Joris van Casteren (b. 1976) had already earned a name as a journalist for his outstanding rapportage, for which he received the Gouden Pennetje Award, when he made his breakthrough in 2008 with Lelystad, which was nominated for the AKO Literature Prize. Thereafter he published, among other works, the equally celebrated The Foot in the IJssel (2013), nominated for the Bob den Uyl Prize, and People on Mars (2016).
‘Mother had been very clear, he was not to tell anybody. She was lying on the marital bed, it was Tuesday 23 July 2013. Piet had sat next down to her, on the side where father used to sleep. “What else can you do, my boy?” She started to talk about their cats. At that point there were nine, who were fed high-quality food from exclusive brands which she bought at Das Futterhaus in Tüddern, just over the border in Germany.
Then there was the rent, and all those other costs. How would he be able to come up with that on his own? Piet did not contradict her, he had never done so. So he said: I won’t tell anyone, mother.’