Enigma: The Life of Knut Hamsun by Robert Ferguson

by Robert Ferguson

The beginning of Robert Ferguson's introduction is arresting. 'If they've heard of him at all, people tend to know two things about Knut that he wrote Hunger, and that he met Hitler. Those who know a little more know that in Hunger, Mysteries and Pan, he produced novels that have had a decisive effect on European and American literature of the twentieth century. Ernest Hemingway tried to write like him; so did Henry Miller, who called him 'the Dickens of my generation'; 'never has the Nobel Prize been awarded to one worthier of it.' Thomas Mann wrote in 1929. Hermann Hesse called him 'my favourite author'. Russian writers like Andre Bely and Boris Pasternak read him keenly in their youth, and Andre Gide thought him arguable superior to Dostoevsky. They all read him - Kafka, Brecht, Gorky, Wells, Musil. Rebecca West described him as the possessor of 'qualities that belong to the very great - the completest omniscience about human nature'. And Isaac Bashevis Singer stated that Hamsun was quite simply 'the father of the modern school of literature in his every aspect - his subjectiveness, his fragmentariness, his use of flashbacks, his lyricism'. Singer, in his foreword to Hunger, goes on to say that 'The whole modern school of fiction in the twentieth century stems from Hamsun.' Yet in discussions of the history of modern literature, Hamsun's name is rarely mentioned. His reputation, which probably reached its height around 1929 with the world celebrations of his seventieth birthday, was in ruins by the end of the Second World War. Alone among the major European writers, he had supported Hitler. Brazenly alone, he had hailed he rise and bemoaned the fall of the epitome of spiritual tyranny in recent history.'What a subject, and in this, the first biography, Robert Ferguson brilliantly gets the measure of this awkward, paradoxical writer, or, as he calls him 'a multiple paradox, a living riddle; a human question-mark'.' Enigma is scholarly, very readable, warm, intelligent, shrewd, refreshingly unpretentious, invaluable, essential. A magnificent achievement.' Martin Seymour-Smith, Washington Post' Enigma is simply a pleasure to read. When Ferguson writes of the demonic muse that haunted Hamsun throughout his life, we glimpse something profound about the creative act of writing, and we come very close to the exalted emotion that every writer feels - or hopes to feel. Indeed, the highest praise that can be bestowed on Ferguson's work is to declare that Enigma is one of the most moving, inspiring and exciting books on the subject of writing that I have ever encountered.' Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times'Robert Ferguson's is the first full length English biography of Knut Hamsun and no one could ahve done a more expert job.' John Carey, Sunday Times

Genres: Biography, Scandinavian Literature, Nonfiction, Literature, 20th Century

Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

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Reviews

[Bruce Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is some great stuff in here about writing and the enormous (but now largely forgotten) influence Hamsun had on 20th century literature. Because Hamsun was so closely connected to the 'soil' there is also quite a bit about Norway and its history. The story gets quite tiresome about the time the Nazis come around. Hamsun managed to turn his Anglophobia into an irrational obsession culminating in presenting his Nobel Prize to Joseph Goebbels and meeting with Hitler. Neither of Hitler nor Hamsun were too happy about their meeting. The final chapters were the story of a novelist who had 'lost the plot.'

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting all the way through – about the time Hamsun stops writing, he involves himself in far right political causes, becoming a supporter of Hitler both before and during the occupation of Norway by the Germans. An appalling move but one which definitely keeps things from getting boring. Well balanced, Ferguson admires Hamsun as a writer without cutting him any slack on his asinine and poorly thought out political positions.

[John Purcell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid biography which does not flinch from the awful truth but stares it in the eyes.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough, densely written but very insightful biography of the great (and deeply flawed) Norwegian writer.

[Johanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Knut Hamsun before I saw a movie biography several years ago - and he is fascinating character. Very influential writer of the early 20th century (but very anti-American and anti-British, which may be why I had not heard of him)... at least a fellow traveller with the Nazis. He was very old by the time of Norway's occupation, and there are legitimate questions about whether he truly understood what he was doing. (He did get tried for treason after the war, most people felt he was too old and a little senile and should not be held accountable - which infuriated him). Hamsun was in favor the fascism, but thought the Germans were not doing a good job in their occupation of Norway - told Hitler this to his face. Oddly enough the trip to visit Germany and be received by Hitler - during the war - convinced most Norwegians he was a traitor, however, it was during this trip that he barely escaped with his life for his plain speaking. (Hitler cut the visit short and told his staff to never let that man near him again).

Since this book is written by a serious scholar, there was a lot more examination of his literary roots and writing than interested me, but it was a good biography, nonetheless.

[Arne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read many biographies and only read those I would especially enjoy. At any rate, this is a well-written account of Hamsun's life. This book really accents the dedication with which he wrote and sought to become a writer.

[C.A. Greagen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best writer bios I've read. Loved it and will read it again.