The Traveller’s Melancholy
Publisher: Atlas Contact
With stories about musicians Béla and Ditta Bartók, composers Antonín Dvořák and Clara Schumann, writers Franz Kafka and Ismail Kadare, and painter Henri Matisse, among others
Over 25.000 copies sold in the Netherlands
Jan Brokken understands the art of traveling. His impressive oeuvre is characterized by a curiosity about human stories and unexpected encounters. His love of art is equally great and fundamental. In The Traveller’s Melancholy, both of Brokken’s passions come together. In fourteen stories about artists and the journeys they have made, whether physical or imaginary, melancholy is present, but so are a zest for life, dreams, the urge for adventure, reflection, great loves and broken hearts, wonder, homesickness, and the wisdom that comes with age. The Traveller’s Melancholy touches our human essence: Brokken conveys like no other that travel and art set us in motion, make us think, and make us feel.
Praise:
‘A new book by Jan Brokken is an experience, but not because it tries to be spectacular. He constructs his travel stories with precision and calm, almost against the tide; the spectacle lies in the details, the twists and turns, and the encounters, held together by a seemingly modest composition that betrays his craftsmanship.’ – de Volkskrant
‘Brokken’s excellent nose for adventure and (art) history rarely disappoints.’ – VPRO Gids
Rights sold to Iperborea (Italy)
