As a fun addendum to every monthly book written by a native author that we read, we also compile a list of books related to the country. However, when the club was discussing the Dutch mystery read selected for that month, I was at my worst with COVID. So no related reads were published…till now.
Below, we’ve compiled 14 books related to the Netherlands we think you’ll love. While they aren’t written by Dutch authors (well, in one case we’re not sure cause the author is keeping his identity hidden), the books do take place in the Netherlands & all have great reviews.
From romance to historical fiction to a comic whodunit to literature and more, there’s a book for everyone in the list below.
Happy reading!
Written by an author from Germany:
“One of the most moving personal documents to come out of WW II.”- The Philadelphia Inquirer
“There may be no better way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of WW II than to reread The Diary of a Young Girl, a testament to an indestructible nobility of spirit in the face of pure evil.”- Chicago Tribune
“The single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust . . . remains astonishing and excruciating.” - The NY Times Book Review
“Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has since become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.
In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the ‘Secret Annex’ of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary, Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.”
Written by an author from Austria:
“An invaluable complement to an immortal testimony.” - Kirkus Reviews
“The first biography of the girl whose fate has touched the lives of millions.
For people all over the world, Anne Frank, the vivacious, intelligent Jewish girl with a crooked smile and huge dark eyes, has become the ‘human face of the Holocaust.’ Her diary of twenty-five months in hiding, a precious record of her struggle to keep hope alive through the darkest days of this century, has touched the hearts of millions.
Here, after five decades, is the first biography of this remarkable figure. Drawing on exclusive interviews with family and friends, on previously unavailable correspondence, and on documents long kept secret, Melissa Muller creates a nuanced portrait of her famous subject. This is the flesh-and-blood Anne Frank, unsentimentalized and so all the more affecting—Anne Frank restored to history. Muller traces Frank's life from an idyllic childhood in an assimilated family well established in Frankfurt banking circles to her passionate adolescence in German-occupied Amsterdam and her desperate circumstances in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp at the age of sixteen.
Full of revelations, this richly textured biography casts new light on Anne's relations with her mother, whom she treats harshly in the diary, and solves an enduring mystery: who betrayed the families hiding in the annex just when liberation was at hand?
This is an indispensable volume for all those who seek a deeper, richer understanding of Anne Frank and the brutal times in which she lived and died.”
Written by an author from Ireland:
“It is December in Belfast, but Christmas is approaching and the magic of one of Europe's most beautiful cities beckons. A father looks for himself in the past, struggling to deal with a recent divorce, his teenage son in tow. A single, selfless mother accompanies her only daughter and friends for a weekend-long bachelorette party. And a husband treats his wife to a birthday weekend away, somehow heightening her anxieties and insecurities about age, desire, and motherhood.
As these people brush against one another in the squares, museums, and parks of Amsterdam, their lives are transfigured in the winter light, and they encounter the complexities of love in a city that challenges what has gone before. Tender and humane, elevating the ordinary to something timeless and important, The Light of Amsterdam is a novel of compassion and rare dignity.”
The author is a big mystery. No one knows who he is. He even sent someone else to pick up a major book award. He's considered Dutch, but this is not known for sure.
“A #1 international bestseller in the vein of Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove: a funny and tender-hearted tale about friendship, love, and an old man who is young at heart.
Technically speaking, Hendrik Groen is....elderly. But at age 83 1/4, this feisty, indomitable curmudgeon has no plans to go out quietly. Bored of weak tea and potted geraniums, exasperated by the indignities of aging, Hendrik has decided to rebel—on his own terms. He begins writing an expose: secretly recording the antics of day-to-day life in his retirement home, where he refuses to take himself, or his fellow ‘inmates,’ too seriously.
With an eccentric group of friends he founds the wickedly anarchic Old-But-Not-Dead Club—’Rule #3: No Whining Allowed’—and he and his best friend, Evert, gleefully stir up trouble, enraging the home's humorless director and turning themselves into unlikely heroes. And when a sweet and sassy widow moves in next door, he polishes his shoes, grooms what's left of his hair, and determines to savor every ounce of joy in the time he has left, with hilarious and tender consequences.
A bestselling phenomenon that has captured imaginations around the world, The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen is inspiring, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny with a deep and poignant core: a page-turning delight for readers of any age.”
