5 comments about Norwegian Verbs And Essentials of Grammar.

1. Let me start by saying I came from a beginning Norwegian language class where the textbook was entirely in Norwegian; the index, instructions, EVERYthing. Does that make sense to speak a language to someone who doesn't know it and is trying to learn? I understand the theory behind it, but it's just not practical. So naturally I looked for outside help.
   I found that help with this book by Janus. He has a great way of laying out, in an easy-to-read-and-follow format, just EXACTLY how something is said and WHY it's said that way.
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   The Format:
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   Each area covers every aspect of formal and informal grammar starting with a paragraph or two about what a given funtion or part of speech means (ex: The present participle are adjective forms based on verbs such as the "ing" in thinking)
   Then you'll get examples and the book backs EVERYthing up with its English translation right next to them for immediate reference and confirmation.
   What struck me about this book was that you don't even have to be a student of the Norwegian language and you could still thumb through it in order to see how Norwegians speak, just out of curiosity. It also has several sections for reference like numbers, a healthy list of verbs and their tenses, and even a section listing the 100 most popular names for males and females. Did you know that Kari is a popular Norwegian name and it's actually pronounced CAHD-ee? Cool.



2. I enjyed stydying norwegian because i have this close to norway and the people. The book showed me more and more about norwegian, I do recommend for this book for whom wants to be an excillent norwegian speaker!



3. I was very pleased with this book. It was well organized and it included all the important rules of Norwegian grammer. Definitely recommended.



4. This is a wonderful reference tool. It's very understandable, well layed out with many good examples of grammar usage. This book is a great supplement for classroom or self study.



5. Okay... so if your "learning" style consists only of popping a CD in and listening while you paint your toenails or watch a football game (and you have an extra 8 to 10 years to learn a language in this fashion), this is not the book for you!
   
   However, if you're not a fan of the so-called "modern" approach, and if you are not afraid to think, and if you believe that learning a language actually takes effort on your part, and if you would like to really get to know the language and how it functions, and if you would like to speak/write with your own sentences (that you made up all by yourself!!!)... well, great! This is a WONDERFUL book for you.
   
   Unfortunately, the modern trend in language learning is to treat us all like children. We are not children, and many of us don't want to spend the eight years or so which it takes to reach proficiency using that approach. This book will bridge the gap and give you the details/structure that most of the other course books are afraid to include. It's very organized. And even better, it doesn't get carried away with minute detail as some grammar books tend to do. At the same time, it is thorough enough so that you won't have a bunch of unanswered questions and incomplete concepts. It's a very logical progression and there are plenty of examples.
   
   You know, if this book had vocabulary lists with recorded pronunciation, lots of written exercises/translations, about 10 CD's of realistic/native spoken dialog with transcription, oral repetition/exercises, and a good Leitner-System-based flash card software application... well, wouldn't life be grand? (dream on)

5 comments about Teach Yourself Norwegian Conversation (3CDs + Guide) (Teach Yourself).

1. For learning any language, one needs a variety of tools and resources. Some of these resources should be considered primary and some should be considered secondary. In my opinion, "Teach Yourself Norwegian Conversation" is a well-made and valuable secondary resource that goes along very well with the main "Teach Yourself Norwegian" book.
   
   The three discs that this program consists of are filled with good conversations and helpful walkthroughs. Though I wouldn't necessarily recommend this product alone to teach conversational Norwegian, I feel that it is definitely a worthwhile supplement. If you can bring yourself to tolerate the little song played at the beginning of every track, I think you should find this to be an excellent way to hear some spoken Norwegian. With this and the "Teach Yourself Norwegian" book that comes with the CDs, you're well on your way to speaking one of the great languages of the North.



2. I got this in addition to "Teach Yourself Norwegian". While I feel it's a worthwhile addition to my studies, there is something that bothers me much more than the annoying song:
   
   The speech patterns of the people reading the conversations are NOWHERE near natural. They read each word slowly and deliberately, and pause after each and every one. While this can be useful for hearing the exact pronunciation of each word, at least reading the conversations ONCE with a natural speaking pattern would be immensely helpful. In my experience, Norwegian isn't always pronounced with a deliberate pause after every word. Lots of words run together, or very close, when someone speaks a sentence, and hearing someone speak in a natural way would give the reader an idea of how to do that.



