Drakht is the author of Letter to the King, a fantasy novel that has been translated into many languages, including Russian (its first edition was published here 20 years ago), and is recognized as the best Dutch book for young people in the second half of the 20th century. The Letter is the most translated children’s and young adult book written by Dutch authors.
In 2020, a British Netflix series based on the novel premiered. Prior to this, the book was filmed in the Netherlands in 2008.
Drakht’s death was announced by his publisher. The cause of death has not been announced.
Antonia “Tonke” Johana Dracht was born in 1930 in the Dutch East Indies, in what is now Jakarta, Indonesia. She went to school in Nassau. During the war, she was interned in a Japanese camp with her mother and two sisters. She began writing her first novel at the age of 13 using toilet paper rolls.
After the war, she and her family moved to her homeland. Graduated from the Hague Academy. Worked as an art teacher. First professional publication – 1958. The novel that made her famous was first published in 1962.
