Jon Olav Fosse (born 29 September 1959) is a Norwegian author and
dramatist
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays.
Etymology
The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
.
Biography
Jon Fosse was born in Haugesund, Norway. A serious accident at age seven brought him close to death; the experience significantly influenced his adulthood writing. He enrolled in the
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen ( no, Universitetet i Bergen, ) is a research-intensive state university located in Bergen, Norway. As of 2019, the university has over 4,000 employees and 18,000 students. It was established by an act of parliament in 194 ...
and studied comparative literature. His debut novel, ''Raudt, svart'' (''Red, Black''), was published in 1983, written in
Nynorsk
Nynorsk () () is one of the two written standards of the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. From 12 May 1885, it became the state-sanctioned version of Ivar Aasen's standard Norwegian language ( no, Landsmål) parallel to the Dano-N ...
, which at that time was the common written language only in western Norway (it has since become one of the two official written languages of the country). His first play, ''Og aldri skal vi skiljast'' (''And We'll Never Be Parted''), was performed and published in 1994. Fosse has written novels, short stories, poetry, children's books, essays and plays. His works have been translated into more than forty languages. He also played music (the fiddle), and much of his teenage writing practice involved creating his own lyrics for musical pieces.
Fosse was made a chevalier of the
Ordre national du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite (; en, National Order of Merit) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's estab ...
of France in 2003.Fransk heder til Fosse nrk.no. Fosse also has been ranked number 83 on the list of the Top 100 living geniuses by ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was f ...
''.
Since 2011, Fosse has been granted the
Grotten
Grotten ( Norwegian: ''Grotto'') is a nineteenth-century building (1823) located on the premises of the Royal Palace in the city centre of Oslo, Norway. Grotten is an honorary residence owned by the Norwegian state.
History
The house is situ ...
, an honorary residence owned by the
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
state and located on the premises of the Royal Palace in the city centre of
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
. Use of the Grotten as a permanent residence is an honour specially bestowed by the
King of Norway
The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty kingd ...
for contributions to Norwegian arts and culture.
Fosse was among the literary consultants to Bibel 2011, a Norwegian translation of the Bible published in 2011.
Fosse was awarded the 2015
Nordic Council's Literature Prize
The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth ...
for the trilogy ''Andvake'' ( ''Wakefulness''), ''Olavs draumar'' (''
Olav's Dreams
''Olav's Dreams'' () is a 2012 novel by Norwegian writer Jon Fosse.
The story is set a few hundred years ago. The fiddler "Olav" is hunted by his past as a killer. Leaving the city and changing his name has not helped much.
Awards
In 2015, Fosse ...
'') and ''Kveldsvævd'' ( ''Weariness'').
Numerous of Fosse's works have been translated into Persian by Mohammad Hamed, and his works have been performed in Iran/Tehran main halls.
In April 2022, his novel ''A New Name: Septology VI-VII'', translated into English by
Damion Searls
Damion Searls is an American writer and translator. He grew up in New York and studied at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley. He specializes in translating literary works from Western European languages such as German, No ...
, was shortlisted for the
International Booker Prize
The International Booker Prize (formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize) is an international literary award hosted in the United Kingdom. The introduction of the International Prize to complement the Man Booker Prize was announced ...
.
Between working on his novels, Fosse works as a translator on other authors' works.
Personal life
He lives part of the time with his second wife, a Slovak, in
Hainburg an der Donau
Hainburg an der Donau (also referred to simply as Hainburg) is a town located in the Bruck an der Leitha district in the state of Lower Austria of eastern Austria. In 2021 it had a population of about 7,000.
Geography
Hainburg is located on the ri ...
in Austria. He also has a home in Bergen and two homes in western Norway. Originally a member of the Church of Norway (although he described himself as atheist before 2012), he joined the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in 2012-2013,Kjell Kvamme (16 November 2013 Jon Fosse katolikk: Som å kome heim Vårt Land. Retrieved 16 November 2013 and hospitalized himself to rehabilitate his long-term alcohol consumption.
Bibliography
Prose
* ''Raudt, svart'' (1983). ''Red, Black''
* ''Stengd gitar'' (1985). ''Closed Guitar''
* ''Blod. Steinen er'' (1987). ''Blood. The Stone Is''
* ''Naustet'' (1989). ''Boathouse'', trans. May-Brit Akerholt (Dalkey Archive, 2017).
* ''Flaskesamlaren'' (1991). ''The Bottle-Collector''
* ''Bly og vatn'' (1992). ''Lead and Water''
* ''To forteljingar'' (1993). ''Two Stories''
* ''Prosa frå ein oppvekst'' (1994). ''Prose from a Childhood''
* '' Melancholia I'' (1995). ''Melancholy'', trans. Grethe Kvernes and Damion Searls (Dalkey Archive, 2006).
* '' Melancholia II'' (1996). ''Melancholy II'', trans. Eric Dickens (Dalkey Archive, 2014).
* ''Eldre kortare prosa med 7 bilete av Camilla Wærenskjold'' (1998). ''Older Shorter Prose with 7 Pictures of Camilla Wærenskjold''
* '' Morgon og kveld'' (2000). ''Morning and Evening'', trans. Damion Searls (Dalkey Archive, 2015).
* ''Det er Ales'' (2004). ''Aliss at the Fire'', trans. Damion Searls (Dalkey Archive, 2010).
* '' Andvake'' (2007). ''Wakefulness''
* ''Kortare prosa'' (2011). ''Shorter Prose''
* '' Olavs draumar'' (2012). ''Olav's Dreams''
* '' Kveldsvævd'' (2014). ''Weariness''
*''Trilogien'' (2014). ''Trilogy'', trans. May-Brit Akerholt (Dalkey Archive, 2016). Compiles three novellas: ''Wakefulness'', ''Olav's Dreams'' and ''Weariness''.
