Maarten 't Hart (1) (1944–)

Dienstreizen van een thuisblijver is a third volume of autobiographical writing by Maarten 't Hart to appear in the prestigious Privé Domein-series. It consists of 17 essays.

In these essays we meet Maarten 't Hart as a cynical, somewhat arrogant man. Many of these essays contain personal attacks or attempts to ridicule other writers, particularly Connie Palmen, or make fun of readers or admirers. Although the title suggests that the author does not travel, quite a number of the essays are about trips he had to undertake to promote his work at book fairs or touring book stores. The tenet of many of these essays is that the author detests travel, and detests the people he encounters on his travels. His attitude often speaks of disdain, rpopping himself up as the all-knowing authority who can therefore ridicule the ignorance of others.… (more)

Het roer kan nog zesmaal om is the second volume of autobiographical writing by Marten 't Hart published in the prestigious Prive Domein series. Unlike the first volume, Een deerne in lokkend postuur. Persoonlijke kroniek 1999, which was written as a diary, Het roer kan nog zesmaal om consists of nine essays.

Maarten 't Hart is a writer with broad interests. He was trained as a biologist, but is mostly known as a novelist. Besides this, his life-long passion for the music of Bach has made him an expert on his music. He also wrote a biography of J. S. Bach.

As the title of the book suggests, "Het roer kan nog zesmaal om" and the title of the fourth essays "Negen ambachten", which translates as "change course six times" and "nine professions", Maarten 't Hart has always been very versatile, a man of many talents. These talents as a connaisseur of classical music, particularly J.S. Bach, a biologist and a writer. In Het roer kan nog zesmaal om he writes about his student years in Leiden, his struggle with the calvinism of his parents and his early career as a writer.… (more)

Maarten 't Hart is a writer with broad interests. He was trained as a biologist, but is mostly known as a novelist. Besides this, his life-long passion for the music of Bach has made him an expert on his music. He also wrote a biography of J. S. Bach.

In the 1990s 't Hart surprised many people by dressing up and appearing in public as a woman. People's weren't as much shocked as surprised and it drew mostly smiles, as it was considered another eccentric folly in the cultural scene of the Netherlands. The title of this volume of autobiographical writings refers to that.

The book is conceived as a personal diary. It describes all personal and professional topics as they occurred in the life of the writer in 1999. There are long passages on music and the work on the Bach biography, as well as observations on the author's ventures in drag.

The book gives a nice glimpse into life around the turn of the century, the work and personal views of its author.… (more)