Scottish Douglas Stuart and Norwegian Ingvild Rishøi share a literary kinship. In their separate, distinct styles, they both excel in portraying the marginalized, be it vulnerable and neglected children, or their parents, doing their best within the strict confinements of society.
Stuart’s first two novels, the Booker Prize-winning Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo, both offer compassionate portraits of brutal childhoods, raw poverty, and abuse. His new novel John of John is published this spring. With several award-winning collections, Rishøi has established herself as a Norwegian master of the short story, however, it was with her novel Brightly Shining that she reached a wider readership beyond Norway’s borders, including Douglas Stuart and artist Dua Lipa.
What is the role of literature about poverty and marginalization in a time with growing social inquality? And what does it matter which stories are told and what voices are heard in literature?
Douglas Stuart and Ingvild Rishøi are joined by writer and journalist Marte Spurkland for a conversation about literary kinships, poverty, neglect and the will to survive.
The conversation will be in English.
