Against Nature
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. Against Nature, a companion volume to Espedal’s earlier Against Art, is an examination of factory work, love’s labor, and the work of writing. Espedal dwells on the notion that working is required in order to live in compliance with society, but is this natural? And how can it be natural when he is drawn toward impossible things-impossible love, books, myths, and taboos? He is drawn into the stories of Abélard and Héloïse, of young Marguerite Duras and her Chinese lover, and soon realizes that he, too, is turning into a person who must choose to live against nature.
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
The author dwells on the notion that working is required in order to live in compliance with society, but is this natural? And how can it be natural when he is drawn toward impossible things – impossible love, books, myths and taboos? In the end he has to choose to live against nature.