Adrianus Franciscus Theodorus van der Heijden, a renowned Dutch writer, was born on October 15, 1951. Prior to his literary pursuits, he studied psychology and philosophy in Nijmegen. Subsequently, he relocated to Amsterdam, where he transitioned to a career in writing.
Initially, Van der Heijden published his work under the pseudonym Patrizio Canaponi, releasing the short story collection Een gondel in de Herengracht in 1978, which subsequently earned the Anton Wachter Prize in 1979. He followed this success with the novel De draaideur in 1979. As he gained recognition, he began publishing under his own name in the 1980s.
Throughout his illustrious career, Van der Heijden has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious P. C. Hooft Award in 2013 for his entire body of work. He has also been honored with the Libris Literature Prize in 2012 for his novel "Tonio" and the AKO Prize in 2007 for "Het schervengericht". Additionally, Van der Heijden received the AKO Literatuurprijs in 1997 for "Onder het plaveisel het moeras".
Van der Heijden's literary works have been translated into various languages, including German, Russian, Finnish, Swedish, Spanish, and Bulgarian, cementing his international reputation as a prominent writer.
