Knut Ødegård
Encyclopedia
Knut Ødegård is a Norwegian
writer
.
Born in Molde
, Norway, Ødegård made his poetic debut in 1967. Since then he has published many volumes of poetry, two novels for young adults, two books about Iceland
, a play, and several reinterpretations. His own works are translated into 27 languages (2010), among these five separate collections in English.
He was the founder and president of the Bjørnson Festival
, a Norwegian literature
festival held in homage to Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
, for a decade. Ødegård is now the president of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson-Akademiet, The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression
.
He shares his time between a home in Molde and another in Reykjavík
, Iceland.
in Norway.
In 2009 he was knighted by Cardinal Foley as a member of the Vatican Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Born in Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
, Norway, Ødegård made his poetic debut in 1967. Since then he has published many volumes of poetry, two novels for young adults, two books about Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, a play, and several reinterpretations. His own works are translated into 27 languages (2010), among these five separate collections in English.
He was the founder and president of the Bjørnson Festival
Bjørnson Festival
The Bjørnson Festival of international literature is held in Molde and Nesset, Norway, every August since 1992, and is named in honour of the Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson ....
, a Norwegian literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
festival held in homage to Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
, for a decade. Ødegård is now the president of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson-Akademiet, The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression
The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression
The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression is a Norwegian institution, founded in 2003, and also called Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson-Akademiet. Its objective is to promote understanding of cultures other than our own and for literary free speech...
.
He shares his time between a home in Molde and another in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland.
Selected works
- 1982: Wind over Romsdal, poems, translated by George JohnstonGeorge Benson JohnstonGeorge Benson Johnston was a Canadian poet , translator, and academic "best known for lyric poetry that delineates with good-humoured wisdom the pleasures and pains of suburban family life." He also had an international reputation as a scholar and translator of the Icelandic Sagas.-Life:Johnston...
. - 1989: *Bee-Buzz, Salmon Leap (1989), poems, translated by George JohnstonGeorge Benson JohnstonGeorge Benson Johnston was a Canadian poet , translator, and academic "best known for lyric poetry that delineates with good-humoured wisdom the pleasures and pains of suburban family life." He also had an international reputation as a scholar and translator of the Icelandic Sagas.-Life:Johnston...
. - 2002: Missa, poems, translated by Brian McNeil
- 2005: Judas Iscariot and Other Poems, translated by Brian McNeil
- 2009: "Selected Poems", translated by Brian McNeil
Titles and honours
Ødegård is appointed a Norwegian State Scholar and he has received many prizes and awards for his literary work. The president of Iceland appointed him a Knight Commander of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon in 1995, and he was made a Knight of the Norwegian Order of Merit in 1997 – the same year he became the consul general for the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
in Norway.
In 2009 he was knighted by Cardinal Foley as a member of the Vatican Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.