Sunday Salon: Let’s Talk about Norway in November, Specifically Some Book Suggestions

I could recommend Japanese authors from now until Tuesday. But, Norwegian authors? Not so much. In fact, some whom I thought were Norwegian are actually Swedish. So clearly, the hostess has things to learn herself. 

I have been searching for some highly recommended books which I leave for you here, in pairs instead of single images as that will make the post a bit shorter. I hope you find something which appeals to you should you choose to join us this Norway In November. (Some of them apply for Nonfiction November or Novellas in November as well.)

Hunger by Knut Hamsun

Kristin Lavransdattar  by Sigrid Undset

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

The House with the Blind Glass Windows by Herbjorg Wassmo

The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad 

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

The South Pole by Roald Amundsen

The Kon-Tiki Expedition by Thor Heyerdahl

The Werewolf by Aksel Sandemose

The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas

Giants in the Earth by Ole Edvart Rolvaag 

The Other Name by Jon Fosse (I-II)

I Is Another by Jon Fosse (III-V)

A New Name by Jon Fosse (VI-VII)

(These three books comprise the volume entitled Septology. after which Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023. I read them singly, as they were not all published when I began reading, and I recommend taking them slowly, one by one.)

Aliss At the Fire by Jon Fosse 

(perfect for Novellas In November)

A Shining by Jon Fosse

Trilogy by Jon Fosse

Scenes from a Childhood by Jon Fosse

Well, you can see that I have listed more books by Jon Fosse than any other, but that is because he has become one of my favorite authors. I have read The Other Name, I is Another, A New Name, Aliss At the Fire, and Scenes From a Childhood (which are short vignettes of the most piercing nature). I still look forward to reading Melancholy I-II and Trilogy, as well as A Shining. Obviously, there are so many more Norwegian authors to discover; I have only attempted to whet your appetite here, in the hopes that you will join us this November. A review site is soon to come…

I have linked this post with Sunday Salon, as this is what is uppermost in my mind today.

Norway in November…A New Literature Challenge Because I Am A Fosse Fanatic

It began with a simple comment on Sunday Salon, wherein I mentioned that Jon Fosse has become my new favorite author, which indeed, he has. Even before he won the Nobel Prize in Literature last October, I knew I had read someone who felt like he understood me. So often I read because I feel in sync with the author, but this time, I felt he was writing what I had no words for. (I’m speaking of Septology.)

My blogging has been in decline; I have switched from one platform to another, and I find it a challenge to discuss Japanese literature any more. My father says, “Things have a beginning, a middle, and an end.” And I feel very strongly that I am in need of a new beginning (which is part of why I left WordPress and returned here). I’m wondering if you are interested in reading some Norwegian literature with me?

Perhaps you have heard of Norwegian crime writers, such as Karin Fossum or Gunnar Staalesen. Maybe Jo Nesbo? If you are in the mood for something more action filled, you may wish to pick up a psychological thriller. Believe me, they are nothing like an American thriller, which seems to follow the same plot line over and over again. (The Girl…fill in the blank.)

Or, you may prefer a classic work with more historical value, such as something written by Henrik Ibsen or Knut Hamsun. 

If you’re planning to read for Nonfiction November, there are several options, as well options for Novellas in November; I think it’s fun to combine reading events.

I am going to leave a compilation of Fosse works published by Fitzcarraldo Editions, with a much more complete list of Norwegian authors to come, hoping that something will catch your eye and you’ll join me in Norway this November. I’d surely hate to go alone.

Melancholoy I-II by Jon Fosse

Septology by Jon Fosse

I Is Another by Jon Fosse

A Shining by Jon Fosse

Selected Jon Fosse

A selection of books by Jon Fosse, awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature ‘for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable’, in Damion Searls’s translations.

Included publications:

• A Shining, Jon Fosse, Fiction
• Scenes from a Childhood, Jon Fosse, Fiction
• Melancholy I-II, Jon Fosse, Fiction
• Aliss at the Fire, Jon Fosse, Fiction