Abdelkader Benali

Who is Abdelkader Benali?

Abdelkader Benali is a Moroccan-Dutch writer and journalist. He has been described as one of the Netherlands' leading writers.

When he was four years old, he and his family, of Berber background, migrated to The Netherlands and settled in Rotterdam, where his father worked as a butcher. When he was twenty-one his debut novel Bruiloft aan zee appeared and was a huge critical and commercial success. It was translated into many languages. He received the Libris Prize for his second novel, De langverwachte.

In addition to novels and plays, Benali has published essays and reviews in respected newspapers and magazines including De Volkskrant, Vrij Nederland, De Groene Amsterdammer, Esquire and Algemeen Dagblad. Benali is an avid long-distance runner, his personal record being 2:52:19, achieved at the 2006 Rotterdam Marathon. He also wrote a book about his failed attempt to improve his best result, Marathonloper.

Abdelkader Benali masters Dutch, and speaks Berber and English. He is a non-believer, despite his family's Muslim faith and tradition.