Het Verlangen Page #5

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Dad, we have to go in now.

Enjoy.

- OK. Bye, dad.

So there they were. In the acclaimed

cultural talk show of the Netherlands.

Boudewijn felt mostly pride.

He had succeeded in presenting

a masterpiece to a large audience...

...in the most conspicuous manner.

But Marc was struck by terror again.

Publishing House Goudemondt was,

in front of a million viewers...

...having a shoe salesgirl

represent herself...

...as a serious writer.

Questioned by the most popular interviewer

of the Netherlands.

Brigitte had heard a lot about

the dress style of Matthijs.

Everything always one size too small.

She wondered if that was true

for everything.

To the table.

Her first novel was recently published.

It's been called a masterpiece.

It deals with major themes:

death, sex, love, existential issues.

And all that in a debut.

With me is Brigitte Hooijmakers,

the writer of "The Longing". Welcome.

I'll show the viewers

how thick this book is.

This may be impossible,

but can you sum it up in three sentences?

The title says it all.

It's about longing.

For love in the first place,

but also for so much more.

I've read it and what I find so good

is that you're able...

...to describe bedrooms and living rooms

of various milieus with precision.

How do you do that?

Well, it's like...

For instance, when you look

at someone's shoes...

...you already know

what kind of person it is. Right?

I understand. But that voyeurism

reminded me immediately...

Maybe you too, Jan.

...of Nabokov. Of course.

This is Nabokov's echo.

Lolita complex. Humbert Humbert,

but then a woman.

Yeah, in a certain sense.

Matthijs, I received this book yesterday

at 2 pm and I couldn't put it down.

This is phenomenally well-written.

My compliments.

It's terrific for a first novel.

Where have you been all this time?

What do you think is

the most important passage, Jan?

The masturbation scene.

The climax.

We're getting more copies this afternoon.

The novel hit like a bombshell.

Whether you planned to read it or not...

...everyone wanted "The Longing"

on their bedside table.

For the first time in their lives,

Brigitte and Herman were seen.

Brigitte in the most literal way.

Every glossy put heron the cover.

And for Herman it seemed

to turn out all right too.

The book he'd worked on for so long

was being read.

He was being read.

He existed.

I raise my glass to a wonderful book

and a lovely writer.

An unbeatable combination.

To "The Longing".

- Cheers.

Before I show you some great numbers...

...about reprints and royalties

you'll be receiving soon...

...I'll first read what Aaron Golsteijn

wrote about the novel.

Aaron Golsteijn?

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