3. The three cd's start off rather easy if you have a bit of background with Norwegian. The conversations gradually get faster and use more vocabulary. Repeat listening to the easier lessons until they are easily understood before going further. Having the booklet is very helpful showing the written form of the conversations. A reasonably priced bit of audio help in learning Norwegian!....makes you wish for a fourth CD!



4. I had the need to learn basic Norwegian while on a 10 hour flight to a meeting there. I took a gamble with this product, since there aren't that many options out there for Norwegian. Turns out, it's a good product, and it met my need.
   
   They start you out right away with simple common conversations, and offer them a number of different ways: boy and girl talking Norwegian, boy and girl English translation, boy left out (so you can speak it) and girl speaking, girl left out (so you can speak it) and boy speaking. They encourage you to speak the parts out loud, which does indeed bring you into the spirit of Norwegian much faster and turns the whole process into fun.
   
   You feel quite at home very quickly. They don't stuff "fundamentals" down your throat before allowing you to try things. Quite opposite, you find that you're learning fundamentals almost without realizing it.
   
   It doesn't make you a master of the language, but gets you to the point that you can easily have basic conversations with Norwegians in their home country, and to the point they feel flattered that you have made the effort. Most Norwegians know English, but many don't use it enough to use it as their primary language. Having a basic understanding of Norwegian makes their efforts to communicate to you in English much easier on them. And they are generally very pleased that you try to speak their language and are quite willing to help you along if you prefer to stay in their language.
   
   A good course. Recommended.



5. I'm shortly travelling to Scandinavia. After some online research I came to the conclusion that Norwegian was going to be the easiest to learn for an english speaker and the most versatile of the similar languages in Scandinavia being understood in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
   
   The course starts out a jog and gets quicker. It can require some skipping back a fair bit to learn some of it. That said, it is structured well and it's not difficult to learn the basics using these CD's. I've been listening in the car on the way to and from work for the last two weeks and I feel that I have a good enough grasp on the basics to get by in some rudamentary conversation with people who are prepared to speak slowly enough.
   
   The CD's are self-contained and although there is a booklet with the transcriptions in it, you don't need this to learn how to listen to and speak norwegian.
   
   The first two CD's are divided into brief conversations, which build into a story as the CD's play though. Each conversation between two characters is listened to in full and then broken down and explained and then the listener is given the chance to play the part of each character in the conversation to test their skills. It works well and is easy to follow. The third CD focuses on being able to pickup the jist of other peoples conversations by listening for key words and phrases not by understanding it word-for-word. These conversations are spoken clearly but are in real-time, not slowed down, so it's a good opportunity to see how much you've learnt in a realistic situation.
   
   3 CD's isn't enough to learn the whole language by a long-shot, but it will get you started with introducing yourself, talking about likes, dislikes, ordering at a restaurant, booking a hotel, meeting friends, counting from one to one hundred, days of the week, and asking for things from a tourist office. It's a great head-start for anyone wanting just a little bit of an edge when they travel and don't want to have to always rely on english.

1 comments about Langenscheidt Universal Norwegian Dictionary: Norwegian-English/ English-Norwegian (Langenscheidt Universal).

1. This pocket dictionary really will fit in your pocket! It has a flexible plastic cover which should wipe off easily if need be. It also has blue headwords. It appears to be as comprehensive as one would expect for this size. It includes both American and British usage (the American usage is indicated by Am). The introduction and guide to pronunciation are in both languages. There are also 32 pages at the back with information for travelers (in both English and Norwegian): basic (travel) phrases, abbreviations, a mini-grammar with irregular verbs, numerals, how to tell time, and metric conversions including a thermometer showing both Fahrenheit and Centrigrade/Celcius.

5 comments about The Redbreast.

1. Chosen as the best ever Norwegian crime novel, this British translation intertwines the Norwegians who fought for the Germans on the Eastern Front in WWII with the neo-Nazis of modern Oslo. This rarely explored episode in Norwegian history ("we don't talk about that") explains the motives for the soldiers and offers an interpretation of the current skinhead recruits. Adding color to the plot is the ubiquitous alcoholic detective, the pretty young partner, the international arms scheme, the Nazi-archives of Vienna and a dash of simplistic psychology. It's a riveting read with a few red herrings, a twist here and there and a dangling finale. I loved being back on the streets of Oslo again. [note: I read the British paperback edition. Excellent translation.]



