Showing results by author "Bjornstjerne Bjornson" in All Categories

Selma Lagerlöf and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson were two of the greatest nineteenth centurey Nordic authors who were both awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Lagerlof was a Swedish novelist, who in 1909 became the first woman writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature. Her work is deeply rooted in Nordic legends and history. She turned away from the dominating realistic movement and wrote in a romantic and imaginative manner about the peasant life and landscape of Northern Sweden.

A Happy Boy, written between 1859 and 1860, stands out as Bjørnsons finest portrayal of peasant life. The author masterfully crafts characters with striking clarity, showcasing his deep psychological insight, effortless narrative style, and genuine empathy for the protagonist and his environment. This enduring appeal is reflected in the widespread popularity of A Happy Boy across Scandinavia. (From the Preface) Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1903.

Bjornstjerne Bjornson was a Norwegian writer, editor, and theater director, known along with Henrik Ibsen, Alexander Kielland, and Jonas Lie as one of the "four great ones" of 19th-century Norwegian literature. Bjornson campaigned widely for liberal and national ideals, and became an extremely popular national figure. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1903. "The Father" is one of his most widely anthologized stories.

In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author? In this volume the once forgotten literary backwaters of Scandinavia, and its hinterland, reveal the storied works of their own literature. Some names are familiar, some decidedly not. But each has literary talents and compelling narratives.