10 Dutch books to start with (in English)

If you want to read more translated fiction but aren’t sure where to begin with Dutch literature, the ten books below are a good place to start. They cover classics, contemporary bestsellers, crime, climate fiction and children’s fiction, and all of them are available in English translation. ## The Penguin Book of Dutch Short Stories Don’t be misled by the cover, which suggests a much older collection than this actually is: many of the stories here are distinctly modern. The introduction is excellent, covering both the short story form generally and how these particular authors came to be gathered together. If you want to dive into Dutch literature but don’t know which writers to try first, this makes an ideal jumping-off point, and the range of lengths, from very short pieces to novella-length ones, means there’s plenty of variety. ## Verzet Collection ### Strangers Press If you’re after new and exciting voices, this is the collection to seek out. All of the authors featured are being translated into English for the first time, and their short stories are gathered in a series of eight pamphlets. The design is striking, and the separate pamphlets make the collection easy to dip into or carry with you. ## The Evenings ### Gerard Reve, translated by Sam Garrett Often compared to The Catcher in the Rye, The Evenings follows a young man in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve. When it was published in 1947 it struck a chord with young readers in the Netherlands, and it still holds up well today. Many Dutch readers return to it in the ten days before New Year’s Eve, since the book’s timeline matches that period exactly. ## Shocked Earth ### Saskia Goldschmidt, translated by Antoinette Fawcett More and more Dutch authors are writing climate fiction, and this novel is set in the north-east of the Netherlands, where a woman is trying to modernise the family farm while her mother wants to hold on to tradition. All of this unfolds against a backdrop of earthquakes caused by local gas drilling. ## We Had to Remove This Post ### Hanna Bervoets, translated by Emma Rault This novella follows a young woman working as a social media content moderator, watching and flagging inappropriate photos and videos day after day. You follow the slow decline of her new relationship, her interactions with colleagues and her struggle with the reality of the work. It’s an eerie read with an atmosphere reminiscent of Black Mirror. ## The Discomfort of Evening ### Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, translated by Michele Hutchison Winner of the 2020 International Booker Prize, this is a book like no other. When Jas’s brother Matthies dies after falling through the ice while skating, the strictly religious farming family quietly implodes. It’s incredibly dark and raw, written in an intricate, blunt and stunning style that draws you in. It’s worth checking content warnings before you pick it up. ## Two Blankets, Three Sheets ### Rodaan Al Galidi, translated by Jonathan Reeder This tells the story of an asylum seeker in the Netherlands who spends years working his way through Dutch bureaucracy. It describes profoundly dark events alongside moments of compassion, and does so with a wonderful sense of humour. Eye-opening and essential reading. ## Winter in Wartime ### Jan Terlouw, translated by Laura Watkinson A children’s classic that leaves a lasting impression. When sixteen-year-old Michiel discovers a crashed British pilot during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, he must risk his family’s safety to keep the secret. The book has also been adapted into a film, with Jamie Campbell-Bower playing the British pilot. ## The Dinner ### Herman Koch, translated by Sam Garrett This contemporary Dutch bestseller takes place over a single meal, divided into sections by course. Two couples meet for dinner to discuss something that has happened between their sons, and a dark, twisted story soon unfolds. ## The Discovery of Heaven ### Harry Mulisch, translated by Paul Vincent The closest English comparisons are The Da Vinci Code meets The Secret History. It’s a substantial book, around 1,000 pages in Dutch and roughly 750 in translation (the difference is down to printing rather than cuts), and it’s a challenge. The story begins with two angels influencing events on earth to ensure that one specific person is born and that things turn out as they intend. It has sold an enormous number of copies and was voted the best Dutch book ever published, which is striking in a country where very little speculative fiction makes it into print.