Annelies Verbeke

Annelies Verbeke (b. 1976) is a leading figure in Flemish literature. Her novel ‘Sleep!’ is the most widely translated Flemish debut of all time. Many of her later books have also been translated, into 27 languages altogether. A passionate advocate of the short story, she has published four collections in the genre. Her plays, many of them written for the Dutch actors’ collective Wunderbaum, have been translated into German, English and Serbian. In 2025, her play 'Gen X Has Left the Chat' was awarded the Toneelschrijfprjis, an annual award for the best Dutch-language play. In addition, Verbeke has written a graphic novella in iambic pentameter and rhyme, a children’s book and, in 2026, a poetry collection. Her characters are powerful in their quirkiness: they feel familiar, yet often turn out darker than expected. In 2022, she received the Ultima for Literature, the Flemish state prize for literature.

 

Photo © Rebecca Fertinel