{"title":"Gerbrand Bakker","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the captivating world of Gerbrand Bakker, a celebrated Dutch author known for his evocative storytelling and profound insight into human emotions. His works seamlessly draw readers into their rich narratives with a blend of delicate prose and gripping plots. In this collection, you will discover titles such as \u003cem\u003eJune\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Detour\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eThe Hairdresser's Son\u003c\/em\u003e, each showcasing Bakker's ability to portray the subtleties of life and the intricate dance of relationships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBakker's novels typically fall under the General Fiction category, and they are renowned for their deep character exploration and exquisite portrayal of nature and setting. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to his work, Bakker's books provide a thoughtful escape into beautifully crafted stories that linger in the mind long after the last page is turned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEmbark on a literary journey with Gerbrand Bakker's works and discover why he is cherished by readers worldwide. His novels offer a unique blend of introspection and simplicity, making them an exquisite choice for any fiction aficionado seeking both depth and beauty in literature.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-detour-by-gerbrand-bakker-9781921844652","title":"The Detour","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"He had never seen her like that before. Awesomely beautiful, like a tree or bush that produces as much blossom or as many flowers as possible the year before it dies.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA woman abandons her home in Holland without a word, leaving behind an impervious husband, mystified parents, and an unfinished thesis on reclusive poet Emily Dickinson. Across the sea in Britain, she arrives at an isolated cottage in the shadow of a mountain. She settles there, alone in the ancient landscape, her only contact coming from animals she encounters, a handful of wary locals, and her poetry books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut what is she fleeing? And will her new home provide redemption, or lead her further into darkness? On a foggy afternoon, her solitude is shattered when an elusive young man jumps over her fence. Perhaps his vitality can deter the shadows, but in this uncanny place the line between kindness and betrayal is never clear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the woman's husband is coming, and time is running out. Haunting and suspenseful, \u003cem\u003eThe Detour\u003c\/em\u003e explores both the weakness and the commanding power of the flesh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the clear-eyed, uncompromising prose that we have come to expect from the award-winning Bakker, it asks–when our lives go awry, which route do we take?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Beautiful, convincing...A sparing simplicity and expressiveness reminiscent of J.M. Coetzee.\"\u003c\/em\u003e - \u003ci\u003eTrouw\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Phenomenal. There is no other world for Gerbrand Bakker's new novel.\"\u003c\/em\u003e - \u003ci\u003eNoordhollands Dagblad\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46553089310956,"sku":"9781921844652","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/6857643482872.jpg?v=1750062273"},{"product_id":"the-hairdressers-son-by-gerbrand-bakker-9781922585813","title":"The Hairdresser's Son","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMulti-award winning Dutch author Gerbrand Bakker's phenomenal new novel about grief and the unavoidable power of family ties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSimon never knew his father, Cornelis. When his wife told him she was pregnant, Cornelis packed his bags, and a day later he was dead. Or everyone assumed he was dead; after all, he was on the passenger list of the KLM plane that crashed in Tenerife in 1977.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSimon is a hairdresser, just like his father and grandfather before him, but he is not passionate about cutting and shaving. 'Closed' appears on his shop's front door more often than 'open', because every customer is a person, and people suck the energy from him. But there is one client he regularly interacts with—the writer. The writer is looking for a subject for his next book and becomes captivated by the story of Simon's father.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Simon probes the mystery of what happened to his father, a deeply humane and beautifully observed portrait of loneliness emerges in another captivating novel from one of Europe's greatest storytellers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Hairdresser's Son\u003c\/em\u003e has garnered acclaim:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Bakker's unhurried precision delivers an understated portrait of middle-aged loneliness, before a twist that probes the role of narrative indeterminacy in how we make sense of the world.\"\u003c\/em\u003e - Sydney Morning Herald\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"To say that Gerbrand Bakker hasn't forgotten how to write a novel would be an understatement. With \u003cem\u003eThe Hairdresser's Son\u003c\/em\u003e, he presents himself as one of the very best writers the Netherlands has to offer ... With this vivid prose, he makes Simon fascinating, he makes him someone - perhaps the greatest and most loving thing a writer can do. For the reader this results in the almost magical illusion that is the most extraordinary (and, I believe, unforgettable) thing about this novel—the sense of having really seen someone. Gerbrand Bakker has written his characters to life.\"\u003c\/em\u003e - NRC\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Enthralling in that although nothing feels invented, the pages still seem to exude something magical ... Simply narrated scenes, terrifying and moving at once.\"\u003c\/em\u003e - De Groene Amsterdammer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46553707610348,"sku":"9781922585813","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781922585813.jpg?v=1750078698"},{"product_id":"june-by-gerbrand-bakker-9781925106794","title":"June","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA visit from the Queen, a tragic accident, a divided family — a masterful new novel from the prize-winning Gerbrand Bakker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn a hot summer's day in June 1969, everyone is gathered to welcome Queen Juliana. The young boys and girls wave their flags enthusiastically. But just as the monarch is getting into her car to leave, little Hanne Kaan and her mother arrive late. The Queen strokes the little girl's cheek and regally offers Anna Kaan her hand. It would have been an unforgettable day of celebration if only the baker hadn't been running late with his deliveries and knocked down Hanne, playing on the roadside, with his brand-new VW van.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYears later, Jan Kaan arrives on a hot day in June in order to tidy his sister's grave, and is overcome again with grief and silent fury. Isn't it finally time to get to the bottom of things? Should the permit for the grave be extended? And why won't anyone explain to his little niece Dieke why grandma has been lying up in the hayloft for a day and a half, nursing a bottle of Advocaat and refusing to see anyone?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJune\u003c\/em\u003e traces in spellbinding, tender detail how the ripples from one tragic incident spread through a community, a family, and down the generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46670882996460,"sku":"9781925106794","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/11393273482873.jpg?v=1752786380"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/gerbrand-bakker.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}