J. W. Cappelens Forlag A.S is Norway's oldest ... - Cappelen Damm

Eng.katalog2003 10.09.03 08:42 Side 1 

J. W. Cappelens Forlag A.S is Norway’s oldest 

publishing house, founded in 1829. Cappelen 

today is engaged within domestic and foreign 

fiction literature, non-fiction literature, educational 

literature and four book clubs. 

The trade list for Cappelen in 2003 is approximately 

700 new titles. 

Cappelen also contains Sentraldistribusjon ANS. 

The total turnover in 2002 was MNOK 604. The 

number of employees is 280.


Who’s who at Cappelen: 

Managing director: Sindre Guldvog 

Literary department 

Publisher: Anders Heger 

Publisher, Norwegian fiction: Per Glad 

Publisher, Foreign fiction: Anne Fløtaker 

Publisher, Non-fiction: Ida Berntsen 

Publisher, Children’s books: Torill Hofmo 

Cappelen Fakta: 

Director: Åse Ryvarden 

Publisher, Cappelen Nature & Culture: Kari Skodvin 

Publisher, Cappelen Maps & Encyclopedias: 

Haavard Nordlie 

Educational department: 

Director: Ola Haugen 

Publisher, Cappelen Akademisk Forlag: Ester Moen 

Publisher, Primary school: Randi Farbrot 

Publisher, Secondary School: Øyvind Marthinsen 

Foreign Rights Manager: Eirin Hagen 

e-mail: eirin.hagen@cappelen.no


Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 

Children’s books . . . . . . . . 62 

Non-fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 

CAPPELEN 

P. O. Box 350 Sentrum, 0101 Oslo, Norway 

(tel. +47 22 36 50 00) 

(fax +47 22 36 50 40) 

www.cappelen.no


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SELMA LØNNING AARØ 

Would You Like Another Ride? 

Vill ni åka mera? 

I put my lips against the keyhole of the bathroom 

door, I whisper to you as though you have 

always been in there, as though you are an old 

lover I have finally remembered. I know you are 

in there, and I can picture every nook, every 

feature of your body. You exist in my body, like 

a talent no-one can take away from me. 

Would You Like Another Ride? focuses on the story of Berg 

and David. David is blind, yet he can see Berg more 

clearly than she does herself. Whereas Berg has suppressed 

the painful memories long ago, David sees a little 

girl who visited the fun fair and went with the carousel 

man to his trailer. He also sees her the way she is now – 

living with a blind man, in hiding, afraid of confronting 

herself. 

The novel is at once a touching classic love story and a 

contemporary novel about acknowledgement that elegantly 

brings together the serpentine life stories of Berg 

and David. 

*Selma Lønning Aarø (1972–) has previously written Den 

endelige historien (The Final Story), 1995, Spekulum 

(Spekulum), 1996 and Bebudelse (The Coming), 1999. 

*Translations: 

Bebudelse (The Coming), 1999. Sold to Denmark. 

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INGVAR AMBJØRNSEN 

Partly Present 

Delvis til stede 

Ingvar Ambjørnsen’s latest short stories convey 

clear parallels of narrative development 

and settings. They are all about men, and lies, 

and about having to make sudden backward 

leaps in one’s perception of identity and realities. 

They are open, full of action and dialogue, some of 

them mini-novels in their own right. 

In On the Rock (Bergtatt) we encounter a brother, his 

sister and her six-year-old son, spending a night at a hotel 

situated inside a mountain. Right outside the diningroom 

window, a young BASE jumper has become caught 

on an outcrop and is dangling in his parachute in plain 

view. The floodlights are on. As the story unfolds, the 

woman’s young son is thrown back and forth between 

the adults’ different perceptions of reality, while a blind 

pianist is playing in the background. 

Partly Present offers seven probing, disconcerting short 

stories in Ambjørnsen’s inimitable style. 

*Ingvar Ambjørnsen (1956–) is considered as one of 

the great storytellers of contemporary Norwegian literature. 

His books are characterised by powerful, realistic 

descriptions of the seamier side of life. The protagonists 

are often outsiders – described with sympathetic insight 

and warmth. Loneliness and friendship are expressed 

in a concise literary style. Since the literary début in 1981


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Ambjørnsen has written sixteen novels and three 

collections of short stories, as well as several books for 

children and youth. 

The author’s great break trough came in 1986 with 

the novel Hvite niggere (White Trash) – a crass exposure 

of the plight of that unfortunate soul seeking out an 

existence in sub-cultures. His most successful novels 

in recent years is the quartet about the odd ball Elling; 

critically acclaimed and very well sold to Ambjørnsen’s 

wide audience. Ambjørnsen has introduced something 

entirely new with his books about Elling. His 

stories contain less external plot, but proportionately 

more crazy inventiveness and absurd humour. One 

of the Elling-books, Brødre i blodet (Blood Brothers), 

1996, is filmed, premiered in March 2001. Almost 

800,000 Norwegians saw this movie, and it has been 

shown in many countries. It was nominated to Oscar 

for the best foreign film 2001. The second film, Mors 

Elling (Mother’s Elling), will be released in November 

2003. The theatre play Elling has appeared on stage at 

several theatres around Europe. 

In 2000 Ambjørnsen wrote the novel Dronningen 

sover (The Queen is Asleep). The critics wrote: (This) 

…is no less than a delightful portrayal of love. Using 

straightforward moves, Ambørnsen creates an atmosphere 

both heart-warming and painful. It is immeasurably 

sad and immeasurably comforting. At one and 

the same time. …the association with Edward Albee’s 

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf seems clear…» 

(Aftenposten). The last he wrote Dukken i taket (The 

Doll in Ceiling). In this novel the author makes use of 

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several suspense story devices, but this is first and 

foremost an intense psychological drama. 

Ambjørnsen’s recent Samson & Roberto-series (three 

titles) for children are sold to Denmark, Finland, 

Germany, Italy, Russia and Sweden (see page 77). 

*Awards: 

The Cappelen Prize 1988 

The City of Hamburg Grant 

The City of Lübeck Grant 

The best book for Young Readers of the 1980’s (Døden 

på Oslo S) (Death in Oslo Central Station) 1991 

The Brage Prize 1995 for Fugledansen (The Bird Dance) 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1996 for Brødre i blodet (Blood 

Brothers) 

Oslo City Cultural Prize 2001 


Sarons ham (Saron’s Hide), 1982. Sold to Turkey. 

Stalins øyne (Stalin’s Eyes), 1985. Sold to Germany. 

Hvite niggere (White Trash), 1986. Sold to Denmark, 

Finland, Germany, Sweden, Turkey. 

San Sebastian Blues (San Sebastian Blues), 1989. Sold to 

Sweden. 

Den mekaniske kvinnen (The Mechanical Woman), 1991. 

Sold to Germany. 

Jesus står i porten (Jesus Stands at the Gate), 1992. Sold to 

Germany. 

Utsikt til paradiset (A Vision of Paradise), 1993. Sold to 

Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Russia. 

Fugledansen (The Bird Dance) 1995. Sold to Denmark,


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Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden. 

Brødre i blodet (Blood Brothers), 1996. Sold to Denmark, 

Finland, Germany, Israel, Sweden, the Netherlands, 

UK. 

Natt til mørk morgen (Night Before a Dark Morning), short 

stories 1998. Sold to Croatia. 

Elsk meg i morgen (Love med tomorrow), 1999. Sold to 

Germany. 

Dronningen sover (The Queen is Asleep), 2000. Sold to 

Germany, Spain. 

Dukken i taket (The Doll in the Ceiling), 2001. Sold to 

Turkey. 

Pelle og Proffen (Pelle and The Prof) series of nine titles 

for young readers. Sold to Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, 

Germany, Iceland, Sweden. 

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INGEBORG ARVOLA 

Penalty 

Straffe 

Football star Kora Sandell blows her team’s 

chance at landing their remote Norwegian 

coastal town a victory in the women’s elite 

series. The Missed Penalty turns Kora’s good 

fortune into despair. She is publicly scapegoated, 

beaten up in the Alley, and dumped by her 

girlfriend Elie. Kora’s mourning over her lost love 

overshadows the penalty and the taunts. It is not made 

easier by the fact that the person Elie left Kora for is 

her own childhood friend, Pedro. 

Penalty is an engaging novel about the collective 

with undertones of sorrow and an irreverent allusion 

to Cora Sandel’s Kranes konditori (Krane’s Tea House). 

*Ingeborg Arvola (1974–) made her début in 1999 with 

the novel Korellhuset (The Korell House). In 2000 she 

wrote a collection of short-stories and her first children’s 

book Blod, snørr og tårer (Blood, snot and tears). 


Korellhuset (The Korell House), 1999. Sold to Germany. 

Blod, snørr og tårer (Blood, snot and tears), 2000. Sold to 

Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.


FICTION 

KRISTIN LIAN BERG 

Bright Sunny Spells 

Lettskyet pent vær 

There is a white cloud over the ranch. This is where 

we live, Mum, Dad and I, with the cowboys, the 

calves and the barn. I spot the cloud spreading in all 

directions all of a sudden one day when the sky is 

flat and light-blue. Only good weather can draw the 

cowboys into the open. 

Bright Sunny Spells tells the story of Alma, a girl of 11 

or 12, who suddenly loses her little brother – and how 

she and her mother and father work through the 

silence that follows. Alma sees the world through a 

kind of cowboy mythology, where she lives on a ranch 

and Dad is the king of rodeo, and there are cowboys 

and Indians everywhere, constantly at war with each 

other. 

The author writes refined, understated prose, making 

Bright Sunny Spells a poignant, unsentimental tale 

of unbearable grief that identifies the thin line that 

separates bliss and disaster. 

*Kristin Lian Berg (1978–) is a debutant. 

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GAUTE BIE 

Pure Popmusicbaby! 

Back in new Paris 

Pure Popmusicbaby! 

Back in new Paris 

In a fit of pop-music frenzy the three friends 

Gaute, Sofus G. and Mr Freetime form the 

band The International Taste. The three are all mad 

about pop and decide to travel through Europe with 

their band, their main goal being to perform the very 

finest Popmusicbaby music for Maximiliana – Sofus 

G’s girlfriend – in New Paris. 

Pure Popmusicbaby! is filled to the brim with 

humour, deceit, drugs, great romance, rivalry, friendship, 

and pop music adulation in its purest form. 

Pure Popmusicbaby! is a gritty/pretty love story and an 

intense, exciting pop journey through the lives of three 

friends and their relationships with each other. 

Reviewers wrote: “Right on the money – 5 out of 6.” 

Verdens Gang 

“A hallucinogenic debut in overdrive.” 

Bergens Tidende 

*Gaute Bie (1979–) writes in a commensurate, conscious, 

original and tight oral style. Pure Popmusicbaby! 

marks his literary debut.


FICTION 

LARS SAABYE 

CHRISTENSEN 

The Figwort Family 

Maskeblomstfamilien 

I had a good upbringing. Father died when I was 

twelve. Mum went to bed early. I was an only 

child. 

With these words Lars Saabye Christensen opens his 

new novel, a chamber play set in the broad avenues 

behind the Royal Palace in mid-1960s Oslo. The narrator 

describes his upbringing from age 12 to 17, in a 

home thick with secrets, pretence, silence and sins of 

omission. 

The father, a patent engineer, takes his own life on 

page one. The mother subsequently goes to bed for 

good, leaving the young narrator to grow up in the 

care of his bony Aunt, whose outlook can darken even 

the brightest day. And in one scene, during a summer 

holiday, one of the father’s inventors who is visiting, 

manages to tell him: “You are indeed your father’s 

strangest patent.” 

Saabye Christensen’s new novel is about identity 

and shame. It is beautifully written, dark, and different. 

*Lars Saabye Christensen (1953–) is a gifted storyteller, 

a narrator who is imaginative, but equally down 

to earth. His realism alternates between poetic image 

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and ingenious incident, conveyed in supple metropolitan 

language and slang that never smacks of the artificial 

or forced. His heroes possess a good deal of selfirony. 

Indeed, critics have drawn parallels with the 

black humour of Woody Allen. But beneath the liveliness 

of his portrayal there always lurks a melancholy 

undertone in the books. 

Since his debut in 1976 Saabye Christensen has 

written ten collections of poetry, three collections of 

short stories and twelve novels. His great break 

through came with the novel Beatles (Beatles) in 1984. 

The sale (in the bookstores) of over 200 000 copies has 

made this one of the greatest commercial successes 

in Norway. In 2001 he wrote the successful novel 

Halvbroren (The Half Brother) about two brothers 

– Fred and Barnum – that are struggling to become 

whole individuals. Both the critic’s and the audience 

have been acclaiming this great novel. More than 

280,000 copies are sold in Norway. The novel has 

received many prizes and awards. 

Halvbroren (The Half Brother) is an extraordinarily 

generous and moving novel that follows a family over 

a period of many years, through all stages of life. 