2. Bouncing back and forth between WW2 and 2000, Nesbo develops a story that has more turns than the coast of Norway. He even manages to kill off what had appeared to be a major character without damaging the book or story.
   
   When you read a translation, you always wonder about how much the translator cleared up misconceptions and other little mistakes that show up in the original. There is also the danger that you will lose many of the 'quirks' that make up the characters. None of that happens in the hands of Don Bartlett who should be commended for a great job. (A friend of mine read the original in Norwegian and said that he was amazed at how closely the english version had the same 'feel'.)
   
   The story is way to complicated to define in just a few sentences and can only be described as constantly moving along. The only sad part of this book is that it is the THIRD installment of the series and the first two have still not been translated. Parts of those stories are mentioned in the narrative and will probably spoil the endings of both.
   
   Be warned that this was the second book translated, and the third "Nemesis" is actually the next installment (the fourth book) and that "The Devil's Star" the first book translated, is actually the fifth installment. The publishers should be ashamed of themselves as should Nesbo's agent.



3. "The Redbreast" is, quite simply, the best thriller I've read this year. I first read "The Devil's Star" by Mr. Nesbo and was very impressed with his writing and his protagonist, Detective Harry Hole. Harry is sort of the Norwegian equivalent of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch.
   
   A portion of this story takes place during World War II and details the fighting that took place along the Norwegian border with Russia. The Norwegians supported the Nazi's in their efforts to stop the Russian advance into their homeland. Several of the men that fought on the front lines during the early 1940's play an integral role in the modern day tale of Hole's attempt to stave off an assisination attempt on current Norwegian royalty.
   
   Harry Hole, a world weary investigator, is shuffled off to a lesser investigative branch of the government after he accidently almost kills a Secret Service Agent who he thought was trying to kill a visting President Clinton in the late 1990's. He becomes embroiled in an investigation into white supremacists, meets a fellow woman agent that he falls for, and delves into the past to uncover the secrets of several men who fought in the war.
   
   The book is long but doesn't feel like it and the pace picks up considerably during the last two hundred pages. I would defy anyone to put this novel down while charging through to the end of a story that has one of the most incredible, twisting endings that I have read in years. The plotting of this book was masterful. I was very sorry when this one ended. I'm also sad that it took so long to get this and other novels from the same region translated into English so they can be enjoyed on this side of the Atlantic. Nesbo, Mankell, Erickson, et al. are all great writers and have so much to offer to the genre. Publishers take note: Get them translated and bring them to American readers who may be looking for something different.



4. "The Redbreast" is a smart and sophisticated crime novel, an intelligent and cleverly crafted tale of honor, disgrace, and chicanery that will have you scratching your head, unable to pull away from a convoluted mystery spanning nearly six decades while probing an obscure but fascinating niche of WWII history.
   
   
   Written by Jo Nesbo in 2000, this Norwegian award winner was translated to English and released a couple of years ago. It starts in 1999, with Oslo police detective Harry Hole nearly causing an international incident when botched communications disrupt a motorcade transporting the President of the US. In an attempt to keep Hole - and Norway, out of the limelight, Harry is shuffled off to a government agency tasked with keeping an eye on neo-Nazi activity in the capital city. Abruptly turn the clock back some fifty-seven years to the Eastern front, to a team of Norwegian nationals, voluntarily fighting the Bolsheviks for the Wermarcht. From Oslo to Leningrad to Vienna and back, Nesbo takes the reader through contrasting images of frozen foxholes and gilded mansions, from traitors who betrayed Norway and joined the invading Nazis while maintaining a semblance of dignity to stone cold killers on both sides of history.
   
   "Redbreast" is one of those rare gems of fiction that illuminate dark corners of history while at the same time maintain the pace and suspense of the best pop thrillers. The characters are well drawn and believable, though a word of warning: there are many, and some effort is required in keeping names, places and times in some order. Nesbo is tediously precise not only in his research, but moreover, in dropping obscure hints and foreshadowing leading to a climax that was as credible as it was unexpected, a series of multiple twists and turns that you'll need your Garmin to track, while leaving enough ambiguity to launch a sequel.
   
