Herman Brusselmans

Herman Brusselmans

Herman Frans Martha Brusselmans (born 9 October 1957 in Hamme, Belgium) is a Flemish novelist, poet, playwright and columnist. He lives in Ghent.

Herman Brusselmans studied Dutch and English at the University of Ghent. In his early twenties he was a successful football player. He played for Vigor Hamme and SK Lokeren. He now has his own football team called "De Woody's", after his late dog Woody. Brusselmans got married in 1981 but divorced several years later. He married his second wife Tania in 2005.

Brusselmans gained widespread popularity in the early 1980s as part of the new generation of young Flemish novelists that included Tom Lanoye and Kristien Hemmerechts.

Although Herman Brusselmans recently stated in the Flemish magazine HUMO that he would stop writing about existing people and situations, his work is highly autobiographical up to this point. Alcohol, sex and boredom are recurring themes throughout his work.

Not only his work contributed to his stardom, but also his media appearances. He used to have his own television show, and still appears regularly on talkshows. He also has a weekly column in HUMO. Bold, straightforward statements and comments have become his trademark throughout the years and always attract attention. This trademark cost him several lawsuits. The most memorable of which was when Ann Demeulemeester, a Belgian fashion designer, filed a complaint with the court about a remark that was made about her in "Uitgeverij Guggenheimer". This led to a recall of the book in Belgium.

Critics refer to the recurrences of sex, drugs and boredom in his work by calling them monotonous. Also the autobiographical side and the bold statements are widely regarded as a lack of quality. Nonetheless he is immensely popular and one of the best-selling authors in Flanders.

He played an autistic Hells Angel painting surrealist slogans on the caravans in the movie Camping Cosmos (1996).

In early 2007 a film adaptation of Brusselman's novel Ex Drummer was released, directed by Koen Mortier.