Delving into the sorrowful, into yearning and absence, 

it also portrays beautifully the survival skills and 

rather black humour of old women. It is a narrative 

with a rich, vibrant historical foundation, and several 

stories all woven together. It is a lavish, entertaining 

and sagacious novel; restrained, enigmatic, and wonderfully 

crafted. The press wrote:


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“As a novel it is a literary feat of international eminence, 

a book which, throughout an entire 650 pages, 

offers reading pleasure of a scintillating, euphoric 

kind.” 

Dagens Næringsliv 

“As a Bildungsroman and a childhood narrative it is a 

gem.” 

Dagbladet 

«This is a great river of a book. The Half Brother is 

magnificent. .. It is like Paul Auster’s The Book of 

Illusions meeting Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections.» 

The Independent 

«The Half Brother is no mere interesting example of 

contemporary Scandinavian writing; it’s a deeply felt, 

intricately worked and intellectually searching work of 

absolutely international importance.» 

The Guardian 

«The Half Brother is the kind of big ambitious panoramic 

novel of the sort we tend to think only Americans 

write these days. It is part Bildungsroman - depicting 

the coming of age of a writer - part a Ulysses for Oslo. 

.. A big rewarding read.» 

Daily Telegraph 

“The writer has a great gift and this book will stand 

the test of time.” 

The Age, NZ 

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*Awards: 

Tarjei Vesaas’ Prize for First Fiction 1976 

Prize for the best Radio Drama 1991-92 


The Riverton Prize 1987 

The Critics’ Prize 1988 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1990 for the novel Bly (Bly) 

The Brage Prize 2001, for the novel Halvbroren/The Half 

Brother 

The Booksellers’ Prize 2001 for the novel Halvbroren 

(The Half Brother) 

The Nordic Councils’ Literary Prize 2002 for the novel 

Halvbroren (The Half Brother) 


Amatøren (The Amateur), 1977. Sold to Germany. 

Jokeren (The Joker), 1981. Sold to Germany, USA 

Beatles (Beatles), 1984. Sold to Denmark, Germany, the 

Netherlands, Romania, Sweden. 

Herman (Herman), 1988. Sold to Denmark, Germany, 

Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, the 

Netherlands, USA. 

Stempler (Hallmarks), poetry, 1989. Sold to Pakistan. 

Bly (Bly), 1990. Sold to Denmark. 

Ingens (Nobody’s), short stories, 1992. Sold to Denmark. 

Gutten som ville være en av gutta (The Boy Who Wanted to 

be One of the Guys), 1992. Sold to Denmark, Germany. 

Jubel (Jubelation), 1995. Sold to Denmark, Germany, the 

Netherlands, Poland, Spain. 

Den misunnelige frisøren (The Envious Hairdresser), short 

stories, 1997. Sold to Denmark, Germany, Yugoslavia.


FICTION 

En mann for sin katt (Cat Trick), poems, 2000. Sold to 

Greece. 

Halvbroren (The Half Brother), 2001. Sold to Albania, 

Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, 

Italy, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, 

Sweden, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, UK, USA. 

Maskeblomstfamilien (The Figwort Family), 2003. Sold to 

Denmark. 

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TORGRIM EGGEN 

Winning Personalities 

Trynefaktoren 

Norway is like a drunken sailor, lost in the docks, 

carrying eight hundred billion in his back pocket. 

Winning Personalities is a large, important, offone’s-feet-sweeping 

and very timely novel that 

takes Norwegian social democracy, politics, society’s 

apathy and the media game seriously (for a ride). 

Torgrim Eggen unravels a fantastic plot that centres 

around three Solidarity Party representatives who each 

symbolise different directions within social democracy; 

their internal power struggles and the manipulation of 

business and the media during the course of a gruelling, 

unscrupulous election campaign. Eggen’s prose is furious 

in pace, stringent and tongue-in-cheeky, and the 

book looks certain to cause a stir in parliamentary 

circles. 

*Torgrim Eggen (1958–) was first published as a novelist 

in 1972. His later writings include Pynt (Frills), published 

in 2000. 


Pynt (Frills), 2000. Sold to Finland, Germany, Russia. 

*Awards: 

The Gyldendal Prize, 1995 

The Sarpsborg Prize, 1997, for Den nye Dylan (The New 

Dylan).


FICTION 

JON ØYSTEIN FLINK 

Ole-Kristian Oksrød 

Ole-Kristian Oksrød 

Bjørn Pedersen is rich, obese and dying for a 

crap. The gorgeous Frøydis Pedersen is in 

dire need of a wee, but neither of them can 

get into the public toilets at Oslo Central 

Station. They’re out of coins. And while legs 

are crossed and sphincters pinched in the main hall 

outside, the novel’s main character, Ole-Kristian 

Oksrød, finds himself in one of the booths, busy with 

anything but draining bladders or bowel movement – 

he is rolling himself a good old joint. 

Thus begins the story about Ole-Kristian Oksrød’s 

first encounter and confrontation with Oslo. With 

academia and issues of art music/contemporary music 

in a popular-culture Norway; with art and capitalism; 

with the Red Front and the life of the ultra-radicals in 

the post-1970s; with women and families. But most of 

all it is about his encounter and confrontations with 

himself, and about where he fits into all of this. 

*Jon Øystein Flink (1976–) makes his literary début 

with a serious and humorous, lyrical and beautiful, 

boring yet rather captivating oddball novel... 

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KARIN FOSSUM 

The Night of November 4 

Natt til fjerde november 

They sometimes thought that if Jonna had been 

younger, five or ten, perhaps, there would have 

been no question. Their daughter would most certainly 

have been killed. And later hidden and 

buried, or thrown in the sea. That would have 

made more sense. But she could never have run away! Where 

would she go? 

Jonna is seventeen and disappears without a trace on 

November 4. There is no note or diary to explain what 

has happened, and after several weeks her parents, 

Magnhild and Jon, are still without answers. Is all of 

this their fault? 

The novel shows how alone human beings can be 

even within a family structure, as well as the brutal 

impact of grief – but also how that grief might serve to 

bring about change. 

*Karin Fossum (1954–) made her literary début with a 

collection of poetry in 1974. This was awarded with 

Tarjei Vesaas’ Debutant Prize. Later she has written 

another book of poetry and two short story collections. 

Her major break through came with the crime novel 

Evas øye (Eve’s Eye) in 1995. It is enormously exciting 

and well crafted, and displays a taught literary style 

that grips the reader instantly. In 1996 followed up


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with Se deg ikke tilbake (Don’t Look Back!). According to 

Aftenposten’s reviewer the second book «…has hit the 

bull’s eye. It has scored a direct hit and is an exceptional 

top score! This is a dazzling writing in the mystery 

genre». Fossum received The Riverton Prize and 

The Glass Key (for the best Nordic detective novel) for 

this second crime. In 1997 Fossum wrote Den som frykter 

ulven (Who ever Fears the Wolf ) that gave her The 

Booksellers’ Prize. The year after came Djevelen holder 

lyset (The Devil Holds the Candle). Karin Fossum published 

a literary novel in 1999, De gales hus (The House 

of the Insane). 

In 2000 Karin Fossum wrote her fifth crime featuring 

Konrad Sejer, Elskede Poona (Beloved Poona) and the 

sixth in 2002, Svarte sekunder (Black Seconds), in addition 

to the literary novel Jonas Eckel (Jonas Eckel). 

Fossum’s scenario is realistic and believable. She 

has a literary, precisely language and she is regarded 

as a gifted writer. Fossum’s novels have been filmed, 

the first as a full length feature film, the others as television 

series. Karin Fossum is always well received – 

by the critic’s and the readers. 

The reviewers wrote: 

“Beloved Poona is Fossum’s fifth police novel featuring 

detectives Sejer and Skarre. Not only the definite highlight 

of the season, it is in my view among the best 

Norwegian crime novels ever written. … a well-written 

and disturbing novel, a tale that would stand fast 

even without the element of crime.” 

Dagbladet 

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“Beloved Poona is yet another testimony of Karin 

Fossum’s qualities as a novelist, equally so of the keen 

psychological observer she has become. Reading a 

crime novel that radiates such wisdom and warmth, 

coupled with solid literary craftsmanship, is a rare 

pleasure.” 

Dagsavisen 

“Don’t Look Back” shows just how well Fossusm 

deserves her continental fame”. 

Sunday Times 

“Norway’s Queen of crime…an engaging, atamospheric 

thriller.” 

Daily Mail 

*Awards: 

Tarjei Vesaas’ Debutant Prize 1974 for the collection of 

poetry Kanskje imorgen (Maybe Tomorrow) 

The Riverton Prize and The Glass Key (for the best 

Nordic detective novel) for Se deg ikke tilbake! (Don’t 

Look Back!) 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1997 for Den som frykter ulven 

(Whoever Fears the Wolf) 


Evas øye (Eve’s Eye), 1995. Sold to Albania, Belgium/the 

Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, 

Iceland, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden. 

Se deg ikke tilbake! (Don’t Look Back!), 1996. Sold to 

Britain, Belgium/ the Netherlands, Finland, France,


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Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, 

Spain, Sweden, Denmark, USA. 

Den som frykter ulven (Who ever Fears the Wolf), 1997. 

Sold to Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, 

Belgium/the Netherlands, Spain, Iceland, Sweden, 

USA. 

Djevelen holder lyset (The Devil Lights the Candle), 1998. 

Sold to Britain, Denmark, Finland, Germany, 

Belgium/the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden. 

De gales hus (The House of the Insane), literary novel, 

1999. Sold to Finland, Germany, Sweden. 

Elskede Poona (Beloved Poona), 2000. Sold to Britain, 

Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, 

Belgium/the Netherlands, Sweden. 

Svarte sekunder (Black seconds), 2002. Sold to 

Belgium/the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, 

Germany. 

Jonas Eckel (Jonas Eckel), literary novel, 2002. Sold to 

Denmark, Sweden, Finland. 

Natt til fjerde november (The Night of November 4), literary 

novel, 2003. Sold to Denmark, Sweden. 

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BEATE GRIMSRUD 

FICTION 

*Beate Grimsrud (1963–) is a creative and versatile 

writer. She made her début with the novel 

collection in 1989 Det fins grenser for hva jeg ikke 

forstår (There’s a Limit to what I don’t understand). 

She has also written the novel Continental 

Heaven, 1993. 

In 1998 Å smyge forbi en øks (To Slip past an Axe) was 

published. This is a beguiling, moving novel portraying 

the inner life of an odd family – that consist of a 

mother, a father and seven brothers and sisters. The 

story about Lydia is rich and evocative, at once deeply 

tragic and unbelievably funny. 

The reviewers wrote: 

“…the unique use of language and original twists in 

the plot, ensure that you can always expect the unexpected.” 

Morgenbladet, Norway 

“…an impressive novel, not at least for it’s individual, 

effectual and illuminating powerful language.” 

Arbetet, Sweden 

“The sentences stand out and sparkle. Every one. 

Visually appealing… Beate Grimsrud’s childhood portraits 

are original and a potential classic.” 

Weekendavisen, Denmark


FICTION/PROSE 

The novel was nominated (by Sweden) for The Nordic 

Council’s Literary Prize. 

In 2002 she wrote the free-standing sequel Hva er det 

som fins i skogen barn? (Children, What do we know that 

lives in the Woods?) in which the two main characters 

from the previous book return as young adults. The 

talented runner Lydia has become a sprinter of international 

format, while her brother Anders, the wouldbe 

inventor, is now a trained nurse. They are on a train 

bound for a destination somewhere in the Norwegian 

mountains, where their younger brother Jon failed to 

return from a hike. 

The search for Jon has the intensity of a thriller, 

with childhood memories adding texture to the portrait 

of the peculiar Larsen family. 

The portrait of sibling relations is characterised by 

Beate Grimsrud’s particular angle and style, through 

understated wit and a subtle element of yearning. 

The author lives in Stockholm. She has also written 

a number of radio dramas and four stages plays, film 

manuscripts and dance productions. 


Å smyge forbi en øks (To Slip past an Axe), 1998. Sold to 

Denmark, Sweden. 

Hva er det som fins i skogen barn? (Children, What do we 

know that lives in the Woods?), 2002. Sold to Sweden. 

