In the bookstores, when people ask for Dutch literature, they might end up with the current international bestseller The Dinner by Herman Koch, or the literary travel literature guru Cees Nooteboom followed by… who else?  It’s no secret that on an international level Dutch literature is not so well-known. Despite the always hard circumstances and possible marginalization a smaller territory with minority languages has to face, to be spread and read in the rest of the world, there is also a sensation of common loss of what many captivating books and gifted authors has to offer to readers and the market internationally.

Picture: AP Photo/Michael Probst

This will become clear during the 68th edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2016 as Holland and Flanders will be Guest of Honour. Being guest of honour at the biggest book fair in the world is the best way to promote a territories’ literature. All kinds of events and exhibitions will be organized to make the entire publishing industry aware of many more incredibly talented Dutch and Flemish authors who you will never forget. And scouts, publishers, authors, agents and translators will join forces to make this possible.

We would like to see much more of the engrossing work of the Flemish author Dimitri Verhulst. Or Peter Buwalda, whose novel Bonita Avenue has just been sold to Random House in the United States. Or the heartbreaking Tonio by A.F.T. van der Heijden, a personal account about the loss of his son. And what about Frank Westerman’s fascinating non-fiction books? Maartje Wortel? Hanna Bervoets? Tommy Wieringa? Toine Heijmans? Bert Wagendorp?  Arjen Lubach? Never heard of? Remember their names, cause in 2016 they will be on your book shelf!