what does lit thinks about this?
It's well received here. Great thread.
Up to Book 4, it's good.
>>7722834
what is the problem after the fourth book?
>>7722884
What do you mean? Problem?
>>7722884
He meant he has read up to book four, not that the books after four were bad.
It's frustrating, I know.
Looks like it's being set up to be the most important novel of the decade.
>>7722920
in that case, it should've been a colon or semicolon, not a comma.
Loved book 1, so much that I'm actually learning Norwegian now. (I've had friends there for ages, girlfriend has family there). This book was the tipping point, I want to read it in Norsk. I'm holding off on two so I can get a Norwegian edition.
Have read the first 4 as the last couple haven't been translated yet.
One of the most enjoyable things I've read in quite a while. Book 3 is probably my favourite. His writing feels refreshing, especially if you've been reading a lot of post-modern literature. There's an honesty to it that seems like a breath of fresh air. I can understand why people might not enjoy it or find it a bit dull but if it hooks you then I think you'll find it incredibly rewarding.
I think his writing is good enough that he's able to make the (at least on the face of it) quite prosaic subject matter intensely interesting, and the odd flight into more philosophical type stuff is always a pleasure to read.
It has also made me want to go to Norway, although not actually learn Norwegian as I'm a lazy man.
Swede here.
Very interesting.
But I'd love it if a female from, like, a vast different culture than Scandinavia would write something similar, in such a detailed way. I'm up to book three and you recognize a lot of thoughts and ways of living. That part where he holds his shit because it gives you a nice feeling, and then it hurts like crazy when finally shitting, I thought I was alone in doing that as a kid. Second book was very funny with that dry tone, but to be honest, I think Knausgård is generalizing entire Sweden based on a small group of cultural upper middle class people from Stockholm that he meets. He doesn't have the entire picture, he's only zooming in on one small part.
>>7724633
>I think Knausgård is generalizing entire Sweden based on a small group of cultural upper middle class people from Stockholm that he meets.
As a Dane I think you are right, it's definitely the outsider's view on Sweden that he uses. It's hilarious though, since he touches all of the points that Danish people use to make fun of Sweden.
>>7724633
I generalize Sweden based on PewDiePie.
>>7724633
>that part in Book 2 where he goes on a rant saying that he hopes that one day Sweden will be invaded, having their cities bombed, their men killed and their women raped
>>7724633
To be fair he is quite clear that he is generalizing. And he is right.
>>7724934
Hehe their women are already being raped though!!
>>7724566
Whats your first language?
>>7724954
AND Sweden is being invaded.
>>7725015
english
Extremely good. I'm currently reading #6
>>7722697
Book 1-5: The books that have his life and experience as main interest -- very good, one of the best works to come out this decade.
Book 6: Some of the consequences of publishing these books + a lot of essays and analysis of poems -- imho he dropped the ball here. A lot of the book consists of random thoughts on poems, and he dissects them in the text, but it's not very good. His thoughts are not as poignant as the thoughts that spin off from his life story. The reason book 1-5 were good, is because you can feel the sincerity and the relation to the feelings he is portraying; this is for the most part lacking in book 6. There are redeeming moments in book 6, but it is so far from the rest of the volumes.
I would recommend that one reads 1-5, maybe 6, but I don't personally think it is worth the time.
>>7725225
Personally I thought his essay on Mein Kampf was very interesting and it all came full circle once he started drawing parallels with Hitler's circumstances to his own.
I would definitely not recommend skipping Book 6. If you've already made it this far into the series you are itching for some closure, and the final book provides that beautifully imo.
>>7725528
Pär Lagerkvist
Knut Hamsun
Hjalmar Söderberg
Henrik Ibsen
>>7725528
Ibsen
Tom Kristensen
Pontoppidan
Karen Blixen
Hamsun
Frans G. Bengtsson
His final solution was pretty thoughtful to be honest family.
>>7725775
>Karen Blixen
my literal familia
her, that is
>>7725528
Vilhelm Moberg and Eyvind Johnson
