Holland Park Press is very excited to announce the republication of Vincent Bijlo’s novel Het instituut and the very first publication of its English translation The Institution.

The English as well as the Dutch version will be published on 27 April 2017.

Het instituut was first published by De Arbeiderspers in 1998. It tells the story of Otto Iking who is an outsider, at home as well as at the boarding school for the blind. But he is also an observer. Otto looks at the world around him with an unpitying sense of humour.

‘In zijn eerste roman presenteert Vincent Bijlo de jaren zeventig vanuit een wel zeer onverwacht perspectief. Het instituut is een hilarische en bitterkomische internaatsroman, spelend in de dagen dat alles moest kunnen.’

‘In his first novel, Vincent Bijlo presents the 1970s from a rather unusual perspective. The Institution is a witty and bittersweet boarding school novel, set in the days when everything was given a try.’

Vincent Bijlo is a Dutch stand-up comedian, columnist, musician and author. Because of his appearances in the theatre, on radio and TV, and through his columns and four novels, Vincent Bijlo has become a household name in the Netherlands.

We’re delighted that Susan Ridder is translating Vincent’s novel into English.

For more information please contact the publisher Bernadette Jansen op de Haar: bernadette@hollandparkpress.co.uk, +44 (0) 77 926 11 929