Literature and Fiction · Paperback

The Bird Dance

Norwegian title: Fugledansen

An intelligent, sad but at the same time funny book. In The Bird Dance Elling wakes up in a psychiatric institution in the same room as Kjell Bjarne. Two weird people slowly approaching each other, and a frail friendship evolve. In this book we also get the story of how Elling and his mother made a desperate attempt of having a normal vacation in the Spanish town Benidorm. Ingvar Ambjørnsen received the Brage Prize of 1995 for this novel. Reviews:

“Books rarely make me laugh, almost never, in fact – but I make an exception for Ambjørnsen because with him, there’s nothing for it but to give in. But now and then I feel like crying, because this is so sad too.

NRK

“A story that swings – from the deepest abyss to the most unbridled slapstick – and at the same time the composition is taut… a magnificent novel.”

ADRESSEAVISEN

“… a lavishly funny, tragicomic novel…”

TØNSBERG BLAD

“… impressive portrayal of an uncommon mind.”

BERGENS TIDENDE

“… a wonderful book.”

VARDEN

Ambjørnsen’s cuckoo’s nest

“… an intelligent book that is at once sad and funny…”

DAGBLADET