Hunger: A Novel [B0971]

2008 PB in nice clean condition, reprint of the 1890 original. A haunting masterpiece of modern literature that chronicles a starving artist's descent into paranoia and despair on the streets of Norway. Described as "one of the most disturbing novels in existence" by Time Out, Hunger is the story of a Norwegian artist who wanders the streets, struggling on the edge of starvation. As hunger overtakes him, he slides inexorably into madness. The unnamed narrator recounts his descent in increasingly urgent and disjointed prose, losing his grip on reality. Stemming from Hamsun's belief that literature should explore the mysterious workings of the human mind, Hunger is a landmark work that pointed the way toward a new kind of novel. It has influenced countless writers, from Thomas Mann and Arthur Schnitzler to Fitzgerald and Hemingway. This dark yet humorous classic showcases the Nobel Prize winner's mastery of psychological fiction and his pioneering role in modern world literature.

From the many recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This was an unapologetically blunt account. The effects of hunger, both physical and mental, are intertwined with the main character's morals, his self-esteem, his desires, dreams, delusions and his unrecognized entitlement. I felt no empathy for the main character, yet I was interested in the way his mind worked, the way he processed what happened to him, and how he justified his actions and reactions."; "9/10. A Dostoevskian tale of abject poverty, hunger and despair, and their effects on one's mental state. I'm no stranger to bleak books but this one might take the cake."; "this book is insane. definition of psychological thriller."; "I thought this was about a starving artist . . it was just a starving . . person. Amazing writing though. I'll be coming back to Knut!"; "Very good! Written with an urgency that really makes you feel like you're starving too. Took me a long time to get through because it's so uncomfortable. The ever present shame of poverty is always there and there really isn't any respite from the misery in any section of the book. Not an enjoyable read but I'm very glad to have read it. "