   Nesbo will remind of the painstaking detail of LeCarre's finest works - "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" or "Smiley's People", and may recall images from Turow's "Ordinary Heroes" or Silva's "The Confessor". It shares the broodingly atmospheric Scandinavian fatalism of Icelander author's Arnaldur Indridason's outstanding crime fiction, especially the eerily similar and highly recommended "Silence of the Grave." This is an ambitious novel - and clearly one of the most engrossing books I've read this year - I'd highly recommend adding Jo Nesbo to that list of "must reads."



5. The Redbreast is an exceptionally well-crafted and atmospsheric novel weaving the skein of two storylines together, one concerning Norwegians who joined the Waffen SS and fought on the Eastern Front believing they were defending their country from Soviet annexation, and the other a murder mystery set in modern Oslo, a case headed by Inspector Harry Hole. As the case begins to lead Harry into the distant past to solve his case in the present, Nesbo makes stunning good use of his plot to show that the past is much more complicated and complex than it is often presented later and personal ethical, moral, and political choices in a confused time can lead righteous men in different directions. Before I venture into my thoughts on this novel let me preface my comments by saying that this is an exceptionally good book and I very much liked it. There were a number of things that as I was reading struck as unusual which I believe worth sharing here. These are not meant to be negatives, just items worth noting.
   
   I was extremely excited to get this book after reading the blurb on Amazon. A murder mystery, set partially in modern Norway (a beautiful country I would love to visit) and partially on the Eastern front during WWII, covering both real Nazis and neo-Nazis, seemed like it could be a great book. I haven't been as excited to get a book by a new author in a long time actually. When I received the book and read the dust cover I got even more excited...apparently this book was voted "the best Norwegian crime novel EVER". Also, apparently Jo Nesbo is a well-regarded pop music talent in Europe with several top ten hits and is also an economist. My wife noted that he was also exceptionally good-looking. I decided, with a little effort, to not hold all of this spectacular over-achievement against Nesbo, and just try to enjoy the book. I jumped Redbreast to the front of the crowded reading queue and got started.
   
   The first hundred pages were slow going and I wasn't gaining much traction. There was nothing wrong with the writing but the story wasn't immediately engaging. After you cross that first hundred page barrier though the story really picks up steam and becomes riveting. There were several things I noted about the book which could have been a little offputting but I think they are understandable in context. There is some dialogue that can seem odd, but I'm sure that it has to do with difficulties in translating from Norwegian. There are always unique cultural thought processes and manners of expression which do not smoothly translate from one language to another. These odd bits are noticeable but they do not detract from the story. Actually they made me pay more attention. Also there is much less character development of the protagonist, Harry Hole, a Norwegian police inspector, than I would have expected. In thinking about the book I believe it is for two reasons. Nesbo has written seven books which feature Harry Hole. This is the third in the series but the first two haven't been translated yet. I wish they had been because I would have preferred to start at the beginning, and not having the background from the first two novels does make it harder to figure Harry out and to identify with his character. You do get there, but it takes much longer when you are essentially dropped into the middle of his life-story without any context. I'm reasonably sure the missing character development can be found in the first two books. Another item which struck me was that if the reader is paying attention they will solve the mystery about 90% of the way through the book, but it takes Harry a little longer. There was nothing particularly wrong with this, it just that in my experience the reader either gets to understand the mystery from near the beginning and then we cheer the protagonist on as they fit the pieces together, or its the other way round, the protagonist fits the pieces together for us and all is revealed to the reader by the competent sleuth at the denouement. I actually kind of liked struggling with Harry to solve the baffling mystery and getting there just a little ahead of him. It was just that I felt this was unusual enough to be worth noting, perhaps an approach unique to Nesbo or perhaps something we'll see more of in the future from other writers. One last unusual item, especially since some readers may be put off by it, was that there was a tangetial murder that was not solved and a bad guy who was not nabbed. Perhaps this will be revisited in one of the succeeding Harry Hole novels when they are translated, or perhaps this is Nesbo realsim. You can't catch all the bad guys all the time.
   
