After studying psychology, Nhung Dam (b. 1984) opted to attend the Amsterdam School for Drama and Contemporary Music Theatre, graduating in 2011. She has written a variety of plays which have been translated into German and English. She also works as an actress and theatre maker. A Thousand Fathers is her debut novel.
Press on A Thousand Fathers:
'A Thousand Fathers' pre-empted by Ullstein Verlag (Germany):
I had to have this book for our list. Situated on the threshold between magical worlds and a harsh reality, this wonderful novel pulls you right in from the very first page. A brilliant and absolutely captivating debut. – HEIDE KLOTH, SENIOR EDITOR AT ULLSTEIN
With her debut novel A Thousand Fathers, Nhung Dam (1984) has written a book that surprises, confuses and enthrals. A book of “un-Dutch” allure. – HAARLEMS DAGBLAD
With an absurdist imagination reminiscent of Asian film and literature, Dam writes about the difficulties facing immigrants in a parochial Dutch setting (Beiahêm is undoubtedly an allusion to Beijum, a neighbourhood in the city of Groningen). That contrast between the swampy peat soil and the magical realism throughout is an effective literary medium for depicting the alienation experienced by a refugee family. Dam and her liberal pen make for a welcome new voice in Dutch literature. – DE VOLKSKRANT