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Knut Hamsun was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, who, because of his Nazi sympathies during WWII, was almost completely wiped from the literary landscape. Fortunately for us (but this is still being debated!) many of his works are now available in English, superbly translated by Sverre Lyngstad. Other translations pale in comparison, and many (the Bly in particular) are clumsy; some even omit entire passages of Hamsun's work. Victoria is rapturous and crushing in its telling of the love between a poor Norwegian man and the daughter in a shabby genteel family. Then again, what sort of love finds itself doomed by the issue of class? Well, that's a different debate...