Archive for March, 2004
Herbjørg Wassmo
Herbjørg Wassmo was born in Vesterålen, Northern Norway, in 1942. She has become one of the most read, most liked authors in Norway. She has won prizes and been translated into many languages.
The trilogy about Tora, the daughter of a German soldier in the occupying forces, Huset med den blinde glassveranda (1981) (The house with the blind glass windows, 1987), Det stumme rommet (1983) (The dumb room) and Hudløs himmel (1986) (Naked heaven) combine an old-fashioned, solid narrative talent with psychological insight, particularly into the female mind. Tora is a step-child of society who has to suffer because those around her lack compassion. She was awarded the 1997 Nordic Council Prize for Literature for Hudløs himmel (Raw Heaven), the third volume of the trilogy.
Dinas bok (1989) (Dina’s book, 1994), Lykkens sønn (1992) (Son of Joy) and Karnas arv (1997) (Karna’s inheritance), with their opulent and melodramatic tableaus and descriptions of nearly supernatural milieus are quite different from the Tora books, although they are also about damaged children. In the Dina books, however, Wassmo extends the perspective, also in her sources of inspiration: Homer and the Bible, sagas and dynastic novels, historical novels, not least Camilla Collet’s Amtmandens døtre (1854) (The District Governor’s Daughters, 1992), the very first modern Norwegian novel. She has also used techniques from modern pulp fiction, serial techniques, melodramatic elements, perhaps even elements from soap operas. And she does it with style.
In 1995 she issued a collection of short stories called Reiser (Travels). Her most recent work, Det sjuende møte (The Seventh Meeting) is a contemporary novel.
The Dina trilogy has been turned into a film ‘ I am Dina. This is my story ‘ and has won several awards like the Air Canada People’s Choice Award for the Best Feature film of the Festival and Best Actress Award to Swedish-Norwegian actress Maria Bonnevie who played Dina. Have a look at the official film website for more information.
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Her works (selection)
Huset med den blinde glassveranda (1981)
Det stumme rommet (1983)
Hudløs himmel (1986)
Dinas bok (1989)
Lykkens sønn (1992)
Reiser (1995)
Karnas arv (1997)
Det sjuende møte (2000)