*Awards: 

The Tanum Bookstore Women’s Scholarship, 1995 

Nominated for the Nordic Council’s Literary Prize (by 

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Sweden) 1999 for Å smyge forbi en øks (To Slip past an 

Axe) (Swedish edition 1999) 

Nominated for the Norwegian Broadcasting’s Novel 

Prize, 1999 

The Albert Bonnier’s scholarship 1999 for “Sensational 

Publication” 

The Swedish Academy’s scholarship for Young, 

Promising Author, 1999 

The Swedish Radio’s Big Novel Prize, 2000 

Aftonbladet’s Literary Prize, 2002 for Hva er det som fins 

i skogen barn?(Children, What do we know that lives in the 

Woods?)(Swedish edition, 2002) 

Wahlström & Widstrand Literary Prize, 2002 

The Municipality of Stockholm’s Artist’s Prize, 2003


FICTION 

ERIK FOSNES HANSEN 

In 1998 Erik Fosnes Hansen (1965–) published 

his long-awaited third novel, Beretninger 

om beskyttelse (Tales of Protection), volume 

one. The second volume is due next 

year. The first part consists of four tales, 

which are variously interrelated. The stories are set in 

several different countries, including Norway, Sweden 

and Italy, at several different points in time. The 

author ties the different characters, cultures and timescales 

neatly together by means of a sophisticated narrative 

pattern. The first story is the magical tale of an 

afflicted girl, a mute gardener, a forbidding millionaire 

and a wise monkey. The second story is the tale of the 

girl Josepha and her life among shipwrecks, stranded 

corpses, and the people in a lighthouse. In the third 

story we meet a disfigured Florentine aristocrat and 

his servant, both of who await the miracle cure for the 

aristocrat’s ailment. The fourth story ties the previous 

stories together. «It is quite simply a marvellous 

novel...» (Politiken, Copenhagen). Fosnes Hansen has 

written a well-composed, beautiful, impressive and 

captivating novel. 

Erik Fosnes Hansen made his début in 1985 with 

Falketårnet (The Falcon Tower), which was well received 

by the public and the critics alike. His second, Salme 

ved reisens slutt (Psalm at Journey’s End) appeared in 

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1990 and was an enormous success. The novel describes 

the luxury liner Titanic that collided with an iceberg 

and sank in 1912. Dissimilar European destinies converge 

in the seven members of the ship’s fictitious 

orchestra. With considerable insight into time a milieu 

Fosnes Hansen gives a gripping account of Europe at 

the beginning of the century. In recent years the book 

has taken the world by storm. 

Beretninger om beskyttelse (Tales of protection) was 

critically acclaimed by the reviewers: 

“…enigmatic, richly suggestive novel … a gloriously 

rewarding novel.” Publishers Weekly 

“…this lavishly imagined, unfailingly seductive second 

novel from the virtuoso Norwegian author.” 

Kirkus Reviews 

“As readers, we relax into the author’s skilful hands, 

allowing his luminous writing to carry us, and the tale, 

along… He has a remarkable ability to pick our curiosity 

and then provide lavish, satisfying details to sate 

that interest.” The Times 

*Awards: 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1998 

Scheibler’s honour’s prize, 1986 

Riksmålsprisen, 1990 

Nominated to the IMPAC prize, 1997 

Shortlisted to Prix Aristeion (EU’s literary prize), 1999


FICTION 


Falketårnet (The Falcon Tower), 1995. Sold to Denmark, 

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, 

Sweden. 

Salme ved reisens slutt (Psalm at Journey’s End), 1990. 

Albania, Brazil, Catalan, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, 

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, 

Italy, Japan, Yugoslavia, Latvia, Lithuania, the 

Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, 

Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, USA. 

Beretninger om beskyttelse (Tales of Protection), 1998. Sold 

to Catalan, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, 

Yugoslavia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, 

Sweden, UK, USA. 

29


30 

FICTION 

VIGDIS HJORTH 

The 5.15 to Tønsberg 

17.15 til Tønsberg 

I thought I should perhaps go away for a while, if 

only for a few days. 

The female protagonist in Vigdis Hjorth’s 

new novel has suffered a loss and finds herself 

in the doldrums, and her surroundings are 

encroaching on her. Even though it is off-season she 

makes the trip to a summer cottage near Tønsberg, to a 

place where she hopes that her wound might heal 

faster. But life has things in store for her, in the form of 

a couple of random strangers with whom she connects 

and shares important experiences. 

Vigdis Hjorth describes the emotional upheaval that 

pushes one on, which helps heal the wounds. The 5.15 

to Tønsberg is a moving novel about how the will to live 

can prevail, even at a time in one’s life when happiness 

seems lost forever. 

*Vigdis Hjorth (1959–) has degrees in political science, 

literature and history of ideas. Her literary production 

may be divided into two periods. Up to 1987 the 

emphasis is on children’s books, with the exception of 

the novel Gjennom skogen (Through the Forest), which 

contains much of the material to be found in the children’s 

books but presented in a different manner. The 

last of the children’s books, Tungekysset og Drømmen


FICTION 

(The French Kiss and The Dream), appears in 1990. After 

this Vigdis Hjorth has published nine novels for adults 

and is one of Norway’s most exciting, contemporary 

women writers. 

Reviewing her novel, Hva er det med mor (What’s 

Wrong with Mother), 2000, the press wrote: «Vigdis 

Hjorth’s long-standing and literary game with taboos 

reaches a climax in this novel. …it is not only the most 

audacious, but also the most elegant piece of work 

from Hjorth’s hand.» (Dagens Næringsliv) 

In 2001 she wrote Om bare (If only) a «folie à deux» 

story, painful as well as beautiful. Its theme ties up 

with her previous books, although this courageous 

novel shows the author taking another step forward. 


Children’s books: 

Pelle-Ragnar i den gule gården (Pelle-Ragnar in the Yellow 

Block), 1983. Sold to Denmark. 

Jørgen + Anne er sant (Jørgen + Anne is True), 1984. Sold 

to Denmark, Germany, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, 

Sweden. 

Råtne Rikhard (Rotten Rikhard), 1985. Sold to Denmark, 

Sweden. 

På hjørnet - om kvelden (On the Corner - In the Evening), 

1987. Sold to Sweden. 

Tungekysset og drømmen (The French Kiss and the 

Dream), Short stories for young readers,) 1990. Sold 

to Germany, 

31


32 

FICTION 

Fiction: 

Gjennom skogen (Through the Forest), 1986. Sold to Sweden. 

Med hånden på hjertet (Cross My Heart), 1989. Sold to 

Germany. 

Fransk åpning (French Opening), 1992. Sold to Iceland. 

Død sheriff (Dead Sheriff), 1995. Sold to Germany. 

Ubehaget i kulturen (The Cultural Malaise). Co-author 

with Arild Linneberg, 1995. Sold to Germany. 

Takk, ganske bra (Very Nicely, Thank you), 1998. Sold to 

Germany. 

En erotisk forfatters bekjennelser (An Erotic Authors 

Confessions), 1999. Sold to Germany. 

Hva er det med mor (What’s wrong with Mother), 2000. 

Sold to Denmark, Iceland. 

Om bare (If only), 2001. Sold to Germany.


FICTION 

Crime novel 

ANNE HOLT 

The Truth Beyond 

Sannheten bortenfor 

In a flat in one of Oslo’s finer boroughs an 

wealthy elderly couple and their eldest son 

are brutally murdered. The police immediately 

suspect the couple’s youngest son and his wife, 

and their investigation starts to unravel layer upon 

layer of family conflicts; hate and jealousy, threats and 

lies. And when it appears that not only did the suspects 

have strong motives for the killing, but forensic 

clues lead directly to the deceased’s family, it looks 

like an open and shut case.But not to superintendent 

Hanne Wilhelmsen. At the scene of the crime there 

was in fact a fourth body, a strange, lone individual 

with no apparent connection with the wealthy shipping 

family. And Hanne will not settle for the obvious. 

She continues her search, mostly on her own, for another 

truth, for a reality that lies beyond the obvious. 

This is not merely a story about solving a heinous 

crime. The book is a journey back in time, into Hanne 

Wilhelmsen’s life as she searches for answers to her 

own choices and her own destiny. 

The Truth Beyond is the seventh crime novel starring 

superintendent Hanne Wilhelmsen. 

33


34 

FICTION 

*Anne Holt (1958–) studied law and went on to 

become a TV journalist for the Norwegian Broadcasting 

Corporation, and then Assistant Chief of Police 

for the Oslo region. From October 1996 until February 

1997 she served as Norwegian Minister of Justice. 

In 1993 she published her first book, the detective 

novel Blind gudinne (Blind Goddess) which was followed 

by Salige er de som tørster (Blessed are Those who Thirst) 

in 1994, Demonens død (Death of the Demon) in 1995, 

Løvens gap (The Lion’s Den), with co-author Berit Reiss- 

Andersen, in 1997 and Død joker (Dead Joker) in 1999. In 

2000 Anne Holt wrote the sixth crime (with her coauthor), 

Uten ekko (No echo). Each book has received 

high praise for its depiction of police life and for their 

main character, Superintendent Hanne Wilhelmsen. 

Holt’s crime novels have acquired a large readership 

both at home and abroad. Both Blind gudinne (Blind 

Goddess) and Salige er de som tørster (Blessed are Those 

who Thirst) have been filmed, the former as a television 

series and the latter as a full length feature film (premiered 

in 1997). Holt introduced new main characters 

in her crime written in 2001, Det som er mitt (What is 

mine), that was good received both by the critics and 

the audience. 

In 1997 Anne Holt also published a love story, Mea 

Culpa (I’m to blame), a novel about the intense and 

impossible love between two women. Here, as elsewhere, 

Anne Holt focuses on the problem of guilt. 

Anne Holt’s name appears regularly in Norwegian 

and foreign best seller lists, especially in Sweden and 

Germany.


FICTION 

*Awards: 

The Riverton Prize, 1994 

The Booksellers’ Prize, 1995 for Demonens død (Death of 

the Demon) 

The Cappelen Prize, 2001 


Blind gudinne (Blind Goddess), 1993. Sold to Denmark, 

Faeroes, France, Iceland, Finland, Germany, Japan, 

Latvia, the Netherlands, Sweden. 

Salige er de som tørster (Blessed are Those who Thirst), 

1994. Sold to Denmark, Faeroes, Finland, France, 

Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, 

Sweden. 

Demonens død (Death of the Demon), 1995. Sold to 

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the 

Netherlands, Sweden. 

Mea Culpa (I’m to Blame), 1997. Sold to Denmark, 

Germany, Sweden. 

(with Berit Reiss-Andersen) Løvens gap (The Lion’s 

Den), 1997. Sold to Denmark, Finland, Germany, the 

Netherlands, Sweden. 

Død joker (Dead Joker), 1999. Sold to Finland, Germany, 

the Netherlands, Sweden. 

(with Berit Reiss-Andersen) Uten ekko (No echo), 2000. 

Sold to Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden. 

Det som er mitt (What is Mine), 2001. Sold to Denmark, 

Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden. 

Sannheten bortenfor (The Thruth Beyond), 2003. Sold to 

Sweden, Germany. 

35


36 

FICTION 

KRISTIN TOSTERUD HOLTE 

The Guest 

Gjesten 

The first-person narrator of this novel is a married, 

middle-aged, exhausted hotelier who 

engages in a fatherly/homoerotic relationship 

with one of his guests, the 25-year-old Andrei. 

One day he finds Andrei dead in his bed. He 

has committed suicide. Andrei’s father Konstantin 

arrives, but he says this is not his son and insists on 

travelling through Europe in search of the real 

Andrei.The hotel owner joins him on the journey. But 

what are they really looking for, these two men, as they 

awkwardly stumble through nightclubs, hotel rooms, 

and the odd brothel? And what are they going to do 

with Andrei if they find him? 

Reviewers have said: “An intelligent debut novel in the 

shape of a European ‘road movie’.” 

Dagbladet 

“An unsettling, brave debut.” 

Kulturnytt, NRK P2 radio 

*Kristin Tosterud Holte (1977–) has spent several 

years of her life living abroad, including Rome, Prague, 

Caracas, Havana and Wales. This is her first novel.


FICTION 

ROY JACOBSEN 

Frost 

Frost 

In this novel Roy Jacobsen takes us one thousand 

years back in time to one of the most 

dramatic periods in Norwegian history. Frost 

is the fantastic story of Gest the Icelander, 

born 993 A.D., who is outlawed only 13 years 

old for slaying one of Iceland’s most powerful kings to 

avenge his father’s murder. With Teitr the savage as 

his sidekick he escapes from Iceland and travels to 

Norway, where he ends up drawn into the centre of 

political events. 

Gest is a visionary, a highly intelligent, manipulating 

dreamer. We follow him on foot from Trondheim to 

Hålogaland in the north, later south to Bergen and east 

towards the settlements by lake Mjøsa. He is cold, on 

the run and going nowhere. He turns killer again. But 

he is also a man who attracts the proudest women 

around and who remembers everything he sees. These 

are qualities that see him become one of Eirik Jarl’s 

closest advisors, and he eventually takes part in the 

conquest of England in 1016. 

Roy Jacobsen has written a great epic of families and 

individuals. Frost is a literary feat by one of the most 

celebrated and influential contemporary writers in 

Norway. 

37


38 

FICTION 

*Roy Jacobsen (1954–) is among the authors who, in 

recent years, has received the greatest recognition from 

the critics and the literary milieu as a whole. From his 

sensational début in 1982, with the collection of short 

stories Fangeliv (Prison Life), he has developed into an 

original, intense and analytical author with a special 

interest in the underlying psychological interplay in 

human relationships. 

