Since 1993 Nordbok has published an
annual review, Nordisk Litteratur.
Although possessing the form and
appearance of a periodical, this publication
has gradually developed into a
literary yearbook. This year’s edition is
a book of 184 pages, although still retaining
the format of a periodical. The
yearbook’s chief editor is Jógvan Isaksen,
who comes from the Faeroe Islands
and is a lecturer at the University
of Copenhagen. He has written books
on art and literature, also crime novels
for children and adults. In addition to
the chief editor, the yearbook has a
staff of highly-qualified assistant
editors representing all the Nordic
countries. All the text in the yearbook
is printed in parallel in two languages,
English and one or other of the Nordic
languages.
Nordisk Litteratur aims to reflect what
is new in Nordic literature. A large
number of books are presented in
short reviews, while some are given
greater attention. There are also several
articles on trends and developments in
the world of books. This year’s edition
is devoted to literature for the young
and by the young.
A number of articles examine what is
happening among certain writers who
made their debut in recent years. The
Nordic children’s book is considered
from several angles and evidence is
provided to show that Nordic literature
for children is still happily alive and
remains independent in relation to
norms and conventions.
As on previous occasions, this year’s
edition of Nordisk Litteratur gives
prominent place to the nominated
candidates and the final winners of the
Nordic Council’s prize for literature.
This prize, now standing at DKK
350,000, has been awarded every year
since 1962. A panel of judges, consisting
of two members from each of
the Nordic countries, chooses the winner
from among the candidates nominated
by the committee of each individual
country. In addition to being a
highly prestigious form of recognition
both for the winners and for those
nominated, this award plays a significant
role in maintaining interest and
understanding for the literature of
neighbouring Nordic countries.
The Nordic Council’s prize for literature
in 2003 was won by the Swedish
author, Eva Ström, for her collection of
poems, Revbensstäderna. In the introduction
to a lengthy article on Eva
Ström’s work the jury’s reasons for
awarding her the prize were quoted -
“Eva Ström is a singular voice in the
landscape of Swedish poetry. She is a
forerunner for a younger generation of
poets and her work never stagnates.
She tests the limits of the language and
challenges the potential of the word.
Revbensstäderna stands out because of
her striking courage, her intensity and
physicality, as well as the clarity with
which she depicts the human condition
today.”
Nordisk Litteratur offers a unique
opportunity to obtain an overall view
of what is happening today on the
Nordic literary scene. Having now been
published for more than 10 years, the
yearbook also gains significance for
those interested in a wider perspective.
A project to make all editions electronically
available has recently been
completed and they are now accessible
on Nordbok’s home page,
http://www.nordbok.org.
Translated by Erik Deverill
