Skip to content

A Quattro Mani

Photographer Marc Brester and journalist Vivian de Gier can read and write with each other - literally. As partners in crime, they travel the world for various media, for reviews of the finest literature and personal interviews with the writers who matter. Ahead of the troops and beyond the delusion of the day.

A wolf inside you: the rage of Kristien Hemmerechts

Wolf is Kristien Hemmerechts' first novel since her non-fiction book on breast cancer, and it is about rage. What it's like to be furious, the Belgian writer knows all about that. "When I had breast cancer, I experienced intense feelings of aggression." Why is it that some people who have experienced trauma or tragedy can give it a place,... 

Whether thriller writer Tomas Ross (73) has now mastered writing after dozens of books? 'Sometimes I shudder at my own sentences'

Tomas Ross, also called the godfather of Dutch 'faction', concludes his trilogy on the Dutch East Indies with his new thriller Het verdriet van Wilhelmina. ,,Readers often say: with you, we never know what is true and what is false. You might find that an objection, but I think it's a compliment.'' Arnie Springer The new thriller by Tomas... 

Marieke Nijkamp wrote an American bestseller, and her next book is also going like a rocket: 'Young people shy away from not much'

This young writer from Hengelo - she turns 32 in January - sold over a quarter of a million copies of her debut novel This Is Where It Ends in the United States. It spent 64 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. So Hengelo-based Young Adult writer Marieke Nijkamp did feel slight pressure while writing her second book, Before I... 

Brian Elstak wrote Tori. Finally a book for all children? Afke Bohle asked hers. The answer is surprising.

A Quattro Mani's pop-uprecent Afke Bohle takes up the challenge of reading a book with her sons. After good experiences with Suzie Ruzie and Susan van 't Hullenaar's The Green Hand series, she is now venturing into Tori, the recent children's book by Brian Elstak in collaboration with author Karin Amatmoekrim, touted as: 'finally a book for all children'.... 

Finally a solution to Christmas stress! Writer and TV chef Nigella Lawson says: 'Cooking offers more comfort than food'

She has just flown in and barely had time to eat lunch. So after the interview, Nigella Lawson (57) quickly fishes a sandwich out of a plastic bag from her bag. The successful British television chef has a killer schedule promoting her new cookbook, and there is no more than this between interviews. A... 

'Get well.' Grief therapist Julia Samuel on 'Grief work'

How should you grieve? Is there any way to grieve, or are you at the mercy of fate? How do you deal with someone in grief? Grief therapist Julia Samuel has been helping people who have lost a loved one for 25 years. By now, she knows how to and, more importantly, how not to. In March this year, a few days before... 

Thriller writer Tess Gerritsen: 'Everyone keeps their true self hidden'

I Know a Secret is the twelfth thriller in the series surrounding detective Jane Rizzoli and pathologist-anatomist Maura Isles. Writer Tess Gerritsen reached an audience of millions with it, but longs for more. As the main characters of Tess Gerritsen's thrillers, detective Jane Rizzoli and pathologist Maura Isles have been through quite a bit by now. Yet they are startled by the state of their... 

Debris, grit and zona rossa in Umbria. Italy a year after the earthquakes

What would Italy be like a year after the earthquakes, we had wondered. What would be left of the centuries-old cultural heritage in this beautiful region on the border of Umbria, Marche and Lazio? Why do you never really hear about it in the news anymore? We ourselves, Vivian de Gier and Marc Brester, residents of just... 

João Ricardo Pedro on living on after missing: 'I want to repay my debt'

On 11 September 1985, the biggest train disaster in Portuguese history occurred. Near Alcafache, an international express train collided with a local boom train. Nothing was ever recovered from dozens of passengers. They were totally charred in the scorching inferno. Portuguese writer João Ricardo Pedro, in his stunning novel Underway, reconstructs how one of those missing ended up in that place where... 

