Product Description
Pan is a 1894 novel by the Norwegian author and winner of the 1920 Nobel Prize in Literature, Knut Hamsun. It remains one of his most famous works today.

Hamsun saw mankind and nature united in a strong, sometimes mystical bond. This connection between the characters and their natural environment is exemplified in the novel Pan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An under-read masterpiece
Hardly anyone I know has read Pan, even though I keep recommending it.Do yourself a favor and check this book out.It's a quick read, and very much worth the time.

Pan starts out like a fairy tale and for the first 50 pages or so, I thought that not much would happen.It seemed like one of those beautifully written books which is short on plot.But let me assure you that Pan has plenty of plot, and a whole lot happens by the end of this book.

I have since read other novels by Hamsun and to me, Pan is his finest.I could barely slog my way through Growth of the Soil, for which Hamsun won the Nobel Prize in 1920.Hunger, his first novel, is enjoyable but a little aimless.Mysteries (his second) is even more enjoyable but still fairly aimless, and Victoria (his fourth) is a beautiful love story with not much plot.

But Pan really moved me and has become one of my favorite novels of all time.You may have heard that Hamsun was a Nazi sympathizer in his later years. I'm not sure if he was anti-Semitic or just attracted to the agrarian ideals of the Nazi Party, and perhaps a tool of Nazi propangandists. But don't let his ignominious later years stop you from reading this wonderful novel. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The most beautiful European love-story ever?
This is probably Knut Hamsun's' masterpiece when it comes to love stories, and possibly one of Europe's most beautiful love stories. The book is about the son of the old miller, and the daughter of the local "nobleman", the owner of the "Castle". From they are very small and all the way up until the very end he loves her. The parts where they are in the cave and on the island are so beautiful and melancholic. But he being the miller's son, and her being part of the "upper-class", the love is an impossible one. Various circumstances increase the distance between them, and the impossibility of their love, but I won't reveal much. The story is just so beautiful and sad, that it should be required reading for all.

Then comes the fun part, the author; Knut Hamsun, probably Norway's greatest author of all time, was a die-hard "right-wing" anti-modern conservative. This is quite amusing, because all the liberal and anti-European readers just can't wrap their mind around the fact that a person that wrote such beautiful prose was so "abhorrent" in their twisted view. One of his 5 best books and one whose story you'll carry with you forever. Highly recommended!

(I read a different edition) ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
As a young man, Norwegian Knut Hamsun (1859-1952) winner of the 1920 Nobel Prize for literature, sojourned in America, where he worked and traveled widely -. In this first volume he feelingly describes his disdain for this `Philistine land,' its people and its customs - Once back home, his letters - discuss his desire to create a new literature, one that would break away from conventions and explore psychological motivations and experiences, `the mimosa of thought, the fine fragments of feeling'."" - Publishers Weekly. From his experimental novels of the 1890s to the broader narrative sweep of his later works, Hamsun's contribution to the development of the modern European novel is uniquely important. ""Well translated - informatively introduced."" - TLS. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nice collected letters!
Hamsun's selected letters volume 1 makes us to understand his personality better. Hamsun always thought only one thing: writing. Reading his letter, it was nice to know that even the great writer had a difficult time writing his books.
Hamsun thought about writing, which was his mission in his life and faithfully continued writing book after book.
Reading his letters, you cannot help yourself to think that Hamsun just worked on his destiny relentlessly, which God prepared for him. If you love Hamsun, you must read this book!

The Essence of Knut Hamsun
[PROFILE]:
"..Knut Hamsun orig.(born Aug.4,1859,Lom,Nor.-died Feb.19,1952,near Grimstad)Norwegian novelist,dramatist,and poet.Of peasant origin,he had almost no formal education.His semiautobiographical first novel,HUNGER(1890),about a starving young writer,revealed his impulsive,lyrical style.It was followed by such works as MYSTERIES(1898),in which he established himself as a leader of the Neoromantic revolt against social realism.GROWTH OF THE SOIL(1917)and his many other novels* express a message of fierce individualism and back-to-nature philosophy.He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920.."[Excerpts from the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia].
[REVIEW]:
Being a great admirer of Hamsun's works,I found these letters provide a very personal side of the novelist.In thesesuperb translations of both Volumes by James McFarlane(Vol.1),and Harald Naess (Vol.II),the letters span Hamsun's whole career from it's early struggles,and into his very successful middle period, then into to the perilous and rather unfortunate and sad demise of his final years.Here is Hamsun decribing his first lucky break depicted in a letter of thanks to Johan Sorensen an early supporter or Hamsun's,who obviously had a keen eye for budding talent.This is taken from Vol.I Letter #40."..Thank you most sincerely for your great help and for your letter.To be helped in this way is enough to confuse any impressionable person.I got your letter this morning;I woke to it,and it is been many years since I woke up so happy.I do thank you for everything.Actually,it would take a pauper to understand fully the warmth of my thanks to you.I hope you will give me a chance sometime of expressing them in person.." And he did just that some years later.Hamsun had a reputation of being extremely generous,especially to writers whose talents he recognized. The letters provide vivid examples of Hamsun's inner struggles,his rather eccentric aura,his many neuroses,and an unpredictable and biting wit.This is Hamsun 'in the flesh'.You feel as though your journeying through his life yourself as 'a silent observer'.Fascinating descriptions of his travels abroad,and thestruggle's for his recognition early on.Hamsun reveals his hardy sense of self-preservation,sometimes against all odds, never yielding to the very idea of failure.His tenacious,and enduring energy push him onwards and upwards through many tenuous periods.Knut had remarkable energy and an insatiable appetitefor travel.He traveled widely all his life,including a significant stay in the U.S.His keen eye and genius for detailed descriptions of people and places makes this amazing collection of letters hard to put down.I attemped to make this a modest introduction,with a lack of details,as I feel it would spoil the read.If you get a chance,it is well worth the effort. These two Volumes of letters are a must if you are an admirer of his writings.This comes very highly recommended