   As I said, the foregoing are not meant to be negatives. I found the book to be thoroughly enjoyable after the first one hundred pages of set-up. The mystery, which bounces back and forth from WWII to the present was a truly excellent one that will leave you baffled and then thoroughly satisfied once the pieces fall into place. In fact, I think the mystery was handled exceptionally well. Although it didn't start this way, this novel did develop into one of those books that you don't want to put down. There was also one particular scene in the book which drove my tension and stress levels way past any other reading experiences lately and I admired the skill with which Nesbo crafted that scene. I found myself wanting to shout warnings out loud to the character...that is some pretty strong writing when you become so involved you start to talk to the characters in the book! All in all, while I might not call this the best crime book ever, not even for Norway, it is still a very fine crime book and I will definitely be reading anything by Nesbo I can get. In fact, I think the biggest weakness of this book was simply the lack of preparatory Harry Hole novels. I hope they translate them soon.

5 comments about Norwegian-English Dictionary: A Pronouncing and Translating Dictionary of Modern Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk) with a Historical and Grammatical Introduction.

1. I studied Norwegian for about 3 years in college and used multiple dictionaries. This seemed to be the most comprehensive dictionary that we used. Just like any dictionary it is meant as a reference and not a comprehensive way to learn a language. This is a very handy book to have on your bookshelf if you feel comfortable reading the language but need to translate words every now and again. Highly recommended.



2. Finally, a comprehensive and full dictionary that show pronounciation, and even though for the beginner the "ny-norsk" entries don't seem to be of much use, my husband now after he has become more proficient in the language actually find it interesting having the "ny-norsk" words in there.
   Only thing missing to make this complete would be a English-Norwegian part to it, and also this dictionary is due for an update (it's from 1974!!) into the millenium, that would definately give this puppy a clear 5 star, but for now a sturdy 4 star.



3. Good and complete, a very nice book. Too bad it's only norwegian to english, the other way round would have been fantastic.



4. Learning Norsk had been a real challenge for me. This book really helped me with my travels and learning the language. A real must for anyone learning Norwegian. A great book!



5. This dictionary is very good, the best one I've found so far, and I've been in Norway for 2 months. maybe if I try the best bookstores in big cities can find something similar, but in Norway, most dictionaries will be aiming norwegian speakers who want to learn english, so they don't come with fonetics or gender for words. the only problem with this dictionary is that it's only norwegian english, so I had to buy an english-norwegian, norwegian-english one. what i have to do when I want to learn a new word i know in english, is to look for it in the english-norwegian one and then go to my nice green one and look for gender, plural, etc. also, i'd add some fonectic symbols!

5 comments about Teach Yourself Norwegian Complete CoursePackage (Book + 2CDs) (Teach Yourself Complete Language Courses).

1. I'm only on chapter 7 (of 16) but so far it's been great. The pronuniation guide section is a little off, but you learn very quickly to pronounce Norwegian by listening to the recording. It's definently not for someone who only wants to learn "survival" Norwegian, or just enough to get by if you were to go to Norway. It's for serious students, something that many language textbooks lack.
   All in all, very impressed.



2. My only complaint is the CD was a little hard to use because it went through everything at a breakneck pace. You can't use it much without the book. Each chapter has only a few minutes of audio and I was always rewinding. That's not to say it wasn't a very useful addition to the book, especially for something as hard to learn to pronounce as Norwegian. It's just not something you can use in the car.
   
   Overall though, the course is very well done and is a great deal for the price.



3. I'm about half way through this book (it's taken about a month, but I'm putting lots and lots of time into it) and so far I've been very impressed with the clarity and organization throughout. I have a number of Teach Yourself language books... and some of them are horribly disorganized and illogically sequenced--especially those published from around 10 to 15 years ago. It seems that the TY people have finally come to their senses with the newer offerings (especially the "Beginner's Series" French and Italian--those are wonderful).
   
   This book is very well presented. The vocabulary is introduced mostly at the word level with nice lists and definitions side by side (not predominately at the phrase level, which is a weakness for many TY language books, IMO). You actually learn to use words and put them together into sentences, rather than learning a bunch of semi-useless static "canned" phrases.
   