In 1987 Jacobsen wrote Det nye vannet (The New 

Water). The novel’s backdrop is the intricate and inbred 

secrecy of an isolated island. The story is viewed 

through Jon, the intellectually limited main character. 

Kirkus Reviews wrote: «A Superbly constructed thriller, 

and a memorable characterization of a man who 

scarcely knows whether he’s hero, villain or a victim.» 

In 1999 Grenser (Boundaries) was published. The 

novel is at the same time a moving epic tale of love and 

fatherly dedication about responsibility, and an exploration 

of the conditions of national and private identity. 

Jacobsen is familiar with people from different 

backgrounds and connections. He has learned from 

experience about the working life in the small, local 

communities in Northern Norway, as well as the academic 

and therapeutic milieu in Oslo. Roy Jacobsen 

has written four collections of short stories, nine novels 

among them Seierherrene (The Conquerors) – his previous 

most successful novel – 1991, a biography and a 

children’s book.


FICTION 

*Awards: 

Tarjei Vesaas’ First Work of Fiction Prize 1982 


The Critics’ Prize 1989 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1991 for Seierherrene (The 

Conquerors) 

Ivar-Lo Prize (Swedish award), 1994 

The Municipality of Oslo’s Artist’s Prize 1994 


Det nye vannet (The New Water), 1987. Sold to Albania, 

Denmark, Germany, Faroes, the Netherlands, 

Romania, Poland, Sweden, USA. 

Virgo (Virgo), 1988. Sold to Sweden. 

Det kan komme noen (Someone may come), short stories, 

1989. Sold to Denmark. 

Seierherrene (The Conquerors), 1991. Sold to Denmark, 

Germany, Sweden, Latvia. 

Fata Morgana (Fata Morgana), 1992. Sold to Denmark, 


Ismael (Ismael), 1997. Sold to Denmark, Germany, 

Iceland, Poland, Sweden. 

Grenser (The Boundaries), 1999. Sold to Finland, 

Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden. 

Det nye vinduet (The New Window), selected short 

stories, 2002. Sold to Sweden. 

Frost (Frost), 2003. Sold to Denmark, Sweden. 

39


40 

FICTION 

ODD KLIPPENVÅG 

A Question of Comfort 

Et spørsmål om trøst 

In the smooth light her skin is almost golden and 

tanned like in summer. But her white scar sticks 

out. “Wonderful handiwork,” Doctor Gundersen 

had said when he first lay eyes on it, “it’s as 

though it’s embroidered!” And as she recollects 

this she takes Peter’s face in her hands and draws him to her. 

“Kiss it,” she struggles to say, “I would like you to kiss it.” 

The novellas in this collection are constructed into two 

mini-trilogies, where the narrative position changes 

from one story to the next and the characters reflect 

and develop one another through the way they see 

themselves and the people around them. The stories 

depict lives in matrimony, woman friends in dissonant 

harmony, the fate of the bachelor, a homosexual love 

triangle, a woman facing a new life with her partner 

after breast cancer surgery, and the young, handicapped 

Simon who falls prey to desires – his own as 

well as those of others. 

Odd Klippenvåg’s writing is firm and well-constructed, 

revealing a wealth of psychological insight 

into the different destinies. 

*Odd Klippenvåg (1951–) is an acclaimed writer. He is 

the author of three collections of short stories and eight 

novels.


FICTION 

FRØYDIS KVÅLE 

The Glass-Blower’s Lips 

Glassblåserens munn 

There is a forgotten law. The law of seeing everything 

from within. “If you live according to that 

law everything you thought ugly turns into 

something beautiful, everything foolish becomes 

wise,” Dad says with a smile. But his eyes are 

turned inward. I squeeze his hand hard. I knew it. When I 

see everything from within I am not a child, and Einar is 

not an older man. I’m right not to give up. 

*Frøydis Kvåle (1971–) made her debut in 2001 with 

Ping pong luftballong (Bim Bom Balloon). Her new novel 

is a moving, bittersweet portrait of the relationship 

between a 12-year-old girl, her oddball father and 

Einar, her father’s friend. The novel has a ‘reversed’ 

Lolita theme and an unforgettable portrait of a father. 

41


42 

FICTION 

PÄIVI LAAKSO 

Sanatorium 

Sanatorium 

“I’m coming with you,” I tell Mum. She is on 

the phone from Finland. Mum and I are going 

to the resort for invalids. Price includes one 

family member – me. Dad is going on a trip 

with the car and caravan, north beyond the 

river Tornio, to take part in an annual fishing competition. 

I’ll be flying Finnair, which takes just over an hour from 

Oslo to Helsinki. I already look forward to having some 

Drambuie, my favourite liqueur. 

Päivi, from the novel Jeg elsker sol (I Love the Sun), has 

grown up since we last met her. In this year’s novel we 

join her in Rantalaita, the resort for invalids; on a study 

trip to Egypt, and in her life with Bob the Chinese in 

Oslo; all depicted with convincing visual energy. 

Funny, grotesque, and somewhat wistful. 

*Päivi Laakso (1967–) was born in Finland and first 

moved to Norway in 1986. She made her debut with 

Jeg elsker sol (I Love the Sun) in 2001. Päivi Laakso also 

works as a visual artist. 


Jeg elsker sol (I love the sun), 2001. Sold to Poland.


FICTION 

ERLEND LOE 

Erlend Loe (1969–) has appeared on stage 

and made short films and music videos. 

He has been a newspaper critic, has 

worked in a psychiatric hospital and as a 

temp schoolteacher. His literary début 

was in 1993 with the book Tatt av kvinnen (Gone with 

the Woman), which was characterised by the critics as 

«extremely funny and artful». 

Loe’s second novel, Naiv. Super. (Naive. Super.), 1996, 

was his great break through. Both readers – especially 

the young – and the critics, very well received the 

novel. This is an unpretentious story about very complicated 

things. According to one reviewer: «A little 

stroke of naive genius.» And another: “Erlend Loe will 

rouse at least as much interest in philosophical matters 

among his readers as Jostein Gaarder.” (Vårt Land). 

In 1999 Loe wrote L (L). This is funny novel about 

an idea that is doomed to fail and a generation that has 

moved a long way from the myths and men that preceded 

it. It is also a novel about today’s young men, 

about playing and rivalry and friendship. 

The novel from 2001, Fakta om Finland (Facts about 

Finland) is characterised by Loe’s particular type of 

humour, all the while providing for an undercurrent of 

yearning and loneliness in the protagonist. He fears 

water and flux, he fears change. He is a rather original 

43


44 

FICTION 

character, easily entranced by his own musings over 

brochure making, where Sibelius, foods in aspic, 

Marimekko, not to mention water are key components. 

Erlend Loe has also written children’s books about 

the truck driver Kurt that have been a great success in 

Norwegian children’s fiction after the first book in 

1996. They will raise the reader’s eyebrows with their 

blend of horror and delight. The titles are: Fisken, Kurt 

blir grusom, Kurt, Quo vadis? (The Fish, Kurt turns evil, 

Kurt, Quo vadis?). These novels are illustrated by 

Kim Hiorthøy. The Kurt-series are sold to Denmark, 

Faeroes, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, 

Sweden. A new title about Kurt will be published this 

year. See page 84. 

*Awards: 

Ministry of Cultural Affairs Prize for Den store røde 

hunden (The Big Red Dog), children’s picture book, 1996. 

Illustrated by Kim Hiorthøy 

The Critics’ Prize for Kurt Quo Vadis?, children’s novel, 

1998 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1999 for L (L) 


Tatt av kvinnen (Gone with the Woman), 1993. Sold to 

Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden. 

Maria & José, 1994, short novel, illustrated by Kim 

Hiorthøy. Sold to Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, 

Sweden. 

Fisken (The Fish), children’s book, 1995. Sold to 

Denmark, Faroes, Finland, Germany, Italy, the 

Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden.


FICTION 

Den store røde hunden (The Big Red Dog) children’s picture 

book, illustrated by Kim Hiorthøy, 1996. Sold to 

Denmark. 

Kurt blir grusom (Kurt turns evil), children’s book, 1996. 

Sold to Denmark, Faroes, Finland, Germany, Italy, 

Sweden. 

Naiv. Super (Naive. Super.), 1996. Sold to Denmark, 

Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, 

Italy, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, 

Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, 

Ukraina, UK, Yugoslavia. 

Kurt Quo Vadis?, children’s book, 1998. Sold to 

Denmark, Faroes, Finland, Italy, Sweden. 

L (L ), 1999. Sold to Finland, Sweden. 

Fakta om Finland (Facts about Finland), 2001. Sold to 

Denmark, Finland, Italy, Russia, Sweden. 

45


46 

FICTION 

ARNE MYKLE 

Pompel & Pilt – the Opera 

Opera Pompel og Pilt 

This book is a collection of field notes about 

the two legendary puppet repairmen 

Pompel & Pilt, known from the modern-classic 

TV series by the same name, and about 

their life in Gople. The field notes depict 

everything from how Pompel & Pilt philosophise their 

way to what must be the very inner core of dishwashing 

to their encounter with the dreaded Kraken creature, 

their experiences at the great Gople ski competition, 

about their fear of heights, jealousy, loneliness, 

fear, Pompel & Pilt’s dreams, and bad jokes. 

The stories take us through a landscape of mirth 

and wisdom, slapstick comedy and social critique. 

The two repairmen are a unique feature in Norwegian 

literature. 

* Opera Pompel & Pilt (Pompel & Pilt – the Opera) marks 

Arne Mykle’s (1937–) literary début.


FICTION 

GERT NYGÅRDSHAUG 

Aphrodite’s Pond 

Afrodites basseng 

An era of civil wars, violent demonstrations 

and technological breakdown have led 

forester Jonar Snefang and his son Erlan to a 

remote Norwegian village. One day Jonar 

notices a disturbing smell, and he comes 

across a mysterious chest with a map of the Sahara 

and an old book with a riddle. Jonar also has dreams 

of Ooni, the desert woman. 

A visual, exciting novel that stimulates the imagination. 

*Gert Nygårdshaug (1946–) has had a fascinating and 

original literary career. His wide-ranging knowledge 

and fertile imagination have found expression in six 

collections of poetry, two short story collections, several 

adventure stories and a number of novels, including 

Mengele Zoo (Mengele Zoo), 1989 and Prost Gotvins 

geometri (Gotvinian Geometry), 1998. When this novel 

was released in Denmark in 1999, a united press 

placed Nygårdshaug in the same league as literary 

giants like Umberto Eco and Peter Høeg and the 

Norwegians Jan Kjærstad and Erik Fosnes Hansen. 

Nygårdshaug has written eight crime novels featuring 

the gourmet chef Fredric Drum and his assistant 

Skarphedin Olsen. 

47


48 

*Awards: 

The Cappelen Prize, 1996 

FICTION 


Det niende prinsipp ( (The Ninth Principle), 1994. Sold to 

Russia. 

Cassandras finger (Cassandra’s Finger), 1994. Sold to 

Russia. 

Prost Gotvins Geometri (Gotvinian Geometry), 1998. Sold 

to Denmark.


FICTION 

ABO RASUL 

Abo Rasul made his literary début in 2001 

with the raucous anti-establishment novel 

The Cocka Hola Company (The Cocka Hola 

Company). A highly original novel. A group 

of people busy themselves with strike-like 

actions aimed at public conformity. In order to finance 

their activities they have set up the porn movie company 

Desirevolution. This is a novel that will certainly 

provoke a few. It can be read not only as immoral, but 

pornographic as well. At the same time, its nature is 

morally conscious and critical of public society. The 

fact that it is funny, through its absurd but pertinent 

exaggerations, makes it none the less sterling. Critics 

wrote: “... an illusion smasher, a dead funny book and 

an in-your-face piece of satire.” (Adresseavisen). “... an 

hysterically funny, countercelebratory text in which all 

bourgeois values are subjected to infamous, porninformed 

terror.” (Morgenbladet) “... overflows – with 

obscenities, sex, booze and drugs, but above all pinpoint 

characters, intelligence, wit – and a masterful 

play with style.” 

In 2002 he wrote the free-standing sequel Macht und 

Rebel (Macht und Rebel). “I’ve given up on drugs. They 

don’t give me a guilty conscience anymore. Anything that 

fails to give me a guilty conscience is starting to seem pointless.” 

(Rebel) 

49


50 

FICTION 

Macht and Rebel hail from two different worlds, 

moping in their own, particular way over the fact that 

there is nothing useful about so-called counter-culture 

anymore. It is only by pairing up that the two can 

really set things straight. 

*Abo Rasul (alias) (1973–) has a background in visual 

arts. 


The Cocka Hola Company (The Cocka Hola Company), 

2001. Sold to Germany 

Macht und Rebel (Macht und Rebel), 2002. Sold to 

Denmark, Sweden.


