Madame Verona Comes Down The Hill_Verhulst
2011 Longlist

Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill

artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

Years ago, Madame Verona and her husband made a home for themselves on a hill above a small remote village. There they lived in seclusion, practicing their music, and enjoying each other’s company. When Mr Verona died, the locals were expecting that Madame Verona, a woman of legendary beauty, would return to the village life. But she had enough wood to keep her warm during the years it would take to make a cello – the instrument her husband loved – and in the meantime she had her dogs for company.
Then, one cold February morning, when the last log has burned, Madame Verona sets off down the village path, with her cello and her memories, knowing that she will have no strength to climb the hill again.

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Dimitri
Verhulst

Dimitri Verhulst is the author of many award-winning books in his native Dutch, four of which have previously been translated into English: Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill, Problemski Hotel, The Misfortunates and Christ’s Entry into Brussels. His work is published in two dozen languages worldwide.

Dimitri Verhulst is the author of many award-winning books in his native Dutch, four of which have previously been translated into English: Madame Verona Comes Down the Hill, Problemski Hotel, The Misfortunates and Christ’s Entry into Brussels. His work is published in two dozen languages worldwide.

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR David
Colmer

David Colmer’s translations from the Dutch include works by Hugo Claus, Cees Nooteboom, Gerbrand Bakker and Annie M.G. Schmidt. His translations have won the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. In 2013 he won the Vondel Prize for his translation of Dimitri Verhulst’s The Misfortunates.

David Colmer’s translations from the Dutch include works by Hugo Claus, Cees Nooteboom, Gerbrand Bakker and Annie M.G. Schmidt. His translations have won the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. In 2013 he won the Vondel Prize for his translation of Dimitri Verhulst’s The Misfortunates.

NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS

Choice no. 1 of our readers

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
Belgium
Original Language
Dutch
Publisher
Portobello Books Ltd.
Translator
David Colmer

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