Golden Ratio Collections — Animal Wisdom Collection — Wisdom Collection

The QfWf Wisdom Collection is written by QfWf-authors, to disclose the richness of cultures worldwide with stories, music, visual arts, philosophical and spiritual traditions. Thereby, the wisdom from North, South, East and West is shown in multifaceted and artistic forms. The Wisdom Collection contains both general and intercultural essays as in-depth explorations to highlight specific artistic wisdom from cultural traditions.

These (e)books are published in the Dutch and/or English language; and sometimes multilingual. The proceeds of these (e)books will entirely benefit this programme and upcoming QfWf projects. We hope for a wide and interested audience for this entire varied series.

The first three books in the QfWf Wisdom Collection has been published in a physical form, due to a grant awarded in 2023 by the Cultural Participation Fund for the ‘QfWf Global Citizenship from the Street program’.

The fourth and next publications in the series are all ebooks (pdf).

• The series opens with Amor Fati: Spelende wijsheid voor de kosmopolis in which Heidi Muijen explores the question of global citizenship through the Wheel of the Intercultural Art of Living. The book thus highlights both the vision of the Quest for Wisdom foundation and the background for the board game of the same name developed by her, which addresses mythical-philosophical symbolism from the four corners of the world. A

  

  series of watercolours, Chinese brush paintings, drawings and collages by Greg Suffanti, Agnes Roothaan, Louis van Marissing, Annelie van Steenbergen, Caroline Young, Nour Kayali, Klaske Rehorst, Josee Tesser, Elin Maljaars, Maya Plas & Mitra Muijen depict intercultural themes as a common thread throughout the book. (NL, EN, 2024, ISBN 978 90 441 3970 9)

• The second book (Post)Koloniale wa(a)r(d)en by Fred de Haas contains layered reflections on (post)colonial history: the author mirrors the Caribbean and Latin-American identity in poetry and literature, also with poems written by his own hand. The portraits of poets and historical figures in black-and-white drawings by Josee Tesser has given a lighthearted touch to this heavy history of oppression. In addition, the approximately 100 clickable links to musical interpretations bring the intercultural identities of Caribbean and Latin-American peoples into experience. (NL, ESP, Papiaments, Creools, 2025, ISBN 978-94-927-273, hard cover en ISBN 978-94-927-297, e-book)
• The third book Amor Mundi: Wereldburgerschap van de straat — with editors Heidi Muijen, Klaske Rehorst en Robin Stemerding and many authors from the QfWf-Circle — documents the project ‘World Citizenship of the Street’ with art, poetry, images, raps, intercultural and philosophical reflections of the Quest for Wisdom Soul Circle how the world dream of the cosmopolis is developed into artistic forms for current contexts. (NL, EN, 2024. ISBN 978-94-92-127-198)
• Hans van Rappard expertly explains the fascinating Chinese and European wisdom traditions in an intercultural-philosophical manner in e-book 4, Walking Two Roads, Accord and Separation in Chinese and Western Thought (EN. 2023. ISBN 978-94-92-127-204)
• In e-book 5 Russische Zigeunerromances, Fred de Haas opens up a hitherto little-exposed genre of Gypsy Romances with its rich intercultural and historical sources. The (90!) clickable links to beautiful old and newer renditions, including the musical renditions of Fred de Haas (guitar and vocals) and Ralph Kreuter (balalaika), are surprising. (NL, RU, 2023. ISBN 978-94-92-127-211)
• In e-book 6 Middeleeuwse chirurgie in woord en beeld, Marcel Reyners has made a unique combination of the drawings of Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu (1385–1468) with the text of ‘The Method of Medicine’ of Albucasis (936–1013). He illuminates medieval surgery, drawing on his years of life, travel and work experience. (NL. 2023, ISBN 978-94-92-127-228)
• E-book 7, Ik ben iemand die intens leefde… — Bloemlezing: gedichten en illustraties by Marianne H.B. van Halewijn contains a large collection of poems and mandalas, bequeathed by the author to the Quest for Wisdom foundation. This colourful anthology expresses an intensely felt cosmic connection. (NL, 2024, ISBN 978 94 92 127 174)
• E-book 8, Knipoogjes: Korte en luchtige tijdreisjes in gezelschap van Henry Bergson, consists of columns in which serious issues are light-heartedly addressed by Rosalie de Wildt. The illustrations, watercolours by Greg Suffanti, add a humorous, colourful and intercultural layer to Rosalie’s philosophical reflections. (NL, 2024, ISBN 978 94 92 127 181)
• E-book 9, Het duurde maar even … – Gedichten die mij raakten consists of translations by Fred de Haas of about 60 poems in Creole, German, French, Galician, Papiamento, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian…. (NL, multilingual, 2024, ISBN 978 94 92 127 242)
• E-book 10, Eye of the Tiger – Colorful Heritage of the Far East contains a unique collection of Chinese brush drawings by Caroline R. Young, interspersed with historical and mythical stories from the Far East. (EN, 2025, ISBN 978 94 92 127 259)
• Volume 11, Plempius Vopiscus Fortunatus: Amsterdammer, Professor in Leuven (1633-1671), by Marcel Reyners, sketches the life of this Amsterdammer and Leuven professor and his position in the philosophical-medical debate between ancient Galenic medicine and the emerging Cartesian mechanical approach to the body. In addition to a discussion of the significance of Plempius’ work for the development of medicine, this edition contains an extensive bibliography and remarkable illustrations of medical instruments and writings that bring this time of transition to life.
  (NL, 2026, ISBN 978 94 92 127 303)
• In Volume 12, Traveling with an Expat: 20 Years on the Road on 3 Continents, Marie-Claire Marx describes her life as an expat, together with her husband and physician Marcel Reyners, in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Starting in 1998, they traveled to Cambodia, Albania, and Kenya and immersed themselves in the cultural and historical backgrounds of the people of these countries, including the Khmer Rouge reign of terror. This intercultural context, together with the author’s own photographic material, provides a unique perspective on the necessity of drawing historical lessons for global citizenship.
  (NL, 2026, ISBN 978 94 92 127 310)

QfWf-Wisdom Collection — (E-)Books

Purchase of educational materials

The financial benefits from these (e)books and other educational materials – which are all realised by volunteers – will entirely benefit this programme and upcoming QfWf-projects.

Update 2026-08