Born in Utrecht in 1959, he studied philosophy in Groningen and then attended the Amsterdam Academy for Film and TV.
Martin Bril made his debut in 1987 with the book Arbeidsvitaminen: het abc van Bril & Van Weelden, which he co-wote with Dirk van Weelden.
Since then, a variety of books have been published, which are amongst others: Stadsogen ('99), Hollandse luchten ('00) and Evelien, Een vrouw van nu ('01). A number of these are anthologies from his columns for Het Parool in which he described Amsterdam in anecdotal sketches.
Martin Bril (1959) wrote for countless magazines, including Carp, and received in 1997 the Pop Pers Prize for his columns in Vrij Nederland. In 2001 he switched from Het Parool to write daily columns in De Volkskrant. From then on he published numerous articles in all kinds of magazines, was the tv sidekick of Matthijs van Nieuwkerk in De Wereld Draait Door and performed on stage together with Ronald Giphart and Bart Chabot.
Moreover Bril wrote the 17th Groot Dictee der Nederlandse Taal, and his own word "rokjesdag" (the day that women start wearing skirts with bare legs) was taking into the official Van Dale dictionary.
Unfortunately Bril passed away on the 22nd of april 2009 at the age of 49, due to Oesophagal cancer.
