Van Den Broeck and Peeters longlisted for the AKO literature prize

Return to Walden by Walter van den Broeck an The Flowers by Koen Peeters have been longlisted for the AKO literature prize. The shortlist will be made public on Friday, October 1.

Terug naar Walden (Return to Walden) on Libris shortlist

Money doesn’t make you happy, unless your name is Ruler Marsh. He is untouchable, a money-grubber in a merciless world. Ruler Marsh and his family once suffered grievous wrongs. Today, Ruler is old. He is also the richest man in the world and he takes revenge by making banks fall like dominoes. Until one day, he is the one to be undermined.

Ruler Marsh’s wanderings in Walter van den Broeck's Terug naar Walden (Return to Walden) have conquered a place among the last five nominees for the Libris Literature Award 2010.

The prize is awarded on 10 May at the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam.

Walter van den Broeck is one of the main writers of the Dutch language. Last month, Meulenhoff
Manteau published a new, revised edition of his classic Brief aan Boudewijn (Letter to Baudouin).

The press on Terug naar Walden:

‘The first great novel about the crisis.’
De Standaard

‘Terug naar Walden is a highly imaginative mix of a heimat story, an adventure novel and dystopian literature. A wonderful book.’
Knack

Return to Walden: nominated for the Libris Literature Prize

Walter van den Broeck's daring novel Return to Walden (Terug naar Walden) has been nominated for the prestigious Libris Literature Prize 2010.

Return to Walden is a fantastic story about robbery, love and the spirit of Frederik van Eeden/Henry David Thoreau. An unapproachable money-grubber takes revenge on the world by making banks fall like dominoes. Until he is brought to his knees and leaves everything behind.

coming soon, the new Walter van den Broeck: Return to Walden

If you could turn back time, where would you like to be?

In September, Meulenhoff | Manteau will publish the novel Terug naar Walden (Return to Walden) by Walter van den Broeck: a fantastic story about robbery, love and the spirit of Frederik van Eeden/Henry David Thoreau. An unapproachable money-grubber takes revenge on the world by making banks fall like dominoes. Until he is brought to his knees and leaves everything behind.
Any resemblance to KBC, Dexia, Fortis and their former managers is purely coincidental. But the timing to publish a novel like Terug naar Walden (Return to Walden) couldn’t be more perfect.

Meulenhoff | Manteau welcomes Walter van den Broeck

(Walter van den Broeck as seen by photographer Koen Broos.)

With his novel, Return to Walden, Walter van den Broeck returns to the publishing house where he started his career as a writer in 1968. Other titles from his vast body of work, published by De Bezige Bij, will now also be published by Meulenhoff | Manteau. More about those new editions later…

For Walter van den Broeck, the switch to Meulenhoff | Manteau is a logical choice: ‘I always have been of the opinion that Flemish writers should publish their work in Flanders. That is why, for many years, I have rejected many a tempting offer that was supposed to lure me to the Netherlands. Manteau was my home. In 1986, the company went through a tough crisis, which forced me to go north. There simply weren’t any more Flemish publishing houses back then. But I kept repeating that I wasn’t happy about it. With the creation of the publishing house Meulenhoff | Manteau, nothing could stop me from returning home.’

Publisher Harold Polis: ‘I grew up reading his books and now I can publish them myself. When you absolutely love literature, it’s a magical experience. I think Walter van den Broeck is one of the greatest writers ever. There are many affinities with other writers in the Meulenhoff | Manteau fund. For the last six years, we have all been working on a successful literary fund, with many new names, beautiful books, awards and modern-day classics. With Walter van den Broeck coming back home, we will continue our work with even more ambition, curiosity and love. Furthermore, to my knowledge, Walter is the only European writer to master mirror-writing. Could come in handy in our business…’

Walter van den Broeck is one of the most important writers in post-war Dutch literature. He has written an impressive series of novels about us, about who we are and what we want. In Dutch literature, his tetralogy Het beleg van Laken (The Siege of Laken) is just as important as Het verdriet van België (The Sorrow of Belgium) by Hugo Claus and De Kapellekensbaan (Chapel Road)/Zomer te Ter-Muren (Summer in Ter-Muren) by Louis Paul Boon. His successful novels and stage plays have been awarded with numerous prizes and honours and were adapted for film. His latest novel, De veilingmeester (The Auctioneer), has been selected for the AKO Literature Award 2007 longlist and for the Gouden Uil 2008 longlist.