My Struggle, Book 1 by Karl Ove Knausgaard is a deeply personal account of the author’s life, family, and emotions. In recent years, I have explored the works of several Scandinavian writers, including Knut Hamsun, Dag Solstad, and Vilhelm Moberg, as well as historical studies on the Vikings by Anders Winroth. If I had to summarize why I am drawn to literature from these countries, the simplest explanation is the strong sense of human connection these authors convey.
Knausgaard’s writing is brutally honest. He shares intimate details about his relationships with his children, wife, and friends, and in interviews, he has admitted that his candidness has caused personal difficulties. What makes his work distinctive is his ability to capture moments in extraordinary detail. This meticulousness allows him to convey not just events but the emotions and mental states he experienced. When describing his teenage years, for example, he offers a vivid portrayal of adolescent behavior and thought processes. He reflects on his own feelings of being an unremarkable boy who spent most of his time reading or listening to music. Meeting his friend Bassen, however, made him feel more significant because Bassen was witty and popular.
A central figure in the book is Knausgaard’s father, a man he both respected and, to some degree, disliked. Knausgaard portrays his father as having two faces: at home, he was strict and distant, but in public, he was sociable and charming. Despite his outward warmth, his father brought a heavy, negative presence into the household. I appreciate this book because Knausgaard is remarkably skilled at expressing emotions and mental states. Although there is no clear plot to follow, this lack of structure is not a weakness. Reading My Struggle feels like overhearing an intensely private conversation, an experience I find both compelling and profound.