– I was a bit moved just now, said a clearly emotional Lars Saabye Christensen from the stage.
He had many to thank, including his wife Karna Irene Gjelle.
– Thank you to Karna, you are indispensable, said Saabye Christensen, nodding down towards the table where the publisher Cappelen Damm and his spouse were sitting.
Lars Saabye Christensen thanked his wife Karna (to his left).
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
To VG, Lars Saabye Christensen says that the honorary award is highly prestigious.
– It is absolutely prestigious. I did not expect this, it is very, very nice. And very pleasant. I feel a lot of warmth, and yes:
– I am simply very moved.
He is not an author who necessarily enjoys a lot of accolades:
– That is not my driving force. But it is nice when it happens. This reminds me that I have done some good things, it’s nice to be reminded that someone appreciates what I have done.
– Challenging at 70 years
Saabye Christensen has previously won the Brage Prize for “Magnet” and “The Half-Brother”. Tonight, he received the Honorary Prize for a literary career that includes major novels such as “Beatles” and “The City’s Tracks”.
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
Last year, he also received a lot of accolades in connection with his significant 70th birthday, but he has not quite gotten used to this new decade:
– It’s a bit challenging, I think. But there’s much to look back on. The perspective changes, the head changes. The thoughts change, Saabye Christensen tells VG.
Just this autumn, he released the novel “Omagiu” – which VG’s reviewer described as “a refreshing and successful renewal of a long and significant literary career.”
On Thursday evening, the Brage Prize 2024 was awarded – and further down in the text, you will find all this year’s winners – and what the Brage juries consider to be this year’s best books.
The evening’s most prestigious prize was awarded last: The Honorary Prize is awarded each year to a person who has contributed to increasing the dissemination or understanding of literature, or to raising the quality of Norwegian writing culture.
Saabye Christensen received the prize for his “imposing and rich literary work that consists of nearly 70 publications – all of which maintain high literary quality and precision.”
The jury says: In the time we find ourselves in, where reading is under pressure, it can be safely said that this body of work has an exceptionally important position in Norwegian contemporary literature by repeatedly recruiting and inspiring new generations of readers with timeless, universal, and captivating storytelling.
– The Brage Prize Honorary Prize 2024 is awarded to an outstanding author who since his debut in 1976 has inundated nearly all of Norway’s population with a sea of significant and thought-provoking reading experiences, said Culture and Equality
Minister Lubna Jaffery, who read the jury’s rationale – and referred to something Saabye Christensen himself has said:
If literature did not exist, many thoughts would remain invisible.
– Go to bed!
The prize for best non-fiction for adults went to Ayesha Wolasmal for “A Thousand Days with the Taliban.”
– I was very scared when I started writing this book, said Ayesha Wolasmal, becoming emotional on stage:
Ayesha Wolasmal was brought to tears when she won the Brage Prize for this year’s best non-fiction book. She thanked her family, including her deceased father, for whom she had brought a picture on stage.
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
– I had never imagined this. But now I can say to everyone who thought no one was interested in Afghanistan, girls, and the Taliban: “Go to bed,” said Wolasmal, who brought her sister, mother, and brother Yama Wolasmal to the awards ceremony, which is Norway’s largest book festival.
– She was my favorite; I had a lot of faith, says NRK profile and brother Yama Wolasmal, who also published a book this autumn.
– We have written two very different books, he tells VG.
Lars Saabye Christensen won the Honorary Prize; here are the other winners:
Winner of fiction, this year’s best novel:
Kathrine Nedrejord: “The Same Problem”
Read VG’s six-star review of this novel: Masterful!
The jury says: The author of this story poses the really big existential questions, in a type of narrative we cannot remember having read before. (…) It is as if the prose itself, with inserts of sentences in resounding capital letters, and words and place names written in the native language without explanations, breaks free from something rigid that the protagonist has hidden behind. It is a clever move and provides a fresh and juicy reading experience.
These were also nominated:
Winner of non-fiction for children and youth:
Kristina Quintano: “Flukt”
The jury says: “Unvarnished and honest, the author has given a face and a voice to young people on the run. The text allows for reflection and thought, and serves as a call to engage for the many thousands of voices that are never heard. The book does this without coming off as preachy. (…) It is a knockout contribution that allows us to see a world consisting of people, not borders.”
These were also nominated:
Reidar Müller and Sigbjørn Lilleeng (ill.): <a href="https://www.vg.no/rampelys/i/73peM8/internasjonal-rift-om-reidar-muller-og-sigbjoern
Kari Saanum and Signe Torp (ill.): “The Children in the Factory Town – Working Life in Kristiania 1890” (Orkana)
Sarah Herlofsen and Fredrik Edén (ill.): “A Day in the Youth Body” (Herosa)
Winner of non-fiction for adults:
Ayesha Wolasmal: “A Thousand Days with the Taliban”
The jury says: “It is captivatingly and tenderly told about a country that has been in a state of continuous war and conflict for over 40 years. It is an empathetic and warm portrayal of ordinary people’s resilience. This is a book that addresses friendship and enmity and everything in between. A book that contains much pain and sorrow, but also much beauty and humor. The author’s ability to use humor even where things look bleak is masterful.”
These were also nominated:
Inger Skjelsbæk: “Sarajevo’s Roses” (Forlaget Press)
Terje Øiesvold: “From the North. The Image History of the North Calotte” (Orkana Publishing)
Marit Beate Kasin: “The Nature Paradox. About the Nature We Are Losing and How We Can Get It Back” (Res Publica)
Winner of children and youth books:
Kristine Rui Slettebakken and Nora Brech (ill.): “Billie and Bo and the Heidundrand Christmas”:
The jury says: “This year’s winning book is like childhood itself: A good mix of ordinary everyday life and exuberant delight. The winning book nods to the stories of yesteryear, to resilient classics from other great storytellers. For what this book overflows with is deep joy in storytelling. (…) Every page is a delight in this publication, every sentence bursts with meaning, courage, and humor.”
These were also nominated:
Tyra Teodora Tronstad: “Lies that shine”
Kjersti Synneva Moen: “Selma Does the Best She Can”
Per Dybvig: “They are queuing”
– 40 percent of the world’s refugees are children. This is the story of 11 of them, said Kristina Quintano, who won the Brage Prize for “Flukt” - this year’s best non-fiction book for children and youth.
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
What themes are explored in “Beyond the Arctic Gaze”?
“Beyond the Arctic Gaze” (Kagge Forlag)
Winner of children’s fiction:
Elise Broch Nikitin: “Sophie and the Secrets”
The jury says: “With an engaging narrative filled with mystery and adventure, the author invites young readers into a captivating world where challenges are overcome through friendship and bravery. The book not only entertains but also imparts important lessons on trust and resilience.”
Winner of poetry:
Sverre Knudsen: “The Silence Between”
The jury says: “A masterful exploration of the spaces we inhabit and the silences that shape our lives. Knudsen’s poetry resonates deeply, capturing complex emotions with simplicity and grace.”
Winner of literature for young adults:
Maria Parr: “Tomorrow’s Sun”
The jury says: “This book beautifully encapsulates the struggles and triumphs of adolescence, as seen through the eyes of a remarkable protagonist. Parr’s storytelling is both lyrical and poignant, making it a must-read for young adults.”
Special recognition:
The jury also awarded a special mention to Gøran Vullum for his contribution to promoting literary culture through innovative educational projects and initiatives aimed at fostering a love for reading among youth.
As the evening concluded, it was evident that this year’s Brage Prize awards celebrated a diverse range of voices and stories that reflect the richness of Norwegian literature, encouraging both readers and writers to continue exploring and engaging with the written word.