On aliens, being alone and (too) much feeling: 9 life questions to rapper Typhoon

When he was given a car to play with as a child, you wouldn't hear or see him all day. Because he does love people and likes to perform, but off-stage rapper Glenn de Randamie (32), aka Typhoon, prefers to be by himself. Then he has peace, humour and creativity for ten. 'The more alone I... 

This is guaranteed to make you happy. How artist collective toyism has continued to surprise for 25 years

They have been around for 25 years but are buzzing as if they were founded yesterday. With the creation of a work of art at Eelde airport - to be followed live from today - as well as exhibitions at 25 locations in and around Groningen, the artists of the international artists' collective toyism are celebrating their anniversary. Self-willed, original and committed are perhaps the most important characteristics of this international collective.... 

Thriller writer Jo Nesbø: 'Harry Hole is a very intense character'

Hij is een getormenteerde, eenzelvige en tegendraadse kerel, maar ook een van de beste rechercheurs die het politiecorps van Oslo rijk is. En: een zeer geliefd personage. Harry Hole is terug, in de nieuwe thriller De dorst van Jo Nesbø. Of het interview een paar uur later kan, want hij heeft last van een jetlag. De populaire Noorse bestsellerauteur Jo… 

Anna Woltz: 'I think normal people are boring'

On Wednesday 21 June, the Zilveren Griffels, Zilveren Penselen en Paletten and Vlag en Wimpels will be awarded - the prelude to the presentation of Het Gouden Penseel and Het Gulden Palet in September and the Gouden Griffel in October. Interview with last year's Golden Griffel winner Anna Woltz about writing, growing up and the Griffels, of course. By Tijmen... 

'The Green Hand was a super-secret club'. Susan van 't Hullenaar on her children's book series

Later, when I grow up... Lawyer Susan van 't Hullenaar (1970) always dreamed of becoming a writer. As her 12.5-year work anniversary approached, she realised: I have to take the plunge now, otherwise it won't happen. She quit her job, became her own boss as a copywriter and picked up her pen - well, the computer. 'I gave... 

‘We zouden nog De Groene Hand lezen!’ Hoe een 8-jarige ineens van het gamen geneest

A Quattro Mani’s pop-uprecente Afke Bohle ging de uitdaging aan om met haar oudste zoon een boek te lezen. Na het eerste deel in De Groene Hand-serie van Susan van ’t Hullenaar volgt al snel het tweede. En wat schetst haar verbazing: nu duurt het wachten op deel drie eigenlijk te lang… Mijn jongste zoon is dol op boeken, maar… 

On botox, nightmares and humour: 8 life questions to Tatiana de Rosnay

The novel Her Name was Sarah (nine million copies sold) made Tatiana de Rosnay world-famous. In Paris, she even wears a wig when she does not want to be recognised. That she struggled with anorexia she kept secret for years. [bol_product_links block_id=”bol_592be29ab4765_selected-products” products=”9200000075700087,1001004010207707,9200000077515228,9200000011255053″ name="a4m" sub_id="de rosnay" link_color="003399″ subtitle_color="000000″ pricetype_color="000000″ price_color="CC3300″ deliverytime_color="009900″ background_color="FFFFFF" border_color="D2D2D2″ width="549″ cols="2″ show_bol_logo="0″ show_price="1″ show_rating="1″ show_deliverytime="1″ link_target="1″ image_size="1″ admin_preview="1″] Eight life questions... 

Op zoek naar Carthago. Tekeningen van Elisa Pesapane in het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

In de opdracht die kunstenares Elisa Pesapane kreeg van het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden kwamen haar passies samen: tekenen, de oudheid, onderzoek en portret. Vanaf vandaag zijn er in het RMO twaalf tekeningen te zien over ‘le solitaire des ruines’: de militair ingenieur Jean Emile Humbert, op zoek naar de stad Carthago. Portret De Italiaans-Nederlandse kunstenares Elisa Pesapane (1977) is onder meer… 

Long live the pedometer! 5 books you'll want to read in May

Bark Skins Annie Proulx We had to gather some courage to start Annie Proulx's Bark Skins. After all, the book is 800 pages long, so you have to make some time for it. But this novel is well worth that. As a reader, you are unceremoniously planted in the wild forest of North America, still called New France in the late seventeenth century.... 

