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Nağıllar diyarında

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1899-cu ilin payızında Hamsun Rusiyaya və Qafqaza səfər etmiş, Peterburqu, Moskvanı, daha sonra Vladiqafqazı, Tiflisi, Batumu, Bakını gəzmişdir. 1903-cü ildə səfər təəssüratlarından bəhs edən «Nağıllar diyarında» adlı yol qeydlərini qələmə alan yazıçı bu ölkələr və şəhərlərlə bağlı müəyyən məqamlara toxunmuş, regionumuzda yaşayan xalqlar, xüsusən də ermənilər haqqında olduqca maraqlı fikirlər ­söyləmişdir.

276 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1903

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About the author

Knut Hamsun

728 books2,425 followers
Novels of Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun (born Knud Pedersen), include Hunger (1890) and The Growth of the Soil (1917). He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1920.

He insisted on the intricacies of the human mind as the main object of modern literature to describe the "whisper of the blood, and the pleading of the bone marrow." Hamsun pursued his literary program, debuting in 1890 with the psychological novel Hunger.

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5 stars
46 (20%)
4 stars
75 (33%)
3 stars
74 (33%)
2 stars
23 (10%)
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6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Ken.
Author 3 books1,238 followers
May 26, 2020
Reading In Wonderland, you will learn as much about the journal-keeper / author Knut Hamsun as you will about the Caucasus area he is chronicling. This might not be a good thing if you, like me, are a fan of Hamsun’s writing.

It’s true, reading his books, you already have to set aside artist from art. He is known as a Quisling, a Nazi-sympathizer, and here you can see why. When he runs into Jews during his travel, he is consistently snide and superior acting. But he pulls the same act in other situations.

For one, he refers to his wife as his “traveling companion” throughout. Um. OK. And once, when they arrive at a destination and she wants to set up the room they are staying in before grabbing a bite to eat, he makes a big show of having to set her straight and getting his way, almost gloating.

Armenians fare little better than Jews. Ditto the English. But Hamsun seems to have kind regards for the natives he meets and for Muslims (or Mohammedans, as he calls them) and for Americans (perhaps because he worked in the U.S. at one time – news to me).

Sounds awful to this point, but Hamsun is Hamsun and can write. Thus, you will run across some moving descriptions of the landscape that inspired so many great Russian writers (many, like Lermontov, Pushkin, and Tolstoy, who visited there themselves).

In fact, Hamsun goes on a riff about the Russkies himself. He considers Turgenev second-rate and too European and Western. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky rate higher, though he is particularly critical of Tolstoy later in life, when he became “philosophical” (one might say “religious”), which Hamsun considered a shameful sham. I guess Lermontov and Pushkin come out with high ratings by dying earlier in life, both in duels. Only the good (authors) die young, apparently.

The book, released in 1903, chronicles a Russia that would soon be no more, of course. The Revolution was just ahead, and the days of the czars (or tsars) were numbered. Hamsun, in his 40s at the time of these travels, would last many more years, not dying until 1952. Apparently his last book, On Overgrown Paths (1949) lacked remorse. The back of this book says it is “defiant to the end,” telling me that the overconfident and misguided nature of this man never changed, even after the Nazis went down.

Sad, that.
December 14, 2021
It's truly hilarious to read what people write about this book. Most of the reviewers can't get past the fact that Knut Hamsun said a negative thing or two about jews that he met during his trip, yet all of them neglect to mention that the author's comments on said fellas are based on experience and personal encounters. Those who labeled him an 'anti-semite' in their reviews, forgot to mention that Knut Hamsun was stalked, scammed and threatened by a Russian-Jew during the journey he recounts in this book. Another tried to sell him a broken watch with an obscene image carved inside it.
The fact that most people who write on this website can't get over a bit of criticism towards Russian jews and their tactics, says a lot about the state of freedom of expression and critical thinking in the contemporary world.
I would also like to mention that most reviews are pedantic and what they lack in spontaneity they make up for in mannerism. Pathetic.

