De Bezige Bij

The Busy Bee (De Bezige Bij) is one of the leading literary publishers in the Netherlands for both Dutch and translated literature, fiction and non-fiction.

During the Second World War, Geert Lubberhuizen gathered a group of students in the city of Utrecht and set up a small press. With their publications they financed their resistance movement. The Busy Bee was founded officially in December 1944. After the war had ended, the publisher established itself as an author’s cooperative at the Van Miereveldstraat in Amsterdam. In these elegant premises the publishing house still resides and continues to go from strength to strength. The Busy Bee is run, since 1999, by Robbert Ammerlaan.

The Busy Bee publishes a wide range of Dutch fiction: from the works of Harry Mulisch and Hugo Claus to the prose of Jan Cremer and J.A.Deelder, from the novels of Jan Siebelink and Gerard Reve to the varied work of Gerrit Komrij and Kees van Kooten. The same applies to the list of translated literary fiction: the modernist prose of James Joyce is side by side with the vigorous novels of John Irving, the political engagement of Amos Oz greets the introvert self-analysis of Marcel Proust. In this impressive variety of literary styles, there is one common feature: quality. We always aim for books carrying the Busy Bee logo to be the best in their category.

Since a few years The Busy Bee is manifesting itself more emphatically as publisher of non-fiction by leading Dutch and international authors. The main focus of this list has always been the Second World War and history in general, but the number of titles in other areas of non-fiction is increasing. Memoirs and biographies have become more important genres, but there are books on current affairs, social criticism, religion, the arts and economy too.

The Busy Bee also has a number of other publishing activities. Under its wing, and under the same roof, one finds the following publishers: Thomas Rap (literature, non-fiction and stand-up comedy), Cargo (crime fiction, upmarket fiction and narrative non-fiction), Balans (non-fiction), Zoem (audio books), Oog & Blik (graphic novels), The Busy Bee Antwerp ('De Bezige Bij Antwerpen') and Ludion and Lido (art books).

In recent years, The Busy Bee has attracted a great number of acclaimed authors. It provides a home now for successful novelists such as Marcel Möring, Erwin Mortier, Kees van Beijnum, Manon Uphoff, Margriet de Moor, Charlotte Mutsaers, A.F.Th. van der Heijden and Cees Nooteboom. More and more buzzing around the bee hive at the Van Miereveldstraat in Amsterdam.

Nieuwsbrief

Schrijf u nu in voor de
nieuwsbrief van De Bezige Bij, en ontvang nieuws en aanbiedingen in uw inbox.

Win

Ga naar de prijsvraag >>

Leesclubtips

Regelmatig nieuwe leesclubtips >>

Meer zojuist verschenen titels