Tarjei Vesaas Books

This is a beautiful tale. It takes a little getting used to at first because the prose is somewhat stilted and obscure...and then you are taken in, and the characters and beauty and tragedy all unfold. A classic.

This short book is about Mattis, a bit of a simpleton that lives out in the woods with his sister; Hege. They've lived this way for many a year and they are both in their 40's by now. Mattis has a hard time getting a job and getting along with others in their modernizing society of rural Norway. Then one day a big bird flies over Mattis' cabin, and he knows in his contemplative mind that "everything is going to change now, the bird didn't fly over my house for no reason". And bit by bit we get to know Mattis and Hege, and their life in the small cabin of the woods.

The book is just great, and it should not be read as a novel that glorifies simpletons, but simply a book that asks us to slow down and find that we as Europeans are still a part of an omnipotent nature. We are surrounded by so much marvel, we need a "simpleton" like Mattis to remind us that we are a part of the great whole. Highly recommended!

(I read a different edition of the book)

This is one of the greatest novels I have ever read in my life. It is deeply human. It tells a simple story of a man and his sister living in the wilderness of Norway. The man is somewhat of a simpleton -- but he is sensitive and reflective all the same. His sister is lonely...until a woodsman comes....
This is a classic tale, and I loved every word.

A masterpiece of Norwegian literature. It's an exploration of the boundaries between madness and "normality", and the story of a young man's sacrifice on the altar of common sense and social unwritten rules. How much reality can we stand before loosing our mind? And how much nature, with its power that dances on our fears and on our weaknesses. It would be a great book to read in the language it was written: a bodily and full consistent Telemark dialect. Something goes lost in the traslation, though it couldn't have been otherwise and the trans-cultural re-codificatoion must have been a hard work. I suggest this book to everybody, especially to those who sometimes ask themselves questions about life.

This book is so tender and sensitive that I could not read more than a few pages in one sitting. It is very simple and easy to read at the same time, but it is important to be concentrated when reading it or else the beauty might be lost.
I have read this book twice now, and I am sure I will read it many more times in my life. I can not say that about any other book.

This is one of Vesaas' last books, and quite well-known in literary circles, both in Norway and abroad. The book spins around two girls living in rural Norway in their eleventh winter. One of the girls has just moved to the tiny village, and instantly forms a bond of friendship with the leader of the pack of children at their school; the other girl. Then something sad happens that I won't reveal. The tale spins around these happenings: the struggle against the dark forces of the human mind, and the experience of growing up. The tale is a short read, and is Vesaas at his most typical style of writing. I really enjoy this book, and I've read it several times.

So if you want to get to know one of Norway's greatest authors, almost up there at Knut Hamsun's level, then this would be a great place to start. The author died in 1970, but his anti-modern thought was quite present in most of his books, although an annoying streak of pacifism and humanism is present in some of his works. But this is not one of those books, so no reason to avoid this great read from the winter nights of rural Norway.

(I read a different edition of the book)

Vesaas's book is beautiful.

His style is experimental and modern, which means that he presents information in a slightly elliptical way, perhaps one that more closely echoes the motions of actual consciousness. This means that you may have to read the same passage two or three times: there are very few topic sentences introducing clearly defined paragraphs. Luckily, his vocabulary is pitch-perfect: small words, chosen for precision rather than pretence.

A novel has two major compenents, one being the social background of the story and the other being the story itself. The background is crystalline and very, very Norwegian: a harsh climate; reserved, good people; an aura of isolation that may only come from years of cold. The story itself turns on a secret and a promise, and the young girl Siss's reaction to them: not a secret like those in Babysitters' Club books, nor like the secrets in a spy novel: but a compelling one, an all-encompassing one, one that drives people in a way that doesn't make sense in a wholly rational world and yet drives them all the same. I won't say more.

Highly recommended. Oh-- and read it quickly. Like, perhaps, Faulkner (though not as difficult), you'll lose track of what's going on if you take too much time between readings.

