The Dutch Herman Koch and the Spanish Javier Cercas are both international bestseller-writers with a fascination for criminal youngsters. The adults surrounding them - teachers, parents, police officers - cannot be trusted. Nor can the writers that are playing a part in the novels. Which moral issues dit Koch en Cercas investigate while writing their novels? Who do they think are the real ‘bad guys’? An interview by Maarten Steenmeijer. In English.

Herman Koch (Arnhem, NL 1953) had his international breakthrough with the novel The Dinner which has sold more than 550,000 copies. The novel has been translated into seventeen languages, and has been adapted for the stage and the screen. The story, about a boy from a well-to-do-background who mistreasts a female vagrant, is first and foremost about the extent to which parents are responsible for the wrong-doings of their own children. The behaviour of children withdrawing from parental authority was also the main theme of his novel debut Save Us, Maria Montanelli (1989).

Javier Cercas writes short stories and novels. His Soldiers of Salamis was a huge succes worldwide and received various literary prizes. In november 2014 komt his new novel Outlaws will be published in Dutch translation at De Geus publishers. It is a story about a youth gang, a police officer and a writer who reconstructs the criminal past.

Maarten Steenmeijer is a writer and professor of Spanish Language and Literature.

The programme is in English. Booksigning and -selling at the Paagman bookshop in the venue.
This evening is organised by Writers Unlimited with the Public Library of The Hague, De Geus Publishers and Ambo|Anthos publishers.

It is recommended to make a reservation. Use the link on top of the page.Tickets are sold in the venue from 8 pm on the evening itself.