Herbjørg Wassmo
( 1942 - )
Receiver of the Nordic Council's Prize 1987
Herbjørg Wassmo (born 1942) has earned her position and popularity in Norway and abroad through her ability as a powerful storyteller with a special care for the exposed and vulnerable characters. She made her début in 1976 with a collection of poetry. Her breakthrough came with the first novel about Tora, The House with the Blind Glass Windows (Huset med den blinde glassveranda) 1981, followed by two volumes forming the famous Tora Trilogy. These books contribute to a Norwegian realistic tradition about the coming of age of the unusual and artistic child. The voice of Mrs. Wassmo has a poetic and evocative power, taking the reader very close to the disintegration of the small human being and her fight for dignity.
Dina’s Book (1989) is a widescreen novel from the middle of the 19th century, and the location is the coast line of Northern Norway. A dramatic accident in Dina’s early life follows her for ever and she becomes a woman who challenges, astounds and bewitches her surroundings. In 1992 followed Dina’s Son (Lykkens sønn) and in 1997 Karna’s Legacy (Karnas arv), forming The Dina Trilogy.
The collection of short stories Journeys (Reiser) was published in 1995 and in 2000 came The Seventh Meeting (Det sjuende møte) where the reader is confronted with an artist’s mind and experiences.
Most recent publications are:
Running from Frank (Flukten fra Frank) 2003, A Glass of Milk (Et glass melk takk) 2006, Hundred Years (Hundre år) was published in 2009, a novel about Herbjørg Wassmo's great grandmother, grandmother and mother, a tale of their toil and deprivation, of liberty and their longing for another existence.
Literary Prizes:
2011: Ordre National des Arts et Lettres
2010: The Norwegian Publisher’s Association’s Honorable Brage Prize
2007: Order of St Olav, Knight, First Class
2004: Eeva Joenpelto’s International Prize
2001: The Norwegian Readers’ Prize (The Norwegian book club)
1998: The Jean Monnét- Prize (France)
1997: The Amalie Skram Prize
1997: The Book Club 12 Books’ Prize (Denmark)
1996: Author in residence - the Bergen International Festival
1991: The Gyldendal legacy
1990: Best book of the 1980’s - Awarded by the Norwegian Booksellers’ Association (Dina’s Book)
1987: The Nordic Literary Council’s Prize
1986: The Nordland County’s Cultural Prize
1984: The Documentay book Prize /Gyldendal
1983: The Booksellers’ Prize
1981: The Literary Critics’ Prize
Selected Bibliography:
A Glass of Milk Please (2006)
Running from Frank (2003)
The Seventh Meeting (2000)
The Dina trilogy:Karna´s Legacy (1997), Dina´s Son (1992), Dina´s Book (1989)
Journeys. Four stories (1995)
The Tora trilogy: The House with the Blind Glass Windows (1981), The Silent Room (1983), Raw Sky (1986)