{Other suggested books by Knut Hamsun}:
>Tales of Love and Loss
>Victoria
>The Last Joy
>Pan
>The Wayferer
>In Wonderland
>Knut Hamsun Remembers(Travels in America)
>Under the Autumn Star
>The Women at the Pump
>Rosa
>Wayfarers

Knut up close and personal: I nearly fell off my chair!
Being a Hamsun fan, I was naturally elated whilst reading his (selected) letters. He is in fine form, sometimes even 'off his nut' (hee-hee!); more sensible, perhaps, is the behind-the-scenes look at the man which can befragmented from these selections. Most certainly valuable reading materialfor all admirers of the man and/or the writer. Volume Two is also a must! ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first comprehensive study in English of the novels of Knut Hamsun, Nobel Laureate in literature for 1920, from the radically innovative Hunger (1890) to The Ring Is Closed (1936). The texts are discussed in depth, with analysis of recurrent themes, narrative modes, and generic idiosyncrasies, and are evaluated in terms of originality and artistic integrity. Reviews and other critical opinions are cited to broaden the evaluative spectrum and throw light on the novels' receptions. Although the book is scholarly, its blend of commentary and summarizing description-of settings, characters and story lines-will also interest the general reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Definitive Appraisal of a Nobel Prize Winner for Literature
From page one of this book, the reader is given a modernist breakthrough of extraordinary writing: arguably, HUNGER, MYSTERIES
and PAN by Knut Hamsun are the best examples. Most of the early translations of these three early narrative stream of consciousness
novels were mediocre.Now, Sverre Lyngstad has done a great
favour in writing the reviewed book and has rendered from Norwegian
into contemporary English the above novels (separate books).

"Knut Hamsun, Novelist: A Critical Assessment" is an outstanding definitive appraisal of Hamsun, the man as author and as an enigmatic innovator of 20th century literature.


Dag Stomberg
St. Andrews, Scotland ... Read more

Product Description
Hauptseminararbeit aus dem Jahr 1998 im Fachbereich Skandinavistik, Note: 2,0, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Nordeuropa-Institut), Veranstaltung: Norwegische Literatur der Moderne, Sprache: Deutsch, Anmerkungen:Im Mittelpunkt dieser Arbeit steht der norwegische Schriftsteller Knut Hamsun. Seinen literarischen Durchbruch hatte er Anfang der 1890er Jahre. Die geistigen und literarischen Strömungen dieses Jahrzehntes hat er mit seinen Schriften entscheidend geprägt. In meinem Text beleuchte ich vor dem Hintergrund der damaligen allgemeinen Situation von Literatur und Kultur in Norwegen die literarische Programmatik Hamsuns, wie sie in seinen Texten zwischen 1888 und 1892 zum Ausdruck kommt. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Analyse des Artikels Fra det ubevidste Sjæleliv. 465 KB, Abstract: Im Mittelpunkt dieser Arbeit steht der norwegische Schriftsteller Knut Hamsun. Seinen literarischen Durchbruch hatte er Anfang der 1890er Jahre. Die geistigen und literarischen Strömungen dieses Jahrzehntes hat er mit seinen Schriften entscheidend geprägt. In meinem Text beleuchte ich vor dem Hintergrund der damaligen allgemeinen Situation von Literatur und Kultur in Norwegen die literarische Programmatik Hamsuns, wie sie in seinen Texten zwischen 1888 und 1892 zum Ausdruck kommt. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Analyse des Artikels 'Fra det ubevidste Sjæleliv'. ... Read more