Ich ist ein anderer

A highlight in the work of the great Norwegian storyteller: a grand tale about growing up. Jon Fosse's "Heptalogy" takes place in our world, albeit not entirely. There are two painters with the same name, Asle - one successful but a widower, the other an alcoholic. Often, one might think they are the same person, yet they sometimes encounter each other and even speak. Time and space follow different laws in the lives of these two, perhaps due to the southwest coast of Norway - the sea, the fjords.

In this book, Asle is still young. Here and there, a fleeting kiss, a cigarette and alcohol, rock bands and brawls, with a nagging mother and a silent father in the background. During those youthful years, the two Asles meet for the first time. They look strangely alike, dress similarly, and both aspire to be painters. At art school, Asle meets his future wife and falls in love with her.

Written in enchantingly melodic prose, this mysterious, almost magical novel tells of what it means to be alive: the warmth of a dog on your lap, the pleasure of driving alone through the countryside, the taste of eggs with bacon. A unique opus magnum about love, art, and faith, about alcohol, friendship, and the passage of time.