FICTION 

FREDRIK SKAGEN 

*Fredrik Skagen (1936–) is an established 

writer of crime fiction best known for his 

crime series about the antihero Morten 

Martens. He is also the author of children’s 

books and radio plays. He has received widespread 

critical acclaim, especially for his most recent 

crime novels Blackout, 1998, Blomster og blod (Blood and 

Flowers), 2000, Blitz (Blitz) and Fri som fuglen (Free as a 

Bird), 2002. 

*Awards: 

Hjemmet Novel Prize for Ulvene (The Wolves), 1977 

Riverton Prize for Kortslutning (Short Circuit), 1981 

Cappelen Prize, 1986 

Palle Rosenkrantz Prize for Viktor! Viktor! (Viktor! 

Viktor) 1987 

The Booksellers’ Prize 1987 

The Glass Key for Nattsug (Night Swoon), 1996 


Viktor! Viktor! (Viktor! Viktor!), 1982. Sold to Denmark, 

Sweden. 

Fritt fall (Free Fall), 1983. Sold to Denmark. 

Tigertimen (The Tiger Time), 1984. Sold to Denmark. 

Voldtatt (Raped), 1985. Sold to Denmark. 

Døden i Capelulo (The Death in Capelulo), 1986. Sold to 

Denmark. 

51


52 

FICTION 

Menneskejegeren (The Man Hunter), 1988. Sold to 

Denmark. 

Landskap med kulehull (Landscape with bullets), 1991. Sold 

to Denmark, Russia. 

Nemesis (Nemesis), 1993. Sold to Denmark, Germany. 

Skrik (Scream), 1994. Sold to Germany. 

Nattsug (Night Swoon), 1995. Sold to Germany, Sweden. 

Rekyl (The Ricochet), 1996. Sold to Denmark, Germany, 

the Netherlands. 

Blackout (Blackout), 1998. Sold to Denmark, France, 

Germany. 

Blomster og blod (Blood and Flowers), 2000. Sold to 

Denmark, Germany. 

Blitz (Blitz), 2001. Sold to Denmark. 

Fri som fuglen (Free as a Bird), 2002. Sold to Denmark.


FICTION 

STIG SÆTERBAKKEN 

Capital 

Kapital 

Shopkeeper Konrad Ofting stands accused of 

financial mismanagement in connection with 

a bankruptcy. When the trial begins, he 

waives his right to an attorney to be his own 

defence. But his defence soon turns into an 

offensive, an unfettered assault against a culture of 

rampant greed and camaraderie in a country of great 

wealth, one where the prospect of personal reward and 

profit precedes virtually anything else. 

With sardonic humour and lyrical prowess the 

boundaries of the courtroom drama are shattered to 

unveil the tragic fate of a man from a bygone era fighting 

a hopeless battle against the dominant powers. 

The reviewers wrote: “Kapital was an utter feast for the 

mind.” Morgenbladet 

“An anti-turbo-capitalism manifesto that packs a 

punch.” Dagbladet 

*Stig Sæterbakken (1960-) is a novelist, essayist and 

critic. He has written essays, collections of poetry and 

this is his fifth novel. 


Siamesisk (Siamese), 1997. Sold to Sweden. 

Sauermugg (Sauermugg), 1999. Sold to Sweden. 

53


54 

BJØRG VIK 

FICTION 

*Bjørg Vik (1935–) has made her mark on 

Norwegian literature over a period of more 

than 30 years. She has published 25 books, 

including novels, shortstories, plays, and radioplays. 

Her work has been translated into a 

number of languages. During the 60’s and 70’s, Bjørg 

Vik’s writings presented an unusual and provocative 

image of the erotically active woman, including 

Fortellinger om frihet (Tales of Freedom), 1975, and To 

akter for fem kvinner (Two Acts for Five Women), 1974. 

Then, at the end of the 80’s she published the Elsi 

Lund trilogy, which made her work popular among 

readers of a new generation. In many ways, Bjørg 

Vik’s literary career is a mirror-image of the developing 

debate on women’s issues in Norwegian society – 

from the oppressed SOS from the deep couch, via the 

more articulated battle-cry of the women’s movement, 

to the deepening understanding of both sexes which is 

a trademark of the acute psychological descriptions 

contained in her prose. The work of Bjørg Vik is a true 

record of love and its various conditions. 

In 1998 Bjørg Vik wrote the novel Roser i et sprukket 

krus (Roses in a Cracked Mug). The main character Maja 

Sellmann is left alone in the house when her beloved 

husband dies just after Maja’s sixtieth birthday. She is 

stuck in the small town with her children and grand-


FICTION 

children – and the rest of her life in front of her. Behind 

Maja’s sorrow she can feel that there is a complete living 

woman left inside her. Then suddenly fate offers 

her an opportunity. This is an important novel about 

how women may take charge of their own life. The 

novel was described by critics as “one of the finest, 

most learned novels of the year” (VG). Aftenposten 

wrote, “Bjørg Vik’s latest offering fulfils many of the 

requirements of a classic...” . 

*Awards: 

The Aschehoug Prize, 1974 

Critics’ Prize, 1979 

Norwegian Broadcasting’s Radio-play Prize, 1980 

Nominated for the Nordic Council’s Literary Prize 

1975, 1979 and 1982 

Cappelen Prize, 1982 

The Ibsen Prize, 1992 

The Dobloug Prize, 1987 

The Bookseller’s Prize, 1988 

The Amalie Skram Prize, 1996 


Nødrop fra en myk sofa (SOS from the Deep Couch). Short 

stories, 1966. Sold to Hungary. 

Gråt, elskede mann (Cry, My Beloved Husband). Novel, 


Kvinneakvariet (Female Aquarium). Short Stories, 1972. 

Sold to Germany, UK. 

To akter for fem kvinner (Two Acts for Five Women/Wine 

untouched). Play, 1974. Sold to Bulgaria, Sweden. 

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56 

FICTION 

Fortellinger om frihet (Tales of Freedom). Short stories, 

1975. Sold to Denmark, Germany, Italy, Sweden. 

En håndfull lengsel (A handful of Longing). Short stories, 

1979. Sold to the Netherlands, Sweden, UK. 

Snart er det høst (Soon it Will be Autumn). Short stories, 

1982. Sold to Latvia, Sweden. 

En gjenglemt petunia (A Forgotten Petunia). Short stories, 


Små nøkler, store rom (Small Keys, Large Rooms). Novel, 

1988. Sold to Denmark, Sweden. 

Vinterhagen (The Conservatory). Play, 1990. Sold to 

Russia. 

Poplene på St. Hanshaugen (The Poplars on St. 

Hanshaugen) Novel, 1991. Sold to Denmark. 

Den lange veien til et annet menneske (The Long and 

Winding Road to the Other). Short Stories, 1993. Sold to 

Latvia. 

Elsi Lund (Elsi Lund). Novel, 1994. Sold to Denmark. 

Roser i et sprukket krus (Roses in a Cracked Mug). Novel, 

1998. Sold to Germany, the Netherlands.


FICTION/SHORT PROSE 

ARNE ØSTRING 

Blind 

Blind 

This is Arne Østring’s third collection of short 

prose, and it is safe to say that with this 

year’s release, the author is expanding and 

refining his grand literary project. His short 

prose pieces are selective and demanding, but it is hard 

not to be dazzled by Østring’s blend of intellectual 

slapstick comedy, existential severity and taut logic – 

for instance when he depicts the human being as a living 

cannonball, a bucket of black paint, or moulded 

into the road surface; or when he serves up compressed 

life histories that transcend established concepts 

of space and time cheerfully, lightly, while not 

making a lot of fuss about doing so. 

The author focuses on familiar situations and landscapes, 

ranging from beach life package-trip style via 

depopulated Norwegian villages to the Hardangervidda 

highlands in winter. The result is strangely beautiful, 

even gripping, perhaps humorously liberating. 

*Arne Østring (1961–) has previously authored two 

short prose collections to critical acclaim.


POETRY


POETRY 

Norwegian poetry 

LARS SAABYE CHRISTENSEN 

Songs & Stones 

Sanger & steiner 

KOLBEIN FALKEID 

Collected Poems 

Samlede dikt 

and 

Wind, Apple 

Vind, eple 

FREDDY FJELLHEIM 

Christ Returneth – and Maria Too 

Kristus kommer – og Maria 

JOHAN GRIP 

Simple Poems 

Enkle Dikt 

NILS-ØIVIND HAAGENSEN 

Certain Poems 

Enkelte dikt 

SYNNE LEA 

Everything Is Something Else 

Alt er noe annet 

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60 

ARNE HUGO STØLAN 

Primary Source 

Kildeskrift 

KNUT ØDEGÅRD 

The House Of Stephenson 

Stephensen-huset 

Re-created Poetry 

MOUSTAFA M. GHARIB 

Time and Dream 

Tidsalder og drøm 

Re-created by Hege Woxen 

ULLA HAHN 

Epicuru’s garden 

Epikurs hage 

Re-created by Ragnar Hovland 

SELMA HILL 

My Sister’s Sister 

Min søsters søster 

Re-created by Hanne Bramness 

MARTIAL 

Epigrams 

Epigrammer 

Re-created by Henning Hagerup 

POETRY


POETRY 

ANNE PERRIER 

Ophelia’s Book 

Ofelias bok 

Re-created by Sigurd Helseth 

MANSUR RAJIH 

Close: Yet Far Away 

Så langt borte: så nær 

In co-operation with Tor Obrestad 

MARIE UNDER 

Song Of The Sleepless 

Den søvnløses sang 

Re-created by Enel Melberg og Hanne Bramness 

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CHILDREN’S 

BOOKS


CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS 

RUNE JOHAN 

ANDERSSON 

Snail Dance 

Snegledansen 

It was that summer long ago. It rained day and 

night, all the time. 

The children stayed indoors playing Ludo 

and with the old deck of cards with the aces missing. 

One day the grass had some very special waves in it. 

Hundreds, thousands of snails, brown, black and 

white, were crawling, one after the other, in long lines 

through the grass leaving gleaming trails of slime on 

the grass, rocks and leaves. 

This is probably the wettest, grassiest book in a long 

time. Suitable for readers ages 5 and over. 

*Rune Johan Andersson (1945–) is the author of several 

picture books and a much-used illustrator in a 

variety of genres (see page 81). 

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We have previously met Karsten and Petra 

in 17 different books, all of them dedicated 

to these two best friends. This time around we offer a 

sweet, colourful picture book that stars Lioncub and 

Miss Bunnyrabbit, Karsten and Petra’s stuffed toys. 

Lioncub and Miss Bunnyrabbit travel by plane all the 

way to Africa, where they encounter a group of monkeys 

and a lion who needs their help. 

Ages 3 and over. 


TOR ÅGE BRINGSVÆRD/ 

ANNE HOLT 

Lioncub and Miss Bunnyrabbit 

Løveungen og Frøken Kanin 

*Tor Åge Bringsværd (1939–) is an established writer, 

known for his novels for adults and numerous books 

for children. Anne Holt is a noted illustrator of children’s 

books.



TROND BRÆNNE/ 

IBEN SANDEMOSE 

Old dogs, New Tricks 

Røde hunder 

Trond Brænne has composed 27 boisterous, 

frolicking dog poems – dedicated to 

man’s best friend and aficionados everywhere. We are 

introduced to breeds old and new, such as Lesser 

Pundit and Sniffing Whooper, presented succinctly 

and with understated humour. 

An ideal gift book for dog lovers, even non-lovers, 

of all ages. Old Dogs, New Tricks is illustrated throughout 

in black, white and red by Iben Sandemose. 

*Trond Brænne (1953–) has written five novels for 

children and youth and various picture books. 


En del av hele greia (Part of the Whole Business), 1997. 

Sold to Denmark. 

Vidundermiksturen (The Wonder Blend), 1999. Sold to 

Italy. 

*Iben Sandemose (1950- ) see page 75. 

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ANNE BULL-GUNDERSEN/ 

BO GAUSTAD 

Oskar 

Oskar 

Oskar is good at coming up with things to do. 

But sometimes he gets up to things that make 

Mum and Dad cross. How is he supposed to 

know what they’re going to think? Fortunately he has 

a trusty friend, Gunnar the teddybear. Gunnar agrees 

with Oskar, always. 

One day, Oskar has a good idea. Mum and Dad 

have been talking about painting the livingroom doors. 

Oskar could do that. Of course he could. He could 

paint some nice dinosaurs and lions on them, too... 

*Anne Bull-Gundersen (1957–) has been working as 

an editor. She has previously written a children’s book 

and some non-fiction books. Bo Gaustad is an acknowledged 

picture book illustrator.



GRO DAHLE/ 

SVEIN NYHUS 

Angry Man 

Sinna mann 

Boj listens. 

There is someone in the living-room. 

It’s Daddy. 

It’s Angry Man. 