Written by an author from the US/UK:
“Chevalier brings the real artist Vermeer and a fictional muse to life in a jewel of a novel.” - Time
“A vibrant, sumptuous novel... triumphant... a beautifully written tale that mirrors the elegance of the painting that inspired it.” - The Wall Street Journal
“The NY Times bestselling novel by the author of Remarkable Creatures and The Last Runaway
Tracy Chevalier transports readers to a bygone time and place in this richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings.
History and fiction merge seamlessly in this luminous novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening. Girl with a Pearl Earring tells the story of sixteen-year-old Griet, whose life is transformed by her brief encounter with genius . . . even as she herself is immortalized in canvas and oil.”
Written by someone from the UK:
“Ewan's droll, funny, noirish style, cleverly drawn central character, and great descriptions of locale will make this a popular new series.” - Library Journal
“Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living, about an intrepid burglar named Faulks. To supplement his income—and to keep his hand in—Charlie also has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission.
When a mysterious American offers to pay Charlie 20,000 euros if he steals two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; he doesn't know how the American found him, and the job seems too good to be true. And, of course, it is. Although the burglary goes off without a hitch, when he goes to deliver the monkeys, he finds that the American has been beaten to near-death, and that the third figurine is missing.
Back in London, his long-suffering literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and his real life—but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and, of course, a beautiful damsel in distress.
Publishers Weekly called Chris Ewan's The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam one of the ‘best books for grownups.’”
Written by an author born in Croatia who’s lived in the Netherlands for almost 20 years:
“A shiningly weird and powerful novel...[it] approaches perfection. - Washington Post
“This novel poses some interesting philosophical questions—who are you, what are you, and what are your memories when your country has disintegrated and even your language has been politicized out of existence? This sorrowful tale packs a powerful punch, emphasizing that among former Yugoslavs, some bear the dual burden of guilt and victimhood.” - American Library Association
“Having fled the violent breakup of Yugoslavia, Tanja Lucic is now a professor of literature at the University of Amsterdam, where she teaches a class filled with other young Yugoslav exiles, most of whom earn meager wages assembling leather and rubber S&M clothing at a sweatshop they call the ‘Ministry.’ Abandoning literature, Tanja encourages her students to indulge their ‘Yugonostalgia’ in essays about their personal experiences during their homeland's cultural and physical disintegration. But Tanja's act of academic rebellion incites the rage of one renegade member of her class—and pulls her dangerously close to another—which, in turn, exacerbates the tensions of a life in exile that has now begun to spiral seriously out of control.”
Written by someone from the UK:
“A timeless tale of heart-warming romance by one of the world's best-loved romance authors. This is Betty Neels' first book, the one that started it all & set the stage for over 130 books that would follow.
Sister Adelaide Peters was surprised, but also very proud and excited, to have been chosen to represent her hospital in a new exchange scheme. It meant she’d be spending a year in Holland. Adelaide was determined to do her best, and she more than succeeded! She adored Holland, liked her colleagues and even mastered some of the language. She also unexpectedly—and disastrously—fell in love with her new boss. But Professor Coenraad van Essen was clearly out of her league.”
Note: The term “Sister” here does not denote a religious connotation. This is a title traditionally used for nurses in the UK up until 2010.
Written by an author from the UK:
Shortlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award
“When an old woman storms into the Rijksmuseum demanding the return of her painting, archivist Ruth Braams cannot quell her curiosity…
Ruth delves into the history of the piece of looted Nazi art and discovers an enigmatic picture with a disturbing wartime provenance. It also appears that the elderly Lydia is not the only claimant and, against bureau regulations, Ruth endeavours to help strengthen her case.
Days later, Ruth begins to receive sinister anonymous threats, warning her to stay away from Lydia and the painting.
As the threats escalate, Ruth realizes that there must be far more to the painting’s popularity, and she enters a series of increasingly lethal adventures as she investigates its secret symbolism...
Why did Hitler want this picture? Who was its obscure creator? And who are the figures in the painting? In trying to answer these questions, Ruth plummets into a world of grasping ambition and blighted love, where art and occult science join forces to take a staggering leap into the future.
The Apothecary’s House is a brilliant evocation of Amsterdam that combines fascinating historical detail with a cast of sharply realised characters—a fast-paced, finely crafted, riveting mystery.”
