Hunger
Published on 18. August 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-0-85786-179-5 (ISBN)
Description
Lying awake in his attic room, a young aspiring writer prepares himself for the day ahead. He dresses and then descends into the unforgiving streets of Kristiana - one of many journeys he will come to make through this strange city, looking for inspiration and sustenance. As the narrator's behaviour becomes increasingly irrational and absurd, the reader is drawn deeper into his intense world.
Written in 1980, Hunger is Hamsun's first novel, a disturbing and darkly humorous masterpiece of existential fiction that anticipated and influenced much twentieth-century fiction, including the work of Camus, Kafka and Fante. In 1920, Hamsun won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Written in 1980, Hunger is Hamsun's first novel, a disturbing and darkly humorous masterpiece of existential fiction that anticipated and influenced much twentieth-century fiction, including the work of Camus, Kafka and Fante. In 1920, Hamsun won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Reviews / Votes
Hunger is the crux of Hamsun's claims to mastery. This is the classic novel of humiliation, even beyond Dostoevsky * * Observer * * One of the most disturbing novels in existence * * Time Out * * An excellent new translation . . . this Hunger deserves to be the standard English version * * Times Literary Supplement * * Hamsun has the qualities that belong to the very great, a complete omniscience on human nature -- Rebecca West Disturbing and difficult as this nightmarish novel is, it is a work of imaginative brilliance that resonates in our own day * * Herald * * Hunger is undoubtedly one of the most important novels of the modern age. At last it has found a translator capable of doing justice to its immense power and complexity: Lyngstad's deserves to become the standard English version -- Duncan McCleanMore details
Series
Edition
Main - Canons Imprint
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Canongate Books
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
255 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-85786-179-5 (9780857861795)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Persons
Knut Hamsun was born in Norway in 1859. Hunger was his first novel. He went on to write many works of fiction, including Mysteries, Pan and Victoria. He died in 1952, and since then a growing number of readers have been drawn to his work for its extraordinary qualities of insight and imagination.
Sverre Lyngstad has translated a number of Knut Hamun's novels. He is the recipient of several awards and honours, including the St Olav Medal and the Knight's Cross, First Class, of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. He died in 2011.
Jo Nesbo is a musician, songwriter, economist and author. His first crime novel featuring Harry Hole was published in Norway in 1997 and was an instant hit, winning the Glass Key Award for best Nordic crime novel (an accolade shared with Peter Hoeg, Henning Mankell and Stieg Larsson).
Sverre Lyngstad has translated a number of Knut Hamun's novels. He is the recipient of several awards and honours, including the St Olav Medal and the Knight's Cross, First Class, of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. He died in 2011.
Jo Nesbo is a musician, songwriter, economist and author. His first crime novel featuring Harry Hole was published in Norway in 1997 and was an instant hit, winning the Glass Key Award for best Nordic crime novel (an accolade shared with Peter Hoeg, Henning Mankell and Stieg Larsson).