Lars Saabye Christensen
Encyclopedia
Lars Saabye Christensen, born 21 September 1953 in Oslo
, is a Norwegian
author.
Saabye Christensen was raised in the Skillebekk
neighbourhood of Oslo, but lived for many years in Sortland
in northern Norway; both places play a major role in his work. He currently lives in Blindern
, the university district of Oslo.
He is half Danish
and holds Danish rather than Norwegian citizenship.
for that year's best Norwegian literary début, but he had published a poem collection, titled Grønt lys (Green light), when he was 19 years old, and had also published many poems in an underground literary publication called Dikt og Datt.
He has written numerous poems and plays, and several film scripts, but is best known as a novelist. His first novel was published the year after Historien om Gly and titled Amatøren (The Amateur). Among his most noted works are the novels Beatles (1984) (for which he won the Cappelen Prize
) and Halvbroren (The Half Brother
, 2001) (for which he won the Brage Prize
, two other Norwegian literary awards, and The Nordic Council's Literature Prize
, and which was shortlisted for the 2005 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
). Other notable books by Saabye Christensen are Herman, Gutten Som Ville Være En Av Gutta, Maskeblomstfamilien
and Modellen.
Since 1993 he has issued 4 recordings of his poetry as a member of the band Norsk Utflukt: Med lyset på (1993), Diger og gul (1997), Det blå arret (2002) and Tida som går (2004).
On 24 October 2006 he was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. In April 2008 he was made a Chevalier dans L’ordre des Arts et Lettres
(Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature) by the French
Government.
He is a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
.
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, is a Norwegian
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...
author.
Saabye Christensen was raised in the Skillebekk
Skillebekk
Skillebekk is a neighbourhood of Oslo, Norway. It is located near Solli plass in the West End of Oslo, and is served by the station Skillebekk on the Skøyen Line. The name origins from Skillebekken, a brook between Bymarken and Frogner Hovedgård....
neighbourhood of Oslo, but lived for many years in Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
in northern Norway; both places play a major role in his work. He currently lives in Blindern
Blindern
Blindern is the main campus of the University of Oslo, located in Nordre Aker in Oslo, Norway.-The campus:Most of the departments of the University of Oslo are located at Blindern; other, smaller campuses include Sentrum , Gaustad , St...
, the university district of Oslo.
He is half Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and holds Danish rather than Norwegian citizenship.
Career
Saabye Christensen studied literature, Norwegian, art history and the history of ideas at university. He made his début in 1976 with a collection of poems entitled Historien om Gly, which won Tarjei Vesaas' debutantprisTarjei Vesaas' debutantpris
Tarjei Vesaas's debutantpris is a prize awarded annually for the best first literary work in Norwegian. It is awarded by the Norwegian Authors' Union, and the organisation's 9-member Literary Caucus constitutes the jury for the prize...
for that year's best Norwegian literary début, but he had published a poem collection, titled Grønt lys (Green light), when he was 19 years old, and had also published many poems in an underground literary publication called Dikt og Datt.
He has written numerous poems and plays, and several film scripts, but is best known as a novelist. His first novel was published the year after Historien om Gly and titled Amatøren (The Amateur). Among his most noted works are the novels Beatles (1984) (for which he won the Cappelen Prize
Cappelen Prize
The Cappelen Prize is a Norwegian literary award that is awarded each year by the Cappelen Damm publishing company. It was established in 1979, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the publishing house of Cappelen.-Laureates:...
) and Halvbroren (The Half Brother
The Half Brother
The Half Brother is a 2001 novel by the Norwegian writer Lars Saabye Christensen. The story follows a man who grows up in Oslo after World War II, with his mother, grandmother, great grandmother and half brother. The novel was published in Norwegian by Cappelen in 2001, and in English for the...
, 2001) (for which he won the Brage Prize
Brage Prize
The Brage Prize is a Norwegian literature prize that is awarded annually by the Norwegian Book Prize foundation...
, two other Norwegian literary awards, and The Nordic Council's Literature Prize
The Nordic Council's Literature Prize
The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth 350,000 Danish kroner...