Angry Man is a hopeful picture book about difficult 

living conditions that takes a serious look at the vulnerability 

of children in an adult world, sending an 

important message out to children whose lives resemble 

Boj’s: you’re not alone. It is not your fault. You 

should tell somebody you trust. Because it doesn’t 

have to be that way! 

An unusually powerful and challenging book, with 

illustrations and text that grabs the attention of any 

reader. Suitable for children from 5 years old, as well 

as parents, teachers, psychologists, family counsellors 

and other adults who relate to parents and children. 

*Gro Dahle (1962–) made her début with the collection 

of poetry, Audience (Audience), in 1987. She has since 

then written a number of poetry collections and children’s 

books, in addition to textbooks in Norwegian 

language and literature for primary schools. Dahle 

stands out as a stylistically naïve, imaginative, quick- 

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68 


witted and burlesque writer – a poet treading her own 

path. Gro Dahle has received several awards for her 

work. In 1999 she was the official festival poet at the 

Bergen International Festival. In 2001 she wrote Fem 

vinder over Tamalon (Five Winds over Tamalon), a fantastic 

tale, one that offers humour, luxuriant and colourful 

imagery, riveting suspense and great emotions. Like a 

Norwegian Tolkien, Gro Dahle employs magical prose 

to create a world entirely her own. 

Svein Nyhus (1962–) is a renowned and popular 

artist whose work appears in many picture books. 


Pelsjegerliv (Furhunter Life), stories, 1991. Sold to 

Sweden. 

Emile og den umulige mamman (Emilie and the Wild 

Mother), children’s novel, 1992. Sold to Germany. 

Inflammasjon (Inflammation), stories, 1995. Sold to 


Bak Mumme bor Moni (Suddenly Moni), picture book, 

2000. Sold to Denmark. 

Fem vinder over Tamalon (Five Winds over Tamalon), children’s 

novel, 2001. Sold to Denmark.



THORBJØRN EGNER 

Experience Thorbjørn Egner’s 

fantastic world of fiction! 

Tommy og Elefanten / Tommy and the Elephant 

Karius og Baktus / Caries and Bacties 

Kaptein Sorte-Bill og 40 andre kjente Egner-viser / Captain 

Black-Bill and 40 other favourite Egner Songs 

Jumbo som dro ut i verden / Jumbo’s Journey through the 

World 

Telle-boka / The book of Counting 

Ole Jakob på bytur / Ole Jakob Goes to Town 

Klatremus og de andre dyrene i Hakkebakkeskogen / 

Klatremus and the other Animals in the Hakkebakke forest 

Da Per var ku / When Per was a Cow 

Musikantene kommer til byen / The Band Comes to Town 

Folk og røvere i Kardemomme by / Heroes and Villains in 

Kardemomme Town 

Thorbjørn Egner’s books 

have been sold to many 

countries, and are 

reprinted at frequent 

intervals. 

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70 


TERJE FORMOE/EGIL NYHUS 

Captain Daggertooth and Pinky 

– At Sea With the Black Lady 

Kaptein Sabeltann og Pinky på 

tokt med Den Sorte Dame 

Here is another adventure tale starring 

Pinky, the young boy whom we met in last 

year’s picture book success Pinky blir en av 

kaptein Sabeltann’s menn (Pinky – Captain Daggertooth’s 

Apprentice ). In this book he joins the crew of the most 

infamous ship on earth, the Black Lady, for his first sea 

voyage. But the life of a pirate isn’t quite what it was in 

Pinky’s dreams... at least not to begin with. A thrilling 

tale about victory and defeat. 

Captain daggertooth is set to go international 

in 2003, with a new cartoon to be released simultaneaously 

in Norwegian and English. 

*Author Terje Formoe (1949–) is known to Norwegian 

children of all ages as the character Captain Daggertooth, 

created and performed by Formoe himself. Captain 

Daggertooth and his men feature on video, audio 

tapes and in books – not to mention their popular outdoor 

shows at the Kristiansand Zoo. Egil Nyhus (1962–) 

is a noted illustrator of books for children and youth. 


Kaptein Sabeltann og heksegryta (Captain Daggertooth and 

the Witches’ Brew), 2001. Sold to Denmark, Sweden.



HENRIK HOVLAND/ TORILL KOVE 

Johannes Jensen feels different 

Johannes Jensen føler seg annerledes 

Johannes Jensen is a crocodile that works in a tax 

office. He feels he is different and tries to find out why. 

Could it be that he wears a bow tie rather than a tie? 

Or because he has a tail? He ties up his tail but this 

leads to trouble balancing. He falls and hits himself and 

ends up at the emergency ward. There he meets Doctor 

Fjeld. This is a turning point for Johannes Jensen. 

In this humorous picture book, the author addresses 

existential questions in a simple and recognisable way. 

This is a fine gift book for everyone who uses a tie, 

and for everyone, large and small, who has at one or 

another time felt him or herself to be different, and for 

all those who feel they have a small crocodile in them 

in one way or another. 

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72 


The book received a lot of attention and fine reviews 

when it was issued in April. 

*Henrik Hovland (1965–) has previously written several 

books for adults. This is his first children’s book. 

Torill Kove created and published the picture book 

Min bestemor strøk kongens skjorter (My grandmother 

ironed the King’s shirts) in 2000. 


Johannes Jensen føler seg annerledes (Johannes Jensen feels 

different), 2003. Sold to Denmark.



KRISTIN ROSKIFTE 

Everything we don’t know 

Alt vi ikke vet 

This is an outstanding picture book by a 

new artist. The book is almost without text. 

The pictures show how we see only bits of 

the world. We get more information on every page 

and sometimes what we see is not at all what we think 

we are seeing. The book is a sort of philosophic journey 

where the main point is to get the reader to SEE. 

There are many connections that can be discovered 

if one is attentive; animals, people and things that turn 

up in different “realities”. 

This picture book is suitable for children from the age 

of 5 – and for adults. 

*Kristin Roskifte (1975–) is an artist and designer. 

This is her first book. 

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BJØRN F. RØRVIK/ 

PER DYBVIG 

The Puzzle Race 

Rebusløpet 

This is the third picture book about Fox 

and Piglet. This time they join in the 

nitwits’ puzzle race. There are many difficult 

questions to answer and they must 

also list the rare animals they see in the forest. They do 

not follow all the rules and are accused of cheating. But 

even if they don’t win the main prize, they get a fantastic 

consolation prize in the end. A surrealistic and wonderful 

book – both in terms of the text and illustration. 

The book is suitable for children from the age of 3 – 

and for adults. 

*Bjørn F. Rørvik (1964–) belongs to the rare Norwegian 

Authors of Nonsense breed. Per Dybvig’s illustrations 

complement Rørvik’s text perfectly. He is a popular 

illustrator of picture books and book covers. 


Kafé Haletippen (The Tail End Café), 2001. Sold to 

Denmark. 

Værhårene (The Whiskers), 2002. Sold to Denmark.



IBEN SANDEMOSE 

Fiat and Grandma under water 

Fiat og Farmor under vann 

This is the second book in a new series 

about Fiat and Grandmother. It comes with 

happy, colourful illustrations in the familiar 

Sandemose style. 

When Grandmother fetches Fiat from nursery 

school, Fiat supposes they will be going straight home, 

but they won’t be: they are off to the swimming pool! 

Fiat thinks it’s a long way there but not when they 

count umbrellas, says Grandmother. They undress and 

shower, but where is the swimming ring? It’s in the car 

and Fiat CAN’T swim without his swimming ring. 

The first book about Fiat and Grandmother was 

wonderfully received both in the media and in the 

market. This book is suitable for children from the age 

of 2, and for all grandmothers. 

*Iben Sandemose (1950–) is a versatile artist and a 

master of imagery. She has created a number of distinctive 

children’s books – and her work is critically 

acclaimed. 


Vil du være kjæresten min? (Will you be my Lover?), 1990. 

Sold to Denmark, Sweden. 

Mellom sol og måne (Between Sun and Moon), 1992. Sold 

to Denmark, Japan, Sweden. 

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76 


Englepels (Angel Fur), 1995. Sold to Denmark, Sweden. 

Hva med meg, da? (What about Me?), 1998. Sold to 

Sweden. 

OPQ-bok (OPQ-book), 2000. Sold to Denmark. 

Fiat og farmor ( Fiat and Grandma), 2002. Sold to 

Denmark, Sweden.


CHILDREN’S FICTION 

INGVAR AMBJØRNSEN 

Samson & Roberto 1-3 

The inheritance of uncle Rin-Tin-Tei (1), 

Fiery Friends (2) Father Pietro’s Secret (3) 

Arven etter onkel Rin-Tin-Tei (1), Krakilske 

kamerater (2), Pater Pietros hemmelighet (3) 

Samson, the ugly but friendly dog. Roberto is a smart 

and hungry cat. Together they run a small pension 

Samson has inherited. A badger is employed as the 

bellhop and the hyperactive handy man, the Otter, is 

responsible for all that needs fixing or adjusting. Big 

news and scandals are always lining up at the pension. 

Peace and friendship are thriving amongst the ”people” 

at the pension. 

The three books in the creaturesque Samson & 

Roberto soap opera have been best sellers on 

Cappelen’s Children’s Books list for the last years. 

Acclaimed by the critics’ and loved by the children. 

*Ingvar Ambjørnsen is one of Norway’s most popular 

authors, writing for children, youth and adults. See 

page 6. Per Dybvig’s wild and witty drawings complement 

the inspired text. 


Samson & Roberto – series sold to Denmark, Finland, 

Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden. 

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WIDAR ASPELI 

The Abracadabra code 

Abrakadabrakoden 

This is a down to earth story about children 

and play, about friendship, loyalty and 

betrayal. Is it possible to have a girl as a best 

friend and still be one of the boys? Vegar wants 

very much to be part of the Jungle Gang, and 

they need him to get the planks to build a new hut in 

the Triangle forest. But what about the promise he 

made to Eva – the Jungle Gang does not allow girls to 

participate. And what about the Jungle law and the 

secret code? Will he manage the tasks alone? 

*Widar Aspeli (1956–) is the author of several novels 

and books for children and youth. He has also edited 

several collections of prose and short fiction. 


Lommebrann (Pocket Fire), 1994. Sold to Denmark. 

Snøstorm (Snow Storm), 1998. Sold to Germany.



RUNE BELSVIK 

Foolfart and the great summer 

holiday trip 

Dustefjerten og den store 

sommarferieturen 

A brilliant book to read aloud and a cult 

book about well-known figures. Rune 

Belsvik has an unusually rich and poetic language – 

and has won several prizes for this. This is the sixth 

book in the series about Foolfart and his friends. This 

is a wise book with great warmth, subtle humour and 

smart questions. For example: Is there someone who 

likes me the way I am? And: How far away must one 

go in order to be away? Summer has arrived at the 

small countryside by the creek, and it is time for the 

great summer vacation trip. You will be surprised to 

hear where it ends! 

A book that is suitable for people who are older 

than about 5. 

*Rune Belsvik (1956–) is a versatile, highly valued and 

popular writer of a long line of books for children, 

youth and adults. He has won numerous awards: the 

Brage award 2000 for best book for youth, Ein naken 

gut (A Naked Boy), and the New Norwegian literature 

award. He is perhaps best known as the originator of 

the Dustefjerten (Foolfart) books, which have earned 

him the Council for Culture literary award (1994) and 

the Critics’ award (1996). 

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*Awards: 


Ministry of Cultural Affairs Literary Prize 1994 

Critic’s Prize for the best book for Children and Youth 

1996 


Kråkejakt (The Crow Hunting), 1990. Sold to Sweden. 

The five previous titles in the Foolfart series have been 

sold to the Netherlands.



KNUT FALDBAKKEN/ 

RUNE ANDERSSON 

The Breistad Brownie 

Nissen på Breistad 

The Breistad Brownie was angry and 

upset. Everybody seemed to have forgotten 

all about the time-honoured tradition 

of leaving food for the Brownie in 

the days before Christmas. Clearly, the Breistad people 

gave no thought to the misfortunes that could strike 

them if their house Brownie got really cross... Only 

little Marius, the servant’s son, believed in the 

Brownie at all, and one night he filled his bowl with 

porridge to give to the old sprite. 

You see, Marius was in need of help. His father had 

been accused of stealing money, and the landlord was 

about to evict his family. The Brownie grudgingly 

agreed to lend a hand, but when help arrived it was 

not quite the kind of help that Marius had in mind. 

*Knut Faldbakken (1941–) is an author of international 

repute. This is his first children’s book. Rune 

Johan Andersson’s (see page 63) drawings complement 

the tale perfectly. 

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ROALD KALDESTAD 

Polkapig 

HEAVYCAT, DISCOMOUSE 

AND PORCUPINE PHILIP 

Polkagrisen 

HEAVYKATTEN, DISCODANSEMUSA 

OG PINNSVINET PHILIP 

”Argh, where has she gone to?” Discomouse 

squealed in an annoyed voice. 

