Cees Nooteboom
Encyclopedia
Cees Nooteboom is a Dutch
author. He has won numerous literary awards and has been mentioned as a candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature.
, where his father was killed in a bombing in 1945. After his mother remarried in 1948, and thanks to his strict Catholic stepfather, Nooteboom attended several religious secondary schools, including a Franciscan school in Venray
and a school run by the Augustinians in Eindhoven. He finished his secondary education at a nightschool in Utrecht
.
After his first job with a bank in Hilversum
, Nooteboom traveled throughout Europe. In addition to his writing, he has worked for the political weekly Elsevier from 1957–1960 and at the newspaper de Volkskrant
from 1961-1968. In 1967, he became the travel editor for the magazine Avenue.
Nooteboom hired on as a sailor on a freighter to Surinam in 1957 in order to ask for the hand of his first wife, Fanny Lichtveld. They divorced in 1964. Some of his experiences are recounted in the book De verliefde gevangene (1958). He was also in a relationship with the singer, Liesbeth List
. Currently he is married to Simone Sassen and divides his time between Amsterdam
and the island of Minorca
.
In addition to his many literature awards, Nooteboom was awarded honorary doctorates from Radboud University in Nijmegen in 2006 and the Free University of Berlin
in 2008.
. His second novel, De ridder is gestorven (The Knight Has Died, 1990), published in 1963, was to remain his last for 17 years. In 1980, his novel Rituelen (Rituals, 1983) brought him wide acclaim in Holland and won the Pegasus Prize
. It was also his first translated into English. Other novels include Een lied van schijn en wezen (A Song of Truth and Semblance, 1984); Allerzielen (All Souls' Day, 2001) and Paradijs verloren (Paradise Lost, 2007). His best-known work to English-speaking audiences is perhaps Het volgende verhaal (The Following Story, 1994), which was written for the Dutch Boekenweek
in 1991 and won him the Aristeion Prize
in 1993.
Nooteboom is also a well-known travel writer. Some of his travel books include Een middag in Bruay, Een nacht in Tunesië, and De omweg naar Santiago (Roads to Santiago, 1997); this book inspired the musical work "Six Glosses" (2010) by spanish composer Benet Casablancas
. His experiences living in Berlin are detailed in the book Berlijn 1989-2009, which is a collection of his earlier books Berlijnse notities and Terugkeer naar Berlijn and new material.
The book De omweg naar Santiago (in spanish: El desvío a Santiago) inspired several spanish and Dutch composers, and has been the subject of the tournée of concerts celebrated in 2010 around The Netherlands by the Ensemble 88 from Maastricht, conducted by Taco Kooistra and in the presence of the writer, offering the World Prémière of several commissioned works written for the occasion by York Höller, Willem Dragstra, Benet Casablancas
and Mateu Malondra.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
author. He has won numerous literary awards and has been mentioned as a candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature.
Life
Nooteboom was born in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, where his father was killed in a bombing in 1945. After his mother remarried in 1948, and thanks to his strict Catholic stepfather, Nooteboom attended several religious secondary schools, including a Franciscan school in Venray
Venray
Venray is a municipality and a town in Limburg, Netherlands, 115 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam. Venray has about 43,000 inhabitants.- Population centres :...
and a school run by the Augustinians in Eindhoven. He finished his secondary education at a nightschool in Utrecht
Utrecht
Utrecht is a city in the Netherlands.The name may also refer to:* Utrecht , of which Utrecht is the capital* Utrecht , including the city of Utrecht* Bishopric of Utrecht* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht...
.
After his first job with a bank in Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
, Nooteboom traveled throughout Europe. In addition to his writing, he has worked for the political weekly Elsevier from 1957–1960 and at the newspaper de Volkskrant
De Volkskrant
de Volkskrant is a national daily Dutch morning newspaper, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.-History:...
from 1961-1968. In 1967, he became the travel editor for the magazine Avenue.
Nooteboom hired on as a sailor on a freighter to Surinam in 1957 in order to ask for the hand of his first wife, Fanny Lichtveld. They divorced in 1964. Some of his experiences are recounted in the book De verliefde gevangene (1958). He was also in a relationship with the singer, Liesbeth List
Liesbeth List
Elisabeth Dorathea List, generally known as Liesbeth List is a Dutch singer, stage actress and television personality. She became popular during the 1960s and frequently collaborated with Ramses Shaffy...
. Currently he is married to Simone Sassen and divides his time between Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and the island of Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
.
