Paul Ingendaay

Paul Ingendaay (1961) enjoys great recognition in Germany as a literary critic and cultural correspondent for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He now works there as a freelancer in order to focus more on his writing. He has lived and worked in Madrid for many years.

His recently published, compelling novel De romantische jaren depicts the years in a life when everything seems possible, and how that turns out for the protagonist Marko Theunissen. How can one love women and yet have none? How, in the world, can one be a romantic with a longing for a grand and passionate life, and still end up as an insurance agent? It is the story of an unusual hero whose own life becomes an emotional accident claim.

In a sense, the women Marko has known are like great promises that life has failed to fulfil. Whether that also applies to Angela, who is cheating on her wealthy husband with him, remains to be seen. Only an incorrigible romantic would enter into a relationship with a client. And since when are insurance agents romantics? While a scheming colleague tries to blackmail him over the affair, Marko is simultaneously engaged in the oldest struggle of all: the battle with his own family.

Get into the mood for this BorderKitchen by reading the first chapter here.

“A remarkable, beautifully lyrical and melancholic novel.” – Westdeutsche Zeitung

“Detailed, sparkling, satirical, brilliant.” – Die Zeit

“A warm and funny analysis of the years when everything seems possible.” – Hörzu

His debut Waarom du mich verlassen hast (2006), which he worked on since the age of seventeen, was awarded the Aspekte Literature Prize and nominated for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize for prose.

Together with Anna von Planta, he edits the complete works of Patricia Highsmith; 30 of the 32 volumes have now been published.

Date: Tuesday 3 September
Location: Pulchri (Lange Voorhout 15)
Interview: in English by Michel Krielaars (NRC)
Start time: 8:00 PM
Tickets: €7.50, reservations via info@borderkitchen.nl or 070-3462355