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Interviews | February 14, 2012

Jill Owens: IMG Stephen Dau: The Powells.com Interview

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Stephen DauStephen Dau's The Book of Jonas is a marvelous, lyrical debut that examines the effects of war on everyone involved. Dau weaves together the stories... Continue »
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eBook editions

The Fish Can Sing (Vintage International)

by Halldor Laxness

The Fish Can Sing (Vintage International) Cover

ISBN13: 9780307386052
ISBN10: 0307386058
All Product Details

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The Fish Can Sing is one of Nobel Prize winner Halldór Laxnesss most beloved novels, a poignant coming-of-age tale marked with his peculiar blend of light irony and dark humor.

The orphan Alfgrimur has spent an idyllic childhood sheltered in the simple turf cottage of a generous and eccentric elderly couple. Alfgrimur dreams only of becoming a fisherman like his adoptive grandfather, until he meets Iceland's biggest celebrity. The opera singer Gardar Holms international fame is a source of tremendous pride to tiny, insecure Iceland, though no one there has ever heard him sing. A mysterious man who mostly avoids his homeland and repeatedly fails to perform for his adoring countrymen, Gardar takes a particular interest in Alfgrimurs budding musical talent and urges him to seek out the world beyond the one he knows and loves. But as Alfgrimur discovers that Gardar is not what he seems, he begins to confront the challenge of finding his own path without turning his back on where he came from.

Synopsis:

A sort of Icelandic "Great Gatsby," this beloved gem of a coming-of-age novelis one of Nobel Prize-winning author Laxnesss most accessible. 12,500print.
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About the Author

Halldor Laxness was born near Reykjavik, Iceland, in 1902. His first novel was published when he was seventeen. The undisputed master of contemporary Icelandic fiction, and one of the outstanding novelists of the century, he wrote more than sixty books, including novels, short stories, essays, poems, plays, and memoirs. In 1955 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Laxness died in Iceland in 1998.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
dktrfz, December 16, 2007 (view all comments by dktrfz)
The most delightful of all Laxness' novels, The Fish Can Sing is a charming story of a boy's journey to manhood set in Reykjavík in the early twentieth century. It is full of Pickwickian characters and situations, with almost every paragraph containing the author's magnificent writing and insightful observations. A must for those interested in Iceland, a great introduction to Laxness, and a joy for everyone.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780307386052
Author:
Laxness, Halldor
Publisher:
Vintage Books USA
Translator:
Magnusson, Magnus
Introduction by:
Smiley, Jane
Introduction:
Smiley, Jane
Author:
Halldor Laxness Introduction by Jane Smiley
Author:
translated by Magnus Magnusson
Author:
Smiley, Jane
Author:
Halldor Laxness
Subject:
Literary
Subject:
Abandoned children
Subject:
Iceland
Subject:
Psychological fiction
Subject:
Abandoned children - Iceland
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Copyright:
2008
Edition Description:
Paperback
Series:
Vintage International
Publication Date:
20080231
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
MAP
Pages:
272
Dimensions:
8.02x5.52x.63 in. .44 lbs.
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The Fish Can Sing (Vintage International) New Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$15.00 In Stock
Product details 272 pages Vintage Books USA - English 9780307386052 Reviews:
"Synopsis" by , A sort of Icelandic "Great Gatsby," this beloved gem of a coming-of-age novelis one of Nobel Prize-winning author Laxnesss most accessible. 12,500print.
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