Boekenweek

The Boekenweek (German: Book Week ) is a 9-day marketing campaign in the Netherlands since 1932 that has been held annually in March and promotes Dutch-language books. The Boekenweek by the Foundation CPNB (Collective Stichting Collectieve Propaganda van het Nederlandse Boek = Foundation advertisement for the Dutch Book) and Belgian (Flemish) organization Boek.be prepared. During this week, participating bookstores will distribute the book week gift ( Boekenweek gift ) to customers free of charge .

Boekenweek present

Main article Boekenweek present The book week present is a novella , essay or novel that is written by a different writer every year especially for the book week. The gift has been distributed since 1932.

The book is given away when the customer buys a book in the bookstore that costs at least a certain amount (currently 12.50 euros).

On the Sunday of Book Week, the Boekenweek gift is valid as a network ticket for the Dutch rail network.

Boekenweekessay

In addition to the Boekenweek present, an essay has been written every year since 1987 , the Boekenweekessay. It deals with the respective topic of the book week.

Boekenweek poem

The first Boekenweek poem (book week poem) was written for the 2019 book week by the writer Ester Naomi Perquin and is entitled Moeder (mother). The Boekenweek poem is an additional gift that is given away to customers in bookstores and libraries in the form of a postcard. The poem is part of a poetry series around the respective motto of the book week (2019: De moeder de vrouw - The mother the woman), which is published in advance in the Dutch magazine De Trouw .

Children's book week

The children's book week (Kinderboekenweek) is held in October . For this purpose, a children's book week gift (Kinderboekenweek gift) is also written, which the children receive as a gift when they buy a book worth 10 euros. Book shops, libraries and schools take part in the Children's Book Week.

Topics of the book week

Some topics for the book weeks of the past years are listed here:

2019 - De moeder de vrouw (The Mother, the Woman) (Book Week 2019: March 22nd to 31st)
2018 - Natuur (Nature) (Book Week 2018: March 10th to 18th)
2017 - Verboden vruchten (Forbidden Fruits) (Book Week 2017: March 25th to April 2nd)
2016 - Duitsland (Germany)
2015 - Waanzin - Te gek voor woorden (madness - too crazy for words)
2014 - Reizen (travel)
2013 - Gouden Tijden, Zwarte Bladzijden (Golden Times, Black Pages)
2012 - Vriendschap en other ongemakken (friendship and other inconveniences)
2011 - Curriculum vitae - Geschreven portretten (CV - Written portraits)
2010 - Jong zijn: het kind, de jeugd, de jongere (To be young: the child, the youth, the young person)
2009 - Tjielp Tjielp - De literaire zoo (Tschiep Tschiep - The literary zoo)
2008 - Van oude Menschen ... - De derde leeftijd en de letteren (Of old people ... - The third lifetime and literature)
2007 - Lof der Zotheid - Scherts, Satire en Ironie (praise of folly - joke, satire and irony)
2006 - Boem Paukeslag - Schrijvers en muziek (Bumm Paukenschlag - writers and music)
2005 - Spiegel van de Lage Landen - Boeken over onze geschiedenis (Mirror of the Netherlands - Books about our history)
2004 - Gare du Nord - Ontmoetingen met Frankrijk (encounters with France)

Boekenbal

On the evening before the start of the book week, there is traditionally a festive book ball (Boekenbal) in Amsterdam . The first Boekenbal took place on March 4, 1947 in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw .