Boekenweek

In the Netherlands, the Boekenweek (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbukə(n)ʋeːk]; English: Book Week) is an annual "week" of ten days dedicated to Dutch literature. It has been held in March annually since 1932. Each Boekenweek has a theme. The beginning of the Boekenweek is marked by the Boekenbal (book ball), a gathering that is attended by writers and publishers. Events are held across the country during the Boekenweek, such as book signing sessions, literary festivals and debates.

Each year a well-known writer, usually Dutch or Flemish, is asked to write a book, usually a novella, called the Boekenweekgeschenk (book week gift), which is to be given away during the festival. Book shops give a copy of the Boekenweekgeschenk when a customer buys a book in the Dutch language; libraries also give copies of these books when a new person becomes a member. The Boekenweekgeschenk is published by the Collectieve Propaganda van het Nederlandse Boek (CPNB, Collective Promotion for the Dutch Book). Some authors invited to write for this event have included Maarten 't Hart (1984), Hugo Claus (1989), Cees Nooteboom, and Harry Mulisch (2000). In 2001, the Boekenweekgeschenk was originally written in English by Salman Rushdie and later translated into Dutch.

In the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, the Boekenweekgeschenk was sometimes published anonymously, with a list of possible authors inside the book. As a competition, readers could submit their guess by postcard as to who the author was. Since 2002, the Boekenweekgeschenk can be used as a ticket to travel for free by train with the Nederlandse Spoorwegen on Sunday in the Boekenweek.

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