Djoke Weening-Meijer (1920-1990) is a Dutch writer who was born in Drachten, Friesland, in 1949. She studied Dutch language and literature at the University of Groningen, and after graduating she worked as a teacher and journalist.
She is a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW). She lives in Drachten with her husband.
Lege hannen (Empty Hands)
In 1987, she wrote her first novel, Lege hannen (Empty Hands). It was published by Osinga in Drachten. The book is written in Frisian.
The book is set in the 1960s, a time when many Dutch people emigrated to Australia in search of a better life. The main character, Froukje, is a 17-year-old girl who is close to her family and friends. She is reluctant to leave her home in Friesland, but she knows that she must go with her family to Australia. The book explores the themes of family, friendship, loss, and identity.
Lege hannen was a critical and commercial success. It won the Gysbert Japicx Prize, the most prestigious literary award in Friesland.
The book has been translated into English.
Weening-Meijer has published several other novels, including Twaerlei libbens (Two Lives, 1990), De striid om de heuvel (The Battle for the Hill, 1993), and De tiid rint troch (Time Keeps Running, 1996). She has also written short stories, essays, and plays. Her work has been translated into English, German, and French.
