When Norwegian by Night arrived it was accompanied by Ann Patchett's These Precious Days: Essays. Finishing Norwegian by Night a couple of days ago today the sequel, American by Day, arrived. All are gifts from MJV who says "American" is even better than the first.
New York Times says Norwegian by Night "Has the brains of a literary novel and the body of a thriller." That's an apt description. An escape scene has an American 81 year old fleeing by a tractor and other means. The book is reminiscent of the trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson, the Swedish author whose books were published posthumously beginning with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, English version in 2008. The author Derek K. Miller deftly uses flashbacks in developing compelling characters. Flashbacks include scenes from the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Read it if you want a thinking persons thriller though it is quite violent. It contains interesting reflections on the complications arising from Norway's welcome of immigrants.
This gem is found in Patchett's These Precious Days. "The trouble with good fortune is that we tend to equate it with personal goodness, so that if things are going well for us and less well for others, it's assumed they must have done something to have brought misfortune on themselves while we must have worked harder to avoid it. We speak of ourselves as being blessed, but what can that mean except that others are not blessed, and that God has picked out a few of us to love more?" P. 52.
Takk for alt,
Al
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