Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer (1968) is a classicist and writer. His work spans a huge range of genres, from poetry to novels, and is marked by his characteristically sumptuous style and profound insights.
He has won various awards, including the prestigious Libris Literature Prize for his novel La Superba, and has earned international fame with around forty books, including Grand Hotel Europa. Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer is an influential voice in Dutch literature.
More Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
Alcibiades
'Alcibiades' is a sweeping epic about the eponymous diplomat, general, Olympic champion and ‘most beautiful man in Athens’, who uses schemes and plots to bluff his way through the Peloponnesian War. This novel sheds light on the daring democratic experiment that took place two and a half millennia ago, while also serving as a cautionary tale about the destructive power of populism. Classicist and author Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer has utilised his erudition and knowledge of Classical literature and culture to paint a picture of the Greek politician, strategist and general Alcibiades in all his complexity.
Grand Hotel Europa
An author by the name of Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer leaves Venice and moves into the stately Grand Hotel Europa for an indefinite period. His relationship with Clio, a clever hot-blooded art historian, has just fallen apart. In the hotel, where a sense of long-lost glory hangs in the air, he reconstructs exactly what went wrong with Clio and befriends the eccentric hotel staff and guests along the way.
La Superba
This novel is set in Genoa, the labyrinthine port city (nicknamed ‘the Superb’) where the author has been living for the past five years. Migration is the central theme of this autobiographical story about a writer who becomes trapped in his walk on the wild side.
Absolute Democracy: Chronicle of a Foretold Reckoning
A powerful warning against the rise of authoritarian political leaders.