 pag. 1st edition 2012, 6th edition 2021
De mythische oom The Mythical Uncle Literary non-fiction about the American uncle of Mariët Meester, who survived leukemia thanks to a stem cell transplant. The donor was her father. Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers 2012, 288 pag.
Liefdeslied van een reiziger A Traveller's Love Song A man leaves home accompanied by his cat. A journey across Europe brings him face to face with the history of his life. Uitgeverij Balans 2009, 256 pag.
Sla een spijker in mijn hart Roemeense Roma na de revolutie Drive a Nail through my Heart - Romanian Roma after the Revolution description and reviews video passage in Italian: Piantami un chiodo nel cuore - I Rom Rumeni dopo la rivoluzione non-fiction, Uitgeverij Balans 2006, 336 pag.
De overstroming The Flood 1st edition Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 2003 2nd edition Uitgeverij Caprae 2020 A young woman retreats to a terp in the Dutch polder landscape. When the terp is isolated from the outside world by a flood, she suddenly has to rely on the other residents. In a contemporary version of the Flood myth, Mariët Meester writes about the human urge to survive. A grim but moving story unfolds. English sample by Stacey Knecht. German sample by Birgit Erdmann. Spanish sample by Goedele de Sterck.
De verdwaalde nomade The Nomad Who Lost His Way Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 2000, 208 pag. Travel stories about nomad people in Romania, Mali and India.
De stilte voor het vuur The Calm before the Fire Travelstory, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1992, 192 pag.
Sevillana novel, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1990, 220 pag. 2nd edition Uitgeverij Auteursdomein 2007
Pingping Shiners While Lily, the main character of Pingping, is looking for a more simple way of life, her opponents try to drag in as much 'pingping' (money) as possible. A tragicomedy with absurd features. novel, 272 pag., Uitgeverij Caprae 2020 Read more in Dutch... ​
De eerste zonde    The first Sin novel, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1997, 194 pag. 4th edition Uitgeverij Balans 2005 5th edition Rainbow 2007
Translated essays - The Protagonist - essay in international literary magazine Asymptote, translation Stacey Knecht - Oblomov as a woman - Essay, World PEN-congres, Macedonia 2002. Translation in English: Alissa Leigh. Published in literary magazine in Macedonia.
Hollands Siberië The Dutch Siberia Novel set in 'the worst village in the Netherlands', the penal colony Veenhuizen. During WWII a Franciscan priest joins the resistance together with his housekeeper. Based on a true story. 1st edition Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers 2014 5th edition Uitgeverij Caprae 2021
De volmaakte man The Perfect Man novel, Uitgeverij Balans 2005, 256 pag.
Bokkezang Bucksong Novel, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1994, 240 pages. Russian translation: Amphora Publishers, St. Petersburg 2002. Translation: Irina Michailova. Story about a young couple of which the man is silent and the woman tries to find out the cause of his silence. In retrospect she recalls their shared history.
Koloniekind Colony Child Memoir about the author's childhood in the prison village of Veenhuizen. During her childhood the lives of the residents and the inmates were so intertwined, that little Mariet went to kindergarten in a bus with barred windows. non-fiction, 288 pag., De Arbeiderspers 2022 Read more in Dutch... ​

MARIËT MEESTER

Dutch Books Biography Videos Contact
Dutch author Mariët Meester spent her childhood in Veenhuizen, a prison village where inhabitants and inmates lived together surrounded by ‘No Trespassing’ signs. She writes both fiction and literary non-fiction. Important themes in her novels are the dilemmas that man faces when trying to preserve his humanity in difficult circumstances. Her non-fiction often deals with closed communities, similar to the one in which she grew up herself.
De tribune van de armen The Tribune of the Poor literary non-fiction, Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers 2017. Personal investigation into the tradition of releasing each year one sentenced criminal in Málaga during an Easter procession. Spanish translation La Tribuna de los Pobres Ediciones del Genal 2019, Málaga. Translation: Inge Luken
Koloniekak - Leven in een gevangenisdorp Colony Posh. Life in a prison village Stichting Het Drentse Boek 2012, 142 pag. 1st edition 2012, 6th edition 2021 In ten stories based on the memories of former residents Meester depicts the peculiar Dutch prison village Veenhuizen
De mythische oom The Mythical Uncle Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers 2012, 288 pag. Literary non-fiction about the American uncle of Mariët Meester, who survived leukemia thanks to a stem cell transplant. The donor was her father.
Liefdeslied van een reiziger A Traveller's Love Song Uitgeverij Balans 2009, 256 pag. A man leaves home accompanied by his cat. A journey across Europe brings him face to face with the history of his life.
Sla een spijker in mijn hart Roemeense Roma na de revolutie Drive a Nail through my Heart - Romanian Roma after the Revolution non-fiction, Uitgeverij Balans 2006, 336 pag. - description and reviews - video - Piantami un chiodo nel cuore - I Rom Rumeni dopo la rivoluzione - passage in Italian
De overstroming The Flood 1st edition Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 2003 2nd edition Uitgeverij Caprae 2020 A young woman retreats to a terp in the Dutch polder landscape. When the terp is isolated from the outside world by a flood, she suddenly has to rely on the other residents. In a contemporary version of the Flood myth, Mariët Meester writes about the human urge to survive. A grim but moving story unfolds. English sample by Stacey Knecht. German sample by Birgit Erdmann. Spanish sample by Goedele de Sterck.
Landschap met dieren Landscape with animals - short story Februari boekhandels 2001, 20 pag. Landschaft mit Tiere, űbersetzung im Deutsch: Gregor Seferens Paisaje con animales, traducción en Español: Ana Crespo Solans
De verdwaalde nomade The Nomad Who Lost His Way Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 2000, 208 pag. Travel stories about nomad people in Romania, Mali and India.
De stilte voor het vuur The Calm before the Fire Travelstory, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1992, 192 pag.
Sevillana novel, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1990, 220 pag. 2nd edition Uitgeverij Auteursdomein 2007
Pingping Shiners novel, 272 pag., Uitgeverij Caprae 2020 Read more in Dutch... While Lily, the main character of Pingping, is looking for a more simple way of life, her opponents try to drag in as much 'pingping' (money) as possible. A tragicomedy with absurd features. ​
Bokkezang Bucksong Novel, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1994, 240 pages. Russian translation: Amphora Publishers, St. Petersburg 2002. Translation: Irina Michailova. Story about a young couple of which the man is silent and the woman tries to find out the cause of his silence. In retrospect she recalls their shared history.
De eerste zonde    The first Sin novel, Uitgeverij Meulenhoff 1997, 194 pag. 4th edition Uitgeverij Balans 2005 5th edition Rainbow 2007
Translated essays - The Protagonist - essay in international literary magazine Asymptote, translation Stacey Knecht - Oblomov as a woman - Essay, World PEN- congres, Macedonia 2002. Translation in English: Alissa Leigh. Published in literary magazine in Macedonia.
Hollands Siberië The Dutch Siberia 1st edition Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers 2014 5th edition Uitgeverij caprae 2021 Novel set in 'the worst village in the Netherlands', the penal colony Veenhuizen. During WWII a Franciscan priest joins the resistance together with his housekeeper. Based on a true story.
De volmaakte man The Perfect Man novel, Uitgeverij Balans 2005, 256 pag.
Koloniekind Colony Child Memoir about the author's childhood in the prison village of Veenhuizen. During her childhood the lives of the residents and the inmates were so intertwined, that little Mariet went to kindergarten in a bus with barred windows. non-fiction, 288 pag., De Arbeiderspers 2022 Read more in Dutch... ​