I am a coffee-broker, and live at No. 37 Laurier Canal, Amsterdam. I am not accustomed to write novels or works of that kind; therefore it took me a long time before I could resolve to order a few extra quires of paper and begin this book, which you, dear reader, have just taken in hand, and which you must finish, whether you are a coffee-broker or anything else. Not only that I never wrote anything that resembled a novel, but I even do not like to read such things, because I am a man of b...

"Max Havelaar: Or the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company" is a culturally and socially significant 1860 novel by Multatuli (the pen name of Eduard Douwes Dekker) which was to play a key role in shaping and modifying Dutch colonial policy in the Dutch East Indies in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. In the novel, the protagonist, Max Havelaar, tries to battle against a corrupt government system in Java, which was a Dutch colony at the time. Eduard Douwes Dekker...

Je suis commissionnaire en cafés, et je demeure, Canal des Lauriers, n°. 37.Il n’est pas dans mes habitudes d’écrire des romans ou autres choses de la même farine. J’ai donc longuementréfléchi, avant de me résoudre à commander deux rames de papier de plus qu’à l’ordinaire, et à commencerl’ouvrage que vous avez en mains, cher lecteur.Cet ouvrage, il vous faudra le lire, que vous soyez commissionnaire en cafés, vous-même, ou n’importe quoi.

Max Havelaar by Multatuli is a groundbreaking and powerful novel that exposed injustice and transformed the course of Dutch literature. First published in 1860, this influential work delivers a bold critique of colonial exploitation and remains one of the most important political novels ever written. The story unfolds through a layered and unconventional narrative that blends satire, storytelling, and passionate moral appeal. At its center is Max Havelaar, an idealistic Dutch colonial offi...

A fierce indictment of colonialism, Max Havelaar is a masterpiece of Dutch literature based on the author's own experience as an adminstrator in the Dutch East Indies in the 1850s.A brilliantly inventive fiction that is also a work of burning political outrage, Max Havelaar tells the story of a renegade Dutch colonial administrator’s ultimately unavailing struggle to end the exploitation of the Indonesian peasantry. Havelaar’s impassioned exposé i...

Set in Amsterdam, "Woutertje Pieterse" follows the life of the titular character, Walter Pieterse, a young boy growing up in the 19th century. The novel explores various aspects of Dutch society, including religion, education, social class, and the influence of literature and philosophy.Walter is portrayed as a sensitive and imaginative child who grapples with the complexities of the world around him. Through his experiences and interactions with other characters, Multatuli provides commen...

Eduard Douwes Dekker (2 March 1820 – 19 February 1887), better known by his pen name Multatuli (from Latin multa tulī, "I have suffered much"), was a Dutch writer best known for his satirical novel Max Havelaar (1860), which denounced the abuses of colonialism in the Dutch East Indies (today's Indonesia). He is considered one of the Netherlands' greatest authors.

Specialiteiten by MultatuliEduard Douwes Dekker (Amsterdam, 2 maart 1820 – Ingelheim am Rhein, 19 februari 1887) was een Nederlandse schrijver en bestuursambtenaar die vooral bekend is geworden vanwege zijn roman Max Havelaar, of De koffij-veilingen der Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij, die in 1860 verscheen onder het pseudoniem Multatuli (Latijn voor 'ik heb veel (leed) gedragen' [=multa tuli]). Hij schreef ook toneelstukken, pamfletten, soms in briefvorm, en aforismen.

Duizend en eenige hoofdstukken over specialiteiten is een satirische verhandeling van Multatuli uit 1871 die waarschuwt tegen het gevaar van het specialistendom. Het is een van de geestigste werken van Multatuli.

In "Walter Pieterse," Multatuli masterfully weaves a narrative that exposes the intricacies of Dutch society in the mid-19th century. The novel is not only a semi-autobiographical account of the protagonist's tumultuous life but also a poignant critique of social injustices and the bureaucratic indifference pervasive in colonial contexts. Written in a fluid, yet incisive prose style, Multatuli's work employs a blend of realism and humor, engaging readers while forcing them to confront the ...

"Woutertje Pieterse" (or The History of Walter Pieterse) by Multatuli was his second novel and published posthumously in 1890. It is also the most famous work by the author after "Max Havelaar". The history of Wouter Pieterse appeared as fragments in the Ideas , which also forms an organic whole with it. The story is about a dreamy and poetic msterdam boy, Wouter Pieterse, who grows up in a middle-class environment in the French period . The philistinism of his surroundings and curiosity o...

Published in 1860 Max Havelaar by Multatuli brought about a phenomenal change to the literature of Netherlands. It is an indictment of the Dutch colonial policies of 1850s that were designed to exploit the native Indonesian masses. With some autobiographical elements the novel satirizes the social setup of the Dutch people. Although the novel addresses issues of a bygone era it is still hailed widely for its literary styles and expression of thought.