It is a beautiful piece of poetic prose. The innocent and simple story of two girls and their budding friendship broken by death is at the same time intense and calm. The descriptions of the surroundings, the ice palace at the waterfall, which claims Unn, together with the thoughts of Siss, create the Nordic climate, make the reader breathe the cold air, and show the world as a complicated and unyielding entity, strange for a little girl, hard to understand. Yet Siss understands somehow, her world gets in order and all the events have their place.
Only a poet can use words in such a beautiful fashion. This book was a sensual delight. Probably a great bonus is the translation, must have been not a trivial task!

One of the most beautiful books ever written. You are not literate before you have read this book.

A beautiful book. The imagery is lovely, and I got hooked when one of the characters actually wanders into the ice palace. The descriptions of the light, and the interplay of the changing colors and shapes of the ice were mesmerizing--I stayed up late and couldn't go to bed. And in the morning it seemed it should be all ice outside instead of the height of summer. Tremendously atmospheric, simply splendid. The first book in about six months to make it straight to my read-again shelf. And short--a quick read if you're busy.

Many of the poems could be mentioned but one in particular seems worthy of note. "Outside the Wind Whispers" is the poem I have chosen to write about because I think it reveals an interesting aspect of Vesaas's poetry. Forgive my taking the liberty of quoting from page 35 of the paperback version of Through Naked Branches:

Inklings of the storm,

of the heavy trembling,

are surely what drive

us together.

Inklings of loneliness,

of a creeping frost,

an imminent fall,

a futile cry.--

[The formatting of the poetry might be lost. I have double spaced the lines hoping that they maintain the proper format. When I didn't double space them, they flowed together as one long line.]

This final stanza of "Outside the Wind Whispers" seems to me to describe the sensation of much of Vesaas's poetry. He often describes awesome and magnificent aspects of nature and contrasts these with a sensation of emptiness or spaciousness. He attributes human characteristics to nature and creates a feeling of humanity overwhelmed, or humanity buffeted by forces it cannot control.

the previous reviewers have not mentioned "From the Stoop." this poem is about dusk's arrival. it is one of many in the collection that refreshingly infuses a typical daily experience or event with a new and emphatic significance. in a sense, the reader must pause and remember to reconsider the dramatic effect of that which she sees every day in nature. "Rain in Hiroshima" on the other hand, describes an unnatural event which had, and continues to have, a huge impact on the world, which is very different than that of dusk's approach. however, the two poems are written with a similar wondering and melancholic intensity.

I would like to quote the poetry to show you the grace and power of the language, but I am not sure if that is permitted.

I enjoyed Miss Haversham's review, but I must point out that you don't have to be a contortionist to enjoy this book!! She hit the nail on the head regarding the highlights of the book's content, but she did make a few errors that I cannot resist correcting. The paperback version of the book is almost 200 pages, not 150 pages. The poetry is translated from Norwegian into English and not the other way around.

I too enjoyed the poem entitled "The Small Rodents," but I was more impressed by such poems as "The Loon Heads North" and "The Horse." The poetry is mysterious, moving and quite varied in theme.

Bravo to Miss Haversham for reviewing this book first and pointing out its many interesting aspects!

A friend recommended this book to me, because he knows that I am an avid poetry reader and that I have spent many years studying Norwegian culture. I am a discriminating northernist who typically spends the short winter days reading long books. Of course, I had heard of the well known poet, Tarjei Vesaas, but because my Norwegian is rather rusty I needed to read it in translation. I was not aware until recently that Amazon carried such a good translation of his work.

This 200 page collection is quite fine. Some of the poetry is evocative of the rural north and its stillness. However, I will not try to explain the poetry, but will leave it to you to read translator Roger Greenwald's introductory essay which explains these poems with remarkable clarity.

I highly recommend this book.

Have you ever wondered what happens to small field animals during the winter? If so, you must read this book. Not only will you discover the answer to this question, but you will learn other things while you enjoy some completely unpretentious, beautiful poetry.

