neighbours!
did they finally come?

‘group sex’, ‘a psychologist’, ‘a writer’, enough to scare away the average neighbour, I am afraid.

Arnon Grunberg as the modern-day literary Bonifatius (or would Don Quichote be a better analogy?), arriving with a suitcase full of his novels, trying to convert Saskia Noort-reading Dutch suburbia to real literature.

So that poor woman had to carry your suitcase? A gentleman would've carried it himself. (insert wink here)

Juliane

No, no , no! Her husband helped me.

Mister Grunberg, I'm sure you must run into internal conflict regarding more general opinions set against personal interaction/relationships. Do you find that as an author, you should aim to ignore personal moral conflict? Ie, what you're doing should be elevated above the level of the self and serve a more abstract, general cause? Or, do you find that if a personal relationship or interaction naturally changes your more general perspective/opinion, then that's fine too? I suppose what I'm asking: can literature be any good when it leans on a non-opiniated, nuanced view of the world and its people? I'm hoping: yes.

Tabatha

I’m afraid that pure objectivity doesn’t exist outside the world of physics.
My aim is not to judge the people who are willing to give me a place to crash. After all they are offering me towels, food and sometimes even more. (Every family gets 50 euros to cover the expenses.)
As with many of my journalistic projects it’s a thin line between friendship and work, between betrayal and kindness, between literature and tenderness. Without wanting to turn myself into a monster, in general I try to err on the side of literature without causing too much damage to my hosts.
FYI All families will get a chance to give their stories of my visit. Their stories won’t be published in the newspaper, but in a booklet that will be published this spring.
Perhaps story is too big of a word. All families will get the opportunity to answer a few questions about my stay, their impressions of my social skills and my personal hygiene.
They can also choose to use my sperm for a future child. Call it payback; call it politeness; call it whatever you want, I believe it’s pure generosity.
Of course the families can also respond with: “No, thanks we don’t need Mr. Grunberg’s sperm.”
Giving my semen to families in Dutch suburbia is not procreation, it's pure art.

Bernard

Aren't you tempted to come over for a fried egg?

arnon

i try it again...
neighbors must be neighbours!
it doesn't look goed
espacially for someone who is so much involved in languages or let's say the written word, as you are

trixi

The way Mr. Grunberg wrote the word is the American English way. Yours is British English.

juliane and arnon

okay, i'll accept that... didn't know that there are such differences

Trixi

Voilà, a dictionary, so next time there is not need to be confused about foosball and neighbors.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Why Utrecht?

My sister said today "Is Arnon still interested, 'cause now I am". I guess things with her hubby aren't going too well.

Mister Grunberg. Thank you for your response.

@Arnon
If I were in the neighborhood, I sure would like to. I love fried eggs and English and Dutch breakfast in general.

Bernard

How do you like your eggs?

bachelor

Is the psychologist a bachelor?

Mrs Hanny

Please, read carefully.

Van der Meer

"Leidsche Rijn" is one of the biggest VInex-locations in the Netherlands.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinex-location)

van der meer

The correct URL:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinex

Dens

For your sister there is always space in my life.

Eggs

@Oscar
Hard boiled or poached.( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxvxwk3TFPQ)