silence_in_october_grondahl
2002 Nominated

Silence in October

artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

After 18 years of marriage, the narrator’s wife has left home. Astrid’s departure causes her art-historian husband to reassess and question his whole existence: not just his relationship with Astrid, but with their children, friends, his previous lovers, his work and perhaps most significantly himself. Moment by moment, in the silence of their Copenhagen apartment, the puzzle of his life takes shape. Grøndahl explores with great subtlety the secret, unpredictable connections between men and women.

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Jens
Christian Gröndahl

ABOUT
THE TRANSLATOR Anne
Born

Anne Rosemary Cookes (1924 – 2011) was born in south London on 9 July 1924. She joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry during the Second World War, and taught Morse code at the SOE at Grendon Underwood, Bucks, where she met Povl Born, a Danish air force pilot. In 1946 they married and moved to Copenhagen, where she studied English literature at the university. She became fluent in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.

She began writing poetry and, at the same time, began translating Scandinavian writers into English, such as Hans Christian Andersen, Karen Blixen, Jens Christian Grøndahl, Per Petterson, Michael Larsen, Janne Teller, Stig Holmas, Carsten Jensen, Sissel Lie, Henrik Stangerup, and Knud Hjortø.

In the 1980s, she moved to Salcombe, Devon, where she wrote books on local history. She founded the poetry publisher Overstep Books in 1992, and ran it until 2008.

Anne Rosemary Cookes (1924 – 2011) was born in south London on 9 July 1924. She joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry during the Second World War, and taught Morse code at the SOE at Grendon Underwood, Bucks, where she met Povl Born, a Danish air force pilot. In 1946 they married and moved to Copenhagen, where she studied English literature at the university. She became fluent in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish.

She began writing poetry and, at the same time, began translating Scandinavian writers into English, such as Hans Christian Andersen, Karen Blixen, Jens Christian Grøndahl, Per Petterson, Michael Larsen, Janne Teller, Stig Holmas, Carsten Jensen, Sissel Lie, Henrik Stangerup, and Knud Hjortø.

In the 1980s, she moved to Salcombe, Devon, where she wrote books on local history. She founded the poetry publisher Overstep Books in 1992, and ran it until 2008.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
Denmark
Original Language
Danish
Publisher
Canongate Books
Translator
Anne Born

RELATED FEATURES

News May 21 2026

2026 Dublin Literary Award Winner Revealed

Discover this year's winner!
Video May 16 2026

Brigitte Giraud – Live Fast Q&A

Q&A Session with 2026 Dublin Literary Award shortlisted author Brigitte Giraud, author of Live Fast, exploring the inspirations behind her novel.
Video May 12 2026

Laurent Binet – Perspective(s) Q&A

Check out our Q&A with Laurent Binet, author of shortlisted title Perspective(s), as he discusses the inspirations behind his work and reflects on the role libraries have played in shaping his journey
Video May 8 2026

Ali Smith – Gliff Q&A

Shortlisted author Ali Smith discusses the creative inspirations behind Gliff and reflects on the significance of libraries throughout her reading and writing life in our latest Q&A.

STAY CONNECTED

Stay in touch and sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates on the Dublin Literary Award.