Norvik Press

[hdw]

I've copied this from a post by Neil Smith of Norvik Press on the translator David McDuff's blog "Nordic Voices in Translation (http://nordicvoices.blogspot.com/)".

Harry

Readers might be interested to know that Norvik Press is continuing its programme of publishing new English translations of Nordic classics, and has a number of works by authors listed in this post in the pipeline for future publication.

Recent or forthcoming translations include (year of publication given only for books not already available):

August Strindberg - The Red Room (tr. Peter Graves)
August Strindberg - The People of Hems? (tr. Peter Graves; 2010)
Arne Garborg - The Making of Daniel Braut (Bondestudentar, tr. Marie Wells)
Sigurd Hoel - A Fortnight Before the Frost (translated by Sverre Lyngstad; 2009)
Jonas Lie - The Family at Gilje (tr. Marie Wells; 2010)
Henry Parland - To Pieces (S?nder, tr. Dinah Cannell; 2010)
Hjalmar S?derberg - Aberrations (F?rvillelser, tr. Neil Smith; 2009)
Hjalmar S?derberg - Short Stories (tr. Carl Lofmark; new edn 2009)
Ragnhild J?lsen - Rikka Gan (tr. Katherine Hanson & Judith Messick; 2011)
Juhani Aho - The Railway (tr. Owen Witesman; 2011)

We will also be embarking upon a series of new translations of works by Selma Lagerl?f once the copyright on her work expires in 2011: current plans include translations of Herr Arnes penningar (tr. Sarah Death), En herrg?rdss?gen (tr. Neil Smith), L?wensk?ldska ringen I (tr. Linda Schenck; new edn) and Bannlyst (tr. Linda Schenck).

We are also already exploring the possibility of publishing translations of work by other authors mentioned here, but I'd hate to raise anyone's hopes until the details have been decided.

Details of all of these publications will be available on the Norvik Press website once current problems there have been resolved...

04 August 20

[Stewart]

August Strindberg - The Red Room (tr. Peter Graves)
I am thoroughly delighted to hear that this one is getting a new life. I always got the feeling, since it was mentioned so often in Klas Ostergren's Gentlemen, that it played a role. In the end I abandoned Ostergren, but was never able to find a copy of The Red Room, which I'd found myself interested in reading.

[Eric]

The Norvik Press is worth keeping an eye on for those who are seriously interested in Scandinavian literature, but don't (yet) have a reading knowledge of any of the Scandinavian languages.

Strindberg's "Red Room" belongs to several of his socio-critical or -satirical novels, including "Black Banners" and "The New Realm" as well. Strindberg is much better known for his plays, from "Miss Julie" to the later dreamlike ones. But his prose is worth reading if you want to get an impression, albeit Strindberg's rather one-sided one, of Swedish society in the 19th century.

Strindberg was incredibly multi-competent and also painted (not very well, in my opinion), dabbled in alchemy, and even wrote a Hebrew primer in old age, something which rather suggests he wasn't the anti-Semite some think he was. Also his misogyny was ambiguous. His several wives are, surely, a token of that.

Of the other authors mentioned, I note Juhani Aho (born: Johannes Brofeldt), a Finnish realist author (1861-1921). His novel translated and forthcoming is about the coming of the railways to Finland and a personal reaction to it.

I note the focus on Selma Lagerl?f, now she is coming out of copyright.