To the book: it's wonderful. It's an hybrid between a journal, a tale, an epic novel and a dream. Some of the reported things are true, some are lies, some others are neither of them.
Hamsun magnificiently narrates his travels on a train and a horse-drawn carriage across Russia and the Caucasus (today's Georgia) and all the lands and people he sees. It's 1899, and most of the male folks he sees walks around wearing guns and swords, while the elusive Georgian women are just mirages, barely glimpsed at as he passes by.
There is an underlying theme of paganism in this book (as there is in all Hamsun's novels), and it becomes apparent when the author enters the Caucasus and witnesses nighttime horse rides on the mountains, melodies of the steppes played by solitary men under the night sky and highlanders voraciously butchering and eating a horse around a campfire. Hamsun is mesmerised by this land and its people and he finds the key to the secret of life in the deep sense of life joy and fulfillment that comes from sleepless nights, starry skies and an harmonious - almost dionysian - communion with mature and its rhythms.
A marvelous tale that goes to waste if given to modern-day bibliophiles. The latter should consider reading the last book by Kamala Harris or perhaps find something less hurtful to their precarious feelings. Leave Hamsun to those who can appreciate him.
Profile Image for Steven R. Kraaijeveld.
559 reviews1,926 followers
March 21, 2017
"There is nothing, nothing in the world like being away from everything!" (107)
In Wonderland is Hamsun's diaristic account of the trip he took to Russia (more specifically to the Caucasus) in 1899, shortly before the flames of revolution were to break out. He documents his experiences and observations in a way that only the man of Mysteries could; Hamsun's English biographer Robert Ferguson rightfully called In Wonderland "one of the most highly subjective travel books ever written."

It was classic Knut—better, more entertaining, and more memorable than I had expected it to be. It was somewhat tarnished, however, by a couple of instances of anti-Semitism. So far, I have not encountered this in his fiction, of which I have read a great deal (I say this not to brag, but rather as a qualification in his favor). This has always allowed me to separate Hamsun-the-artist from Hamsun-who-met-Hitler with relative ease. That boundary became blurred for the first time within his writing, and it did not feel good. It was by no means the worst kind, to be fair—mostly limited to an ascription of Jewishness that was at the same time supposed to be something negative and unpleasant. Yet it was enough to be noticeable and unsavory. Anyway, this is not the place to get into this difficult subject. It is something I intend to write an essay about one day, for it is important enough. In any case, iffyness about the aforementioned question aside, and with an indulgent smile for some of his histrionics and a questioning look for at the treatment of his wife (whom he largely leaves out of his account, referring to her only sporadically as his travelling companion), it was wonderful to travel with Knut through the Caucasus.
27 reviews
August 1, 2024
Reiseskildring av Hamsun som reis fra St. Petersburg til Kaukasus på sent 1800-tall. Fantastiske naturskildringer, fikk lyst til å dra til Kaukasus, gøye og merkelige situasjona som skjer med han gjennom boka. Ble sugd inn i den.

Får også plass til å roast Ibsen og Tolstoj. Også gøy når Hamsun straight up bare følg etter folk inn i husan demmes for å «kikk litt». Klara å kom sæ helt til Baku uten å kunn nån av språkan der, bare et par ord russisk.
Profile Image for Samir Mammadov.
10 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2017
In general, the book is interesting, and there are a lot of interesting views and facts about the historical background of Caucasus, especially. However, in some parts, he did kinda insult some nations mentioned in the book.
I would recommend this book specifically to those, who want to travel these areas. So, they can compare, and see how history can change things dramatically.
Profile Image for Oto Bakradze.
656 reviews42 followers
August 5, 2024
მიუხედავად იმისა, რომ წერს კავკასიაში მოგზაურობამდე მასზე უამრავი წიგნი წავიკითხეო, საერთოდ ვერ გაურკვევია იმ ქვეყნების რასა, რელიგია თუ კულტურა , სადაც ჩადის. ამაზე უარესი კი ისაა, რომ ჩანაწერებიდან უხეშ,ქედმაღალ,პატივმოყვარე და ძუნწ ტიპად ყიდის თავს.

