Tales of Two Countries

Alexander Lange Kielland (1849-1906) was one of the most famous Norwegian authors of the 19th century. Born in Stavanger, Norway, he grew up in a rich merchant family. Even though he was born rich he had a sincere affection for the less fortunate and he treated his workers well when he was a factory owner. He remained a spokesman for the weak and a critic of society throughout his time as a writer. Some believe that he was so much of a realist that he could not deal with new-romantic tendencies in Norwegian literature at the end of the 19th century. But the most probable reason is that he chose to focus on his politic career as a Mayor and later Regional Commissioner. Among his most famous works are the novels Skipper Worse (1882) and Poison (Gift, 1883) and the short story Karen. He was also the author of Garman and Worse (1880), Tales of Two Countries (1891), and Norse Tales and Sketches (1896).