Books about Norway

Book 1: The Bridge Builders, written by Jan Guillou

Norwegian title: Brobyggerne
Style: historical novel
Especially interesting because: the description of how the railway between Bergen and Oslo was built around 1900.

Anne’s review:
‘I adored this book because of the insights in how it was to engineer the railway at that time, dealing with the harsh climate high up in the mountains. When you take the train nowadays, both the Bergensbanen (between Bergen and Oslo), and the Flåmsbanen (Flåm railway) it makes it all extra special to know what ordeal it was to create it.

This series, 7 books in total, is about humanity’s greatest, cruelest and bloodiest century starts in 1900 with three boys from a poor fishing village in Norway, and follows them and, in later books, their children to Germany, England, Africa and Sweden. It touches on ambitious engineering projects, colonialism in Africa, communities of artists, the world wars, underground resistance, espionage, nuclear threat and Vietnam protests.

Book 2: Dina’s book, written by Herbjørg Wassmo

Norwegian title: Dinas book
Style: historical novel
Especially interesting because: The impression of growing up in an isolated fishermen village in Norway around 1800.

Anne’s review:
‘I loved this book because it made me realize how different from nowadays it was to grow up then. The book/main character Dina is a little special, but that is how literature can be sometimes’.

Herbjørg Wassmo, winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize, is one of Scandinavia’s leading novelists and poets. She has written many good books.

Book 3: Growth of the Soil, written by Knut Hamson

Norwegian title: Markens Grøde
Style: historical novel
Especially interesting because: it follows the story of a man who settles and lives in rural Norway.

Anne’s review:
‘if you like literature then this is a classic book you have to read’.

Knut Hamsun was a major Norwegian writer, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920 for his book Growth of the Soil. Hamsun’s work spans more than 70 years and shows variation with regard to the subject, perspective and environment.

Book 4: Harry Hole thriller series, written by Jo Nesbø

Style: thriller, based in and around Oslo

Anne’s review:
‘All of Jo Nesbø’s thrillers about Harry Hole are worth reading’

Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian writer, musician, former economist and reporter. Jo Nesbø is one of the world’s bestselling crime writers, with The Leopard, Phantom, Police, The Son and his latest Harry Hole novel, The Thirst, all topping The Sunday Times bestseller charts. He’s an international number one bestseller and his books are published in 50 languages, selling over 33 million copies around the world.

While each book has its own storyline, if you are looking to read them all, this is the right order:

1. The Bat
2. Cockroaches
3. The Redbreast
4. Nemesis
5. The Devil’s Star
6. The Redeemer
7. The Snowman
8. The Leopard
9. Phantom
10. Police
11. The Thirst
12. Knife

Book 5: A Frog in the Fjord

Norwegian title: this book doesn’t have a Norwegian title
Style: charming and easy to ready memoir
Especially interesting because: it gives you various insights in Norwegians and their cultural background.

Anne’s review:
‘Reading this book was one big aha-experience for me. Lorelou wonders about the same things we also noticed after we had moved to Norway. Reading this book before coming to Norway will prepare you for understanding the Norwegians and their cultural background. And the book will make you laugh too!

Forbes Magazine described this book as one of the 5 most revealing books about Scandinavia, and specifically Norway. It’s a lighthearted memoir by Lorelou Desjardins in which she reflects on her first year as a French expat in Norway. With her humor and charm, she shares stories of adapting to Norwegian culture, from struggling with the language to embracing local traditions. A Frog in the Fjord is available on Amazon.

Other recommendations for books about Norway

Some of these books might also be available as e-Book or for Kindle:

• Gunnar Staalesen has written many novels and thrillers, from the area of Bergen
• Out Stealing Horses by Pet Petterson
• The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen
• Sigrid Undset: Trilogy about Kristin Lavransdatter, and life in the Middle Ages in Scandinavia