(1927-2010, Amsterdam) was a publicist. For a while he studied Dutch and history. In 1951 his novella Séjour appeared, for which he was awarded the Reina Prinsen Geerlings prize. He worked as an apprentice journalist for the newspaper Het Parool, became film editor for the Algemeen Handelsblad and then head of television for the VPRO. He wrote book reviews, of which some have been collected in Het eeuwige examen (The eternal exam) (1977). Blokker is well known for his contributions to the television programme ‘Zo is het...’ (1963-1964), and for his columns in the Volkskrant. His columns are characterized by a sharp and satirical handling of current affairs. In 1960 Blokker's first children's book appeared: Op zoek naar een oom (Looking for an uncle), which was crowned by the CPNB. He wrote film scripts (Fanfare by Bert Haanstra) and the libretto for the opera Esmée (1995) by Theo Loevendie. In 1992 Blokker was appointed as extraordinary professor of journalism at Rotterdam University. He died in 2010.

(Morocco, 1975) is an award-winning writer, poet, playwright and curator. His 1996 debut, Bruiloft aan zee (Wedding By the Sea), was an immediate success. His second novel, De langverwachte (The Long-awaited) won him the prestigious 2003 Libris Literature Award. Benali's subjects vary, but sports and the migrant who never really feels at home are recurring themes. He has written novels about his great passion of running, about his travels, and about migrants' cultural identity (Bad Boy). His work has been published internationally. Recent books include the novel Paradijsvogel boven Hoge Woerd (Bird of Paradise over Hoge Woerd, 2022) and Het andere verhaal (The Other Story, 2022), an essay about his research into 75 years of modern Moroccan art.