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Mysteries

Classic Edition
By Knut Hamsun
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4.02 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Mysteries by Knut Hamsun follows the enigmatic Johan Nagel, who arrives in a quiet Norwegian town and gradually disrupts the local social order with his peculiar behaviour and philosophical musings. As he interacts with the townspeople, revealing their secrets and his own inner turmoil, the novel delves into themes of existentialism and the complexities of human nature. The narrative captures the clash between the ordinary and the extraordinary, leaving readers to ponder the true nature of Nagel's influence.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this novel if you appreciate enigmatic characters and surreal narratives set in small villages with vivid and atmospheric backdrops. It delves into themes of existential angst and human eccentricity, offering a mysterious yet engaging exploration of identity and society.

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The highly influential classic of European literature which anticipated James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

Serpent's Tail Classics edition of a wild masterpiece by a Nobel prize winner championed by influential writers such as Karl Ove Knausgaard and Doris Lessing

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Knut Hamsun founded the modernist and postmodernist novel at once, writes James Wood in his introduction to this seminal work by a Nobel Prize-winning writer who has been recognised as one of the greatest literary figures of the twentieth century.

A young man called John Nagel arrives to spend a summer in a small Norwegian coastal town, a stranger in a loud yellow suit who begins to behave very curiously. He shocks, bewilders and beguiles with his open defiance and erratic self-revelations.

Nagel's presence acts as a catalyst for the hidden impulses, concealed thoughts and darker instincts of the townsfolk. Cursed with the ability to understand the human soul, especially his own, Nagel can foresee, but cannot prevent, his own destruction.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Mysteries by Knut Hamsun is praised for its enchanting and vibrant prose, with Karl Ove Knausgaard highlighting the author's ability to bring any subject to life. James Wood commends Hamsun as a pioneer in modern fiction, particularly admiring his use of stream of consciousness, noting its beauty and humour. Rebecca West acknowledges Hamsun's profound understanding of human nature, marking him as a masterful writer.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781788165440

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 21 January 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Serpent's Tail

Edition: Main - Classic Edition

Contributors:

  • Translated by Gerry Bothmer

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 196.0mm

Height: 128.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 368

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Knut Hamsun Literary Fiction

About the Author

Born in 1859, Knut Hamsun published a stunning series of novels in the 1890s - Hunger (1890), Mysteries (1892) and Pan (1894). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920 for Growth of the Soil.

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