The History of My Sexuality by Tobi Lakmaker, translated from the Dutch by Kristen Gehrman (Granta, 2024) is the winner of the 2024 Vondel Translation Prize.

The Vondel Prize is awarded every three years for an outstanding literary translation from Dutch to English. The prize was awarded by the Society of Authors and the Dutch Foundation for Literature at the British Library in London on 12 February 2025. The jury consisted of David Doherty, Claire Lowdon and Susan Massotty.

From the jury report:

 ‘Running the gamut from broad comedy to brittle vulnerability, Gehrman instantly establishes a gutsy, assured voice that effortlessly matches the pace and punch of Lakmaker’s bold, highly idiosyncratic narrative of self-discovery. The humour is often ebullient but never strained: Gehrman delivers laugh-out-loud lines with crisp comic timing, yet hits the mark just as effectively when handling the novel’s darker undercurrents and raw, intimate moments, which she does with disarming directness and haunting clarity. In short, an extraordinary feat of balance, finesse and emotional range – one that Gehrman pulls off in style.’