Written by an author from the US writing about the US & Netherlands:
“A little gem of a novel . . . [and a] beautifully written exploration of the power of art.” - Parade
“The NY Times bestselling luminous tale about art and human experience that is as breathtaking as any Vermeer painting.
A professor invites a colleague from the art department to his home to see a painting that he has kept secret for decades. The professor swears it is a Vermeer—why has he hidden this important work for so long? The reasons unfold in a series of stories that trace ownership of the painting back to World War II and Amsterdam, and still further back to the moment of the work’s inspiration. As the painting moves through each owner’s hands, what was long hidden quietly surfaces, illuminating poignant moments in human lives. Vreeland’s characters remind us, through their love of the mysterious painting, how beauty transforms and why we reach for it, what lasts, and what in our lives is singular and unforgettable.”
Written by an author from the UK:
The basis for the haunting, sumptuous period thriller miniseries on tv (view on Amazon).
“Set in 17th century Amsterdam—a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion—a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.
‘There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .’
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand—and fear—the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.”
Written by an author from Ireland:
“I know of no other work of literature of World War II as moving, as awesome, and as accurate in its portrayal of human courage.” - General James A. Gavin
“The classic account of one of the most dramatic battles of World War II.
A Bridge Too Far is Cornelius Ryan's masterly chronicle of the Battle of Arnhem, which marshaled the greatest armada of troop-carrying aircraft ever assembled and cost the Allies nearly twice as many casualties as D-Day.
In this compelling work of history, Ryan narrates the Allied effort to end the war in Europe in 1944 by dropping the combined airborne forces of the American and British armies behind German lines to capture the crucial bridge across the Rhine at Arnhem. Focusing on a vast cast of characters—from Dutch civilians to British and American strategists to common soldiers and commanders—Ryan brings to life one of the most daring and ill-fated operations of the war. A Bridge Too Far superbly recreates the terror and suspense, the heroism and tragedy of this epic operation, which ended in bitter defeat for the Allies.”
Written by an author from England:
“A sensual tale of art, lust, and deception—now a major motion picture (view on Amazon).
In 1630s Amsterdam, tulipomania has seized the populace. Everywhere men are seduced by the fantastic exotic flower. But for wealthy merchant Cornelis Sandvoort, it is his young and beautiful wife, Sophia, who stirs his soul. She is the prize he desires, the woman he hopes will bring him the joy that not even his considerable fortune can buy.
Cornelis yearns for an heir, but so far he and Sophia have failed to produce one. In a bid for immortality, he commissions a portrait of them both by the talented young painter Jan van Loos. But as Van Loos begins to capture Sophia's likeness on canvas, a slow passion begins to burn between the beautiful young wife and the talented artist.
As the portrait unfolds, so a slow dance is begun among the household’s inhabitants. Ambitions, desires, and dreams breed a grand deception—and as the lies multiply, events move toward a thrilling and tragic climax.
In this richly imagined international bestseller, Deborah Moggach has created the rarest of novels—a lush, lyrical work of fiction that is also compulsively readable. Seldom has a novel so vividly evoked a time, a place, and a passion.”
“Sumptuous prose . . . reads like a thriller.” - The New York Times Book Review
“An artful novel in every sense of the word . . . deftly evokes seventeenth-century Amsterdam’s vibrant atmosphere.” - Los Angeles Times
Written by an author from the UK:
“A book as quietly appealing as its subject and full of fascinating details. Coates is entirely convincing in his affectionate portrait.” - Prospect
“Stranded at Schiphol airport, Ben Coates called up a friendly Dutch girl he'd met some months earlier. He stayed for dinner. Actually, he stayed for good.
In the first book to consider the hidden heart and history of the Netherlands from a modern perspective, the author explores the length and breadth of his adopted homeland and discovers why one of the world's smallest countries is also so significant and so fascinating. It is a self-made country, the Dutch national character shaped by the ongoing battle to keep the water out from the love of dairy and beer to the attitude to nature and the famous tolerance.
Ben Coates investigates what makes the Dutch the Dutch, why the Netherlands is much more than Holland and why the color orange is so important. Along the way, he reveals why they are the world's tallest people and have the best carnival outside Brazil.
He learns why Amsterdam's brothels are going out of business, who really killed Anne Frank, and how the Dutch manage to be richer than almost everyone else despite working far less. He also discovers a country which is changing fast, with the Dutch now questioning many of the liberal policies which made their nation famous.”