* ''Det andre namnet - Septologien I-II'' (2019). ''The Other Name: Septology I-II'', trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2019).
*''Eg er ein annan - Septologien III-V'' (2020). ''I Is Another: Septology III-V'', trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2020).
*''Eit nytt namn - Septologien VI-VII'' (2021). ''A New Name: Septology VI-VII'', trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2021).
Compilations in Spanish and English
* ''Scenes from a Childhood'', trans. Damion Searls (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2018). Collects texts from various sources.
Trilogía 2018). Editorial De Conatus. Spanish edition.
Septología I. El otro nombre 2019)Editorial De Conatus. Septología II.El otro nombre 2020) Editorial De Conatus Septología III-IV. Yo es otro. 2022).Editorial De Conatus
Plays
* ''Nokon kjem til å komme'' (written in 1992–93; first produced in 1996). ''Someone Is Going to Come Home''
* ''Og aldri skal vi skiljast'' (1994). ''And We'll Never Be Parted''
* '' Namnet'' (1995). ''The Name''
* ''Barnet'' (1996). ''The Child''
* ''Mor og barn'' (1997). ''Mother and Child''
* ''Sonen'' (1997). ''The Son''
* '' Natta syng sine songar'' (1997). ''Nightsongs'', trans. Gregory Motton (2002).
* ''Gitarmannen'' (1999). ''The Guitar Man''
* ''Ein sommars dag'' (1999). ''A Summer's Day''
* '' Draum om hausten'' (1999). ''Dream of Autumn''
* ''Sov du vesle barnet mitt'' (2000). ''Sleep My Baby Sleep''
* '' Besøk'' (2000). ''Visits''
* ''Vinter'' (2000). ''Winter''
* ''Ettermiddag'' (2000). ''Afternoon''
* ''Vakkert'' (2001). ''Beautiful''
* ''Dødsvariasjonar'' (2001). ''Death Variations''
* ''Jenta i sofaen'' (2002). ''The Girl on the Sofa'', trans. David Harrower (2002).
* ''Lilla'' (2003). ''Lilac''
* ''Suzannah'' (2004)
* ''Dei døde hundane'' (2004). ''The Dead Dogs'', trans. May-Brit Akerholt (2014).
* ''Sa ka la'' (2004)
* ''Varmt'' (2005). ''Warm''
* ''Svevn'' (2005). ''Sleep''
* ''Rambuku'' (2006)
* ''Skuggar'' (2006). ''Shadows''
* '' Eg er vinden'' (2007). ''I Am the Wind'', trans. Simon Stephens (2012).
* ''Desse auga'' (2009). ''These Eyes''
Compilations in English
* ''Plays One'' (2002). Someone Is Going to Come Home; The Name; The Guitar Man; The Child
* ''Plays Two'' (2004). A Summer's Day; Dream of Autumn; Winter
* ''Plays Three'' (2004). Mother and Child; Sleep My Baby Sleep; Afternoon; Beautiful; Death Variations
* ''Plays Four'' (2005). And We’ll Never Be Parted; The Son; Visits; Meanwhile the lights go down and everything becomes black
* ''Plays Five'' (2011). Suzannah; Living Secretly; The Dead Dogs; A Red Butterfly's Wings; Warm; Telemakos; Sleep
* ''Plays Six'' (2014). Rambuku; Freedom; Over There; These Eyes; Girl in Yellow Raincoat; Christmas Tree Song; Sea
Poetry
* ''Engel med vatn i augene'' (1986)
* ''Hundens bevegelsar'' (1990)
* ''Hund og engel'' (1992)
* ''Dikt 1986–1992'' (1995). ''Revidert samleutgåve''
* ''Nye dikt 1991–1994'' (1997)
* ''Dikt 1986–2001'' (2001). ''Samla dikt. Lyrikklubben''
* ''Auge i vind'' (2003)
* ''Stein til stein'' (2013)
Compilations in English
* ''Poems'' (Shift Fox Press, 2014). Selection of poems, translated by May-Brit Akerholt.
Essays
* ''Frå telling via showing til writing'' (1989)
* ''Gnostiske essay'' (1999)
*''An Angel Walks Through the Stage and Other Essays'', trans. May-Brit Akerholt (Dalkey Archive, 2015).
Aschehoug Prize The Aschehoug Prize is published annually by the Norwegian publishing house Aschehoug. The Aschehoug Prize is awarded to Norwegian authors on the basis of the merit of a recent publication. It is awarded on merit, irrespective of the publisher, bas ...
* 1999
Dobloug Prize The Dobloug Prize ( sv, Doblougska priset, no, Doblougprisen) is a literature prize awarded for Swedish and Norwegian fiction. The prize is named after Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Birger Dobloug (1881–1944) pursuant to his bequest. T ...
* 2003
Norsk kulturråds ærespris
The Arts Council Norway Honorary Award ( no, Norsk kulturråds ærespris) is awarded annually by the Arts Council Norway. The prize is awarded annually to a person who has made a significant contribution to Norwegian art and culture. The priz ...
Ordre national du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite (; en, National Order of Merit) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's estab ...
of France (2003)
* 2005 Brage Prize
* 2005 Commander of the
Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
The (German Youth Literature Award) is an annual award established in 1956 by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth to recognise outstanding works of children's and young adult literature. It is Germany's only ...
European Prize for Literature
European Prize for Literature (Prix Européen de Littérature) is a European-wide literary award sponsored by the city of Strasbourg with support from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (France).Nordic Council Literature Prize
* Fosse Foundation (based in Strandebarm) is an organization dedicated to Fosse and his works. The building is located near Fosse's childhood home and a house belonging to his grandparents.
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...