Willem van Zadelhoff graduated from the Arnhem Theatre School in 1982. He subsequently worked as a television screenwriter before publishing his widely acclaimed first novel 'A Chair', tenderly chronicling the notorious design and development of the architecturally famous freischwinger chair.
 Willem van Zadelhoff |
This is the story - and the words - of 12-year-old Thomas, who through becoming aware of his family's dysfunction also becomes aware of the love for his late Uncle Frans. It's a different kind of coming-of-age story.
"I take a mouthful. The dry rice tickles my palate and throat. I wash it down with Cola. I look around me. Everyone is talking together. There is joking and laughter. Even Aunt Nina, sitting on the other side of the table, seems cheerful. Uncle Frans silently drinks his glass. His plate is still empty.
I sometimes imagine I am his son. Then everything might have been different. I often think I'm the only one who understands him. If he talked to me about his problems I would understand him. I'm sure of that.
Cross-eyed Lou is telling a story. Aunt Lucia's loud laughter can be heard above everything else. It seems endless. Suddenly Uncle Frans pushes back his chair. He stands up with a jerk. The chair falls over. I see how he grips the dish of rice with both hands. He holds it up over his head for a moment, as Johan Cruyff held the European Cup up over this head this summer after defeating Inter Milan. The next moment, the dish is flying through the air."
'Corvus Corax' was translated into English by Michael O'Loughlin and is read by Daniel Frankl.
| The series Radio Books is an initiative of Flemish-Dutch Huis de Buren in Brussels, in association with the Flemish radio broadcaster Klara and Radio Netherlands Worldwide. |
Tags: Corvus Corax, Dutch literature, Radio Books, short stories, Willem van Zadelhoff