Heavycat, Discomouse and Porcupine Philip are in 

the cafe, waiting for Polkapig. They are having a meeting 

to plan their next concert. Discomouse is cross and 

jealous of Polkapig for her good looks, and because the 

two others like her so much – Philip in particular. She 

almost regrets leaving the big city, and most of all she 

just wants to leave the band. But then the cafe owner 

disappears, and they begin to receive threatening letters 

with demands for a ransom... 

This is the third book about the former enemies 

Heavycat, Discomouse and Porcupine Philip. 

*Roald Kaldestad (1972–) made his début in 2000 with 

the first book about Heavycat and his unlikely friends. 

Ella K. Okstad has added ample flavour to the story 

through her black/white illustrations. 


Heavykatten, Discodansemusa og Pinnsvinet Philip 

(Heavycat, Discomouse and Porcupine Philip), 2000. Sold 

to Denmark.



TANIA KJELDSET 

Stine Can’t Swim 

Stine kan ikke svømme 

It’s so embarrassing. That she doesn’t know 

how to. Because everybody, well, almost everybody 

has learned it by now. At least everyone in 

class. They can swim. Only Stine can’t. So what 

is she supposed to say when Gunn frowns at her and 

asks, “What, don’t you know how to swim?” 

This Stine story is an easy-reading, humorous and 

vibrant portrait of the way eight-year-olds experience 

friendship, and also how they make friends. 

This year’s book is the third in the Stine series. In 

the first volume we were introduced to Stine when she 

was starting school, and in the second we followed 

Stine to the school dentist – after Gunn had said the 

dentist was a witch... 

*Tania Kjeldset (1960–) is a trained illustrator. She has 

previously published three picture books and three 

novels, among them the junior novel Hårfine floker 

(Pretty good locks), 1999. She has illustrated her current 

book, the third book about Stine, in black/white, in a 

style as lively and humorous as the text. 

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ERLEND LOE 


Kurt Racks His Brain 

Kurt koker hodet 

Finally a new book about Kurt, the 

ever-popular forklift driver! Kurt 

has driven forklifts at Gunnar’s 

docks for years and years. But all 

the boats have stopped coming, 

ever since a brand new harbour was 

constructed nearby. Now, Kurt and Bud 

are hired to polish containers there. 

One day they hear strange noises. A whole bunch of 

people suddenly appear from one of the containers, 

looking like they come from all over the place. And 

there are serious problems, especially for Kurt and 

Anne-Lise. Little Bud, however, falls in love..! 

This is the fourth book about Kurt and his family, a 

great read for young and old. 

*Erlend Loe (1969–) is Norway’s cult novelist. See 

page 43. In addition to his original children’s books – 

all illustrated by Kim Hiorthøy – he has written successful 

novels. 

*Translations children’s books: 

The Kurt-series is sold to Denmark, Faroes, Finland, 

Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden.


JUNIOR FICTION 

HANNE BRAMNESS 

Lynette’s Journey 

Lynettes Reise 

Lynette grows up in Argentina. It is warm 

there, and colourful. But the sun is harsh and 

Mum says “we’re strangers here.” She dreams 

of summer mornings in old England, and thus 

begins a journey to a Europe which is at war. 

Father is headed for the front to serve his 

country. Lynette, almost 12 years old, is told to look 

after her mother and siblings. 

For four years she waits for her father’s return. For 

four years she misses him. For four years she clings to 

hope, having to keep herself from acting out and 

screaming. For four years she carries the responsibility. 

*Hanne Bramnes (1959–) has proposed many reproductions 

of foreign lyricists. In 1999 she made her own 

début with a collection of poems. 

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TOR EDVIN DAHL/ 

LARS ELLING 

A Stranger In the House 

En fremmed i huset 

Here is a fascinating story to stimulate 

both heart and mind. At the same time it 

has all the suspense of a crime novel. 

Thirteen-year-old Jessica is our narrator. 

She has a very special relationship with 

her five-year-old brother Klaus. Klaus 

doesn’t talk, but Jessica has her own way 

of understanding him. When they get a 

doll’s house for Christmas, the sibling 

relationship and the understanding they 

share grow even stronger. 

One day, Klaus manages to make Jessica draw an 

entire story using no words. The story, which is closely 

connected to the doll’s house, begins to feature more 

and more often and eventually sends the whole family 

on a long journey. Klaus is one of a few chosen children 

who have come to earth to avert disasters. He 

himself knows it, but the parents, and his mother in 

particular, find it hard to accept his destiny. 

The story can be read in different ways, and some 

may assign a religious motif to the narrative. But it is 

first and foremost a tale that will remain with readers 

for quite some time. Suitable for readers aged 9 and 

over.



*Tor Edvin Dahl (1943–) has written a large number of 

novels, mysteries, radio dramas, plays, school books, 

topic books and children’s books to his credit. 

*Translations children’s books: 

Den fremmede (The Stranger), 2002. Sold to Denmark 

*Lars Elling (1966–) is a well-known artist and illustrator. 

He has given many individual exhibitions both in 

Norway and abroad. Among others he has written To 

og to (Two and Two), 1997, and Havet og kjærligheten 

(Love and the sea), 2002, both illustrated children’s 

books. 


To og to (Two and Two), 1997. Sold to Denmark. 

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PER KNUTSEN 

From someone who loves you 

Hilsen en som elsker deg 

A book about being in love that is exciting 

and inquisitive. Maria finds a love letter in her 

knapsack – who could have written it, just 

now? Is it Oscar or Torgrim, or Lise? Imagine, 

there is someone who finds her sweet, who 

loves her! When a person is almost eleven, 

perhaps it is normal and about time to receive 

a first love letter. But – to love – what exactly is it? 

Per Knutsen is an author with the ability to catch 

these sixth year pupils in all their spontaneity and fluttering 

emotional life, and meet both them and the 

reader with respect in a story with charming characters, 

many enjoyable conversations and fresh, fairly 

unpredictable situations. 

This is a novel for girls and boys aged 9 to 12, who 

are in love or dream about being in love. 

*Per Knutsen (1951–) has published a long line of books 

for children and youth, novels for adults, and plays. His 

has been awarded two prizes for his novels for young 

people. 


Rått parti (Raw Game), 1995. Sold to Belgium/The 

Netherlands, Denmark, Germany. 

Jentekrigen (The Girls’ War), 1998. Sold to Denmark. 

Hilsen en som elsker deg (From someone who loves you), 

2003. Sold to Denmark.



LISE MÄNNIKKÖ 

As tiny as a raisin 

Liten som en rosin 

Great-grandmother lies in her bed at 

the hospital and is as tiny as a raisin. 

Sometimes she is absent. But when her 

great-grandchild reads aloud from “The 

secret garden”, great-grandmother 

decides she wants to see this garden. 

And there are several more elderly people 

who want to join them when the family begins a 

journey rolling great-grandmother in her wheelchair – 

all in secrecy – to plant bulbs that will grow next 

spring; a spring that great-grandmother will not see. 

A short and precise, tender and humorous story 

about the company shared between children and very 

old people. 

This is a book that is good to read aloud and to talk 

about in families and classrooms. And it is a book that 

is short and easily read by a child who wants to creep 

into bed and read it alone. 

For those between 6-9 years of age, and for parents 

and grandparents. 

*Lise Männikkö (1950- ) has previously published a 

series of novels and stories for children and youth, as 

well as a novel for adult readers. Black and white 

drawings by Inger Lise Belsvik. 


Stille Pernille (Quiet Pernille), 2001. Sold to Denmark. 

89


90 

FICTION FOR YOUTH 

TOR TORKILDSEN 

Left behind 

Akterutseilt 

In 1840, on his first sea voyage, Peder from 

Norway is left behind in London. Hunger drives 

him to steal a loaf of bread. The merciless 

English judicial system condemns him to 

seven years deportation to Australia – where 

many are sent, but almost none return. The same harsh 

sentence, and even more unjustly so, is given to the 

Irish servant girl Mary, who is the same age as Peder. 

Conditions in the prisons are terrible, but they manage 

to survive and are both placed on board the prisoner 

ship that sets course from Dover when we close the 

book and await the sequel. The novel is the first in a 

series of three. 

This is a truly exciting story about meeting ones dramatic 

fate with courage and decision. It adds a bit to 

the genre by treating a scarcely written-about historical 

epoch and this is revealed through some strong characters. 

Tor Torkildsen has the necessary knowledge 

and commitment and handles his material and storytelling 

with such joy, that it propels the reader through 

the book. 

*Tor Torkildsen (1932–) is an experienced and welltravelled 

writer whose areas of specialism are tales 

about the sea and survival. He has previously written 

a series of six titles, Piratene på Bali (The Pirates of Bali).



WILLY USTAD 

Keepers At the Crossroads 

Vokternes valg 

Deep below the ground, in the darkness of 

the Finnskogene forest, a secret lies hidden 

in a disused mineshaft. Only the Keepers 

and the mysterious woman Erika Lupus 

know the nature of the secret, and together 

they must keep it from falling into the 

hands of the ruthless Empire. If they fail, it will make 

the Empire the most powerful organisation on earth, 

allowing it to develop its infamous Project Orc. The 

Keepers have a small head-start, but the final stand-off 

will be gruelling and dramatic. 

Keepers At the Crossroads is a thriller à la X-Files 

about the battle between the powers of evil and forces 

of the unknown. It is the sixth and final book in the 

Keepers series. 

Willy Ustad has written an icredibly exciting and 

enthralling series. He treats the modern-day topic of 

genetics in a fascinating, convinsing and chilling way. 

Suitable for readers aged 12 and up. 

The series: Vokterne (The Keepers), Vokternes hemmelighet 

(The secret of the keepers), Vokternes fiende (The Enemy), 

Vokternes kamp (The Keeper’s Quest) and Vokternes Vokter 

(The High Keeper). 

*Willy Ustad (1946–) is the author of a long line of 

popular novels for adult readers. 

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SYLVELIN VATLE 

Tim Burntloaf’s Adventure 

Tim Brentloffs eventyr 

This is the frightful story of Tim Burntloaf’s 

journey to Nivlheim. There he meets mystical 

helpers and sly enemies. How can he, a living 

person, manage to cross the Gjallar Bridge 

with its cheerless burden? An ebullient, crazy 

and original story that takes us a good way 

into Old Norse mythology. 

As well as being as scary as a horror story, the book 

is very funny. The tale of how the father got the name 

Burntloaf is very unusual and much of the humour lies 

in the meeting of a completely modern boy, albeit often 

with cotton in his ears, and the mythological world 

and its creatures; and between old and new world 

views. The story starts and ends in our world, and the 

author manages the transitions to and from the mythological 

in a brilliant manner. 

The novel is the first in a series of three about Tim 

Burntloaf’s experiences in the world of Old Norse 

mythology. 

*Sylvelin Vatle (1957–) has written three novels for 

adults and one for children.


NON-FICTION FOR CHILDREN 

KIRSTI BLOM/EVA FUGLEI 

The Artic Fox 

Fjellreven 

The artic fox is a tough little creature that 

lives high up in the mountains far in the 

north, almost all the way to the North Pole. 

It thrives best in cold temperatures with lots of snow, 

snowfall and wind. 

We follow the artic fox through all the seasons, from 

its birth in the spring, deep inside a hole in the earth. 

Here we can read what it lives off and how it gradually 

copes, and how it, round as a white ball in its 

thick winter coat, survives the harsh winter – until 

once again it can shed its fur and emerge in a soft, 

shining summer coat, as mother to a new litter of 

pups. 

A unique book of facts. Illustrated throughout with 

colour photographs. 

*Kirsti Blom (1953–) is an author who has written a 

series of books, both for children and adults. 

*Eva Fuglei is a researcher at the Norwegian Polar 

Institute and has taken a doctorate in biology specialising 

in the Artic fox. 

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MINKEN FOSHEIM/ 

FINN GRAFF 

The Tale Of Ole Bull 

Eventyret om Ole Bull 

There was commotion in the apothecary’s residence 

in Strandgaten, Bergen. It was February the 5 th and 

rumour quickly began to spread that Anna Dorothea 

and Johan Storm Bull had had a big, healthy baby boy. 

He was to be called Ole Bornemann Bull after his 

grandfather. To the Bulls, music was as natural as food 

and drink. Even before he could talk, Ole Bull could 

stomp his foot to the music when the family gave 

musical soirées. 

This is the tale of Ole, who grew up in comfort and 

security, about his fairy-tale life filled with long journeys 

and tours, about his enormous successes and his 

failures. In his day, Ole Bull was a famous man in 

Europe as well as in America. He was an extraordinary 

musician, capable of spell-binding listeners whenever 

he picked up his violin to play. 

*Minken Fosheim (1956–) has previously written 

books about Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Grieg 

and Vivaldi. All the books are beautifully and originally 

illustrated. 

*Finn Graff is one of Norway’s most renowned cartoonists 

and caricature artists, known especially as a 

leading newspaper illustrator.