ეს მეორე ვარსკვლავიც, ერთი ორგან ლიტერატურაზე საუბარსა და თვითონ წიგნის პოლიგრაფიულ მხარეს, თორემ სხვა მხრივ არანაირი ფასი ამ წიგნს არ აქვს.

Profile Image for Μιχάλης Παπαχατζάκης.
371 reviews20 followers
August 31, 2024
Όχι κάτι ιδιαίτερο. Είναι οι ταξιδιωτικές αναμνήσεις του διάσημου νορβηγού λογοτέχνη Κνουτ Χάμσουν στη Ρωσία στις αρχές του 20ου αιώνα. Ξεκινώντας από το Πέτρογκραντ και μετά Μόσχα και Νόβγκοροντ, φτάνει στο Βλαντικαφκάζ και κατόπιν στην Τυφλίδα και στο Μπακού. Πέρα από αρκετές λίγο πολύ στατικές περιγραφές της φύσης και των ανθρώπων, πιο πολύ αναλώνεται σε γκρίνια για τα μη ευρωπαϊκά έθιμα του πολυφυλετικού Καυκάσου. Κακό λόγο έχει να πει και για όσους δυτικοευρωπαίους συναντάει εκεί. Πάντως όλα του φαίνονται τόσο αλλόκοτα που ενίοτε φιλοσοφεί:

«Ο Καυκάσιος δεν ξέρει βέβαια τας διακυμάνσεις του Χρηματιστηρίου της Νέας Υόρκης, η ύπαρξη του δεν είναι αγώνισμα ταχυπορίας, έχει καιρό να ζή, και το φαγητό του μπορεί να το περισυλλέγει από τα δέντρα, ή και να σφάξει το πρόβατό του για να τραφεί. Μα ο Ευρωπαίος και ο Γιάγκης είναι ως τόσο άνθρωποι πιο μεγάλοι;»

Εμ....
Profile Image for Peter.
Author 4 books32 followers
May 29, 2016
Weird, idiosyncratic and vivid travelogue of Hamsun's 1899 journey through the Caucasus region of Russia, one which says as much about the eccentric and cantankerous author as the region itself. I was inspired to re-read this book at the onset of the Sochi Winter Olympics, which were held in the same region through which Hamsun traveled. I only gave this three stars the first time, but apparently enjoyed it much more the second time, and thus have revised my rating to four stars. If you've never read Hamsun, read his early novels first, but if you like those, give In Wonderland a try.
Profile Image for Edgar.
37 reviews
October 27, 2020
Love this book. Guaranteed, you'll have a really good time reading it and the book is quite funny as well.
Profile Image for Kim Arne.
Author 2 books19 followers
October 17, 2023
Da vi var på ferie i Georgia i vår, ramlet vi nærmest over bygningen som en gang rommet Hotel London i Tblisi. Vi var egentlig på jakt etter stedet hvor Dagny Juel ble drept (det var for øvrig rett over gaten), men under jakten fant vi en plakett hvor det sto at «an outstanding Norwegian writer, Knut Hamsun, lived in this building in 1899 during his visit in Tblisi».

Det var på Hotel London at Hamsun skrev ferdig reisememoarene som ble den lille boken «I Æventyrland», som er en slags roadmovie som tar leseren fra Moskva og helt bort til Batumi ved Svartehavet. Boken er kanskje mest kjent for Hamsuns hodestupse forelskelse i Georgia – en forelskelse jeg kan stille 100 prosent bak.

Da det viste seg at diplomatsønn, kollega og levemann, Haakon, kunne smugle ut et eksemplar av boken fra sitt ringe barndomshjem (tusen takk <3), slo jeg til og fikk lest boken tidligere i høst.

Dette er første gangen jeg leser Hamsun, og jeg sitter igjen med flere betraktninger: Prosaen er det beste ved boken, Hamsun var ikke en fin fyr i 1899 heller, og gud bedre – så mange druer det skal konsumeres på turen mellom Moskva og Batumi.