   The voice actors present dialog very well/clearly in an ongoing story format--it's quite entertaining at times (reminds me of a Spanish telenovela). The grammar is introduced in very digestible chunks (in fact, personally I could take that part way faster). On the vocabulary side, I find it to be quite intense, almost overwhelming at times. There are around 1500 words introduced and several hundred phrases. For me personally, the vocabulary comes too quickly. I find myself getting bogged down with memorizing new words after I've long since done the grammar from the section. But that is just personal learning strengths/weaknesses. I pick up grammar very fast... and memorize vocabulary quite slowly. It may be different for you. I know many people shudder at the mention of grammar--trust me, in this book it's presented very understandably.
   
   Finally, as is the problem with nearly EVERY language book I've seen, there are just not nearly enough exercises/practice problems. I won't fault this book for it, since it's a common condition. About ten times more practice would be nice. I find myself trying to come up with my own exercises to help me remember all of this vocabulary. I also use other books (Janus' Verbs & Essentials of Grammar, Colloquial Norwegian, Hippocrene's Beginner's Norwegian) for extra practice. Of course, if your memory is sharp, you might not need so much practice/study.
   
   All in all, this is my favorite of the Norwegian books I have. I'm already able to understand some of what I hear on Norwegian (internet) radio. There is quite a lot of vocabulary similarity with English, which is nice. And Norwegian grammar is very refreshing compared to other languages--it's relatively simple. I wouldn't say Norwegian is "easy" for an English speaker, but it's not nearly as hard as is a language such as Gaelic or Finnish. Not even close.
   
   A helpful hint: The Norwegian Conversation CDs by Teach Yourself are a great supplement to this course. They roughly follow this book's sequence and are great for additional practice with vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.



4. This is truly an amazing book! This is the 1st "teach yourself" book that I have ever bought, and I feel that it is one of the best purchases I have done in recent time. I have not even started chapter 1, but I already know that this is a great book? Why? Because I tried to study Norwegian with Laura Ziukaite-Hansen's book (Beginner's Norwegian with 2 audio cds) and well, it didn't work.
   
   When I started with the latter, I was left with a lot of doubts concerning even BASIC stuff such as vowels and consonants. Things were not explained in a clear way, and I felt that I needed a lot of reinforcement in a lot of areas. This book is certainly not recommended. On top of it all, my book was missing one cd! That REALLY (emphasize on really) discouraged me a lot, to the point that I did not study Norwegian for nearly a year! I know that I can return the item, but since I live over-seas it is cheaper for me to order a new book than to send the old one back.
   
   Teach Yourself' book is A LOT better. There are a lot of audio parts, so you read, then hear what you just read (great reinforcement) and then make some exercises. That's great!
   
   The other book, on the other hand, only had dialogues and repetition situations. This one, however; had also the theory in audio format, so it really helps a lot and you really feel that you're learning and progressing a lot!
   
   Totally recommended, buy this!



5. I have wanted to learn Norwegian for some time, but as an American student living on the East Coast, my resources have been someone limited. On a whim, I picked up a copy of this book from my college bookstore, hoping to cruise through it over time and perhaps pick up at least some introductory knowledge of the language. I got a lot more than I thought I would. The chapters are organized and helpful, the vocabulary lists build on each other, and the subject matter is interesting. I use it everyday.
   
   To give you an idea of what this book has done for me, let me say that I have taken five years of German at both the high school and university level. Though I can read and write German better, my Norwegian speaking skills are inexplicably stronger. For having only worked on learning the language a few months, I can easily hold various conversations. The book is excellent for building conversational skills as well as skills in both reading and writing.
   
   If you're looking to get started in Norwegian, look no further than this book. It's simply awesome.

No comments about A Blessed Child.

5 comments about Black Seconds (Inspector Sejer Mysteries).

1. Creepy is an understatement when talking about Karin Fossum's detective series featuring Inspector Konrad Sejer and his colleague Jacob Skarre. In "Black Seconds," readers get a glimpse into a dark world not too many authors can create as powerful and troubling as Fossum.
   
   From the beginning of the series in "Don't Look Back" until now in "Black Seconds," Fossum knows how to create a believable and realistic sketch of her characters and their aging lives. As evidence, Konrad Sejer is not the same man we have seen in "Don't Look Back" or even in "The Indian Bride." He is more vulnerable, in private and in public life. Behind closed doors, we see his beloved dog Kollberg struggle with the aging process. He can hardly walk anymore, or find his cozy surroundings comfortable. Late one night, while Sejer comes home from work, he sits in his favorite chair by the window and stares across the room at his dog, who walks in circles a few times until he collapses on the floor. His hind legs hit the floor first, then his paws, and finally his heavy head falls in front of him. It is too difficult for Sejer to look his dog in the eyes.
   
