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Original Essays | April 29, 2013
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More copies of this ISBNIn the Wakeby Per Petterson
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In the Wake is the first novel by Norwegian author Per Petterson to appear in the U.S., but hopefully not the last. It is the story of Arvid, an alcoholic not-quite-former writer struggling with the sudden death of most of his family. Arvid's memories unfurl in accidents and mysteries, revealing his search both for his place in the world and the place he may have had in his father's heart. Petterson is definitely an author to watch. Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:When Arvid Jansen comes-to one morning in the doorway of a bookstore in Oslo, Norway, his grief comes back to him in devastating flashes: His parents and his brothers are dead, he has lost touch with his wife and daughters, abandoned his career as a writer and bookseller. His old life is gone.
In the Wake is the story of Arvid's first steps toward resuming that life, of his gradual confrontation with everything he lost and ultimately with his own role in the disaster that killed his family. Told with the insight and moral force of his countryman Knut Hamsun, In the Wake is the American debut of a treasured European writer. Review:"In his impressive American debut, veteran Norwegian novelist Petterson chronicles Arvid Jansen's breakdown in the six years since his parents and brother were killed in a ferry accident (modeled after the 1994 sinking of the MS Estonia). Arvid wanders around Oslo and through the Norwegian countryside, sifting through memories of his stern, ultracompetent father and nursing an infatuation with his attractive neighbor, Mrs. Grinde. After Arvid's architect brother attempts suicide, Arvid tries to reconnect with him and pull them both out of the abyss. Despite the gloomy subject matter, Arvid is a witty, self-deprecating narrator who fought with his family while they were alive and misses them terribly now that they're gone. This novel won several literary prizes in Europe, where the Estonia disaster is well known. The events may not feel as immediate to American readers, but many will find Arvid's path of loss and redemption affecting nonetheless." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Review:"A profound novel. Masterfully written...both timely and timeless. A beautifully enlightening treatise on grief and identity disguised as a novel. Highly recommended." Library Journal
Review:"This is as fine a portrayal of the course of heartache and renewal as any in recent memory." Booklist (Starred Review)
Synopsis:When Arvid Jansen comes-to one morning in the doorway of a bookstore in Oslo, Norway, his grief comes back to him in devastating flashes: His parents and his brothers are dead, he has lost touch with his wife and daughters, abandoned his career as a writer and bookseller. His old life is gone.
In the Wake is the story of Arvid's first steps toward resuming that life, of his gradual confrontation with everything he lost and ultimately with his own role in the disaster that killed his family.
Told with the insight and moral force of his countryman Knut Hamsun, In the Wake is the American debut of a treasured European writer. About the AuthorPer Petterson was a librarian and bookseller before publishing his first book in 1987. In the Wake is the first of his novels to be published in the U.S. Out Stealing Horses, his second novel, as published by Graywolf Press in June 2007 and became a surprise bestseller. He lives in Oslo, Norway.
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