Vesterheim hosts a monthly bokprat (book group) where we discuss Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Join us in April for a discussion of Shyness and Dignity by Dag Solstad. Elias Rukla begins another gray day teaching high school in Oslo, facing a classroom of students whose collective hostility he feels acutely, even as he fulfills his duty to teach Ibsen’s The Wild Duck. Absorbed by a sudden, electrifying insight into the play, he barely registers their disinterest. Later, a trivial incident—a broken umbrella—triggers an unexpected outburst that draws intense attention from his students and marks the day as different from all others. In Shyness and Dignity, Dag Solstad crafts a penetrating portrait of a man profoundly alienated from modern life. Acclaimed as one of Norway’s most innovative writers, Solstad explores themes of dignity, intellectual passion, and isolation, revealing how a single moment can become a turning point in an otherwise quiet life. Registration for this free class is required. Sign up here.
