Pan, by Knut Hamsun

December 13, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, Fiction, Knut Hamsun, Nobel Prize Winner, Norwegian writer 

I enjoy reading Knut Hamsun, the famous Norwegian Nobel Prize winner in Literature. He writes elegantly, lyrical, and beautiful, and I like his Pan, by Knut Hamsun sense of humor as well.

Pan: From Lieutenant Thomas Glahn’s Papers (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics) is about Lieutenant Thomas Glahn, living in a hunting cabin up in the Northern part of Norway, along with his dog, Aesop. He lives not far from the village Sirius, and interacts with people there. Then something happens which turns his life upside down.

Pan is a wonderful Knut Hamsun book. Otto Weineger claimed it was the most beautiful book ever written. In Pan, Hamsun is concerned with the beauty of nature and our relationship to it. His descriptions are beautiful. His mastery of language, and his very conscious use of it, is intruiging. He uses language to underscore what is happening. For instance, when Glahn is alone, his sentences are long, drawn out, but when he talks to women, his sentences are short, distinct, intense. In addition, the story in Pan is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking.

Pan, in my humbe opinion, is one of the most interesting books written by Hamsun, a true masterpiece. At the center of the book is the eternal battle of the sexes. The book is full of pure poetry and “lyric outbursts”. Pan is also, deservedly, one of the most widely known works by Knut Hamsun.

Read more about Knut Hamsun at Scandinavianbooks.com.

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Dreamers, by Knut Hamsun

November 14, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, Fiction, Knut Hamsun, Nobel Prize Winner, Norwegian writer 

Dreamers is a short and somewhat light Dreamers, by Knut Hamsun novel by the Norwegian Nobel Prize winning author Knut Hamsun. Set in an isolated Norwegian fishing village, the novel is a romantic comedy, centering on Ove Rolandsen, who is an aspiring inventor.

Rolandsen is a schemer, a liar, and a not particularly effective womanizer. Rolandsen is engaged to the local parson’s housekeeper, yet he has eyes for both the local sexton’s daughter and for the daughter of Trader Mack, the town’s most prosperous businessman.

Rolandsen has invented a new process for manufacturing fish-glue, the commodity which is the main source of Trader Mack’s wealth; yet Rolandsen, who works as a telegraph operator, lacks sufficient funds to get his invention out into the world. Thus the tale becomes one of money and power, as well as, of course, of love and lust.

In Dreamers, Hamsun handles his plot with a light and assured touch, and the novel is charming. However, Dreamers is definitely not one of Hamsun’s best, and also the book suffers a bit from bad translation to English. Even so, it is a great read, and a must for lovers of Knut Hamsun.

Other interesting books by Knut Hamsun at amazon US include: Hunger, Growth of the Soil, and Pan.

See also the bibliography of Knut Hamsun at Leserglede.com.

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Benoni and Rosa, by Knut Hamsun

November 2, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, Nobel Prize Winner, Norwegian writer 

Knut Hamsun is one of the most well known Norwegian writers internationally. He is also a Nobel prize winner in literature. His writing style is poetic, playful, ironic and beautiful. You can read more about Knut Hamsun at leserglede.com or at the Danish Knut Hamsun site.

Benoni and Rosa by Knut Hamsun is a double novel, the first is Benoni, and Rosa the second and continuation. The books tell the story of Benoni Hartvigsen, a local mail man, who becomes rich more or less over Knut Hamsun Benoni night. The local big-shot, Ferdinand Mack, makes him a partner in his business, and helps him court the daughter of the local priest, the very lovely and attractive Rosa.

Benoni and Rosa are two of the “lighter” stories written by Knut Hamsun. They are concerned with the changes in the character of Benoni, as well as in the people knowing him, that result from the radical change in circumstances that Benoni Hartvigsen experiences. To a large extent the description of this character and how he changes, resembles a book by another Norwegian author, Johan Falkberget, entitled “Bør Børson”. Knut Hamsun, Rosa

In both cases sweet innocent men who suddenly become rich, change into what may best be described as megalomaniacs. Rapid changes in circumstance is a theme that has attracted much attention both in classical and more modern literature, and Hamsun’s take on this theme is among the more interesting ones. The twists and turns in the odd relationship between Benoni and Rosa along with the “rags to riches” motif provide the dynamics of the story.

Thus this is a rich tale of personal change, rivalry in love and business, social and personal change, as well as love, courtship and passion. It is a story about the basic ingridients of life itself, told by a master storyteller and keen observer. Both as a love story and as a study of changing circumstances, Benoni and Rosa are excellent.

Benoni and Rosa tell an entertaining story, with lots of humor and irony. The language is outstanding; clear and concise, and a treat in itself. Benoni and Rosa definitely are among Hamsun’s best!

You can order these books by Knut Hamsun at amazon US: Benoni, Rosa (Sun and Moon Classics) or Hamsun’s marvellous Hunger (see review of Hunger).
Or, if you prefer, you can order Hamsun’s books from amazon UK: Benoni., Rosa, or Hunger.

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