In addition to his many literature awards, Nooteboom was awarded honorary doctorates from Radboud University in Nijmegen in 2006 and the Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin
Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
in 2008.
Literary Works
Nooteboom's first novel, Philip en de anderen (Philip and the Others, 1988), was published in 1955 and won the Anne Frank PrizeAnne Frank Prize
The Anne Frank Prize was a literary award that was given out in the Netherlands in the years 1957 to 1966 by The Netherlands-America Foundation....
. His second novel, De ridder is gestorven (The Knight Has Died, 1990), published in 1963, was to remain his last for 17 years. In 1980, his novel Rituelen (Rituals, 1983) brought him wide acclaim in Holland and won the Pegasus Prize
Pegasus Prize
The Pegasus Prize for Literature is a literary prize established by the Mobil Corporation in 1977 to honor works from countries whose literature is rarely translated into English....
. It was also his first translated into English. Other novels include Een lied van schijn en wezen (A Song of Truth and Semblance, 1984); Allerzielen (All Souls' Day, 2001) and Paradijs verloren (Paradise Lost, 2007). His best-known work to English-speaking audiences is perhaps Het volgende verhaal (The Following Story, 1994), which was written for the Dutch Boekenweek
Boekenweek
In the Netherlands, the Boekenweek is an annual "week" of ten days dedicated to Dutch literature. It is held in March since 1932. Each Boekenweek has a theme. The beginning of the Boekenweek is marked by the Boekenbal , a gathering that is attended by writers and publishers...
in 1991 and won him the Aristeion Prize
Aristeion Prize
The Aristeion Prize is a European prize, awarded for significant contributions to contemporary literature, and exceptional translations of contemporary literature. The prize is awarded in a different Capital of Culture each year...
in 1993.
Nooteboom is also a well-known travel writer. Some of his travel books include Een middag in Bruay, Een nacht in Tunesië, and De omweg naar Santiago (Roads to Santiago, 1997); this book inspired the musical work "Six Glosses" (2010) by spanish composer Benet Casablancas
Benet Casablancas
Benet Casablancas is a Spanish composer and musicologist.- Biography :Casablancas started to study music in Barcelona and then moved to Vienna, where he attended lessons in the Vienna Academy of Music with Friedrich Cerha and Karl Heinz Füssl...
. His experiences living in Berlin are detailed in the book Berlijn 1989-2009, which is a collection of his earlier books Berlijnse notities and Terugkeer naar Berlijn and new material.
The book De omweg naar Santiago (in spanish: El desvío a Santiago) inspired several spanish and Dutch composers, and has been the subject of the tournée of concerts celebrated in 2010 around The Netherlands by the Ensemble 88 from Maastricht, conducted by Taco Kooistra and in the presence of the writer, offering the World Prémière of several commissioned works written for the occasion by York Höller, Willem Dragstra, Benet Casablancas
Benet Casablancas
Benet Casablancas is a Spanish composer and musicologist.- Biography :Casablancas started to study music in Barcelona and then moved to Vienna, where he attended lessons in the Vienna Academy of Music with Friedrich Cerha and Karl Heinz Füssl...
and Mateu Malondra.
Novels and Story Collections
- 1955 Philip en de anderen (Philip and the Others. LSU Press, 1988)
- 1958 De verliefde gevangene
- 1963 De ridder is gestorven (The Knight Has Died. LSU Press, 1990)
- 1980 Rituelen (Rituals. LSU Press, 1983)
- 1981 Een lied van schijn en wezen (A Song of Truth and Semblance. LSU Press, 1984)
- 1982 Mokusei! Eine Liebesgeschichte (Mokusei! Bridges Books, 1985)
- 1984 In Nederland (In the Dutch Mountains. LSU Press, 1987)
- 1986 Het Spaans van Spanje
- 1988 De brief
- 1991 Het volgende verhaal (The Following Story. Harcourt Brace, 1994)
- 1999 Allerzielen (All Souls Day. Harcourt, 2001)
- 2004 Paradies verloren (Lost Paradise. Grove Press, 2007)
- 2007 Rode Regen
- 2009 ’s Nachts komen de vossen
Travel Writing
- 1963 Een middag in Bruay. Reisverslagen
