Toef Jaeger
(Bloemendaal, NL, 1971) is an editor with the daily NRC Handelsblad newspaper. Her book Koning eenoog, en migrantenverhaal (King One-Eye: An immigrant story) about Henk van Woerden was presented during the 2015 festival; the story of ever-seeking immigrant Van Woerden (1947-2005), who was a writer as well as a visal artist. He wrote a trilogy abut South Africa that received national and international attention, and which, in its rootlessness, forever changed Dutch literature about South Africa. In 2014 Het Boekenparadijs. De opkomst en ondergang van de grootste boekhandelsketen in Nederland (Book Paradise: The rise and fall of the biggest bookstore chain in the Netherlands) was published, which he co-wrote with NRC Handelsblad editor Hanneke Chin-A-Fo. It is a revealing and incisive reconstruction of the recent demise of the Polare chain.
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Archive available for: Toef Jaeger
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NRC Book Club Live: Connie Palmen's Lucifer
With: Arjen Fortuin, Margot Dijkgraaf, Michel Krielaars, Toef Jaeger
A festival tradition: the NRC Book Club Live. A panel headed by NRC books editor Michel Krielaars, including staffers Margot Dijkgraaf, Arjen Fortuin and Toef Jaeger, discusses Connie Palmen's Lucifer (2007). In this philosophical whodunit, the wife of composer Lucas Loos falls into an abyss on a Greek island in the summer of 1981. A quarter-century later, the protagonist decides to investigate. She encounters unexpected information through the colourful inhabitants of 1980s Amsterdam. Was this death predicted years earlier in a musical number, or was the fall a terrible accident? In a blurb on the book flap, the author says she was inspired by events surrounding Dutch composer Peter Schat (1935-2003) and his wife.
Everyone is welcome, and of course you, the reader of the book, can add your two cents to the discussion. Afterwards you can attend the interview of Connie Palmen by Anna Luyten, which will also touch on her new novel Jij zegt het (Whatever You Say), based on the lives of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, the poet who famously committed suicide.
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Wim Brands Reading Club: Falling Out of Time, by David Grossman
With: Sanne Terlouw, Toef Jaeger, Wim Brands
Wim Brands, maker and host of the VPRO Boeken (Books) programme on radio and television, discusses festival guest David Grossman's novel Falling Out of time (2012) with the audience. But first, Dutch writers Sanne Terlouw and Toef Jaeger present their thoughts about the book.
Five years after the death of his son killed in war, Israeli writer David Grossman succeeds in the nearly impossible undertaking of writing about this loss in Falling Out of Time. The book's protagonist goes "there" to see his dead son. Along the way he is joined by fathers and mothers who can find no peace after the death of their child. In a long procession they pass by the Centaur, who has tried for years to put his grief about the death of his son into words. Writing, he says, is the only way to understand something. Finally he manages to find the right words, but at a high price: by finishing his memorial he has permanently lost his son.
Afterwards, you can attend the programme in which David Grossman is interviewed by Lex Bohlmeijer.
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Writers Formerly Known as African
Maaza Mengiste comes from Ethiopia, but emigrated the US as a child and studied in New York. Nii Ayikwei Parkes was born in London to Ghanaian parents. The novels of both authors point to a strong bond with the land of their parents. What does this bond consist of, and how defining is it in their work and identity? Africaphile David von Reybrouck leads the discussion. Toef Jaeger, the biographer of the South Africa-raised Henk van Woerden, starts off the programme with a commentary about reverse emigrationfrom the Netherlands to Africa. In English.
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The most beautiful Afrikaans language poem of all time!
With: Annari van der Merwe, Anne van Veen, Etienne van Heerden, Marita van der Vyver, Robert Dorsman, Sonja Loots, Tineke de Nooij, Toef Jaeger
Afrikaans poetry has a rich tradition: from Antjie Krog to Ingrid Jonker, from Breyten Breytenbach to Elisabeth Eybers. Much of their poetry has appeared in a Dutch translation, for example in the anthology 'De Afrikaanse poëzie in 1000 en enige gedichten', edited by Gerrit Komrij. But what can be more beautiful than hearing the original poems in the melodious and poetic Afrikaans language, recited by South African writers? Etienne van Heerden, Sonja Loots, Kirby van der Merwe and Marita van der Vyver are touring the Netherlands and will read their favourite poem during this evening and explain why they think it's beautiful. There will also be a representative of the South African government to read president Zuma's favourite poem.
In addition we have other guests with a predilection for Afrikaans language and poetry. Robert Dorsman translates poetry and prose from Afrikaans into Dutch. The Dutch novelist Richard de Nooy grew up in South Africa. Tineke de Nooij, a radio and television celebrity, is a great fan of the land and the language and will share her favourite poem. Singer and theatre artist Anne van Veen (the daughter of Herman van Veen) sings South African poems. The audience to this event also plays a role. They have the final say when, at the close of the evening, they vote for the most beautiful Afrikaans language poem of all time. The event is hosted by NRC editor and expert on South African literature Toef Jaeger.
Organised by Writers Unlimited in cooperation with the Afrikaans novel (www.weekvandeafrikaanseroman.nl) week.
Language: Afrikaans and Dutch
Books on sale at the Paagman bookshop in the venue.Centrale Bibliotheek, Spui 68, Studio B (1st floor)
Admission: €10 for members of Bibliotheek Den Haag and €6 for CJP, students, clients with a Paagman cash register slip and Ooievaarspas.
Please book in advance, use the link on the top of this page. -
Poem - interpreted - illustrated
With: Anna Enquist, Jean Pierre Rawie, Joke van Leeuwen, Toef Jaeger
What you always wanted to know but never dared to ask. Anna Enquist and Jean Pierre Rawie will teach you how to write poetry. Together with the audience each of the poets will interpret a visually expressive poem, chosen from world literature. At the same time the audience can watch on a large screen writer and illustrator Joke van Leeuwen illustrating her own vision of the poem. Enquist, Rawie and Van Leeuwen hope for a great deal of audience participation. Shortly before the start of the festival the poems will be available on this website. Visitors to the festival will have the poems sent to them beforehand. Bring along pen and paper!
Dutch spoken
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Poems analysed and put to music
With: Adriaan van Dis, Denise Jannah, Gerrit Komrij, Toef Jaeger
Everything you always wanted to know, but never dared to ask. Writers Adriaan van Dis and Gerrit Komrij give a lesson in poetry. For and with the audience, they each analyse one poem from world literature on the theme of dreams and ideals. In the second part of this programme jazz singer Denise Jannah wil put one of the poems to music. For this she makes use of the analysis of Van Dis and Komrij, and she will make use of the the audience participation. The poems will be on this website in the week before the festival and will be handed out to the audience.
