Geert Mak

Geert Ludzer Mak (born 4 December 1946 in Vlaardingen) is a Dutch journalist and a non-fiction writer in the field of history. His ten books about Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Europe have earned him great popularity. His best-known work, In Europe, a combination of a travelogue through the continent of Europe and a history of the 20th century, has appeared in over a dozen languages.

Geert Ludzer Mak
BornGeert Mak
(1946-12-04) 4 December 1946
Vlaardingen, Netherlands
OccupationJournalist
NationalityDutch
Notable worksIn Europa
SpouseMietsie Mak
Children2 children
Website
www.geertmak.nl

Life

In 1968, he was arrested for publishing a pamphlet in a student paper with the heading "Johnson oorlogsmisdadiger volgens de normen van Tokio en Neurenberg." ("Johnson war criminal according to the norms of Tokyo and Nuremberg."), referring to the Vietnam War that reached its peak during Johnson's presidency. Mak was accused of "insulting a friendly head of state", likely under American pressure due to the Cold War. He faced harsh sentences, including three weeks in jail, but ended up only having to pay 200 guilders.[1]

Personal life

Mak is married to Mietsie Ruiters. He has two step-children and five grandchildren.[2]

Reception of In Europe

In Europe was the best-selling book by a Dutch author in the Netherlands in 2004, selling over 400,000 copies. The British reviews were generally enthusiastic, although for the professional historian or political scientist the book has little to offer: “In Europe hardly breaks new ground historically” writes Martin Woollacott in an otherwise positive review in The Guardian.[3]

Mak himself sees his work as journalism. In an interview with a Dutch journalism trade-journal he says: “my approach is journalistic. My books are filled with newspaper tricks”. Historians are generally cautious when it comes to judging Mak’s work. Hermann von der Dunk, emeritus professor of history at Utrecht University, said about Mak: “it is well written, and historically correct, but it is not what I would call academic history. There is no analysis of historical development”.[4]

A 35-part VPRO television series based on In Europe prompted some historians to point to errors and comment that the makers were ill-informed about current debates in the field of history.[5]

gollark: They're okay for anyone but Nvidia.
gollark: It is obviously not entirely free of any safety issue ever. It is, however, much easier to not do accursed memory safety things than in C.
gollark: Segfaults aren't the core point. If you use a high-level language you will be able to write your actual algorithm faster and less buggily.
gollark: You can *technically* cause segfaults with ridiculous ctypes hacks.
gollark: Probably some code interacting with it got a null pointer, or something like that.

References
  1. Beledigen staatshoofd kostte Geert Mak 200 gulden (Dutch), NOS
  2. Geert Mak family life
  3. The Guardian, 14 July 2007
  4. Academische Boekengids, March 2005
  5. Historisch Nieuwsblad, December 2007
  • Quotations related to Geert Mak at Wikiquote
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