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Authors |
Jo Nesbø
Wanted:
Jo Nesbø (Norway)
Will be questioned:
On November 9th (Wednesday), 2005 at 5 pm in the discussion “Crime fiction as a mirror of society”
Personal profile
The author and musician Jo Nesbø was born in 1960 in the capital of Norway, Oslo. The writer has graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics and has got a degree in economics. Nesbø has worked as a freelance journalist and a broker. The writer is also an active musician – he is the main vocal and the song author in the rock band “di Derre”. The band became popular in Norway and its albums were among the bestsellers. After the author had made his debut with the first novel, which was a great success, Nesbø gave up his broker carrier and now he is dealing with writing and music.
Literary works
Having 37 years of age, Nesbø came straight onto the top of the crime literature with his first novel “Batman” (Flaggermusmannen), which enjoyed great success both among the critics and the readers. For his first novel Nesbø was awarded with “The Golden Key” as the best Scandinavian detective writer as well as with the Riverton prize for the best Norwegian detective novel of the year.
The debut-novel “Batman” was created while learning how to write literature. A publishing house had proposed the writer to write a travel book, and Nesbø decided to improve his writing skills. The plot for the future bestseller he thought of sitting in the plane on the way to Australia.
The main character in Nesbø’s novels – police investigator Harry Hole – has become one of the most famous characters in the Norwegian crime literature. All five novels with Harry Hole are bestsellers and translated into many languages. In 2005 the third Harry Hole-novel “Red Throat” (Rødstrupe) was recognized the best Norwegian crime novel of all times.
The most famous works:
”Batman” (Flaggermusmannen), novel, 1997
“Cockroaches” (Kakerlakkene), novel, 1998
“Red Throat” (Rødstrupe), novel, 2000
“Roundabout music” (Karusellmusikk), short stories, 2001
”House of Pain” (Sorgenfri), novel, 2002
”The Devil’s Star” (Marekors), novel, 2003
The Wanted about himself and his novels
I started writing in the school. I liked writing, it wasn’t any difficult task for me, and I found it quite relaxing in between other things.
While creating the main character of my novels (Harry Hole), first of all I gave him a name. On the way flying to Sydney (Australia) I was sitting in a very uncomfortable chair, that’s how I decided that he should be quite tall (191 cm). All other qualities were developed step by step during the writing process of the first novel. I wanted to create a character, which could help the reader to see the world. And which should express some of my thoughts, of course.
To my mind, crime literature gives a frame. Others think the frame is a kind of obstacle, but I believe it helps and even increase creativity, it gives a direction.
Where does my inspiration come from? Inspiration comes, when I start thinking that now it’s time to think. It can happen anywhere. Long and boring trips by plane or train are usually a good place for inspiration to come.
Desperation gives possibility for drama to be developed. My main character Harry Hole has some problems with alcohol. Thus the tension between the world around him and his inside world is growing, and this helps to create an interesting plot.
Sources: http://www.aftenposten.no/, http://www.dagbladet.no/
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