Som nevnt er altså prosaen tidvis svært bra. Som en riksmålsentusiast er det ikke vanskelig å henge med, selv om en del av ordvalgene naturligvis bærer preg av at boken ble skrevet for over 120 år siden. Når det er sagt, er ikke dette en veldig interessant bok. Det skjer lite av interesse på togreisen, og de få gangene reisefølget er ute av toget skal man spise litt (mye druer, der altså) og jamre seg over språkforvirring før det bærer videre. Det er også verdt å merke seg at Hamsun avslører at han ikke har særlig tro på Ibsens forfatterskap – en analyse som kanskje ikke står fjellstøtt sånn i ettertid.

Jeg har lyst til å lese mer av Hamsuns forfatterskap, men «I Æventyrland» blir dessverre neppe en bok jeg kommer til å huske særlig lenge.
Profile Image for Tuva Kongshaug.
103 reviews
March 1, 2025
Dette er en reiseskildring av Hamsuns reise gjennom russland, men som tittelen tilsier, er deg er slags blanding av faktisk reiseberetning og roman. Jeg må ærlig innrømme dette er en sjanger jeg ikke har mye kjennskap til og som jeg ikke hadde lest hvis det ikke hadde vært for dette prosjektet…meeeen jeg likte den overraskende godt! Russland (og særlig på denne tiden, 1890-tallet) har alltid fascinert meg, og Hamsuns levende skildringer og spennende refleksjoner om både samfunn, politikk, filosofi og mennesker gjorde denne ellers ikke-appellerende sjangeren noe mer likende for meg!
Profile Image for Mazel.
833 reviews133 followers
August 9, 2009
prix nobel de littérature 1920
*

Knut Hamsun (1859-1952), Au Pays des contes (1903) aurait pu s'intituler «Les Tribulations d'un Nordique en Russie».

De Moscou à Bakou, c'est un périple fantaisiste, en chemin de fer et à cheval, dans le Caucase d'il y a un siècle. Rien n'échappe au narrateur, ni les troupeaux, ni les grands espaces, ni l'accoutrement des femmes Tatars...

Ce récit mouvant part donc dans tous les sens, bifurquant même vers un petit essai critique sur les mérites de Tourgueniev, Dostoïevski et Tolstoï.

En fait Hamsun exploite les qualités qu'il prête au peuple russe : "spontanéité", "faculté de déraillement", "aptitude à l'absurde"...

