Hella Haasse, the grande dame of Dutch literature, died on Thursday at her home in Amsterdam. She was 93.

Haasse is considered one of the Netherlands greatest writer. She wrote nearly 70 books and received many prizes, including the Constantijn Huygens prize in 1981 and the PC Hooft prize in 1984. In 2004 she was presented with the Dutch Literature Award by queen Beatrix.
She spent her youth in the Dutch-Indies and this childhood is reflected in her work. Her debut novel Oeroeg (1948), which deals with the friendship between a Dutch boy and a native boy, remains her most popular and is taught in schools.
Most of Haasse’s books are historical novels, including her international best-seller The Forest of Expectations (1949) and her last book Accompanying Lessons.
To celebrate her 90th birthday, the digital Hella Haasse museum was opened online. The site includes manuscripts, diary entries and photos of her with her husband and three daughters.