by Tomas Espedal
translated by James Anderson
Seagull Books, 2010
Paper: 978-0-85742-577-5 | eISBN: 978-0-85742-052-7 | Cloth: 978-0-85742-018-3
Library of Congress Classification PT8951.15.S64I4613 2011
Dewey Decimal Classification 839.8238

ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK

In contemporary Norwegian fiction Tomas Espedal’s work stands out as uniquely personal; it can be difficult to separate the fiction from Espedal’s own experiences. In that vein, his novel Against Art is not just the story of a boy growing up to be a writer, but it is also the story of writing. Specifically, it is about the profession of writing—the routines, responsibility, and obstacles. Yet, Against Art is also about being a father, a son, and a grandson; about a family and a family’s tales, and about how preceding generations mark their successors. It is at once about choices and changes, about motion and rest, about moving to a new place, and about living.


 

Praise for the Norwegian Edition

“One of the most beautiful, most important books I've read for years.”—Klassekampen

 

“Espedal has written an amazingly rich novel, which will assuredly stand out as one of the year’s best and will also further fortify the quality of Norwegian literature abroad.”— Adresseavisen

 

Against Art attacks literature while at the same time being intensely literary. Our greatest sorrows and torments, the individual experiences often so anemic in art, find a voice of their own.”—Morgenbladet

 

Against Art moves me with its maternal history and proves yet again that Tomas Espedal writes great novels.”—Dag og Tid

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