In my desire to read a Norwegian book once in a while to maintain my language skills, I recently read the first book in the six-book autobiographical series, Min kamp (My Struggle) by Karl Ove Knausgård. Interestingly, it wasn’t my choice, but the pick for my book club here in Los Angeles. I don’t even know if the woman who suggested it knew that I was Norwegian. Knausgård and his work had been in the book news a lot recently in conjunction with his US tour for the release of the English translation of his third book. Knausgård’s first book was suggested in hopes that it would be a little more serious and discussion-worthy than some of our more recent reads.

The timing worked out perfectly because I was right in the middle of trying to decide what Norwegian book to read next in anticipation of my upcoming trip to Norway. Last year I read the first of the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbø. This year I was looking for something new. A cousin in Norway had suggested Knausgård’s Min kamp last year when I put out a request for suggestions for my next Norwegian read so it was on my list, but I didn’t know if I was ready to read it yet. I had the impression it would be a long, heavy read about someon’s life I wasn’t necessarily very interested in.

The book turned out to be much more engaging than I expected.  Continue reading →