C'est drôle, alerte, vif, écrit au présent. Ce livre déroutant fait miroiter tous les talents, toute la verve d'un futur prix Nobel.
Profile Image for Mikheil Samkharadze.
229 reviews37 followers
July 27, 2016
ვერ ვხვდები რა აღაფრთოვანებთ ამ წიგნის მკითხველებს, ან საერთოდ კნუთ ჰამსუნის მიერ საქართველოზე დაწერილი სიმახინჯით, რატომ ამაყობთ? ერთი წელი საერთოდ კნუტ ჰამსუნის წლად გამოაცხადეს და ეს ხომ საერთოდ აბსურდი იყო!
უამრავი ფაქტი აქვს დამახინჯებულად აღწერილი, ქართველები განუვითარებელ უკულტურო ხალხად წარმოჩენილი და წიგნის წაკითხვის მერე გამოგაქვს დასკვნა, რომ საქართველო არის მუსულმანური ქვეყანა და თითქოს მართლმადიდებლურ ეკლესიები საქართველოში რუსებმა ააშენეს (მაგალითად გერგეტის სამებაზე ზუსტად ასე წერს). საერთოდ არ გამოვრიცხავ, ეს წიგნ რუსების შეკვეთით იყოს დაწერილი. ან ნობელის პრემია რატომ მისცეს ამ ადამიანს??
რა არის ამ წიგნში საამაყო?
დამახინჯებული ფაქტების ბრახაბრუხია
ერთ ვარსკვლავსაც არ იმსახურებს
Profile Image for Magnús.
376 reviews10 followers
December 3, 2022
Hamsun fór með þáverandi eiginkonu sinni í ferð 1899 frá Finnlandi í austurveg um Rússland, Kákasus og til Tyrklands og hér er sagan úr þeirri reisu. Þetta er mjög vel skrifuð lýsing á því hvernig framandi löndin koma fyrir augu Norður-Evrópubúa sem þó hafði verið í Ameríku og séð ýmislegt, kynnst vestrinu þar, en nú mætir hann austrinu. Þarna er farið um í lestum og hestvagni áður en heimsstyrjöld og bylting breytti öllu. Ýmsum karakterum bregður fyrir á leiðinni og Hamsun hefur sínar skoðanir á þeim eins og búast mátti við. Það verða uppákomur. Stundum verða mörkin óljós milli skáldskapar og staðreynda enda skáld á ferð. En heilt yfir frábær ferðasaga sem er tímahylki í sjálfri sér og feikivel skrifuð eins og vænta mátti.
Profile Image for Zack.
Author 29 books50 followers
January 16, 2009
Hamsun's travel diary from a trip to Caucasia (Russia) just before the revolution, written about a hundred years ago. There's a great comic moment at the beginning that made me think the whole thing would be great, but it turned out just OK. I still love his ability to personalize and make things seem immediate and universal, but he only does it here and there in this one. It's also the only book by him I've read with any anti-Semitism--only in passing, and no worse than Henry Miller gets in "Tropic of Capricorn"--which is a drag on its overall value as a read.
Profile Image for Fellini.
845 reviews22 followers
May 8, 2017
Подзаголовок к русскому изданию "Переживания и мечты во время путешествия по Кавказу" лучшим образом описывает эту книгу. Здесь нет каких-то подробных описаний городов и дорог, в основном - впечатления автора, его размышления и прекраснодушные мечтания, иногда наивные. Тифлис (Тбилиси) Гамсуну показался скучён, Баку - пахнущим нефтью и покрытым пылью. Милое безрассудство: путешествовать по стране, не зная языка, не понимая устройства каких-то её внутренних процессов, без гидов и почти без помощников.
Profile Image for Torsten.
277 reviews12 followers
June 2, 2014
ყოველთვის საინტერესოა უცხოელის თვალით დანახული შენი სამშობლო. მით უფრო, როდესაც ეს უცხოელი კნუტ ჰამსუნია. ესაა ძალიან საინტერესო შთაბეჭდილებები კავკასიაზე, თუმცა ... მწირი ცნობები ჰქონია ჰამსუნს კავკასიაზე. მგონი ისიც ვერ გაურკვევია ქართველები ქრისტიანები ვართ თუ მაჰმადიანები. ტფილისი, გურია, ბათუმი მისთვის კავკასიის სხვადასხვა ნაწილებია.
Profile Image for Misoust.
96 reviews
November 30, 2019
"ჰამსუნს ძვირფასი თვისება აქვს: როცა უცხო ქვეყნებსა და ხალხზე მოგვითხრობს, ისეთ დახასიათებებს, ისეთ წვრილმან ნიშნებს პოულობს, რომელიც მანამდე არავის შეუნიშნავს და ამას ორი-სამი სიტყვით გამოხატავს" - ალექსანდრე კუპრინი. ისეთი კი დიდი არაფერია მარა, კუპრინს სიტყვებს ვერ დავუკარგავ <3
Profile Image for علي.
137 reviews3 followers
September 2, 2022
شكرأ للمترجمة على مجهودها ، وشكرأ للدار انها اتاحت للقراء العرب اتعرف اكثر على كنوت هامسون