, and which was shortlisted for the 2005 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC. At €100,000 it is one of the richest literary prizes in the world...
). Other notable books by Saabye Christensen are Herman, Gutten Som Ville Være En Av Gutta, Maskeblomstfamilien
Maskeblomstfamilien
Maskeblomstfamilien is a novel by the Norwegian author Lars Saabye Christensen. Maskeblomstfamilien was published in 2003 by Cappelen. The novel is about a troubled boy and his voyage to a total and certain downfall after his father dies young, and his mother consequently becomes mentally ill...
and Modellen.
Since 1993 he has issued 4 recordings of his poetry as a member of the band Norsk Utflukt: Med lyset på (1993), Diger og gul (1997), Det blå arret (2002) and Tida som går (2004).
On 24 October 2006 he was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. In April 2008 he was made a Chevalier dans L’ordre des Arts et Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
(Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature) by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Government.
He is a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
The Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature is a Norwegian learned body on matters pertaining to the Dano-Norwegian language. Its primary role is regulating the written standard known as Riksmål ....
.
Awards and prizes
- Tarjei Vesaas' debutantprisTarjei Vesaas' debutantprisTarjei Vesaas's debutantpris is a prize awarded annually for the best first literary work in Norwegian. It is awarded by the Norwegian Authors' Union, and the organisation's 9-member Literary Caucus constitutes the jury for the prize...
1976, for Historien om Gly - Cappelenprisen 1984
- Rivertonprisen 1987, for Sneglene
- Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature 1988, for Herman
- Sarpsborgprisen 1988
- Bokhandlerprisen 1990, for Bly
- Amandaprisen 1991
- Dobloug PrizeDobloug PrizeThe Dobloug Prize is a literature prize awarded for Swedish and Norwegian fiction. The prize is named after Norwegian businessman and philanthropist Birger Dobloug pursuant to his bequest. The prize sum is . The Dobloug Prize is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy.-Prize winners:...
1993 - Riksmålsforbundets litteraturpris 1997
- Sarpsborgprisen 1999
- Aamot-statuetten 2001
- Bokhandlerprisen 2001, for Halvbroren
- Brage PrizeBrage PrizeThe Brage Prize is a Norwegian literature prize that is awarded annually by the Norwegian Book Prize foundation...
2001, for Halvbroren - Den norske leserprisen 2001, for Halvbroren
- The Nordic Council's Literature PrizeThe Nordic Council's Literature PrizeThe Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth 350,000 Danish kroner...
2002, for Halvbroren - Shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary AwardInternational IMPAC Dublin Literary AwardThe International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is an international literary award for a work of fiction, jointly sponsored by the city of Dublin, Ireland and the company IMPAC. At €100,000 it is one of the richest literary prizes in the world...
in 2005 for Halvbroren - Chevalier dans L’ordre des Arts et LettresOrdre des Arts et des LettresThe Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
2008
External links
- Lars Saabye Christensen at Cappelen DammCappelen DammCappelen Damm is a Norwegian publisher established in 2007. It is the result of the merger of J.W. Cappelens Forlag, founded in 1829, and N.W. Damm & Søn, founded in 1843. Cappelen Damm is owned by the Bonnier Group and Egmont....
publishers - http://ask.bibsys.no/ask/action/result?cmd=&kilde=biblio&cql=((forfatter+%3D+%22christensen%2C+lars+saabye%3F%22)+AND+((form+%3D+%22n%22)+AND+(innhold+%3D+%22v%22)))+AND+((((((((((aar+%3D+%221990%22)+OR+(aar+%3D+%221991%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221992%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221993%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221994%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221995%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221996%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221997%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221998%22))+OR+(aar+%3D+%221999%22))+Works by Lars Saabye Christensen] digitalised at National Library of Norway
- Christensen, Lars Saabye at NRK Forfatter
- Christensen, Lars Saabye at DagbladetDagbladetDagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
Litteratur - Christensen Lars Saabye at AftenpostenAftenpostenAftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
Litteratur Forfatterindeks