Growth of the Soil

De: Knut Hamsun, Sverre Lyngstad - translator, Brad Leithauser - introduction

Narrado por: BJ Harrison

Growth of the Soil, Hamsun's Nobel Prize winning novel, is a classic of Scandinavian literature.

The farmer Isak scarcely acknowledges the values of modern living. Illiterate but capable of carrying out the business of running a farm, he has physical strength and works with his hands. Although initially amazed by Isak's prowess - his wife Inger, who came into contact with modern society when imprisoned for killing her infant due to its birth defect, return to the home much less impressed by the country life.

Isak's deeply held passion for the Norwegian countryside is contrasted against the cosmopolitan and intellectual traits expressed in his son Eleseus. Despite his superior mental faculties, Eleseus frequently spends his money carelessly on his travels, exasperating his parents with requests for financial support.

Growth of the Soil openly displays the conflicts between the old traditions of agrarian society, and the ever-mounting wonders and conveniences offered by modern society.

©2007 Sverre Lyngstad (P)2020 Tantor

Powerful story but weak narrator

If Wendell Berry's Port William was in Norway, this would be the origin story. God put Adam in the Garden of Eden and told him to be fruitful. Here we see the truly divine when a man takes land and works it, knows it, pours his masculinity into being productive, content, loving his family, being strong, stable, faithful, the anchor. The human introspection and wisdom in the last few chapters is deeply inspiring.

A worthwhile read

I’m glad I read this book. The setting in the country of Northeast Norway was enjoyable.

Type of Story I Love

Loved it all. I listen to stories to go to sleep, but these books are NOT BORING. They take my mind away from thinking about troubles, to think about the people in the stories. So hearing nice stories like this one, and listening to good narration, is important to me.

Norwegian New Realism

Reader sounded like an AI voice when narrating, but did the voices of the characters well.

Not quite like any novel you’ve probably read or listened to before. Hamsun’s rejection of modernity and embrace of rural primitivism. Supposedly this was one Joseph Goebbels’s favorite books and he had it translated into German and issued to Nazi troops. Given that book is full of Norwegian hicks and infanticide, not sure why.

Top of my all time favorites list

Classic for a reason, timeless, and exactly what I needed. Most effective narration I’ve ever had the pleasure to hear. I’ll be listening to Growth of the Soil again.