Reading recommendations for the exhibition: Rooted in Change
Discover the DSM art collection at SCHUNCK and be inspired by ten books (in Dutch) that, like the artworks, tell stories about our region.
At SCHUNCK Museum, a special exhibition is currently on view, dedicated to a collection that has remained hidden until now: the DSM art collection. The exhibition Rooted in Change shows that art is rooted in the region and addresses themes from the past and present that concern us all. To complement the exhibition, here is an inspiration list of ten novels by writers who, like the visual artists, shed light on the region.
Happy reading!
Roman Helinsky – De Wafelfabriek
A powerful and highly original novel about leading and being misled. The employees of the waffle factory have been living to the rhythm of their waffle machines for years - until one day, Arka Narovski arrives, a charismatic, towering ex-soldier. Not long after his entrance, the workers suddenly halt production. An uprising follows. But against whom or what, and why? De Wafelfabriek is a timeless novel about how easily the masses can be misled, and also about the desire to be misled.
Rosalie Sprooten – Bericht aan Hare Majesteit
In Bericht aan Hare Majesteit, Rosalie Sprooten carefully reconstructs the Limburg resistance in 1944. As a child, she witnessed chaplain Houben being arrested by the Germans in Epen for his role in the resistance. Years later, she spoke with numerous eyewitnesses to piece together the events. This revised edition shows how both large and small acts of resistance came together in the Heuvelland.
Hanneke Hendrix – Aswoensdag
Marit is in the midst of a final IVF attempt when she returns to her Limburg birth village. She comes to care for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s, but dreads confronting the cold woman shaped by a disastrous event in the village’s history.
Douglas Stuart – Shuggie Bain
Shuggie Bain is a novel about young Shuggie Bain growing up in the impoverished, post-industrial Glasgow of the 1980s with his alcoholic mother, Agnes. The story follows their lives, marked by addiction, abandonment, and Shuggie’s struggle with his own identity and sensitivity, which sets him apart. Despite everything, Shuggie tries to care for and support his mother, while facing bullying and feelings of loneliness himself.
Cobi van Baars – De Onbedoelden
De Onbedoelden by Cobi van Baars tells the story of a twin, Aaf and Annemarieke, who, after being born in the 1960s in Limburg, are forcibly given up and separated. They grow up in different adoptive families, unaware of each other’s existence. When, at the age of 21, they discover they have a twin sister, they begin a search for each other and their past.
Wim Kuipers – Kalle mit de kómkómmere
In Kalle mit de kómkómmere, poet and journalist Wim Kuipers (Maasniel, 1939) presents poetry in the Limburg dialect, full of nature, imagination, and compassion. His hallucinatory imagery captures both the rural landscape and modern humanity. This anthology, with translations and commentary by Ben van Melick and Ine Sijben, forms the third volume of the Nachtegaal series.
Anton Dautzenberg – Een wandeling in mei
In Een wandeling in mei, A.H.J. Dautzenberg describes his stay as a writer in residence in Beutenaken (South Limburg). During walks through the Gulp Valley, he made audio and visual recordings of the natural surroundings. Together with Rob Moonen, he transformed these into a book and podcast: a poetic journey through landscape and mind.
Anton Dautzenberg – Extra Tijd
Seventy-year-old Gustaaf Meulenberg has only a few weeks left to live. On top of that, his beloved football club, Roda JC, faces relegation. Marcel does everything he can to delay the death of his terminally ill father for as long as possible.
Marente de Moor – De Nederlandse Maagd
De Nederlandse Maagd by Marente de Moor tells the story of the young Dutch fencer Janna, who, in the summer of 1936, begins training under the bitter ex-hussar Egon von Bötticher. At his estate near Aachen, she witnesses his icy training methods and tries to uncover what happened between him and her father, leading to a dramatic confrontation when the outside world intrudes. The story explores themes of revenge, the aftermath of World War I, and the struggle between innocence and corruption.
Peter Lenssen – Bitterdagen
In this novel, the author portrays the life of Sjef Sonneschein, a bitter man suffering from Alzheimer’s and cancer. Caught between past and present, he relives war traumas, lost friendships, and the death of his wife. Only the addicted prostitute Mounia remains tolerable to him. The gripping story is set in South Limburg and follows Sjef’s life, full of pain and failed attempts at reconciliation.