TIM KRABBÉ
I was born 13 April 1943 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where I still live. I was married to Liz, and we have one son Esra (1987.)
My father and grandfather were wellknown painters; my mother was a translator and a writer. I did some acting, and I studied psychology at the Amsterdam University but since 1967, when the beginnings of my careers as a journalist and a novelist coincided, I have always made my living as a writer.
Four of my novels have been
turned into films. Spoorloos, based on my novel
Het Gouden Ei, and for which I wrote the screenplay, was Best
Dutch Film in 1988, and is still shown in the US as 'The Vanishing'. In
1993, it was remade there, also under the title 'The Vanishing.' Not as
good as the Dutch one.
My novels have been translated into 16 languages.
Apart from my novels, short stories and journalistic work, I have written many articles and a few books on chess. See my chess site.
Books: (since 1978 with publisher
Prometheus / Bert Bakker)
-- De werkelijke moord op Kitty Duisenberg (1967,
novel)
-- Flanagan of het einde van een beest (1970,
novel)
-- Fischer (1972, chess-biography)
-- 15 goede gedichten (1973, poetry)
-- Red Desert Penitentiary (1975, novel)
-- De Stad in het Midden (1978, short stories)
-- De Renner (1978, novel)
-- 43 Wielerverhalen (1984, short stories)
-- Het Gouden Ei (1984, novel)
-- De Man die de Babson Task wilde maken (1986, chess-essay)
-- De Matador (1991, short stories)
-- Vertraging (1994, novel)
-- De Paardentekenaar (1995, short stories.)
-- De Grot (1997, novel)
-- Kathy's dochter (2002, novel)
-- Drie Slechte Schaatsers (2004, novella)
-- Een goede Dag voor de Ezel (2005, novel)
-- Marte Jacobs (2007, novel)
-- Een Tafel vol Vlinders (2009, novel)
-- Wij zijn maar wij zijn niet geschift (2012, non-fiction about the Columbine shootings)
-- Vrienden (2019, non-fiction about the Heijn kidnap/murder case)
-- Onkrijgbaarheid (2022, novel)
Chess books:
-- Schaakkuriosa (1974)
-- Nieuwe schaakkuriosa (1977)
-- Chess Curiosities (1985, English)
English translations (since 2001, with Bloomsbury):
-- The Cave (2001; De Grot)
-- The Rider (2002; De Renner)
-- The Vanishing (2003; Het Gouden Ei)
-- Delay (2005; Vertraging)
Journalism:
Contributed to many major Dutch periodicals,
such as: Vrij Nederland, Haagse Post, De Tijd, NRC/Handelsblad, Parool,
Playboy, Elseviers Magazine, HUMO, Intermagazine, Esquire.
Films based on my books:
1975: Flanagan, director Adriaan Ditvoorst.
1983: De Paardentekenaar, director Thijs Chanowski.
1984: Red Desert Penitentiary, director George Sluizer
1988: Spoorloos, director George Sluizer (based on Het Gouden Ei)
1993: The Vanishing, director George Sluizer (based on Het Gouden Ei)
2001: De Grot, director Martin Koolhoven.
Screenplays:
1987: Spoorloos, based on Het Gouden Ei
2000: De Grot