Willem Frederik Hermans (1921-1995) was a Dutch author of poetry, novels, short stories, plays, as well as booklength studies, essays, and literary criticism. His most famous works are Het Behouden Huis (The House of Refuge), De Donkere Kamer van Damokles (The Darkroom of Damocles) and Nooit meer slapen (Beyond Sleep). He is regarded as one of the greatest Dutch writers of the 20th century. In 1977 he received the Prijs der Nederlandse Letteren, the most prestigious literary award available for writers in the Dutch language, handed out every three years alternately by the reigning Dutch and Belgian monarchs to a writer of the other country, the Belgian king Boudewijn handing the prize to Hermans. Hermans is considered one of De Grote Drie ('The Big Three'), the three most important authors in the Netherlands in the postwar period, along with Harry Mulisch and Gerard Reve.