Herbjørg Wassmo

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 Herbjørg 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.