In no less than a month David van Reybrouck, Writer- in-Residence at NIAS in 2007/08, has received three prestigious awards for his book Congo. Een geschiedenis [Congo. A history]. Not only did he win the Libris History Award 2010, but he can now also claim the J. Greshoff Award and the AKO Literature Award.
The jury of the Libris History Award describes the book as ‘brilliant, breathtaking and moving’. The Chairman of the jury, Paul Schnabel, presented the Award for the best historical book of 2010 during de Nacht van de Geschiedenis [the Night of History] in Amsterdam. (Click here for the photos)
According to the AKO Literature jury Congo is a “well composed story about slavery, colonialism, moral fiber and survival”. The Chairman of the jury, Femke Halsema, presented the Award for the best Dutch literary work in fiction and non-fiction at the Teylers Museum in Haarlem.
Nomination of van Reybrouck for the Libris History Award 2010