   At work, Sejer deals with a case that he finds most puzzling to date. As he interviews Emil Mork and his mother, Elsa, Sejer discovers how rewarding and debilitating his line of work really is. At one point in the novel when Sejer questions Elsa about her son's anger management problems, Sejer is seen as weak and scared for the first time. He sees Kollberg in her story, I think, and takes her confession personally.
   
   The end of the story is Fossum at her best with the writings of nature and the human condition. Wonderful and haunting at the same time. I look forward to more Inspector Sejer and Skarre mysteries and hope we get a better look at Skarre's personality and private life. I really like these characters and pray we get more cases soon.



2. I agree whole heartedly with the reviews of T.B. Grant and Butterfield! Karin Fossum is a master story teller! I loved every second of Black Seconds...I wait for more Sejer! This character would be great in the movies! Reminds me a little of the men from Dragnet--but better! I am waiting for the arrival of my copy of Fossum's new book: Broken- I think it is unrelated to the Sejer series, but I know it will be worth reading!



3. Characters that are real, not forced or overdrawn. Plot development that is believable and deceiving, with a style that smoothly involves the reader mentally, laying clues that may be clues or not, always with unexpected plot finishes that are satisfying. Read one of her books and you immediately want to start another. A detective mystery writer of the highest order.
   If you haven't read any Fossum I would recommend starting with The Indian Bride. The British TimesOnline named her one of the 50 greatest crime writers. If you like anything in this genre you will love this author.



4. Black Seconds is a tragedy. We could call it an experiment in a mistery novel that follows the track of greek tragedies: there are no villains in this sad tale. A young girl, sweet as most of them when they are 12, animal lover and with all future ahead disapears and the first suspect is a borderline intelectually deficient men. Obviouslly he is not the murderer - the girl is found dead with anusual lesions and the story goes until the real responsable is found. All characters are decent persons, and this is the impact of this dark novel: bad things happen. If you have young daughters don`t read this novel: it hurts.



5. When I read this book's predecessor, "The Indian Bride" (which had gotten so many good reviews around the US), I thought Ms. Fossum had put out one of the best mysteries I'd read in 20+ years. I see now that I was mistaken. "The Indian Bride" was only a warm-up for "Black Seconds."
   
   Wow. I truly cannot imagine a better mystery. Characters are tightly drawn, the plot moves along perfectly (at least, in such a manner that you'll likely end up staying up all night to read this book), and, of course, the setting is sketched out with just the right amount of detail. Not a wasted word or sentence in this book.
   
   If you like mysteries, if you like really good stories, and you don't mind picking up the kind of book that you'll find difficult to put down until the end, this is the book for you. Don't waste your time reading any more reviews - buy it, read it, enjoy it and join the rest of us waiting for Ms. Fossum's next book.

5 comments about Norwegian Wood.

1. This book is my second favorite by Murakami. I think his strength lies in his style of writing. As if you read Bukowski without swearing and vulgar stuff.
   
   I can't add anything that is not written, and I don't wanna spoil it for you. Go get it.



2. "Norwegian Wood" tells of a college student's life in the 1960s in Japan. The narrative primarily concerns itself with the relationships of the narrator, Toru Watanabe.
   
   
   Watanabe is a humble, self-described 'average' guy. In contrast to his perfectly plain self-depiction, he quietly questions the social mores and structure around him. His reluctance to mindlessly conform isolates him from most, but one-by-one he befriends a diverse cast of characters, all of whom are struggling with something. There's Naoko, the ex-girlfriend of Watanabe's dead best friend, the womanizing Nagasawa, Nagasawa's main squeeze Hatsumi, and the spark-plug Midori.
   
   
   "Norwegian Wood" is a novel about love, it is a novel about youth. It explores passion, why we burn and feel for others, the context of sex in love, and so many other things. But it NEVER analyzes, it never stops and reflects upon itself. It keeps moving, allowing us to experience all these emotions for ourselves and make of them what we will. I can't express enough how much of an experience this book is.
   
