Geert Mak

Geert Ludzer Mak (born 4 december 1946 in Vlaardingen, Zuid-Holland) is a Dutch journalist and historian. In the 1980s he worked as parliamentary assistant for the Pacifist Socialist Party.

He used the village Jorwert in Friesland as the hook for his book "Jorwerd: The Death of the Village in late 20th Century Europe" (ISBN 1-86046-803-9) - though the Dutch title "Hoe God verdween uit Jorwerd" translates as 'How God disappeared from Jorwerd'. Mak describes the changes that have affected the village over the last century, and writes about the people and their experiences.

"In Europe" (Pantheon, 2007) is an account of Geert Mak's travels across Europe. In 1999 a Dutch newspaper, "NRC Handelsblad" commissioned Mak to visit places significant for the history of the twentieth century, by way of a “last inspection”.

"The Bridge" (Harvill Secker, 2008) describes the cultural effect of the Galata Bridge in Instanbul and the people who use it.

Reception "In Europa"

"In Europa" was the best-selling book by a Dutch author in the Netherlands in 2004, selling over 200.000 copies. The British reviews were generally enthusiastic, although for the professional historian or political scientist the book has little to offer: “In Europe hardly breaks new ground historically” writes Martin Woollacott in an otherwise positive review in ‘’The Guardian’’ (July 14, 2007). The work should be taken for what it is: something between journalism and travel literature. Publisher’s Weekly asks: “is it a history book, a travelogue, a memoir?”. Mak himself sees his work as journalism. In an interview with a Dutch journalism trade-journal he says: “my approach is journalistic. My books are filled with newspaper tricks”. Historians are generally cautious when it comes to judging Mak’s work. Hermann von der Dunk, emeritus professor of history at Utrecht University says about Mak: “it is well written, and historically correct, but it is not what I would call academic history. There is no analysis of historical development” ('’Academische Boekengids’’, March 2005). A television series based on the book ‘’In Europe’’ received criticism of professional historians because it was filled with factual errors and easy cliché , and argued that Mak is not familiar with the current debates on history ('’Historisch Nieuwsblad’’, December 2007). Nevertheless the same "Historisch Nieuwsblad" named Mak historian of the year in 2004. [http://boeken.vpro.nl/artikelen/20193787/ nl] . Mak received an honorary degree from the Open University the same year. [http://www.ou.nl/eCache/DEF/1/07/787.html nl]

References