De Correspondent
Publishing books designed to provoke thought
Although our news start-up De Correspondent is fully digital, we believe every story deserves the best possible platform. And sometimes that platform is a good old-fashioned paperback. Since 2013, De Correspondent has published ten print books, all co-designed with Momkai.
National bestsellers
De Correspondent is an ad-free digital platform that focuses on the foundational, not the sensational. We equip our correspondents to carry out in-depth research by giving them time, resources, and access to the expertise of our 60,000 paying members.
Sometimes their research evolves into stories that work best as books. De Correspondent’s ten books have all become national bestsellers in the Netherlands. The first, Utopia for Realists, has been published in 30 territories worldwide.
A series for sharing insights
Our books form a series. All nonfiction, they share a fundamental purpose: to discuss everyday reality while introducing surprising new insights.
Their distinctive designs express the absurdity of reality, which each book exposes in one way or another. Each cover deploys a single striking illustration that conveys the central concept instantly, so it stands out in bookstores without screaming for attention.
“Human kind”
Dutch title: “De meeste mensen deugen”
German title: “Im grunde gut”
In this major book, internationally bestselling author Rutger Bregman shows how believing in human kindness and altruism can be a new way to think – and act as the foundation for achieving true change in our society.
It is time for a new view of human nature.
“The water comes”
Dutch title: “Het water komt
”If there’s one Dutch story that needs to be told, it’s — the story of Johan van Veen. Engineer and father of the Delta-plan. One of the greatest Dutchmen of all time, but hardly anyone knows him. Johan’s story is the story of the Netherlands. A story that since the 1953 flood disaster in the Netherlands has been forgotten but is – with rising sea levels – now more relevant than ever. The book shows: we can fight the battle against water again.
"The right of the fastest"
Does a deer cross our road or do we drive straight through his forest? How come we have to press a button if we want to cross the street? And why do we travel faster and faster, but don't we get home a second earlier?
From traffic jams to bicycle highways, from speed bumps to shared cars: how we move has an enormous influence on the layout of our streets, our cities and our society. It even determines how we interact with each other.
In this book, journalist Thalia Verkade and scientist Marco te Brömmelstroet look for an answer to that one important question: whose street does it belong to? They discover that traffic has taken over our public space - and show that a completely different layout is possible.
“Beginning of an end”
Dutch title: “Beginnen over het einde”
Nowhere do you die as pleasantly as in the Netherlands. Unless you’re demented. Because even if the law allows it, no doctor will help you perform euthanasia... if you don’t understand what’s going on.
Why is euthanasia so difficult in dementia? And how can we make better arrangements? In this book, Henk Blanken shows how important it is to start the conversation on time. With your loved ones and with your doctor. So that you won’t die too soon, but also not too late.
“Americans don't walk”
Dutch title: “Amerikanen lopen niet”No country is covered as much by the news as the United States. We follow the politics and media closely and know New York and Hollywood from the movies. But when Arjen van Veelen moves to the forgotten city of St. Louis, he is shocked: this is a rich third world country. To understand today’s America, you have to be in St. Louis. The gap between rich and poor, black and white, city and countryside is nowhere as wide as there. In this book, he shows America as you rarely see it, and brings it surprisingly close.
“How are we going to explain this”
Dutch title: “Hoe gaan we dit uitleggen”
In this book Jelmer Mommers describes one of today’s biggest problems; climate change.
The truth is the current situation is dire. A change of this magnitude has never been experienced by mankind. It’s up to us to decide how bad it will be.
“The Bestselling Book Ever (with this title)”
Dutch title: “Het bestverkochte boek ooit (met deze titel)”
In this Dutch-only book, correspondent Sanne Blauw looks at how numbers influence our lives. From school grades to retirement age, this book puts numbers where they belong: not on a pedestal and not in the bin, but next to words.
"Please Take a Number"
Dutch title: "Er zijn nog 17 miljoen wachtenden voor u"
In our latest book, available in Dutch only, correspondent Sander Heijne draws on his research into the marketisation and privatisation of the public sector in the Netherlands to highlight the complexities and perils of red tape. Find out why the free market can’t replace government.
"The Book of Thanks"
Dutch title: "Dankboek"
In this Dutch-only book, De Correspondent co-founder Ernst-Jan Pfauth shares his conclusions after two years of reading self-help literature. In short, when you keep aiming for more and better, you forget to be thankful for what you already have.This gratitude journal contains tips for living a more satisfied life – and for keeping up the habit in our competitive society. As a burnout pandemic sweeps the globe, it’s a helping hand that’s sorely needed.
On the design of The Book of Thanks
We based The Book of Thanks' design on a diary, choosing to treat it as a utilitarian object. For example, removing the dust jacket makes the book easy to carry discreetly.
We also clearly distinguished the book’s written content from the sections with space for the reader’s own writing by using two colours of paper: aqua and white. The red bookmark lets the reader keep track of his or her progress, while the hardcover linen cover is robust enough for daily use and portability.
