Flemish author and poet Erwin Mortier is often compared favourably to literary icons such as Marcel Proust or Hugo Claus. His Radio Books story is a personal ode to books and those who read them.

Erwin Mortier - 'What Is Past Is Just Beginning'

Erwin Mortier was born in Nevele in 1965 and studied art history in Ghent. His first novel ‘Marcel’ was published in 1999 and won numerous awards including the Flemish Debut Prize. Like much of his early work, the story centres around a child who develops under the emotional fall out of the complex lives of adults who are carrying a burden from the past – in this case a grandmother who keeps fierce watch over the family dead. The book has been translated into several languages. An English edition translated by Ina Rilke is published by Vintage.

Proust and Reve

Mortier’s second novel ‘Mijn tweede huid’ (My Second Skin) has also been published in English and once again the story is told through the eyes of a child. A reviewer in the British newspaper The Guardian wrote: “There is a sense in which he resembles Proust in his resurrection of lost significant moments. But Proust's world is wound round in webs of reflection and explanation. Mortier strings those obstinately persisting moments of fear, incomprehension, relief like discrete beads on a string.”

In 2001 Mortier published his first collection of poetry ‘Vergeten licht’ (Forgotten Light) which was awarded the C. Buddingh’ Poetry Prize.He has since brought out two more poetry collections and from 2005-2007 served as the City Poet of Ghent. In 2007 Mortier published ‘Avonden op het landgoed. Op reis met Gerard Reve’ (Evenings on the Estate. Travelling with Gerard Reve) – part travelogue and part portrait of one of the most important figures in Dutch literature.

Letter to a Minister

In November Mortier’s latest novel ‘Godenslaap’ (Divine Sleep) received the 2009 AKO Literature Prize, one of the most prestigious Dutch literary awards. But when Belgian Culture Minister Joke Schauvliege sent him a letter of congratulations, Mortier replied with an open letter published in the newspaper De Morgen criticising Belgium’s lack of support to Flemish writers compared to the Netherlands.

“Our fatherland prefers to honour its writers in a way that takes little effort,” wrote Mortier, “while principally making life hard for us, also for the many extremely talented authors who rarely if ever win a prize.” He pointed out that tax breaks were arranged for other cultural sectors like the film industry, while writers were particularly disadvantaged by new Belgian tax legislation.

“All in all I don't know if I would advise the numerous young people in this country who foster literary ambitions to develop their artistic talent here. Unless they are prepared to act as a regular target for press and politicians and with the same regularity listen to hollow eulogies and equally hollow promises, which rarely if ever amount to anything of substance.” 

Love of Books

Mortier presented his contribution for Radio Books in Antwerp on World Book Day in April 2009. It’s a contemplative and very personal ode to books and those who read them. In some ways it might explain the passion behind his critical letter the Culture Minister.

“The disillusionment of the reader is always the disillusionment of the book, and in the delight of the reader the book flaps its wings with pleasure, as when you see someone again unexpectedly. The heart leaps up, the throat becomes dry, the roots of the hair send tremors over the skin… Books do not change the world, the world changes our books, turns us into different writers and readers.”

‘What Is Past Is Just Beginning’ by Erwin Mortier was translated by Michael O’Loughlin. The story was read by David Swatling.

The series Radio Books is an initiative of the Flemish-Dutch Huis de Buren in Brussels, in association with the Flemish radio broadcaster Klara and Radio Netherlands Worldwide.