Willem Frederik Hermans’ classic De donkere kamer van Damockles (The The Darkroom of Damocles), is to be the latest book to be distributed free by Dutch libraries as part of the Nederland Leest (The Netherlands Reads) project.

Set during the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, the book centres on tobacconist Henri Osewoudt who carries out a number of dangerous assignments for a stranger who is his complete physical opposite.
Copies of the book will be given free to all members of Dutch libraries in November. Willem Frederik Hermans is considered by some to be one of the most important Western European authors to emerge from the postwar period.
Book review