Description: In this Norwegian saga of restlessness, Hamsun presents young Edevart, a headstrong boy ill at ease with books, but fiercely self-determined and eager to escape his poor village of Polden. He becomes a close friend of August, a man-orphan, rootless, who sings fantastic tales of a wondrous world. In their years of seafaring, peddling, and raucous-raising-sometimes together, sometimes separated-Edevart grows in understanding, becoming a cunning businessman, experiencing the exhilaration and devastation of love and learning to enjoy the freedom of his wandering lifestyle. Nobel prize winner Hamsun expertly weaves the clashing ideologies-the draw of a comfortable home and the excitement of adventure and the sea-with Edevart's own picaresque, as it drifts between restlessness and a peaceful happiness.
Brief description: Knut Hamsun (1859-1952) was a Norwegian novelist, poet, and playwright. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He is the author of books including Hunger and Mysteries.
Review Quotes: "The people in this superbly written tale, who live by the crystal fiords are as cruel and dishonest as the people from the cities, whose new-found technology has begun to corrupt the ancient customs and morals of the provinces." - Christian Science Monitor