This book can best be described as a "total experience."

What do I mean by this?

Well, first, you will be able to read a very engaging and clearly written scholarly essay on Vesaas's poetry. Second, the poems are translated into Norwegian and that means you will learn a little about the way that language looks and feels. Third, you will read an appendix, which is a collage of Vesaas's life culled from various sources, but expressed in his own words.

He was born in 1897 on a farm. The collage describes various life experiences and situations in which Vesaas found himself. As you read the collage you will feel like you know him very well, and you will wish to know him better. And you will know him better, because you can read the rich poetry and discover more about his experience of his/our world.

An interesting aspect of this book is that the overall presentation and content is like a collage. Because its approximately 150 pages contain so many different ideas, so much information and so many lovely poems it can be read in any direction. By this I mean that you can read poems first, then the intro, then the collage. Alternatively, you can reverse this order, or you can flip from here to there reading bits and pieces from each section. Any direction in which you choose to read this book you will have a very enjoyable experience, because it is just plain GOOD.

Don't be scared because the poetry is translated into English from another language. The words flow as clearly as if they hadn't been translated at all.

Even the cover art is good.

Depicted in early twentieth century rural Norway, this novel is perhaps the most sympathetic and sensitive depiction of a farmer's life that I have read.

Even as a young farm boy our central character, Per, has a life as deeply rooted to the soil as a tree is to the Earth. While other people travel freely from place to place, the routine chores and immeasurable demands of the farm preclude lackadaisical outings. Isolation is measured in the paucity of folks he meets, beyond the odd tramp who wanders by in hopes of spending the night in the hayloft. Reconciling the contradictions of farm life pits Per conscientiously against his father. If dad is so good to animals, as everyone says, how can he so summarily slaughter them? Vessas poignantly lays bare the harsh realities of life and death in the country. Most of us have no contact with the animals we eat, other than jockeing shiny carts through sterile aisles, choosing from the wide assortment of choice cuts, wrapped in their neat cellophane packaging. What it must be like to be affectionately nuzzled by the very creature that will the next day be served up to us on a dinner platter. To Per as a mature adult, the act of killing is always dreaded and pushed-off; it is an act born with a solemn sense of responsiblity---not with a cavalier flippancy, or as a sort of macabre sport!


Beyond a rather condescending suburban attitude I held as a youth that demoted farm culture to the lowest tier, Per's struggles allowed me to empathize with a way of life that was largely foreign and misunderstood by me. It is ironic that we are so removed from a rural heritage that a little more than a century ago most of us found hope and comfort in.

For further information about Tarjei Vesaas see: 'Columbia Dictionary of Modern European Literature' (Second Edition) pgs. 848-849

This is possibly Vesaas' main work, and at least among his 5 best tales. The book is about Per, the farm he is born on, and everything that comes from that. It is simply put the classic European tale of pre-modern rural life. The family is large; their lives revolve around the different seasons and not much decadence at all is to be found. You could call this an epic tale, since it spans Per's entire life; from childhood to old age. He has no desire to take over the farm from his father, but as the time passes by, he realizes that he too is part of the great cycle, hence the title. I can't recommend this enough; the only annoying part I can think of is the fact that I'm unsure if the follow-up novel has been translated to English. Although, don't let that be any reason to keep you away from this book, because if you want to read one of the North's greatest author at his best, then this is the place to start. Two thumbs up!

(I read a different edition of the book)

This is possibly Vesaas' main work, and at least among his 5 best tales. The book is about Per, the farm he is born on, and everything that comes from that. It is simply put the classic European tale of pre-modern rural life. The family is large; their lives revolve around the different seasons and not much decadence at all is to be found. You could call this an epic tale, since it spans Per's entire life; from childhood to old age. He has no desire to take over the farm from his father, but as the time passes by, he realizes that he too is part of the great cycle, hence the title. I can't recommend this enough; the only annoying part I can think of is the fact that I'm unsure if the follow-up novel has been translated to English. Although, don't let that be any reason to keep you away from this book, because if you want to read one of the North's greatest author at his best, then this is the place to start. Two thumbs up!