   
   Inevitably "Norwegian Wood" has been compared to its influences: 'Catcher and the Rye', 'The Great Gatsby', and Thomas Mann's 'The Magic Mountain.' While each novel has its own flavor, 'Norwegian Wood' is arguably the most affecting of the bunch. It hurts every time I read this book. This novel has life in it, and the more you perceive and are in touch with your own experiences in this world, the more meaningful and poignant your time with this book will be.



3. I have read all Murakami's Books mostly in Japanese. I have been in love with the book ever since 16. I recently bought this book because I wanted to see how my favorite book is translated in English. I was deeply impressed by the translation - very accurate and great choice of words to preserve a tone of the book. I totally recommend this book.



4. I've read three of Murakami's books, and quite frankly, I don't understand his appeal to so many people.
   In this book Watanabe is a listless, dull, young man. To give you a taste for his depth, witness the following excerpt of a conversation he had with a friend who, according to Watanabe, had a profound insight into Mozart's music: "...with Itoh's smart and heartfelt commentary ('There - that part., "How about that?')...." Other conversations throughout the book are equally stimulating.
   I struggled to get through this book filled with suicide and depression, without any insights.



5. Murakami's Norwegian Wood seems like another Catcher in the Rye without any traces of annoying repetitiveness of themes. Watanabe, the protagonist of the novel, has already become a figure to emulate in some respects...

5 comments about Out Stealing Horses: A Novel.

1. This book loses something in the translation. It starts out a little slow. Although this is a good story, it is not written as well as I would have preferred.



2. First, I read In The Wake, then Out Stealing Horses. Both books affected me in the same way; I was mesmerized. This is a writer who controls his reader from the start. He draws you in while you drum your fingers impatiently -- what a slow book, you are thinking -- then he owns you.
   
   After finishing In The Wake, my first thought was...eat your heart out, Ernest Hemingway. This author is more knowing, more skilled, larger, unmannered. (Perhaps appearing unmannered is his skill?) I didn't want to read another author for a week or two; they all read like amateurs.
   
   I am reading Nadine Gordimer's The Conservationist. She has much of the same hypnotic power and control over the reader.



3. The writing is this book is beautiful. I could feel the cold when reading. And, the premise of the story -- a man attempting to escape his past but events just will not let them, is a good one. However, after a while, I just felt like I was missing something. The time sequence of the novel moves from present to past and back again and at times I had difficulty making those moves. This is definitely a study in characterization, not plot. I agree with those that praised the writing style, and agreed with those that felt it left them somehow unfulfilled.



4. Per Petterson's account of 67-year old Trond Sander's fatalistic meeting with new neighbor Lars Haug triggers highly emotional memories of his 1948 summer, as a fifteen year old lad, who lives in a cabin with his father on a timber-lined river front.
   
   Lars ends up having been the younger brother of Trond's summer mate. Their lives through 1948 crossed one another immensely. But, the summer of 1948 also proves to be tragic. For Lars, for Lars' brother Jon, for Lars' parents and for Trond's parents.
   
   As the pages turn, we learn that there is a past during the Nazi occupation of Norway that led the Haugs and Sanders to meet, and actually work, with one another. Occupational relationships apparently grew, and eventually Trond pieces together the parts as best he can from a story never completely told to him. At the end, we readers must assume or believe certain events occurred - but factual proof of same is not delivered. We cannot totally know what really happened, conjecture cannot be dispositive.
   
   Norwegian dialogue is minimal and sometimes awkward to the American reader. When people are delighted, they may say "Can't be denied." Smiles are infrequent among the characters. Giddiness occurs rarely. If this book were a painting, it would be entirely tones of blue.
   
   But, the uniquity of the Norwegian verse makes this book resonate to this reader. It is different. And, different in a good way. The clean and crisp short sentences, combined with the delicate but not embellished storyline, make the book an easy read and mostly pleasant.
   
   Of all other books read over the past several years, this reminds me most of "The Gathering." Each are reflections of a past, much of which is tortured, but predominately overcome. As each is written by European pen, I forewarn readers of light fare to understand that these novels may not be their classic choice. However, to such readers I offer this advice: giving this book a try should "not be denied."



5. I got to page 195, always hoping to discover why the raves. Gave up at that point due to terminal boredom. No idea why so many people like it. Save your money!!