Festival BRU-TAAL: 5 reasons to travel to Bruges now

See, the Belgians do that well. When a new literary festival comes along, it immediately lasts more than a whole week instead of two days. Today marks the start of the first edition of the International Literature Festival BRU-TAAL. Five reasons to travel to 'the Venice of the North' in the coming days: Bruges. 9 days, 2 weekends, almost 59 writers,... 

On being Jewish, acceptance and ambition: 8 life questions to Jonathan Safran Foer

He finds himself lazy and under-ambitious, and struggles with acceptance - of himself, of others, of the world. Because his grandparents had experienced the Holocaust, there was a taboo on being unhappy in his youth. Eight life questions to Jewish-American writer Jonathan Safran Foer. 'Between what I could do and actually do, there is a big gap.' 1.... 

Mira Feticu interviews Mircea Cărtărescu: 'My readers deserve a medal'

Earlier this year, Mircea Cărtărescu, Romania's greatest writer, was a guest at the Winternachten festival. Writer Mira Feticu, who was born and grew up in Romania and even received lectures from Cărtărescu as a student, interviewed her former compatriot and professor for A Quattro Mani. A beautiful conversation about their homeland, truth, literature and poetry. 'My books are... 

Van Huntington tot Babylon: de 7 boeken die je in april zeker wilt lezen

Babylon Yasmina Reza Met haar roman Babylon won Yasmina Reza de prix Renaudot, na de prix Goncourt de belangrijkste literaire prijs van Frankrijk. Hoofdpersoon is de 62-jarige Elisabeth Jauze. Elisabeth is octrooirechercheur bij het Instituut Pasteur en leidt een bedaard leven met haar echtgenoot Pierre. In tegenstelling tot haar zus Jeanne, die sinds scheiding in seksuele avonturen verzeild raakt die… 

Frieda Mulisch: 'I'm not going to be doubted by what others say about me'

Adultery, lustful sex and desperately dating forty-somethings - these are the spicy ingredients of caSINO, Frieda Mulisch's debut novel. On their quest for true love, her protagonists Polly and Sam scour dating app caSINO, a kind of Tinder. We talk to her about her book, literary aspirations and, of course, her father Harry Mulisch. 'If Tinder had been around fifty years ago,... 

Jan van Mersbergen: ‘Als thrillerschrijver Frederik Baas voel ik me vrijer’

We kennen hem van prachtige romans als Naar de overkant van de nacht en De laatste ontsnapping, maar Jan van Mersbergen heeft meer noten op zijn zang. Verraste hij onlangs met De ruiter, geschreven vanuit het perspectief van een oud paard, nu is er Dagboek uit de rivier. Geen roman, maar zijn eerste thriller, die hij uitbrengt onder het pseudoniem Frederik Baas.… 

Anyone can be a hero. Rachel van de Pol on saving the world (or at least a little bit)

Je kunt wel dromen van een betere wereld, maar waarom zou je niet zelf in actie komen? Journaliste Rachel van de Pol (33) besloot een jaar lang elke dag een goede daad te verrichten, van het vragen van een doggybag in een restaurant tot het lappen van de ramen van de buren of het uitdelen van ijsjes aan bouwvakkers op… 

Small Cultural Membership
175 / 12 Months
For turnover less than 250,000 per year.
Posting press releases yourself
Cultural Membership
360 / Year
For cultural organisations
Posting press releases yourself
Collaboration
Private Membership
50 / Year
For natural persons and self-employed persons.
Exclusive archives
Own mastodon account on our instance
en_GBEnglish (UK)