News

Kaaberbøl to Norway

Danish author Lene Kaaberbøl's novel Kadaverdoktoren (Doctor Cadavre) (Modtryk, 2010) has been sold pre publication in Denmark to Norwegian publisher Gyldendal Norsk in a three book deal for a substantial six figure sum. Modtryk will publish the original Danish edition of the semi-gothic crime novel in October 2010.

The Last Good Man to Japan

Den sidste gode man (The Last Good Man) by the duo that write under the name of A. J. Kazinski has been sold to the Japanse publishing house Hayakawa Publishing which brings the number sales, even prior to publication in Denmark, to a total of 9. The Danish edition will be published by Politiken later this year.

Carsten Jensen in the Financial Times

Carsten Jensen's novel We, the Drowned has been chosen by the FT's critics as one of books to read this summer: the Financial Times

Gold Book Award for The Bookseller of Kabul

Åsne Seierstad has received a Gold Book Award for her bestselling book The Bookseller of Kabul to celebrate the 500,000 copies sold in the UK alone.

David Grossman Wins Frankfurt Peace Prize 2010

David Grossman has been awarded the prestigious Frankfurt Peace Prize 2010. The German book trade have chosen the Israeli author to be the recipient of this year's prize for his active role in supporting reconciliation between Palestine and Israel. The prize which will be presented to the author on October the 10th 2010 in the Church of Skt. Paul in Frankfurt.

Grossman's latest and major work To the End of the Land is to be published in translation world wide. In Scandinavia, in which we function as Grossman's subagents, rights have been sold to Finland: Otava, Sweden: Albert Bonniers Förlag and Denmark: Vandkunsten.

Joseph O'Connor Quote for Carsten Jensen

Carsten Jensen has received a fine endorsement from bestselling author Joseph O'Connor, the author behind the successful novels of the trilogy consisting of: Star of the Sea, Redemption Falls and Ghost Light.

‘A novel of immense authority and ambition and beauty, by a master storyteller at the height of his powers. This is a book to sail into, to explore, to get lost in, but it is also a book that brings the reader, dazzled by wonders, home to the heart from which great stories come. Meet Carsten Jensen half way and you're spellbound.’ –––Joseph O’Connor

Furthermore, Writers' Hub have a beautiful review of We, the Drowned which is called "a magnificent achievement - a book for life." Writers' Hub

International Excitement Regarding New Danish Crime Novel

Sold at manuscript stage to eight countries prior to publication.

The author and the film director Anders Rønnow Klarlund and the author Jacob Weinreich have written their debut novel, Den sidste gode mand (The Last Good Man) which is to be published by Politiken later this autumn. The two authors write under le nom de plume of A.J. Kazinski.

The first draft of the manuscript was written between December until April this year. This manuscript was sold within a few weeks to publishing houses in Finland (Otava), France (Lattès), Holland (De Geus), Italy (Longanesi), Norway (Gyldendal Norsk), Sweden (Forum) and Germany (Heyne Verlag). Politikens Forlag in Denmark will publish the Danish edition this autumn.

”We adore Den sidste gode mand. Thanks to the unique combination of breathtaking action, psychological depth and highly evocative thems we think this book opens new perspectives for the crime genre and should thus be presented as quickly as possible to the Dutch readers. We are delighted to welcome A. J. Kazinski and make Den
sidste gode mand a leading title on our list.” - from the Dutch publisher, De Geus

Anders Rønnow Klarlund had his debut with the novel De hengivne (The Affectionates) in 2009. He has amongst other things written and directed the film Besat (Possessed), Den attende (The Eighteenth), Strings (Strings) and Hvordan slipper vi af med de andre (How Do We Get Rid of the Others).

Jacob Weinreich has graduated from the Danish School of Film as a script writer and had his debut novel published in 2001. He has written a number of books for teenagers, amongst others the novel Krybet (Vermin) and the series Monsterjægerne (The Monster Hunters) and Kaptajn Blodskæg (Captain Blood Beard).

Den sidste gode mand is the authors’ first book together under the joint name of A.J. Kazinski.

John Ajvide Lindqvist Number 2 in Sweden

John Ajvide Lindqvist's Lilla stjärna (Ordfront, May 2010) (Little Star) has entered the Swedish bestseller lists straight at number 2. Please take a look at Svensk Bokhandel

Translation rights have been sold to Gyldendal Norsk in Norway and Lübbe in Germany.

John Ajvide Lindqvist's first novel, Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In) is sold to 30 countries.

Leif Davidsen Still No. 1

Danish author Leif Davidsen is still number one on the Danish bestseller lists with his most recent novel Min broders vogter (Lindhardt og Ringhof, 2010) (My Brother's Keeper). The book was published in March 2010. All reviews unanimously hailed Davidsen's book as one of his very best.

Henning Mankell on Ship to Gaza

Henning Mankell on his return to Sweden after being deported from Israel in connection with the Israeli raid on the Gaza aid flotilla: ”We changed the world a little by carrying out this act.”

For further info, please take a look at Henning Mankell's diary of the flotilla raid which was published by the Guardian: The Guardian

Carsten Jensen Wins French Prize Prix Gens de Mer

May 31st 2010 » Carsten Jensen

Carsten Jensen has been awarded Prix Gens de Mer at the literature festival Etonnants Voyageurs in Sant-Malo in France for his successful novel We, the Drowned which was published in French earlier this year.

“Le prix Gens de mer (3.000 euros), qui récompense un ouvrage ayant un caractère maritime au sens large, est revenu à l'écrivain danois Carsten Jensen pour "Nous les noyés" aux éditions Libella-Maren Sell.”

The book has received brilliant reviews in France and Le Monde concluded: "L’utilisation d’une narration à la première personne du pluriel, plastique et puissante, a rarement été aussi proche d’une telle perfection poétique. Elle répète de fait un questionnement du sujet romanesque qui traverse la littérature nordique.”

And l’Express:
"Il faut prendre son temps pour venir à bout de ces sept cents pages mais la compagnie de Carsten Jensen est un pur régal, parce qu'il a retenu les leçons de Stevenson et de Melville."

The English edition of We, the Drowned is still generating great interest. The Times wrote in their review that: “Carsten Jensen’s spellbinding We, the Drowned spanning four generations in the life of the Danish Port of Marstal is a magnificent addition to the canon of seafaring writing, a brilliant new reworking of the ancient theme ... The pages glow with wonderfully imagined pictures .... the language is all you could hope for in a sea novel: sinewy and simple, often surprisingly beautiful, often full of tongue-in-cheek laughter...”

The Scotman says: "The Odyssey, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Moby-Dick, The Old Man and the Sea and now We, the Drowned. The canon of great seafaring literature just got bigger by a book. Carsten Jensen is Denmark’s foremost storyteller and in this novel, newly translated into English, it’s as if he has taken onboard the landmark achievements of his predecessors, absorbed all their salty wit and wisdom and produced something that tips its hat to their brilliance while being a completely new departure...”

And the editor of The Bookbag concludes: “In summary this is one of the highest recommendations I can give - certainly one of my top few books of the last decade - a despite its massive length is extremely hard to put down once you’re hooked by the story.”