Amos Oz and Adriaan van Dis on Ideals

Amos Oz and Adriaan van Dis talk about the collective ideals their generation cherished. How do they look back on the 1960s and 1970st and what is left of those ideals? A conversation between two inspired writers, hosted by writer and essayist Bas Heijne. In English

Information

Date and time Friday 18 January 2013 20:00 tot 20:50 uur
Location Theater aan het Spui - grote zaal

Amos Oz, one of Israel's greatest writers, situates his new novel Between Friends in a kibbutz, the dream of the collective. In his book Tikkop Adriaan van Dis looks back on the ideals of the ANC, which fought for a better society in South Africa. A conversation between two inspired writers on the ideals of of yesterday, hosted by Bas Heijne. In English.

Line-up

Amos Oz

Amos Oz (Israel, 1939-2018) is regarded worldwide as one of the greatest contemporary writers and considered a candidate for the Nobel Prize. He made his debut in 1965 aged 22 with the collection of short stories Where the Jackals Howl. It was followed by a massive oeuvre, translated into 37 languages. His novels include My Michael, A Perfect Peace, Black Box, To Know a Woman, Fima, Don't Call it Night and The Same Sea. In 2002 his autobiographical novel A Tale of Love and Darkness appeared, which became a worldwide bestseller. In 2007 the fairy tale Suddenly in the Depth of the Forest and the novel Rhyming Life and Death appeared. It was followed by the collection of short stories Scenes from Village Life. His most recent book is the kibbutz situated Between Friends. Amos Oz has received countless international awards, including the Prix Fémina, the Israel Prize, the Friedespreis des Deutschen Buchhandels, the Prix France Culture and the Goethe Prize. Mr Oz lived in Arad and taught literature at Ben Gurion University in Beersheva.
He died in december 2018.





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Bas Heijne

(Nijmegen, NL, 1960) writes essays, short stories and plays, and is a columnist with the daily newspaper NRC Handelsblad. He published the novels Laatste woorden (Last words) and Suez and received the Henriëtte Roland Holst Prize in 2005. In 2011's Moeten wij van elkaar houden, het populisme ontleed (Do We Have to Love One Another? Populism Dissected) Heijne shows how globalisation and individualism pave the way for populism. Angst en schoonheid (Fear and Beauty) was published in 2013, an essay about Dutch writer Louis Couperus, whom Heijne admires. In the same year his documentary about Couperus was broadcast. In 2015 he hosted the five-part documentary De volmaakte mens (The Perfect Human). In 2016 his essay Onbehagen – nieuw licht op de beschaafde mens (Discontent - new light on civilized man) was published. In 2017 Heijne received the P.C. Hooft Award for his essayistic works.
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Adriaan van Dis

(The Netherlands, 1946) grew up in a family with a past in the Dutch East Indies. He draws on these experiences in several of his works such as My Father's War (1995), Repatriated (2002) and in Naar zachtheid en een warm omhelzen (2023). Van Dis became well known via his literary television programme Here is... Adriaan van Dis (1983-1992). In addition to novels he has written novellas, travelogues, essays and plays. He presented TV documentary series and his podcast Van Dis Ongefilterd. He has received the Constantijn Huygens Award for his entire body of work. Recent publications are the collection Vijf vrolijke verhalen (2021), the novel KliFi, woede in de republiek Nederland (2022) and the essay De kolonie mept terug: over witte arrogantie en voortschrijdend inzicht: een denkoefening en leesreis (2024). During the Writers Unlimited Festival 2026, Van Dis will be the main interview guest on Saturday afternoon, 24 January, following the publication of his new book Alles voor de reis (Everything for the Journey), and on Sunday morning, 25 January, he and interviewer Simon Dikker Hupkes will record a new episode of his podcast series Van Dis Ongefilterd (Van Dis Unfiltered) live with an audience.

Go to website of Adriaan van Dis
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