Geert Mak is one of the leading authors in a genre of which he himself is a co-creator. His books blend a historical perspective with a deep knowledge of current affairs. With his literary non-fiction, he has an eye for major historical and geopolitical developments, but also for how they play a role in the lives of ordinary people.  
 

Mak gained wide public acclaim with Hoe God verdween uit Jorwerd (1996), about the decline of European peasant culture, and with De Eeuw van Mijn Vader (1999), a history of the Netherlands in the twentieth century, closely linked to his own family history. 
In the same year, he travelled criss-cross through Europe for NRC Handelsblad for 12 months, publishing a daily note on the front page of the paper. This led to the publication of the highly successful In Europa (2004), a European history of the 20th century, peppered with numerous local observations and interviews with eyewitnesses. 

A better guide through the wider context of our festival theme Along the Borders - Europe on the Edge can hardly be imagined. During his lecture, Mak will address some pressing, topical questions. Where are Europe's borders? And what role can or should Europe play in the new world order?

This event will be held in Dutch only.