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October Child

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( 2,633 ratings, 275 reviews)
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
October Child by Linda Boström Knausgård is a poignant memoir exploring the author's experiences with mental illness, particularly during her time in a psychiatric ward. Weaving personal reflections with poetic prose, the narrative delves into themes of identity, the impact of electroconvulsive therapy, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, offering an intimate glimpse into her inner world.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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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 find this book appealing if you appreciate raw and intimate memoirs that delve into personal struggles and mental health. It offers a poignant exploration of the author's experiences, providing insights into her world with beautiful and haunting prose.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

From 2013 to 2017, Linda Bostrm Knausgrd was periodically confined to a psychiatric ward and subjected to electroconvulsive therapy, resulting in the loss of memories. This is the story of her struggle against mental illness and isolation.

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

From 2013 to 2017, Linda Boström Knausgård was periodically interned in a psychiatric ward where she was subjected to electroconvulsive therapy. As the treatments at this "factory" progressed, the writer's memories began to disappear. What good is a writer without her memory?

This book, based on the author's experiences, is an eloquent and profound attempt to hold on to the past, to create a story, to make sense, and to keep alive ties to family, friends, and even oneself. Moments from childhood, youth, marriage, parenting, and divorce flicker across the pages of October Child.

This is the story of one woman's struggle against mental illness and isolation. It is a raw testimony of how writing can preserve and heal.

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?

Linda Boström Knausgård's October Child is a poignant and deeply personal memoir that combines elements of fiction and autobiography to explore the author's struggles with mental health. It receives praise for its evocative and poetic prose that captures the profound agony of psychiatric treatment and the search for personal agency. Critics commend the book for its raw honesty and the striking way it frames mental anguish, offering a compelling narrative that bridges the solitary experience of the author with a broader commentary on the human psyche.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781642860894

Publisher: World Editions

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 June 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: World Editions

Illustration: Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Translated by Saskia Vogel

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 240

About the Author

LINDA BOSTRM KNAUSGRD is a Swedish author and poet, as well as a producer of documentaries for national radio. Her first novel, The Helios Disaster, was longlisted for the National Book Award for Translated Literature in the United States. Welcome to America, her second novel, was nominated for the prestigious Swedish August Prize and the Svenska Dagbladet Literary Prize in her home country, and was also longlisted for the Best Translated Book Award and the National Translation Award in the United States. October Child became a bestseller in Sweden and throughout Scandinavia, where it was published to great critical acclaim.

SASKIA VOGEL was born and raised in Los Angeles and now lives in its sister city, Berlin, where she works as a writer and Swedish-to-English literary translator. Her translations include work by leading female authors, such as Katrine Marcal, Karolina Ramqvist, Lina Wolff, and the modernist eroticist Rut Hillarp. Her debut novel Permission was published in four languages in 2019.

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