Vinco David Foundation
Already an acclaimed novel in Europe, The Male Harem — A Dutch Indian Tale of Masculine Love by Vinco David will resonate deeply with readers in India and around the world.
What Is The Male Harem About?
It is both rooted in India’s history and alive to its present. At its core is a contemporary love story set between modern-day Los Angeles and The Hague, where two young men — an Indian lawyer and a Dutch expert in Indian history — fall in love and uncover ancestral connections leading back to the eroticism, grandeur and intrigues of early modern India. Through their discoveries, the tale illuminates not only the splendour of that age but also its human dramas — love, betrayal, loyalty and ambition.
The narrative weaves these revelations into pivotal moments in India’s history, exploring life in both pre- and post-Partition India and the lingering legacies of those times. The result is a story where personal passion intersects with cultural memory, and where private relationships are shaped by historical forces stretching across centuries.
Who’s The Male Harem for?
The Male Harem is a novel for readers drawn to layered romance, cross-cultural encounters, and the allure of history made personal. With richly drawn characters, a mystery that bridges continents, and a deep respect for India’s past, it offers the pace of a modern page-turner and the resonance of an epic. It is a shared journey — of love, identity, and the stories that outlive us.
Readers in India are unlikely to have read anything like this before. Yet ten years after successful Dutch novelist Vinco David (1961-2023) wrote it, The Male Harem, A Dutch Indian Tale of Masculine Love, is now here. First published in the Netherlands in 2006, the novel received rave reviews and became a best seller.
The Indian edition of Vinco David‘s bestselling Dutch novel The Male Harem was launched in the gardens of India’s world famous monument to love — the eternal Taj Mahal in Agra — on 19 November 2025, the late author’s birthday.
Vinco David: ‘As a Dutchman, I first fell in love with my Indian partner — now my husband of over 25 years — and through our bond I also discovered a deep love for India itself. Following one of my more than 40 visits to India, I began writing this novel during an unexpected delay at a European airport. This exciting, passionate tale was waiting in the air, urging me to capture it. Inspiration flowed effortlessly. The opulence of maharaja palaces, the vivid colours, and the intoxicating scents of India all shaped the first chapter, which I wrote entirely by hand, as if guided by something greater than myself.
‘Although the tale features male lovers, most of The Male Harem’s readers turned out to be heterosexual women — proving that a message of love transcends boundaries. This novel carries a universal truth: love between people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds is not only possible but deeply enriching, even in the face of criticism.
‘I believe with all my heart that love is the most powerful force in the world. My greatest wish is to live on in the hearts and minds of readers, which is why I want this novel to be available freely in India. After my passing, I hope every Indian — whether rich or poor, straight, gay or bisexual — will be able to read it without cost.
‘My dream is simple yet profound: to touch, inspire and move you. Because in the end, love is love.’
Vinco David passed away two years ago. His widower — well-known Dutch Indian futurist and trendwatcher Adjiedj Bakas — therefore acted as his representative for the book launch event in the gardens of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Get your complimentary copy
Novelist Vinco David wanted every person in India to have access to The Male Harem — A Dutch Indian Tale of Masculine Love.
It is therefore available either to buy in paperback through Amazon or as a FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD.
The complimentary version of The Male Harem is made available thanks to funding by the novelist’s foundation: the Vinco David Foundation.
“A warmly recommended multicultural love story of two men.”
“An enthralling novel, exposing love, greed, and the dark side of finance. A gripping narrative that unveils uncomfortable truths. You won’t want to put it down!”
“A brilliant topic and brilliant authors. Their work is par excellence.”
“A novel that brought tears to my eyes many times, I read and reread it several times.”