Review drs. Leni Hof-Hoogland

Asser Courant (mei 2007)

London resident Willem van der Sluis gives original view on integration

ASSEN -
Willem van der Sluis (33) who, three years ago, exchanged his country of birth for England, is now a teacher in Dutch schools, has written an intriguing book about a very topical subject: integration. What is remarkable about the content is that it is concerned with “reversed” integration, an interesting theme.

‘My Story – everybody has a secret’ – is the title of the book and aimed at children from 10 years onwards, but I found it worth reading also as an adult. Willem Kant writes down his experiences in a diary, from when he is 10 till 15 years old.  He is not lucky with his family: his mother is addicted to drugs and his father drinks. And he doesn’t get on with his sister although that improves later.

Initially Willem and his dad really dislike Muslims but that changes radically when Willem falls in love with a Muslim girl in his class, Meryem.  His father also revokes his opinion, especially when his unpopular mother-in-law interacts with Meryem’s grandfather.

Willem is both naive and clever. Naive as far as sex is concerned, but clever when he has to achieve good grades: he gets the answers of the Cito-test (a kind of 11-plus) from an illegal internet site.  And he has got a very vivid imagination which is evident from his diary, in the form of often absurdistic day-dreams and pipe-dreams.  He has made peace with his sister and more, when, after he has heard she is a lesbian and when he understands what that means, he chats with a lesbian girl on the internet in  his sister’s name, and invites her to his 15th birthday party.

Topics like integration, identity and (homo)sexuality are discussed in an unobtrusive way. What makes the book worth reading is its surprising content together with humoristic traits.

drs. Leni Hof-Hoogland

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