Nonfiction

‘Women in Dark Times’ is a thoughtful work of nonfiction in which philosopher Alicja Gescinska explores how ten remarkable women held fast to humanity, dignity and moral clarity in moments of profound historical darkness. Following in the tradition of Hannah Arendt’s ‘Men in Dark Times’ (1968), she presents the lives and work of ten women who ‘looked evil in the eye and stood tall’. Among these are Hannah Arendt herself, Simone Weil, Etty Hillesum, Rosa Luxemburg, Anna Akhmatova and Edith Stein. Their lives illuminate how goodness endures even when the world appears at its bleakest. 
Gescinska (b. 1981) is one of the leading young philosophers in Belgium and the Netherlands, known for ‘The Conquest of Freedom’ and ‘A Kind of Love’. ‘Women in Dark Times’ is nominated for the Socrates Beker Prize 2026, an annual Dutch prize to celebrate the author of the most urgent, original and stimulating philosophical work published in the previous year, written in Dutch.

Anyone who has ever participated in heated discussions can confirm that politics has returned to everyday life and that debates about COVID-19, ‘wokeness’, and identity have long since spilled beyond the confines of X (Twitter). After an era of post-politics in which technocratic governance prevailed and citizens could at most comment from the sidelines, almost everything is now under political high tension. To describe this phenomenon, Anton Jäger coined the term ‘hyperpolitics’.

In ‘Hyperpolitics’, Anton Jäger travels through 150 years of democratic history to explain how current politics works and he comes up with a remarkable and illuminating explanation.

During a boat trip on the Baltic, Jan Brokken chanced upon Pärnu harbour, on the Estonian coast of the Gulf of Riga. It was an unforgettable introduction to the Baltic lands: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The extraordinary light, the tranquil landscape and the stories he heard there drew him back time and again. 

In 'Baltic Souls', Brokken connects the cultural richness and social diversity of the region over the past eight centuries with tales of personal tragedy and a first-hand account of his travels. A remarkable number of talented people have come from this relatively small, sparsely populated area, many of them Jewish in origin. Brokken looks at twenty of those who have left their mark on art and culture worldwide, from filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein and philosopher Hannah Arendt in the early decades of the twentieth century to figures of our own time including violinist Gidon Kremer, composer Arvo Pärt and dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov.

‘Monstrous Motherhood’ is an arresting work of literary nonfiction that delves into the emotional, cultural and imaginative weight of becoming – and being – a mother. Drawing on film history, visual art and feminist theory, Jozefien Van Beek examines why mothers have so often been cast as smothering, neglectful or even frightening figures. From ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ to Alice Neel, from ‘Carrie’ to Joan Didion, she traces the narratives that shape our collective imagination and asks whether it is perhaps not only mothers who are monstrous, but motherhood itself.

Interweaving cultural analysis with moments from her own life, Van Beek writes in a voice that is intimate, intelligent and disarmingly honest.

Van Beek (b. 1985) is a journalist and critic who writes about art and literature for De Standaard, De Groene Amsterdammer and de Volkskrant. She was the founder and editor‑in‑chief of Oogst, a magazine dedicated to film, art and literature.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought the spectre of war back to Europe, shattering the belief that large‑scale conflict was unthinkable after eighty years of peace. Long‑held assumptions about security have been overturned: governments are rearming, defence budgets are rising, and Europe is confronting the real possibility of global war. More than ever, the importance of the European Union — of unity — has become clear.

In incisive and lucid prose, Caroline de Gruyter examines how decades of peace have shaped European societies, exposing the habits and blind spots of a continent that vowed ‘never again’ and believed it. This is essential reading on war, peace in Europe, and the lessons of history, from one of the continent’s foremost correspondents.

Most people with money barely scratch the surface of understanding poverty’s complexities. They moralize, oversimplify, and question why the poor make ‘bad’ decisions, all while assuming they would fare better in the same circumstances.

The chasm between those who craft poverty policies and those who are subjected to it harms both individuals and society as a whole. This book bridges the gap between academic analysis of poverty and the lived experience of those who have to face it.

Avoiding sensationalism and self-pity, the author uses parts of his own story of growing up in abject poverty as a tool to illustrate his analysis. Aimed at the privileged, this is a crash course in understanding poverty’s depths – a vital step towards meaningful change. Because fighting poverty begins with seeing it differently.

In 2020, Eva Meijer started adopting laboratory mice from Utrecht University via a rodent rescue project. For three years, the writer took care of twenty-five mice at home while convalescing from Long Covid. Observing the way they clean each other, compulsively tidy up, run in the wheel, make escape attempts, and approach nest-building as a quasi-artform, Meijer came to know them as fully-fledged individuals with their own personalities. Soon Flankie, Bram, Wezel, Bullie and companions were making a deep impact on their human observer.

