Roy Jacobsen
Encyclopedia
Roy Jacobsen is a Norwegian
novelist and short-story
writer. Born in Oslo
, he made his publishing début in 1982 with the short-story collection Fangeliv (Prison Life), which won Tarjei Vesaas' debutantpris
. He is winner of the prestigious Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature
and two of his novels have been nominated for the Nordic Council's Literature Prize
: Seierherrene (The Conquerors) in 1991 and Frost in 2004. The Burnt-Out Town of Miracles was published in Britain
in 2008. Jacobsen lives in Oslo
.
in the Northern Norwegian county Nordland
, and both the background of his mother as well as his own upbringing in Groruddalen were central themes of his breakthrough novel Seierherrene from 1991. This novel has described perhaps more directly than any other Norwegian work of fiction to the Norwegian public a phenomenon known in Norwegian culture as "the great class journey" – the upward motion through social strata experienced by large segments of the Norwegian population during a few generations in the 20th century. From the perspective of one family and spanning two generations the living conditions of the common man in Norway during the past 80 years is depicted, showing the tremendous pace with which an agrarian and proletarian society with its inherently rigid framework was transformed into a post-industrial, technological education and welfare society with a plethora of opportunities, however also presenting a newly created sense of identity for many of its citizens. Having proved himself in this fashion, Jacobsen became a natural choice as the biographer of Trygve Bratteli
, the former Labour Party
prime minister (1995).
He is a member of the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature
.
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...
novelist and short-story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer. Born in Oslo
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...
, he made his publishing début in 1982 with the short-story collection Fangeliv (Prison Life), which won Tarjei Vesaas' debutantpris
Tarjei 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...
. He is winner of the prestigious Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature
The Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature
The Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature is awarded by the Norwegian Literature Critics' Association and has been awarded every year since 1950...
and two of his novels have been nominated for 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...
: Seierherrene (The Conquerors) in 1991 and Frost in 2004. The Burnt-Out Town of Miracles was published in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2008. Jacobsen lives in Oslo
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...
.
Early life - and authorship
Roy Jacobsen grew up in a suburb of Oslo located in the Groruddalen valley. He held a number of occupations, even subsequent to his debut as a novelist in 1982. Since 1990 he has been a full-time author. During the years 1979 - 1986 he lived at his mother's homestead at Solfjellsjøen in the municipality DønnaDønna
Dønna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region.Outer Helgeland, consists of the municipalities Leirfjord, Alstahaug, Herøy as well as Dønna. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Solfjellsjøen. The municipality has a large...
in the Northern Norwegian county Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
, and both the background of his mother as well as his own upbringing in Groruddalen were central themes of his breakthrough novel Seierherrene from 1991. This novel has described perhaps more directly than any other Norwegian work of fiction to the Norwegian public a phenomenon known in Norwegian culture as "the great class journey" – the upward motion through social strata experienced by large segments of the Norwegian population during a few generations in the 20th century. From the perspective of one family and spanning two generations the living conditions of the common man in Norway during the past 80 years is depicted, showing the tremendous pace with which an agrarian and proletarian society with its inherently rigid framework was transformed into a post-industrial, technological education and welfare society with a plethora of opportunities, however also presenting a newly created sense of identity for many of its citizens. Having proved himself in this fashion, Jacobsen became a natural choice as the biographer of Trygve Bratteli
Trygve Bratteli
was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party and Prime Minister of Norway in 1971–1972 and 1973–1976.-Early life and career:...
, the former Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
prime minister (1995).
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 ....
.
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...
1982, for Fangeliv - Cappelenprisen 1987
- Notabeneprisen 1988
- KritikerprisenThe Norwegian Critics Prize for LiteratureThe Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature is awarded by the Norwegian Literature Critics' Association and has been awarded every year since 1950...
1989, for Det kan komme noen - Bokhandlerprisen 1991, for Seierherrene
- Scheiblers legat 1991
- Ivar Lo-prisen 1994
- Oslo bys kunstnerpris 1994
- Riksmålsforbundets litteraturpris 2003
- Gyldendalprisen 2005
- Ungdommens kritikerpris 2006