Kjartan Fløgstad (born 7 June 1944) is a Norwegian

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

. Fløgstad was born in the industrial city of

Sauda Sauda ''()'' is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sauda, where most of the population lives. Other villages in the municipality include Saudasjøen and Amdal. Despite being i ...

Ryfylke Ryfylke is a traditional district in the northeastern part of Rogaland county, Norway. The district is located northeast of the city of Stavanger and east of the city of Haugesund and it encompasses about 60% of the county's area. It includes ...

, Rogaland. He studied literature and

linguistics Linguistics is the science, scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure ...

at 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 ...

. 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. He received the

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 his 1977 novel '' Dalen Portland'' (Dollar Road). Other major works include ''Fyr og flamme'' (Fire and Flame), ''Kron og mynt'', ''Grand Manila'' and ''Grense Jakobselv''.

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 shift workers in

heavy industry Heavy industry is an industry that involves one or more characteristics such as large and heavy products; large and heavy equipment and facilities (such as heavy equipment, large machine tools, huge buildings and large-scale infrastructure); o ...

to make themselves heard in their own language, and the author's Marxist viewpoint became apparent. In the 1970s he also wrote two crime novels using the two

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

s K. Villun and K. Villum. His major breakthrough came in 1977 with the novel ''Dalen Portland'' (Dollar Road); which was awarded the

. 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. 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 In sociology, the post-industrial society is the stage of society's development when the service sector generates more wealth than the manufacturing sector of the economy. The term was originated by Alain Touraine and is closely related to si ...

. Fløgstad's style of writing, as demonstrated in both fiction and non-fiction, is very characteristic; many puns,

allusions Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. It is left to the audience to make the direct connection. Where the connection is directly and explicitly stated (as ...

to other texts and to films and a mix of sociolects. He is one of the best-known authors associated with magic realism in Norway, and his overall realistic plots often 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 pseudonym K. Villum * ''Ein for alle'' (One for all) - Crime Novel (1976) - under the pseudonym 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 (1991) * ''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 Process) - (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) * ''Pyramiden, portrett av ein forlaten utopi'' - essays (2007) * ''Gi lyd. Tekstar 1968-2008.'' Selected works by

Agnes Ravatn Agnes Ravatn (born 8 February 1983, in Ølen) is a Norwegian novelist, columnist and journalist. She debuted in 2007 with the novel ''Veke 53'' ('Week 53'). Ravatn is a columnist and journalist for Nynorsk newspaper ''Dag og Tid''. A series of es ...

and Trygve Åslund (2008) * ''Nordaustpassasjen'' (Northward) - (2012) * ''Due og drone'' pigeon and drone"(2019)https://www.vg.no/rampelys/bok/i/8Q3RgQ/floegstad-satire-paa-speed. VG.no * ''Habeas Corpus'' - novel (2022)

Prizes

* Aschehougprisen 1975 * The Nordic Council's Literature Prize 1978, for ''Dalen Portland'' *

The Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature The Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature (''Den norske Kritikerprisen for litteratur'' or ''Kritikerprisen'') is awarded by the Norwegian Literature Critics' Association (''Norsk Litteraturkritikerlag'') and has been awarded every year since 1950. ...

1980, for ''Fyr and flamme'' * Melsom Prize 1981 *

Nynorsk Literature Prize The Nynorsk Literature Prize is awarded annually by Noregs Mållag, Det Norske Teatret and Det Norske Samlaget for the best book in either Nynorsk or dialect. The award is presented for the best novel, poetry, novellas, or drama in the past year. ...

1983, for ''U3'' * Stavanger Aftenblads kulturpris * Nynorsk (new Norwegian) litteraturpris 1986, for ''Det 7. klima'' * Gyldendals legacy 1991 * Doblougprisen 1997 * Brage Prize 1998, for ''Kron and mynt'' * Gyldendalprisen 1998 * Edvardprisen 2003 * Bernardo O'Higgins-ordenen, awarded by Chile's government in 2004 * The honorary Brage Prize, an open special award * Nynorsk User of the Year, 2005

External links

Kjartan Fløgstad

Council of Europe Cultural Article

References

* Translated from the Norwegian language Wikipedia at Kjartan Fløgstad. {{DEFAULTSORT:Flogstad, Kjartan 1944 births Living people 20th-century Norwegian novelists 21st-century Norwegian novelists University of Bergen alumni Nordic Council Literature Prize winners Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature winners Dobloug Prize winners Nynorsk-language writers Translators of Pablo Neruda People from Sauda