ANNE-LISE GJERDRUM/ 

ANNE HOLT 

Counting rhymes 

– thousands of million 

Tellevers om tusen ting 

This is an amusing storybook that makes 

arithmetic and counting fun. We meet many animals 

in counting rhymes: 1 bear, 2 squirrels, 3 ducks and 

finally 20 frogs. In another rhyme, we meet five mice 

that gnaw away at cheese and rope. There is a clock 

rhyme, and finally we meet Kari who has a basket full 

of fruit. The book is illustrated throughout with 

colourful, humorous illustrations. This is a wonderful 

gift book for 5-6 year olds. A workbook is also being 

prepared for use together with the counting book. 

*Anne-Lise Gjerdrum (1935–) has written many children’s 

books, especially for children who are about to 

start or who have just started school. 

*Anne Holt has illustrated a large number of picture 

books. 

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96 


EIRIK NEWTH 

The Sun 

Sola 

The Moon 

Månen 

The Sun/Sola 

The Sun is the closest star to our planet, a 

gigantic, flaming ball of gases that gives us 

the light and warmth we need to live. But 

the Sun also suffers explosions so 

immensely powerful that we can feel them 

here on Earth. 

The book explains the origins of the Sun; 

how old it is, about day and night, the seasons 

and the weather; what the Sun means 

to human beings, plants and animals. 

Readers can explore the history of the sun, 

ancient sun gods and legends, and learn how to enjoy 

a solar eclipse and atmospheric optics such as sundogs 

(parhelia). 

The Moon/Månen 

The Moon is almost 400,000 kilometres from Earth. To 

get there you would have to travel a distance equal to 

circumnavigating the Earth ten times. In this book you 

learn how the Moon was created, what it is made of, 

why it shines, and why it changes appearance. You will 

learn about moon craters and seas, the mysterious



Dark Side of the Moon, the Man In the Moon, moon 

goddesses and legends, lunar eclipses and solar 

eclipses, and about the first humans on the Moon. 

These are the two new titles in Eirik Newth’s popular 

series about the universe. Previous books in this series 

include: Planetene (The Planets), Stjernene (The Stars). In 

spring 2004, Romfart (Space Travel) will be published. 

*Eirik Newth (1964–) is an astronomer and a full-time 

author and translator of textbooks for children and 

youth. His books have been translated into many languages. 

He is also a popular lecturer. This new series is 

sold to Sweden. 

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NON-FICTION


NON-FICTION 

BIOGRAPHIES/PORTRAITS 

ØYSTEIN KOCK JOHANSEN 

Thor Heyerdahl 

– Adventurer, Scientist 

Thor Heyerdahl 

– Eventyrer og vitenskapsmann 

Thor Heyerdahl (1914–2002) was among the 

most famous, admired and respected of men internationally. 

At home he was famous too, to the point of 

being a national icon, but not without controversy. A 

man of innumerable merits, Heyerdahl worked incessantly 

at finding solutions to many of history’s great 

mysteries. He would gather teams of men to embark 

the most hazardous missions to reach his goal, no matter 

how utopian in the eyes of others. What is such a 

man made of? From where did he draw his courage, 

tenacity and insuppressable will? Øystein Kock 

Johansen’s book provides some of the answers. 

The author, an archaeologist and former director of 

the Kon-Tiki Museum, worked closely with Thor 

Heyerdahl for more than two decades and took part on 

several of his expeditions. His book is a close-up portrait 

of Thor Heyerdahl the man, as well as a chronicle 

of his archaeological work, his epochal sea voyages 

and his fairy-tale life. 

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100 

NON-FICTION 

BIOGRAPHIES/PORTRAITS 

BJØRN TYSDAHL 

The Life and Poetry of 

James Joyce 

James Joyce – liv og diktning 

In his lifetime, James Joyce (1882-1941) was 

already shrouded in myth. He gained both 

infamy and admiration for his eccentric 

lifestyle, his regular anti-religious outpourings 

and his literary gift. In this first 

Norwegian-originating biography, Bjørn 

Tysdahl pens a living portrait of the dramatic life 

and work of the Irish poet legend. It is a compelling 

history of Joyce’s nomadic existence on the European 

continent. We follow a writer constantly on the move, 

earning a living as a bank clerk and language instructor, 

and living in a stormy relationship with the colourful 

Nora Barnacle and their two children. But principally, 

and ultimately, he is writing his life’s work, and 

it is with passion that Norway’s foremost James Joyce 

scholar describes the making of Joyce’s main oeuvre, 

Ulysses. 

The Life and Poetry of James Joyce is the biography of a 

writer who drew on family, friends and the entire 

world in which he lived for his grand literary project.


NON-FICTION 

TRAVEL WRITING 

TORBJØRN FÆRØVIK 

China – Summer On 

the River of Life 

Kina – En sommer 

på livets elv 

It is almost like a fairy-tale: a journey 

through China on the Yangtze, the world’s 

third longest river and the life blood of this 

vast nation. A journey among 1,3 billion people. Few 

people are better suited to write from China than 

Torbjørn Færøvik. A historian specialising in China, he 

has travelled to the country close to 50 times in 29 years. 

“It sounded like a dream,” he writes. “Before me the 

Long River flows – the very river of life.” In Shanghai 

he boards the East Wind. Ninety-nine days and 6,400 

kilometres later, he is on his knees by the river’s 

source, in a wild landscape 5,500 metres above sea level. 

The reader travels with him, through the multitudinous 

reality of China, through its noisy everyday and 

its unique cultures. We encounter all kinds of people – 

Party bigwigs, weathered nomads, beggars with hands 

extended and billionaires feasting on roast duck sprinkled 

with gold dust – in a country whose history never 

ceases to enrapture. An adventure and learning journey 

second to none. 

*Torbjørn Færøvik (1948–) is an M. A. specialising in 

Asian history. He has 25 years’ experience as a foreign 

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correspondent, working as a global reporter for the 

Norwegian Broadcasting in 1996-97. His first travel 

documentary, Drømmen om Asia (The Dream Of Asia), 

was published in 1997. India – stevnemøte med skjebnen 

(India – Rendevouz with Destiny) brought him the Brage 

award in 1999. In 2001 he wrote Veien til Xanadu. En 

reise i Marco Polos fotspor (The Road to Xanadu. A jouney 

in Marco Polo’s Footsteps). His works are well received 

by the reviewers and his wide range audience.


NON-FICTION 


STEIN P. AASHEIM 

The Svalbard Book 

Svalbardboka 

Four human beings – parents and 

two children – and one whole year 

in a 15 by 15 foot hunting cabin, at 79 degrees north. It 

is a beautiful wilderness. It is also a cold and lonely 

place – but we are here to live, to survive. We hunt for 

wild animals, gather provisions for winter, service the 

equipment, and master daily life in the Arctic. 

Stein P. Aasheim writes about reflections, experiences, 

fears and insecurities. About hunting and fishing, 

the quiet and the storm, the fauna, the flora, the light 

and the dark. About Svalbard and its history. About the 

children, big things, and little things. Not forgetting the 

project itself, and the long planning process it involved 

in mental, physical and practical terms. Yet no one can 

wholly prepare for what the future holds in store. 

The narrative takes us through a whole year, from 

summer to summer; through midnight sun and the 

dark winter months – the Arctic night – to daylight 

returning. The book is a well-illustrated presentation 

book with the unique tale of one family’s experience 

with living conditions and resources when all they 

have is each other and a one-room cabin in the inhospitable 

landscape of northern Svalbard. 

*Journalist-adventurer Stein P. Aasheim (1951–) has 

written and illustrated several books about his experiences 

in nature. 

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NON-FICTION 

HISTORY 

HENRIK THUNE 

The War Dance 

The Fall of Saddam Hussein 

Krigsdansen 

Historien om Saddams fall 

This book takes us behind media representations 

of the war in Iraq, exploring the underlying 

conditions to the fall of Saddam Hussein. 

Lines are drawn to the last war between the 

United States and Iraq, showing how it did in fact not 

end with the truce between the western forces and Iraq 

on February 28, 1991. 

The attacks against the US on September 11, 2001 

led to dramatic changes in the power balance not only 

on a global scale, but also within the world’s lone 

superpower. Long before the political debate on a new 

military action in Iraq had begun, George W. Bush had 

already decided to start the third Gulf War. 

This is a book that shows how large-scale political 

decisions are being made beyond the public realm, and 

how Norway’s foreign minister, for one, has no real 

influence on world politics. Thune works in-depth and 

with a broad scope, providing analysis with the clarity 

and precision that have come to be his trademark. 

*Henrik Thune (1969–) is a researcher at the 

Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. He is also 

a respected speaker and writer.


NON-FICTION 

DRINK 

JAN HILLESLAND 

All About Beer 

Alt om øl 

water 

+ yeast 

+ hops 

= BEER in countless varieties 

This is the book for anyone with a penchant for beer 

who would like to know more about that golden, traditional 

beverage so loved by so many. It explains the 

main points about how beer is brewed, detailing different 

types of beer, and offers an introduction to the history 

of beer in different countries. You will also find 

recipes for food prepared with beer, as well as some 

good beer tales! 

The book is illustrated with photographs by Isidor 

Åstrøm. 

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106 

NON-FICTION 

DRINK 

JAN VARDØEN 

Tough Tipples 

Tøffe drinker 

Jan Vardøen is a man who knows, and 

does, practically everything – an extraordinary 

source of talents, ideas, knowledge 

and skills. Here he is back with a new book 

on what he knows best – tough tipples! 

The book contains a half hundred recipes 

for tough tipples with all the trimmings, all of them 

masterfully photographed. The ingredients are often 

unorthodox, as are the compositions. Which is why the 

author likes to call them “tough”. This book will 

inspire anyone who enjoys surprising their friends. 

Don’t mix at home without it!


NON-FICTION 

FAMILIES/CHILDREN 

I. LINDBORG, 

P.E. BØRDAHL, 

E.H. BROCH 

Doubles! A Book About Twins 

Dobbelt opp! 

En bok om tvillinger 

In this book most questions relating to twins are 

answered: how are twins made? Who gets twins? It 

deals with pregnancy and birth, infancy, how to 

breast-feed two; premature children, siblings, the different 

relationships they have, and developing identities. 

Should they attend kindergarten and school 

together or separated? We also learn about conflict 

management, adolescence and the teenage years, 

about twins’ adult relationships, and myths about 

twins. 

This book comes re-issued, comprehensively 

revised and rewritten, and contains the latest research 

and knowledge on issues relating to twins. 

*Eli Hope Broch is a mother of twin girls who works 

in child and adolescent psychiatry. Per E. Børdahl is 

an obstetrician and a leading expert on twin births. 

Ingunn Lindborg is a mother of twin boys and works 

in public relations with a media company. 

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FAMILIES/CHILDREN 

STEIN ERIK ULVUND 

Understanding Your Child 

Years 2–5 

Forstå barnet ditt: 2–5 år 

The author shows how children between 

ages two and five develop, physically and 

mentally, what we can do to best cater to 

the child’s needs in different situations, and 

how our reactions to the child affect it – and 

vice versa. The book offers unique insight into the 

inner world of the child and shows what we can expect 

from children at this age. It provides many useful 

overviews of what children are able to do in the various 

stages of development, using many examples from 

everyday life. 

The final part of the book deals with the child in 

kindergarten, common problems that arise at this age, 

and an issue many are concerned with: why, when 

given the “same” upbringing, do siblings turn out so 

different? 

*Stein Erik Ulvund (1952–) is professor of pedagogy at 

Oslo University dealing particularly with child development 

and child care. He has written several books, 

including Fra baby til smårolling 0-2 år (From Infant to 

Toddler: Years 0-2), 2002.


NON-FICTION 

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 

BENTE-MARIE IHLEN, 

HEIDI IHLEN 

It Takes One to Know Oneself 

På seg selv kjenner man ingen andre 

In this book you will learn how to rediscover 

someone you thought you already knew like the 

back of your hand... 

What is it that takes place when, in the middle of an 

ordinary phone conversation, you suddenly find yourself 

embroiled in an argument, or when your partner, 

child or colleague all of a sudden starts behaving in a 

strange manner when you’ve done nothing wrong? Who 

knows, you might even have tried to be extra patient, 

but despite your efforts it went wrong all the same. 

This book offers techniques for a positive review of 

what it was that went wrong, which might even help 

you see a pattern: that there is not necessarily a connection 

between the good intentions you had and the 

reactions you got. You will learn how to fully grasp this 

gap between intention and outcome. You’ll acquire 

concrete techniques – or tools – to help you undo the 

communication knots. You will also find many good 

examples that will help you relate theory to practice, 

and maybe even have a laugh in the process. 

*Bente-Marie and Heidi Ihlen are both experienced 

psychologists. They have previously authored Effekt – 

falske smil & ekte ørefiker (Effect – Fake Smile, Real Smack), 

1997, a book about communication and team-building. 

109

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