It’s important for Thomas to reflect on life and write and publish. It started during his Law Studies where he chose for the direction ‘Metajuridica’. Thomas (co-)wrote and (co-)published several articles and books on different subjects. He also performed a few times as a stage poet (also in a program with Dutch Comedian Hans Teeuwen and author Joost Zwagerman) and in a theatre version of Anna Karenina (with former Dutch Mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen as the Russian Tsar). In India he played in the Bollywood hit Ghajini in a scene together with Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan. A few seconds of this ‘performance’ (if you don’t blink with your eyes) can be seen after 3.22 minutes in the song Bekha. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME7yIky1pgI. It might be hard to believe but Thomas also worked a few times as a photo model through a modelling agency. Even recently in Pune as a ‘(mostly sleeping) patient’ for a Philips photo shoot. From 2001 to 2004 he had two weekly columns, ‘De Wereld van Thomas and ‘Gouds Zout’ in a local paper called ‘De Postiljon’. Some of these columns have ben bundled in books ‘De Wereld van Thomas’ (the World of Thomas) and ‘Durf en Hoop’ (Dare and Hope) , see below. Currently he writes more in English. Blogs under the name ‘Thomas Nicolas’ can be found at Blog | Toe To Heart (toetoheartworld.com) On LinkedIn Thomas Nicolas also has a page (1) Feed | LinkedIn and also on Facebook there is an author’s page Thomas van Berckel | Facebook

Publications:

• De huidige democratische samenleving in het licht van mijn, uw en de vooruitgang (1991) (The current democratic society in the light of my, yours and ‘the’ Progress). Written during his Law Studies/ Specialization: Metajuridica. Part of the ideas expressed here have been the foundation under Toe to Heart. It’s available at the University of Maastricht.
• Zaaien en oogsten (1994) (Sowing and harvesting- scientific report, about municipal elections published by ‘Wetenschapswinkel Maastricht’ ) Available in some Dutch Public Libraries.
• De Wereld van de Tak (1996) (later published in English as ‘Rose and her friends of La Branche’ in Small World/ Big word in 2008 which will only be available at second hand stores and on some book shelves )
• Gedichten/Poems (1991-1997) ( -partly published and used when he was a stage poet in the bundle ‘Emotionale chaos in Blinde Extase’
• Wetenschappelijk tijdschrift Versie (December 2000): Artikel: Pleidooi voor primitief burgerschap. Scientific magazine ‘Versie’, article: An argument for primitive citizenship. The scientific magazine ‘Versie’ doesn’t exist anymore.
• Co-organized the publication of‘De Wereldkeuken gezien door de Raam (2002) (the World Kitchen seen through ‘De Raam’, multicultural cooking book, still available at ‘Buurthuis de Speelwinkel in Gouda)
• De Wereld van Thomas (2003) (the World of Thomas- collected columns, only available at second hand stores. For collectors: there are two versions of this book with different covers and layout. )
• Co-initiative taker in ‘De Naakte Raam’ (2004) (the Naked Raam- history of this ‘Raam’ neighbourhood, book still available at De Speelwinkel in Gouda)
• Durf en Hoop (2006) (Dare and Hope- collected columns, available only at second hand stores and on some book shelves)
• Small World, Big World (2009) (In English), available only at second hand stores and on some book shelves.
• Hendrik of Hoe te leven! (2015) een 21ste eeuwse Max Havelaar – Hendrik or How to Live! – a 21st century Max Havelaar. Available at second hand stores, on book shelves of many family members and in the library of the Multatuli Museum in Amsterdam.
• Dutch Roof, Requiem & Renaissance, (2018) -audio and e-book, written and spoken. This very personal manuscript has been distributed to a limited group of close relations.
• ‘The Story of the Experiments of My Life and What My Life has to be After the Corona Virus’. (2020) (in English) Has been published through Amazon and has been withdrawn there after some time after issues with format, cover and some of the editing but has been purchased and received by a limited group of people.

The last book, written in the Corona time led to reflection and the current changes in life approach, which is also recommended in Hindu Philosophy when a person reaches the 3rd life stage. Partly retired or, better, detached and being more reflective. Still very much involved in today’s world but in a different way.

Another publication will follow, Deo Volente, in 2024.