Jan Kjærstad (born
March 6,
1953) is a
Norwegian author. He has written a string of novels, short stories and essays and was editor of the literary magazine
Vinduet ("The Window"). He has received a number of prizes, the most important being the
Nordic Council Literature Prize, which he received for the trilogy about the TV personality Jonas Wergeland (
The Seducer,
The Conqueror and
The Discoverer).
Kjærstad's books are complex and humorous, showing an outstanding ability to visualize modern life and its many interdependencies, reminiscent of a less computer-focused Neal Stephenson. His books have been translated to English, German, Danish, Swedish, and Hungarian, among others.
Bibliography
- The Earth Turns Quietly ("Kloden dreier stille rundt", Short stories, 1980)
- Mirrors ("Speil", Novel, 1982)
- Homo Falsus or the Perfect Murder ("Homo Falsus eller det perfekte mord", Novel, 1984)
- The Great Fairy Tale ("Det store eventyret". Novel, 1987)
- The Matrix of Man ("Menneskets matrise", Essays, 1989)
- The Arabian Nights, vols 1 and 2 ("Tusen og én natt", Bind 1 og 2. Ed. 1989)
- The Hunt for the Hidden Waffle Hearts ("Jakten på de skjulte vaffelhjertene", Picture book, 1989)
- Brink ("Rand", Novel, 1990)
- The Seducer ("Forføreren", Novel, 1993)
- With Sheherazade, Imagination's Queen ("Hos Sheherasad, fantasiens dronning", Picture book, 1995)
- The Conqueror ("Erobreren", Novel, 1996)
- The Human Sphere ("Menneskets felt", Essays, 1997)
- The Discoverer ("Oppdageren", Novel, 1999)
