Flanders, 1915. David Verbocht, sentenced to death as a deserter, stands before the firing squad and looks back on his short life. As a young man, David was sent away by his parents, after a tragic accident in the family, to become a schoolteacher in a remote village. There he develops a special bond with a sensitive young student, along with feelings for the boy’s mother. When fate strikes again, the history of loss and guilt seems to repeat itself.
Jan Vantoortelboom grew up in Elverdinge, a small village in Belgium. His second novel, His Name Is David, surpassed the success of his debut and cemented his position in Dutch literature. The title was chosen as Book of the Month by the influential Dutch talk show DWDD and became an overnight success.
