Het boek van Joachim van Babylon

Het boek van Joachim van Babylon was published in 1950 by Meulenhoff, serving as a landmark work in the mid-century literary career of the Flemish author Marnix Gijsen. Written during a period when Gijsen, the pseudonym of Jan-Albert Goris, was based in New York as a diplomat, the novel reflects his sophisticated, cosmopolitan perspective. It offers a reinterpretation of the biblical story of Susanna, shifting the narrative focus to her husband, Joachim, to explore themes of irony, skepticism, and human fallibility.

The book is recognized for its dry, restrained prose and its departure from traditional moralizing narratives. Gijsen sought to peel away the layers of religious myth, presenting a more grounded, humanized version of historical figures. Upon its release, it was lauded by critics for its intellectual rigor and stylistic precision, securing Gijsen’s reputation as one of the most influential Flemish writers of the twentieth century and contributing significantly to the modernist canon of Dutch-language literature.