Meet the Dutch journalist and author Judit Neurink
Advertisement
Proud to host the Dutch journalist and author Judit Neurink on the occasion of the presentation of her newest novel "Rahila's Secrets" in a conversation with Diane Shugart.
A book signing will follow.
Conversation in English.
Few words about the book
Iraq, 2014. Zara Mahmoud has spent years reeling from a shocking discovery: the long-hidden diary of her late grandmother, Rahila, revealing that her family is secretly Jewish. Raised as a Muslim in Iraqi Kurdistan, Zara has struggled to reconcile this dual identity. But when the terrifying rise of ISIS pushes her homeland into violent chaos, her hidden heritage becomes her only lifeline.
Few words about the author
Judit is specialised in Iraq and MIddle East
However, she doesn't just write about the Middle East—she lived it, breathed it, and carved out a home within its complex history. For over a decade on the ground in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, she worked as a major international correspondent, witnessing firsthand the sweeping political tides, the dramatic rise and fall of ISIS, and the quiet endurance of ordinary people caught in the crossfire. As the founder of a local media center dedicated to training independent journalists, she gained unprecedented access to the personal stories, deep cultural roots, and buried historical traumas of the region.
It was during these immersive years that Judit discovered her true calling: translating raw, visceral current affairs into deeply moving fiction. With over twenty years of journalism and thirteen acclaimed books to her name, she specializes in giving a voice to forgotten lineages and hidden heritages. Her novels, including the breakout historical drama The Jewish Bride and its high-stakes standalone sequel Rahila’s Secrets, blend meticulous factual reality with a sweeping, emotional imagination. She crafts rich suspense and messy, authentic romances that explore what it truly means to look for home when your world is uprooted.
Today, Judit reports and writes from the historic city of Athens, Greece. When she isn’t traveling back to the Middle East for her next story, she can be found balancing her time between weaving fast-paced suspense plots and sharing her sun-drenched home with her two beloved, vocal Siamese cats.
A book signing will follow.
Conversation in English.
Few words about the book
Iraq, 2014. Zara Mahmoud has spent years reeling from a shocking discovery: the long-hidden diary of her late grandmother, Rahila, revealing that her family is secretly Jewish. Raised as a Muslim in Iraqi Kurdistan, Zara has struggled to reconcile this dual identity. But when the terrifying rise of ISIS pushes her homeland into violent chaos, her hidden heritage becomes her only lifeline.
Few words about the author
Judit is specialised in Iraq and MIddle East
However, she doesn't just write about the Middle East—she lived it, breathed it, and carved out a home within its complex history. For over a decade on the ground in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, she worked as a major international correspondent, witnessing firsthand the sweeping political tides, the dramatic rise and fall of ISIS, and the quiet endurance of ordinary people caught in the crossfire. As the founder of a local media center dedicated to training independent journalists, she gained unprecedented access to the personal stories, deep cultural roots, and buried historical traumas of the region.
It was during these immersive years that Judit discovered her true calling: translating raw, visceral current affairs into deeply moving fiction. With over twenty years of journalism and thirteen acclaimed books to her name, she specializes in giving a voice to forgotten lineages and hidden heritages. Her novels, including the breakout historical drama The Jewish Bride and its high-stakes standalone sequel Rahila’s Secrets, blend meticulous factual reality with a sweeping, emotional imagination. She crafts rich suspense and messy, authentic romances that explore what it truly means to look for home when your world is uprooted.
Today, Judit reports and writes from the historic city of Athens, Greece. When she isn’t traveling back to the Middle East for her next story, she can be found balancing her time between weaving fast-paced suspense plots and sharing her sun-drenched home with her two beloved, vocal Siamese cats.
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Free Thinking Zone, Athens, Greece
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherFree Thinking Zone
