Knut Hamsun believed that modern literature should express the complexity of the human mind and nowhere is that philosophy more evident than in this stunning modern masterpiece, “Hunger.” First published in 1890 in Norwegian and based on Hamsun’s own experiences with poverty prior to his success as an author, “Hunger” tells the story of an unnamed vagrant who stumbles around the streets of Norway’s capital city of Kristiania (now Oslo) looking for food. This starving young man attempts to create an outward illusion of sanity and rationality, but his inner mind is becoming increasingly disturbed and delusional. He is kind to others and generous with the little he has, but he also refuses to find work to help support himself and becomes sicker and sicker in both his mind and body as he starves. His deterioration, both mental and physical, is captured in stunning and shocking detail. While the ending is one of hope and optimism, “Hunger” is a searing portrait of poverty and despair, as well as a biting social commentary on modern urban life and how desperate things can become for the poor in large cities. Nobel Prize winning Hamsun is at his best in this classic of modern literature. This edition includes a biographical afterword.
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