Man on the Move, By Otto de Kat, trs Sam Garrett
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.This is a short, thoughtful novel, the first 40 pages of which wind the spring which powers the rest. We learn of Rob, a 22-year-old Dutchman who emigrates in 1935. The next 10 years of his life are glimpsed in a quick-fire series of broken pictures: parting from his family, a brief stint in the diamond mines of Johannesburg, and his time working on the Burma Railway as a prisoner of war in Thailand.
Otto de Kat sketches this tumultuous decade lightly by concentrating on individual moments, many of which revolve around Guus, a fellow Dutch prisoner of war. After the war ends, the book changes tack as we follow Rob's restless struggle to make peace with his choices.
The translation is poetic and, despite a wandering soul at the centre of the narrative, the story is beautifully bound by the memory of Guus. The fractured, intensely lonely existence of the protagonist is saved from sterility by haunting moments of human interaction. From these relationships, Rob finds a compass that points toward a moving resolution.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments