If you enjoy reading books by Harry Mulisch then you might also like the following authors:
W.F. Hermans is known for sharp, pessimistic novels that question human motives and reveal life's absurdity. His stories highlight misunderstandings and frustrations, often set against wartime chaos.
His novel The Darkroom of Damocles follows a man caught in ambiguous situations during World War II, forcing readers to ponder reality, perception, and identity.
Gerard Reve is famous for his frank and ironic writing style, which often blends dark humor, sexuality, and spirituality. He frequently explores taboo topics, mixing elements from everyday life and religion.
His book The Evenings portrays ordinary life with sharp humor, capturing the boredom and restlessness of youth during post-war Amsterdam.
Cees Nooteboom's writing often combines philosophical reflections with journeys into culture and self-discovery. He thoughtfully explores issues of identity, travel, and memory.
In Rituals, he tells a reflective, introspective story examining modern life's emptiness and our search for deeper meaning.
Hugo Claus writes boldly about human emotions, social constraints, and individual struggles. His works vividly uncover how history shapes personal and collective identity.
His novel The Sorrow of Belgium is a semi-autobiographical exploration of life under German occupation, capturing the conflict between innocence, collaboration, and resistance during wartime.
Günter Grass blends complex stories with social commentary, often bringing history to life through ordinary people. His profound portrayal of humanity, morality, and political responsibility earned him international acclaim.
His most famous novel, The Tin Drum, revolves around the unforgettable Oskar Matzerath, who refuses to grow up, symbolizing Germany's painful historical reckoning during and after World War II.
Milan Kundera examines human relationships and identity through philosophical questions and sharp insight. His stories explore how politics and history influence everyday life and personal choices.
A great example is The Unbearable Lightness of Being, a thoughtful novel exploring love, freedom, and responsibility, set during the turbulent period of communist rule in Czechoslovakia.
Gabriel García Márquez combines beautiful storytelling with magical realism, creating vivid worlds where wonder blends seamlessly with reality. His style is lyrical yet down-to-earth, and his characters remain memorable long after you finish reading.
One Hundred Years of Solitude is his best-known novel, offering an imaginative journey through several generations of the Buendía family in a fictional Colombian village.
Salman Rushdie uses playful language and imaginative storytelling to explore themes of cultural identity, religion, and political conflicts. His works often blur the lines between myth and reality, provoking thoughtful questions about truth and perception.
Midnight's Children is an energetic novel filled with symbolism, centered around the story of Saleem Sinai, born at the exact moment India gained independence.
Thomas Mann writes literary novels enriched by deep psychological insights and thoughtful examinations of art, morality, and society. His stories often involve characters struggling with internal conflict and existential crises.
The Magic Mountain is a contemplative narrative that takes place in a mountain sanitarium, exploring time, illness, and the meaning of life through the experiences of the young protagonist Hans Castorp.
Primo Levi offers clear and powerful writing rooted in his experiences as a Holocaust survivor. His books confront difficult realities with honesty and insight, reflecting on human nature, morality, and resilience.
If This Is a Man (also published as Survival in Auschwitz) is Levi's profoundly moving account of his time in Auschwitz, written with incredible courage and compassion.
If you like Harry Mulisch's blend of philosophy and fiction, Borges might be for you. Borges crafts imaginative stories that explore mirrors, labyrinths, and infinite realities. His philosophical reflections offer new perspectives on reality, identity, and fate.
A good book to start with is Ficciones, a collection filled with stories that challenge your thinking in clever, surprising ways.
Calvino is playful yet thoughtful. He creates magical narratives that make you question reality and storytelling itself, a bit like how Mulisch does. He often experiments with narrative styles and ideas to surprise and delight readers.
Check out his novel Invisible Cities, where Marco Polo describes wondrous imaginary cities, each revealing something about human experience.
Eco combines historical details, semiotics, and suspense in his fiction. Like Mulisch, he draws from history and philosophy to create thoughtful, layered novels. If you appreciate Mulisch's careful exploration of deeper meanings, you'll enjoy Eco's The Name of the Rose.
It's both a thrilling murder mystery set in a medieval monastery and a reflection on language, truth, and literature.
Hertmans' style has a lyrical beauty that makes his historical narratives quietly emotional and deeply personal. Similar to Mulisch, he handles historical events within intimate personal stories, offering profound reflections on war, memory, and identity.
His book War and Turpentine is an evocative novel about the author's grandfather, exploring the impact of World War I on ordinary lives and family history.
If Mulisch's exploration of human psychology and complex relationships intrigues you, Brouwers is worth trying out. His books are introspective and often personal, dealing with memory, trauma, love, and loss.
His novel Sunken Red is deeply moving, focusing on the author's childhood experiences in a Japanese internment camp, and exploring how early trauma influences a person's identity and life.