تمت،
Profile Image for Anne-Trine.
311 reviews3 followers
June 20, 2024
Enjoyed this since I've recently been to Georgia and Armenia. The last part of the book a bit slow though.
Profile Image for fannona99.
118 reviews33 followers
May 11, 2025
الأرض الجديدة، عنوان مضلل، بالعادة لا أفكر كثيراً بالعنوان وعمق هدف اختياره، حتى هنا لم اتطلع كثيراً لما يحمل في طياته من معاني ولكن ذهني توقع شيء مخالف لما قرأته، الكتاب هذا عظيم ولا يكفيه قراءة واحدة.
مجموعة من الأصدقاء المثقفين والموهوبين والفنانين يجتمعون بشكل مستمر في أحد المقاهي للنقاش ربما، أحاديثهم الممتعة عن الشعر والفن والسياسة والحب والوعي والفلسفة والمجتمع جعلتني اشعر بالغبطة لإفتقاري القدرة على جمع اصدقاء يحملون هذا المقدار من الوعي في مقهى واحد، احاديث مثيرة للعقل والبصيرة، تعد ضرورة من ضروريات العيش في نظري، لإشباع الفكر بقضايا وأمور حياتية تجعل الحياة ثرية بشكل ما.
تركيزي الأعظم في هذا الكتاب كان على تفرد كل شخصية بكيانها، على اختلاف كل شخص وطريقة عيشه وتفكيره ومشاعره، رأيت الحب هنا وهناك، كان هناك أكبر قدر ممكن من اشكال العلاقات وصراعات الأشخاص الداخلية مع ذواتهم وصراعهم مع ترجمة الحب لأفعال وأيضاً صراعات أخرى لعلها الأصعب وهي التخلص أو التمسك بحب ما بلا اضرار جسيمة.
رأيت نفسي في مكان ما في الكتاب، رأيت نفسي اتخلى واتمسك، أحب وأهرب، أشعر وأعبر، رأيت جوانب أعمق لأمور شهدتها بالحياة في زمن ما، سواء شيء ينتمي لي أم لا، لا يهم، المهم أنني فهمت وأدركت جوانب أخرى من فداحة الحب ومشاعره الناجمة.


Profile Image for Pərviz Əlyaroğlu.
Author 2 books6 followers
July 25, 2019
Qafqaz xatirələrindən bəhs edən kitab axtarırsınızsa Aleksandr Dümanın Qafqaz Səfəri əsərini oxumağınız daha məsləhətlidir.
Profile Image for Aysel.
18 reviews
July 7, 2023
An interesting book describing the author's imoression about his travel to Caucasus.
Profile Image for تسنيم طه.
Author 7 books54 followers
May 11, 2025
كتاب رائع يستحق القراءة اكثر من مرة.
Profile Image for yórgos.
107 reviews2 followers
Read
April 10, 2020
ο βάλσερ ξεκινά τον περίπατό του από το herisau. χάνει όμως το μονοπάτι μέσα στο πυκνό χιόνι. καταφθάνει στην πετρούπολη και περιδιαβαίνει σε αυτήν κάπου 129 σελίδες. έπειτα βρίσκει θέση σε ένα βαγόνι για τον καύκασο όπου συναντά έναν αλλόκοτο τύπο - αξιωματικός της αστυνομίας μοιάζει - που τόσο τον στοιχειώνει σ' ολάκερη τη διαδρομή του, ώστε τον μεταβάλλει σε κάφκα - αλήθεια ηχητικά πόσο μοιάζει με τον καύκασο - πλάθοντας με το νου του πιθανά παραστρατήματα που έχουν αναγκάσει τον αστυνόμο να είναι στο κατόπι του. αυτό διαρκεί κάπου 3ο σελίδες. σε κάποια από αυτές περιγράφει την υποθετική σύλληψή του και καταδίκη του που μου έφερε στο νου τη σκηνή με το βέγγο που αυτοδικάζεται ενώ οδηγεί. προς το τέλος, η αφήγηση ψιλοβαλτώνει στα λασπόνερα του μπακού.
Profile Image for Raphaël.
129 reviews
Read
August 5, 2011
Le récit du périple d'un grand écrivain norvégien à travers la Russie des années 1900, a priori j'étais plutôt emballé. Malheureusement c'était oublié un peu vite qu'un auteur de belles fictions reste un individu qui en soit peut avoir peu d'intérêt, et conjugué aux mentalités d'il y a un siècle, ça donne un texte dégoulinant de supériorité raciale, de remarques antisémites, de mentalités rétrogrades... A déconseiller.
Profile Image for Sarah.
17 reviews1 follower
June 9, 2009
birthday present from a friend. actual account of travels through russia
111 reviews2 followers
May 20, 2021
Old style e politicamente scorretto ma comunque interessante
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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