Knut Hamsun: Desværre. Gudskelov.
When I mentioned a biography of Hamsun called Svermeren, I neglected to mention Hamsun's 1904 novel Sværmere, because I hadn't heard of it.
Knut Hamsun: Unfortunately. Thank God. includes a skeleton bibliography and an amusing gallery of front covers from all over Europe.
posted at: 12:39 | path: /links | permanent link to this entry
Victoria on stage
If you're near Oslo between the 8th of September and the 30th of October, and I won't be because I've run out of holiday, it's on at Oslo Nye Teater, Hovedscenen on Rosenkrantzgata.
posted at: 18:20 | path: /links | permanent link to this entry
Review of Hunger and Selected Letters, Vol. II
James Wood's review in the LRB (no subscription needed). Last year, his book The Book Against God, which I haven't read, was released, and the reviews said that he was a famous and formidable critic. It was only a few weeks ago that this critic, of whom I thought I had never heard, turned out to be the author of this memorable article, and another which explains why Bohumil Hrabal is so much better than Zadie Smith (please send any reasoned disagreement to victoria@insidecolinshead.com).
What did concern me, and this is raised in the linked letters at the foot of the article, is his claim that the narrator in Hunger is called Andreas Tangen. The narrator merely tells a policeman that his name is Andreas Tangen. He continues, in Sverre Lyngstad's translation:
I don't know why I lied. My thoughts fluttered about in disarray and gave me more fanciful notions than I could handle. I hit upon this far-fetched name on the spur of the moment and tossed it out without any ulterior motive. I lied unnecessarily.We have no reason to trust this statement more than the statement he gave to the policeman.
Not like Catherine Cookson country
Hamsuns Rike (Hamsun's Kingdom) promotes the districts of Hamarøy and Tysfjord, which I have passed through very briefly travelling to the Lofot islands.
posted at: 21:04 | path: /links | permanent link to this entry