Many scientific articles have been written about lab mice, but they are rarely actually about the mice themselves. They describe what the research teaches us about human diseases, human emotions, human neurology and other human matters. Our propensity for anthropocentric thought places humans at the centre of society, marginalizing other creatures, organisms and things. Meijer argues, however that we need to move towards a different political system based on justice and freedom in order to co-exist with human and non-human beings.

In ‘Bold Ventures’ Charlotte Van den Broeck has gathered thirteen tales about tragic architects – tragic because these well-known or forgotten master-builders committed suicide in or on account of a building designed by them. Their intervention in the public arena culminated in a fiasco or they viewed it as such. Over the past few years, Charlotte Van den Broeck travelled extensively to find out more about these architects and their fate. A full Danish translation published by Jensen & Dalgaard is available.

This highly successful book, which was translated into several languages, including German, English, French, Spanish and Italian, also deserves a Swedish translation. Debuted as a poet, Charlotte Van den Broeck is a master of detailed observation with an original point of view to address her topics. As a young and innovative author she does not hesitate to mix objective facts with subjective thoughts. Her latest book, A Flame of Thylacines, on the Tasmanian tiger, is also proof of her unique approach.

Beans have never been sexy. Throughout history, they’ve always been seen as a poor person’s alternative to meat. And yet beans, apart from being incredibly nutritious and good for soil, have played a fundamental role in the human story. Culinary journalist Joël Broekaert brings us a playful world history, as told through twelve beans – or rather, ten plus two which we often consider beans but aren’t really: coffee and cacao.

A grandiose story of humanity, as told through humble legumes: the story of humans and beans is one that touches every continent (except Antarctica). Beans are our past, present and above all, perhaps, beans are our future: in these times of climate crisis, legumes such as lupin beans hold the key to juicy meatalternatives and sustainable food systems.

Following his bestseller The Burgundians, of which over 375,000 copies were sold across Europe, Bart Van Loo has written another fascinating journey about our distant past. In the final part of his diptych, the author brings the Late Middle Ages back to life in inimitable fashion.

Bart Van Loo is a Francophile who really masters the way to tell stories in an extraordinarily manner. In his books he bases himself on the most recent scientific research, but succeeds in making history, whether it is about the cultural remains of the Burgundian dukes or an historical figure as Napoleon, captivating and readable in texts that readers will devour.

In 'Burdened House', Christien Brinkgreve offers a poignant account of a woman's journey following the loss of her husband. As she embarks on the daunting task of decluttering their home, each room becomes a portal to the past, unearthing memories and emotions long buried. Through this intimate process, she seeks to rediscover her late husband, understand their shared history, and reflect on the complexities of their life together. This memoir delves deep into the spaces we occupy—in our homes, relationships, and society—and examines themes of solitude, anxiety, and the profound choices we make out of love.

Christien Brinkgreve (1949) is a distinguished sociologist and author known for her insightful writings on gender dynamics, family structures, and societal changes. Revealing about the complexity of long-term heterosexual relationships, this is a brutally honest account that both stuns and moves the reader. More than 65,000 copies have already been sold in the Netherlands.

‘Archive of Possible Loss’ is a quiet yet insistent work of literary nonfiction in which historian and journalist Tine Hens travels through landscapes under pressure – melting glaciers, depleted fields, vanishing habitats. With a keen, inquisitive eye, she observes the animals and plants that are disappearing from our everyday world and intertwines these encounters with memories of a past abundance that still echoes in her mind.

Rather than offering a bleak catalogue of decline, Hens invites readers to look more closely, to listen more attentively, and to rediscover a sense of wonder. Her reflective, beautifully crafted chapters explore how grief and hope can coexist, and how naming what we stand to lose might open the door to responsibility and care.

In recent years, the far right’s steady move into the mainstream has begun to feel inevitable. Built on ideas of identity, family, nationalism and anti-immigration, populist parties have secured electoral victories across the West. Beneath their appeal to what is deemed ‘natural’ or ‘realistic’ lies a broader counterrevolution against a left-liberal, globalist elite and a perceived erosion of Western identity.

In ‘Uprising’, journalist Marijn Kruk traces the roots of this movement back to the protests of 1968, a turning point in the rise of individual rights and cultural shifts that still shape our world. He reveals the emotional engine of contemporary populism: fear, paranoia and a sense of loss, skilfully amplified by its leaders. A sharp, accessible blend of reportage, political history and travel writing.

This book brings the core ideas of Socrates vividly to life, demystifying the teachings of one of history’s most influential philosophers. Faithful to the original texts, Barbara Stok also places herself in the narrative: sitting in philosophy class, drawing, listening, and continually questioning her own thinking. In doing so, she echoes Socrates’ central conviction: knowing what is right begins with recognising how little we know. That question feels more urgent than ever today.

With her characteristically clear, light touch, one of the Netherlands’ most celebrated comic artists opens up ancient philosophy to new readers. Blending reflection, illustration and personal insight, Stok shows why Socrates’ maverick attitude still resonates. ‘This is Socrates as I imagine him,’ she says — a figure who continues to inspire her work.