Jan Brokken, born in Leiden in 1949, is a Dutch writer. He has published novels, travel books, narrative essays and works of literary non-fiction. After beginning his career in journalism, he developed a body of work centered on places, individual lives, European history and cultural memory.
His books published in Italy include Anime baltiche, Nella casa del pianista, Il giardino dei cosacchi, I giusti, L’anima delle città, La suite di Giava and La scoperta dell’Olanda. His works have been translated into many languages and often combine biography, travel writing, history and documentary reconstruction. In 2026, La malinconia del viaggiatore, a collection of fourteen stories set between Europe and America, is scheduled to be published in Italy by Iperborea. The volume follows La scoperta dell’Olanda, published in Italy in 2025.
