Growth of the Soil
Knut Hamsun
Read by Greg W.
Growth of the Soil (Markens Grøde) is the novel by Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun which won him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. The essential elements of this novel are expressed in the words of the English translator W.W. Worster in his footnote in December 1920: 'It is the life story of a man in the wilds, the genesis and gradual development of a homestead, the unit of humanity, in the unfilled, uncleared tracts that still remain in the Norwegian Highlands. It is an epic of earth; the history of a microcosm. Its dominant note is one of patient strength and simplicity; the mainstay of its working is the tacit, stern, yet loving alliance between Nature and the Man who faces her himself, trusting to himself and her for the physical means of life, and the spiritual contentment with life which she must grant if he be worthy. . .The story is epic in its magnitude, in its calm, steady progress and unhurrying rhythm, in its vast and intimate humanity. The author looks upon his characters with a great, all-tolerant sympathy, aloof yet kindly, as a god.' (Introduction by Wikipedia) (14 hr 38 min)
Chapters
Reviews
Excellent Excellent Reading
Dragonflyer
This book is not for everyone, the synopsis is a guide, but the reading is better than most commercial projects.
Growth
Dean Urevig
This is a very nice book. What it is about is stated inthe English title "Growth". It is a book about economics, natural economics, capitalism. It is about the negotiation of the man with the land the woman with the man, the people with the law, and Swedes, and the people with each other.
Love this book
mjamhouse
One of my favorite books. I thought the reader's voice went really well with the tone of the book
Forrest W.
Amazing book. Great narrator. Loved it so much I listened to it twice.
Growth of the Soil
David R. Smith
Well read, fun listen - thanks!
A LibriVox Listener
for audio reader. 3 * for book
A Nobel winner
TheBookworm
The writer reminds me of Isaac Bashevis Singer in the spareness of his prose while his skillful use of the present tense gives a sense of urgency. Although Hamsum is known for his modernist concern with the internal life of his characters, the plot of Growth of the Soil moves along nicely and keeps one interested in the outcomes. The reader does a good job here and doesn't interject his own interpretations. I think the author would have appreciated that. TheBookworm (Manchester, UK)