M.M. Schoenmakers / M.M. Schoenmakers – Gilles Speksneijder’s Flight

M.M. Schoenmakers – Gilles Speksneijder’s Flight

M.M. Schoenmakers – Gilles Speksneijder’s Flight

Read our sample translation of Gilles Speksneijder’s Fight 

About the book

Gilles Speksneijder holds a modest position in a service-providing organization. He then finds himself appointed assistant relocation co-ordinator, only to virtually collapse under the weight of his new responsibilities.

When an anti-squatter threatens to disrupt the relocation process, Gilles has no choice but to offer the young woman a place to stay in his home. From that moment on the relations in the Speksneijder household begin to shift: as Gilles is steadily pushed to the margins, his wife and the young woman become friends.

His final task becomes to deliver the old office empty and tidied. That doesn’t happen without a fight, and matters go from bad to worse. In this novel M.M. Schoenmakers meticulously paints, with humour and self-mockery, the rise and fall of a man deemed dispensable.

Schoenmakers gives every sentence a touch of gloominess. He effortlessly succeeds in capturing our attention.’ - Trouw

Schoenmakers excels in dramatic redoubling. And in wonderful sentences. On every page, there is something quotable that illustrates Speksneijder’s downward slide.’ ***** - NRC Handelsblad


Author

M.M. Schoenmakers (b. 1949) was born in Den Bosch, studied at the University of Tilburg and left for Suriname in 1977. He returned to the Netherlands in 1989. His years in Suriname inspired five novels, each published by De Bezige Bij in the period 1989-1998. After a prolonged silence, he returned with another novel, the universally acclaimed The Cloud Knight, which was included on the longlist of the Libris Literature Prize.

Additional book information

  • Novel
  • ISBN 9789023454076
  • Number of pages: 256
  • World rights: De Bezige Bij
  • Price: € 21,99
  • English sample available