Joost Zwagerman

Zwagerman received his high-school education at the Rijksscholengemeenschap Noord-Kennemerland in Alkmaar, where he graduated from havo and moved on to study at the Pedagogische Academie.

Afterwards he went on to study Dutch language (Nederlandse taal- en letterkunde, unfinished) He was a student at a course of creative writing by Oek de Jong.

Zwagerman was also active as a columnist for the Dutch newspapers, previously for the de Volkskrant (1998–2002) and since 2001 for NRC Handelsblad.

Besides his work as a writer and columnist, he also frequently appeared on Dutch national television, in the program De Wereld Draait Door,[1] broadcast by VARA,[2] where he often held mini-lectures on art-related topics.

In January 2008, Zwagerman was awarded the Gouden Ganzenveer,[3] for his extraordinary contribution to the Dutch written culture.