Kjartan Fløgstad

Kjartan Fløgstad (born June 7, 1944 in the industrial city of Sauda in Ryfylke, Rogaland) is a Norwegian author. Fløgstad studied literature and linguistics at the University of Bergen. Subsequently he worked for a period as an industrial worker and as a sailor before he debuted as a poet with his collection of poems titled "Valfart" (Pilgrimage) in 1968.

Literary work

Fløgstad initial prose work, "Den hemmelege jubel" (The Secret Exultation), was published in 1970. In 1972 he published the short story collection "Fangliner" (Ropes), where he encourages seaman and shiftworkers in heavy industry to make themselves heard in their own language, and the author's Marxist viewpoint became apparent. His major breakthrough came in 1977 with the novel "Dalen Portland" (Dollar Road); he was awarded the Nordic Council's Literature Prize for this work. Following this, "Fyr og flamme" (Fire and Flame) in 1980 and "Det 7. klima" (The Seventh Climate) in 1986 were his next most recognized works. Kjartan Fløgstad published six major novels after "Dalen Portland" as well as two crime novels using the pseudonym K. Villun. In the major novels he demonstrates a command of realistic precision combined with an understanding of sociology. Fløgstad's work depicts the economic and social transitions as Norway moves from an agricultural culture to an industrial society, and then to a post-industrial society.

Fløgstads style of writing, as demonstrated in both fiction and non-fiction, is very characteristic; lots of puns, allusions to other texts and to films and a mix of sociolects. He is one of the best-known authors writing in the genre of magic realism in Norway, and his overall realistic plots feature many fantastic twists.

Bibliography

* "Valfart" (Pilgrimage) - collection of poetry (1968)
* "Sememoniar" (Ceremonies) - collection of poetry (1969)
* "Den hemmelege jubel" (The Secret Exultation) - Prose (1970)
* "Fangliner" (Ropes) - Short Stories (1972)
* "Dikt i utval av Pablo Neruda" (Translation of a selection of poetry by Pablo Neruda) - translated poetry (1973)
* "Litteratur i revolusjonen. Dikt frå Cuba" (Literature in the Revolution. Poetry from Cuba) - translated poetry (1973)
* "Rasmus" (Rasmus) - novel (1974)
* "Døden ikke heller" (Death without end) - Crime Novel (1975) - under the psevdonym K. Villum
* "Ein for alle" (One for all) - Crime Novel (1976) - under the psevdonym K. Villun
* "Dalen Portland" (Dollar Road) - novel (1977)
* "Fyr og flamme" (Fire and flame) - novel (1980)
* "Loven vest for Pecos" (The Law West of Pecos) - essays (1981)
* "U 3" - novel (1983)
* "Ordlyden" (The Wording) - essays (1983)
* "Det 7. klima" (The Seventh Climate) - novel (1986)
* "Tyrannosaurus Text" (Tyrannosaurus Text) - essays (1988)
* "Portrett av eit magisk liv. Poeten Claes Gill" (Portrait of a Magic Life: The Poet Claes Gill) - biography (1988)
* "Arbeidets lys. Tungindustrien in Sauda through 75 år" (Heavy Industry in Sauda through 75 years) - (1990)
* "Kniven på strupen" - novel (1992)
* "Fimbul" (Fimbul) - novel (1994)
* "Dikt og spelmannsmusikk 1968-1993" (Poetry and Fiddlers' Music) - (1993)
* "Pampa Union. Latinamerikanske reiser" (Pampa union. Latin American Journeys) - Travelography (1994)
* "Ved Roma port" ( ) - pamphlet (1994)
* "Antipoder" (Antipodes) - essays (1996)
* "Kron og mynt" (Heads or Tails) - novel 1998)
* "Dei ytterste ting. Nødvendighetsartiklar" (The Ultimate Questions) - essays (1998)
* "Eld og vatn. Nordmenn i Sør-Amerika" (Fire and Water. Norwegians in South America) - Prose (1999)
* "Evig varer lengst" (Where have all the lovers gone?) - Play (2000)
* "Sudamericana" (South America) - Travelography (2000)
* "Osloprosessen" (The Oslo Porcess) - (2000)
* "Sudamericana. Latinamerikanske reiser" (South America. Latin America travels) - Travelography (2000)
* "Shanghai Ekspress" (Shanghai Express) - Travelography (2001)
* "Paradis på jord" ( Paradise on Earth) - novel (2002)
* "Hotell Tropical" (Tropical Hotel) – Travelography (2003)
* "Pablo Neruda: Kapteinens vers" (Pablo Neruda: Captain’s Verse) - translated Poetry (2003)
* "Brennbart" (Combustibles) - Prose (2004)
* "Snøhetta: hus som vil meg hysa" - Non-fiction on the Norwegian architects (2004)
* "Grand Manila" - novel (2006)

Prizes

* Aschehougprisen 1975
* The Nordic Council's Literature Prize 1978, for "Dalen Portland"
* The Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature 1980, for "Fyr and flamme"
* Melsom-prisen 1981
* Nynorsk (new Norwegian) litteraturpris 1983, for "U3"
* Stavanger Aftenblads kulturpris
* Nynorsk (new Norwegian) litteraturpris 1986, for "Det 7. klima"
* Gyldendals legacy 1991
* Doblougprisen 1997
* Brageprisen 1998, for "Kron and mynt"
* Gyldendalprisen 1998
* Edvardprisen 2003
* Bernardo O'Higgins-ordenen, awarded by Chiles government in 2004

External links

* [http://www.literature2000.org/bergen/eng/kjartan/om_kjartan.htm Kjartan Fløgstad]
* [http://www.coe.int/t/e/cultural_co-operation/culture/completed_projects/frontiers/norway.asp Council of Europe Cultural Article ]
* [http://runeberg.org/authors/flogskja.html Project Runeberg on Kjartan Fløgstad]
* [http://omarperezsantiago.blogspot.com/2008/02/los-chilenos-segn-el-realismo-rtico-de.html El realismo artico de Kjartan Fløgstad]

References

Translated from the Norwegian language Wikipedia at .