- 1965 Een nacht in Tunesië
- 1968 Een ochtend in Bahia
- 1971 Bitter Bolivia. Maanland Mali
- 1978 Een avond in Isfahan
- 1981 Voorbije passages
- 1983 Waar je gevallen bent, blijf je
- 1985 De zucht naar het Westen
- 1986 De Boeddha achter de schutting. Aan de oever van de Chaophraya
- 1989 De wereld een reiziger
- 1990 Berlijnse notities
- 1991 Vreemd water
- 1992 De omweg naar Santiago (Roads to Santiago. Harcourt Brace, 1997)
- 1992 Zurbarán
- 1993 De konig van Surinam
- 1995 Van de lente de dauw. Oosterse reizen
- 1997 De filosoof zonder ogen : Europese reizen
- 1997 Terugkeer naar Berlijn
- 2002 Nootebooms Hotel (Nomad's Hotel. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009; the German edition with the same title appeared first in 2000)
- 2005 Het geluid van Zijn naam. Reizen door de Islamitische wereld
- 2009 Berlijn 1989/2009
- 2010 Scheepsjournaal
Poetry
- 1956 De doden zoeken een huis
- 1959 Koude gedichten
- 1960 Het zwarte gedicht
- 1964 Gesloten gedichten
- 1970 Gemaakte gedichten
- 1978 Open als een schelp – dicht als een steen
- 1982 Aas. Gedichten
- 1982 Het landschap verteld. Paesaggi narrati
- 1984 Vuurtijd, ijstijd. Gedichten 1955–1983
- 1989 Het gezicht van het oog
- 1991 Water, aarde, vuur, lucht
- 1999 Zo kon het zijn
- 2000 Bitterzoet, honderd gedichten van vroeger en zeventien nieuwe
- 2005 De slapende goden / Sueños y otras mentiras with Lithographs by Jürgen PartenheimerJürgen PartenheimerJürgen Partenheimer is among the most renowned German artists of his generation. Since his participation at the Paris Biennial in 1980 and the Venice Biennial in 1986, his work has been widely shown internationally.-Work:...
Essays and Reporting
- 1968 De Parijse beroerte
- 1980 Nooit gebouwd Nederland (Unbuilt Netherlands. Rizzoli, 1985)
- 1993 De ontvoering van Europa
- 1993 Zelfportret van een ander. Dromen van het eiland en de stad van vroeger
Awards
- 1957 - Anne Frank PrizeAnne Frank PrizeThe Anne Frank Prize was a literary award that was given out in the Netherlands in the years 1957 to 1966 by The Netherlands-America Foundation....
- 1960 - Poetry Prize from the City of Amsterdam (for Ibicenzer gedicht)
- 1960 - ANV-Visser Neerlandia Prize (for De zwanen van de Theems)
- 1963 - Lucy B. en C.W. van der Hoogtprijs (for De ridder is gestorven)
- 1965 - Poetry Prize from the City of Amsterdam (for Gesloten gedichten)
- 1978 - Jan Campert Prize (for Open als een schelp - dicht als een steen)
- 1981 - Ferdinand Bordewijk PrijsFerdinand Bordewijk PrijsThe Ferdinand Bordewijk Prize or F. Bordewijk-prijs is a literary award, presented anually by the Jan Campert Foundation to the author of the best Dutch prose book....
(for Rituelen) - 1982 - Cestoda Prize
- 1982 - Pegasus PrizePegasus PrizeThe Pegasus Prize for Literature is a literary prize established by the Mobil Corporation in 1977 to honor works from countries whose literature is rarely translated into English....
(for Rituelen) - 1985 - Multatuliprijs (for the novel In Nederland)
- 1992 - Constantijn Huygens PrizeConstantijn Huygens PrizeThe Constantijn Huygens Prize is a Dutch literary award.-History:Since 1947, it has been awarded each year for an author's complete works by the Jan Campert Foundation , a foundation named in honor of the Dutch writer Jan Campert who died while helping Jews during WWII...
- 1993 - Aristeion PrizeAristeion PrizeThe Aristeion Prize is a European prize, awarded for significant contributions to contemporary literature, and exceptional translations of contemporary literature. The prize is awarded in a different Capital of Culture each year...
- 2002 - Goethe PrizeGoethe PrizeThe Goethe Prize of Frankfurt-am-Main is a German literary award of high prestige named after Johann Wolfgang Goethe. It was initially an annual award, but became triennial...
- 2002 - The Austrian State Prize for European Literature
- 2004 - P.C. Hooft Award
- 2009 - Prijs der Nederlandse LetterenPrijs der Nederlandse LetterenThe Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren is awarded every three years to an author from the Netherlands, Belgium or, since 2005, Suriname writing in Dutch...
- 2010 - Gouden Uil for 's Nachts komen de vossen