(I read a different edition of the book)

This is one of Vesaas' last books, and quite well-known in literary circles, both in Norway and abroad. The book spins around two girls living in rural Norway in their eleventh winter. One of the girls has just moved to the tiny village, and instantly forms a bond of friendship with the leader of the pack of children at their school, namely the other girl. Then something sad happens that I won't reveal. The tale spins around these happenings: the struggle against the dark forces of the human mind, and the experience of growing up. The tale is a short read, and is Vesaas at his most typical style of writing. I really enjoy this book, and I've read it several times.

So if you want to get to know one of Norway's greatest authors, almost up there at Knut Hamsun's level, then this would be a great place to start. The author died in 1970, but his anti-modern thought was quite present in most of his books, although an annoying streak of pacifism and humanism is present in some of his works. But this is not one of those books, so no reason to avoid this great read from the winter nights of rural Norway.

(I read a different edition of the book)

This book ranges from his greatest work, to his more mediocre tales. In my opinion, Vesaas was at his best when he wrote short stories, so being his final book, we could almost expect him to end his career with his characteristic magnificent writing. And occasionally, he really comes through in this book! Some of the tales in this book is among the greatest writing I've had the pleasure of reading, like the tale about the father and the son out in the forest making way for the timber in the snow, late at night. This tale is simply so great I have no words, it represents Vesaas at his very best, and is possibly the embodiment of adolescent Germanic inner thought. Another tale that stands out is the story about the young girl waiting in the falling snow for her love to come greet her, such a sad and beautiful tale. So totally at odds against today's decadent literature and society, with our completely sexualized society and other forms of decadence.

I can't recommend this book enough, as it really shows Vesaas at his best (and that says a lot), the only reason I don't give it the full score being that quite a few of the tales in the book are simply not good at all. But all in all, just great!

(I read a different edition of the book)

The book revolves around two youths being home alone one weekend, and all that happens to them in a single spring night. The beginning is so much like many other Vesaas-novels, in the good way, but then it takes a turn for the worse. It starts out like many of his books in a tale about young love, and this is where Vesaas is at his best. Then suddenly for some reason he starts adding all these very annoying and surrealistic items and happenings, and they only make the story one of utter despair and unhappy lives.

I appreciate that he tried to be very "deep" and philosophical, but this just doesn't work at all. I've read all his 35 books, but I can safely advice you to skip this one, because it is simply bad literature, and with the added horror of his occasional present humanist streak. Two thumbs down!

(I read a different edition)

This is the book that can change your view of life. Two children, an accident... True life... One of the best books from Scandinavia ever...

The book is quite nice, although very depressing. It revolves around the life of a middle-aged man and the bleaching yard he manages. He's in love with one of his employees, and his wife isn't particularly fond of this. One morning he wakes up to find one of his house-walls covered in big chalk letters telling the world; "Johan Tander has never been cared about by anyone". I won't reveal too much of the tale, but it has a sad ending and these letters drives poor Johan over the edge of sanity.

I enjoyed the tale, but its just too depressing. But seeing as this is kind of a question of personal taste, I can't really tell you prospective readers to shun this book, but I can promise you that you won't close it with a happy heart. One contemplative thumb up.

(I read a different edition of the book)

This Vesaas book revolves around an auto-shop yard, and the family that runs it. I won't reveal much of the story, since it's somewhat bad and very little happens. The father and the son eventually have a falling out with the mother of the family, over the blame of the death of their youngest family member. It drives everyone to the brink of insanity, and possibly over it for some of the family members. I found the book to be nothing but depressing and depraved, and the only bright spots are the unconditional love the girl next-door has for our young main character. It's not really a bad book, just very depressing and somewhat slow in it's pace.

All in all, another one of the books by Vesaas you can safely avoid, especially considering the number of great books this splendid author wrote.

(I read a different edition of the book)