Thinking of Bruce Kennedy

In Thinking of Bruce Kennedy, Koch describes the appeal of a glamorous existence, the certainties of an artistic elite, and the value of an ordinary life.

In Thinking of Bruce Kennedy Mirjam Wenger spends a week alone in southern Spain. Her life with director Bernhard and their two children is wearing her down and she has had enough of the Amsterdam artists’ scene. In her hotel she meets Bruce Kennedy, an older but still world-famous American film star. Despite his age and drinking problem, Mirjam feels irresistibly attracted to him. Does she try to seduce him to have a great story to tell her friends back home, or is she looking for an escape from Dutch mediocrity?

‘Thinking of Bruce Kennedy shows us Koch at his best.’ Vrij Nederland

‘Koch has outdone himself. His heroine is beautiful, tragic and believable.’ De Groene Amsterdammer

‘Koch has put it all ingeniously together. His humour is as restrained as his style. A powerful novel, without cannonballs whizzing past your ears. And yet the ending will keep ringing in your head long after you have finished reading it.’ Het Parool

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‘The Ditch is another Great Watergraafsmeerian Novel.’ *** NRC Handelsblad

‘Dear Mr M. comes very close to perfection.’ ***** DE STANDAARD

‘An excellent thrilling book.’ Blazer (Israel)

‘The witty new novel by Herman Koch' MAMA

‘An intelligent, psychologically complex novel, exploring the boundaries of morality.’ STERN

‘Koch's novel is notable not only for its original story but also its style. Every sentence is precise and considered. The writer’s humour is different than usual: he chooses the path of whining, moaning and nagging.’ Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant

‘Koch has outdone himself. His heroine is beautiful, tragic and believable.’ De Groene Amsterdammer

‘A humorous book about the desire for literary fame.’ Dagblad van het Noorden

to merciful and back again.’ De Morgen ‘I cannot think of another Dutch writer who can get so entertainingly, so refreshingly worked up - without ever becoming bitter or cynical.’ HP/De Tijd

‘Should Tom Sanders disregard that advice? Or should he tackle his son about his behaviour? That is the central dilemma in Easy Living, and Koch gets a devilish kick out of making Tom Sanders vacillate between these two options, and gets an even greater kick out of pushing him into a corner.’ Parool

'One of the most moving school novels in Dutch literature.' Vrij Nederland

Koch commands his metier with an effortless superiority. De Volkskrant

Een geslaagde roman over de complexe menselijke natuur. Margriet