Willem Elsschot

Willem Elsschot (1882–1960), the pen name of Alfons De Ridder, was a Belgian writer and advertising executive from Antwerp. After working as an office clerk, he ran an advertising agency while writing novels and poetry. His best-known works include “Leimen” (1924), “Cheese” (1933), and “Tschip” (1934). Often autobiographical, his writing frequently portrays the worlds of office workers and businesspeople. Elsschot’s works are now regarded as classics of Flemish and Dutch literature. He received the Belgian State Prize for Literature for his life’s work posthumously.