Against Art
ABOUT
THE BOOK
In contemporary Norwegian fiction Tomas Espedal’s work stands out as uniquely personal; it can be difficult to separate the fiction from Espedal’s own experiences. In that vein, his novel Against Art is not just the story of a boy growing up to be a writer, but it is also the story of writing. Specifically, it is about the profession of writing-the routines, responsibility, and obstacles. Yet, Against Art is also about being a father, a son, and a grandson; about a family and a family’s tales, and about how preceding generations mark their successors. It is at once about choices and changes, about motion and rest, about moving to a new place, and about living.
ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR James
Anderson
James Anderson’s literary translations from the Norwegian include Berlin Poplars by Anne B. Ragde, Nutmeg by Kristin Valla, and several books by Jostein Gaarder. For Seagull books, he has translated Tomas Espedal’s Tramp, Against Art, Against Nature and Bergeners and Thorvald Steen’s Lionheart, The Little Horse and The Invisible Library.
James Anderson’s literary translations from the Norwegian include Berlin Poplars by Anne B. Ragde, Nutmeg by Kristin Valla, and several books by Jostein Gaarder. For Seagull books, he has translated Tomas Espedal’s Tramp, Against Art, Against Nature and Bergeners and Thorvald Steen’s Lionheart, The Little Horse and The Invisible Library.
NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS
In this novel Tomas Espedal mixes fragments of his personal family history as a son and a father with moral and aesthetic reflections of being a writer.
A poetic book about lived life – beautifully written. Takes your breath away!