biography
pronunciation:
[bohn]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1912–79)
|
| biography:
| Flemish novelist and journalist, born in Aalst, NC Belgium. He published his first novel De voorstad groeit (The Suburb Grows) in 1942, and after World War 2 worked as an editor for various communist and socialist papers. His masterpiece, a series of two Modernist novels, De kapellekensbaan (1953, Chapel Road) and Zomer te Ter-Muren (1956, Summer in Ter-Muren), is exemplary for his social commitment. It is a complaint against capitalism, at the same time acknowledging that socialism is not the answer either; but it is not nihilistic in nature, displaying a strong concern for mankind and a sense of altruism. In his later work his criticism becomes milder and he develops into a humanist trying his hand at various genres, including the historic parable, fairy tales, essays, and pornography. In 1966 he was awarded the Constantijn Huygensprijs for his entire body of work. His importance as a writer was considered so great that he was nominated for the Nobel prize in 1972. |
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