Raoul de Jong is an acclaimed Dutch writer, essayist and storyteller whose work moves freely between literature, travel, history and spirituality. Born in Rotterdam in 1984, he is known for following unexpected paths — both in his travels and in his writing — in search of forgotten stories and new ways of seeing the world.

In Jaguarman, his acclaimed book about his Surinamese heritage, de Jong combines memoir, travel writing and historical research to explore his family history and the hidden histories of Suriname. His writing often brings together the personal and the political, connecting questions of identity and ancestry with colonial history, cultural memory and the power of stories.

De Jong received the Anna Blaman Prize for his entire oeuvre in 2022 and wrote the prestigious Dutch Boekenweekessay Boto Banja in 2023. His work is characterised by curiosity, humour, imagination and a fascination with the stories that have been forgotten — or never given enough space to be heard.