Yael van der Wouden is a Dutch writer and educator whose debut novel, The Safekeep (2024), was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Known for her explorations of cultural memory, identity and desire, her work has been published in The Sun Magazine, Barrelhouse Magazine and The Jewish Book Council. Her essay, 'On (Not) Reading Anne Frank', has been included in Best American Essays (2018).
Van der Wouden was born in the Netherlands and studied comparative literature at Utrecht University and SUNY Binghamton, specialising in cultural memory and landscape. Her academic career has included teaching creative writing and storytelling at institutions such as the Rietveld Academie and Maastricht University. In 2021 and 2022, she directed Utrecht University's Creative Fiction & Non-Fiction Summer School, sharing her expertise with aspiring writers.
Her debut novel, The Safekeep, has attracted international interest, with publishers in both the United States and the United Kingdom vying to publish it. Set in the Netherlands in the 1960s, the novel focuses on Isabel, who lives in her late parents' house, and Eva, her brother's partner, who arrives for the summer.
The story explores themes of personal and national reckoning against the backdrop of post-war Europe. Critics have praised The Safekeep for its vivid characters and emotionally charged narrative. The Observer described it as "a story of historical reckoning interwoven with individual awakening", while The New York Times called it "an erotic tale of love and obsession in 1960s Amsterdam".
Beyond her fiction, Van der Wouden's non-fiction includes On (Not) Reading Anne Frank, an essay reflecting on her Dutch-Jewish identity and the complexities of cultural narratives. The piece received wide acclaim for exploring the intersection of personal history and collective memory.
Van der Wouden has also gained recognition for her humour and insight in “Dear David,” her David Attenborough-themed advice column published in Longleaf Review. Her creative approach extends to her academic work, where she encourages students to explore storytelling as a means of self-expression and cultural critique.
Van der Wouden’s influences include Frances Hodgson Burnett, Sarah Waters, and Miranda July, whose works have shaped her understanding of storytelling and the nuances of human desire.
Yael van der Wouden is now based in the Netherlands.
Photo credit: Roosmarijn Broersen
Van der Wouden was born in the Netherlands and studied comparative literature at Utrecht University and SUNY Binghamton, specialising in cultural memory and landscape. Her academic career has included teaching creative writing and storytelling at institutions such as the Rietveld Academie and Maastricht University. In 2021 and 2022, she directed Utrecht University's Creative Fiction & Non-Fiction Summer School, sharing her expertise with aspiring writers.
Her debut novel, The Safekeep, has attracted international interest, with publishers in both the United States and the United Kingdom vying to publish it. Set in the Netherlands in the 1960s, the novel focuses on Isabel, who lives in her late parents' house, and Eva, her brother's partner, who arrives for the summer.
The story explores themes of personal and national reckoning against the backdrop of post-war Europe. Critics have praised The Safekeep for its vivid characters and emotionally charged narrative. The Observer described it as "a story of historical reckoning interwoven with individual awakening", while The New York Times called it "an erotic tale of love and obsession in 1960s Amsterdam".
Beyond her fiction, Van der Wouden's non-fiction includes On (Not) Reading Anne Frank, an essay reflecting on her Dutch-Jewish identity and the complexities of cultural narratives. The piece received wide acclaim for exploring the intersection of personal history and collective memory.
Van der Wouden has also gained recognition for her humour and insight in “Dear David,” her David Attenborough-themed advice column published in Longleaf Review. Her creative approach extends to her academic work, where she encourages students to explore storytelling as a means of self-expression and cultural critique.
Van der Wouden’s influences include Frances Hodgson Burnett, Sarah Waters, and Miranda July, whose works have shaped her understanding of storytelling and the nuances of human desire.
Yael van der Wouden is now based in the Netherlands.
Photo credit: Roosmarijn Broersen
years of life: 1987 – present
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