Scenes from a Childhood

Synopsis

In these quietly luminous stories, Jon Fosse returns to the landscapes of memory, tracing the moments from childhood that continue to echo long into adult life. A boy discovers both wonder and fear in the natural world, awkward encounters leave lasting impressions, and ordinary family moments become charged with mystery and longing. Alongside the title story are a selection of Fosse's finest shorter works, including the haunting novella And Then My Dog Will Come Back to Me, where a seemingly minor dispute between neighbours builds toward an unsettling conclusion.

Written in the spare, rhythmic prose that has made Fosse one of the defining literary voices of our time, Scenes from a Childhood is a remarkable collection about memory, solitude, and the quiet emotional currents that shape a life. Intimate, hypnotic, and deeply moving, these stories reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary.

About the Author

Jon Fosse is a Norwegian novelist, playwright, poet, and essayist who was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature for his innovative writing that gives voice to the unsayable. Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest living writers, he is the author of Septology, Aliss at the Fire, Morning and Evening, and numerous acclaimed plays performed internationally. This collection is translated from the Norwegian by Damion Searls, one of the leading translators of Scandinavian literature.

Publisher

Fitzcarraldo Editions

Publication Date

May 2, 2018

Format

Paperback

Pages

160

Subjects

Short Stories · Literary Fiction · Fiction in Translation · Norwegian Literature · Modern Classics

ISBN

9781910695531