SEPTOLOGY by Jon Fosse | Book Review

[@perperson199]

And now he won the Noble Literature Prize. Well deserved! I love his plays, and the trilogy is just so special.

[@bjb3915]

I was blown away by my first reading of Septology and by "reading" I mean listening to the audio which I gravitated to. I concluded that this could be one work that is *better* in audio where you can truly grasp the meditative aspect of it while walking in a park or nature trail or someplace where you can safely move through space. Better yet, a hybrid of doing both. The reviewer gives some very key advice here at the end: Whether reading or listening, you need to commit to at least an hour or two to give yourself time to fall into the rhythm, for the gears to catch, or what ever metaphor that captures falling under its spell. The simple, slow pace allows the psyche of the protagonist to meld with your own. By the end of the second book, I was aware of some anticipatory grief that I had only one book left. I am encouraged that this[Young] reviewer engaged with it. I have told my friends that I would be surprised if anyone under 60 could really appreciate it. If you're younger than that, I encourage you to put it on the shelf after completing it to re-read when you're older. It is an amazing work of art and I am grateful that the Nobel committee selected it so more will partake of its magnificence.

[@thomastobin4743]

I agree with this. I listened to it on a long car trip and that is when I began to appreciate it much more.

[@elchucapablas]

I read some of it and listened to some of it. I would have rather read it. The audio gave attitude to some of the characters and it threw me off. The audio comes with an interpretation. That’s a problem

[@asgmto]

Even if I never read the book, this review alone was worth listening to. Thanks for diving deep into the themes and developing some of the ideas.

[@himangshusarma7649]

I'm here after the announcement. You're a gem of a reviewer. Jon Fosse!!!!

[@Quaalz]

This was such an enjoyable way to revisit this work. I like how you structured it, there’s the likeness in numbers of course, but it also just made the hour fly by. These books came at an especially opportune time for me, not too long after I was just getting into his work; reading Morning and evening in a day, seeing one of his plays performed. Fosse’s prose opened me up to seeing the drama in how a book is written. The septology in particular played a role in opening me up spiritually. The earnestness really hit me too. Such a faith in the word, together with reminisces of a life lived, it moved me deeply. Really appreciate you talking about him here. Might be interesting that Dag Solstad’s concluding book in his trilogy about Bjørn Hansen, that came out the same autumn the first book of the septology did, he too grapples with faith. Towards the end there’s a sense of creating a canon of sorts where a list of “good negative spirits” are jotted down and Fosse’s name among them. Celiné and Pessoa are mentioned, Krasznahorkai and McCarthy could fit in too. In the septology Fosse starts having explicit references to literature. Meister Eckhart, Trakl, Beckett. Leaving breadcrumbs on the trail in the face of death.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks for watching! I really want to see one of his plays in person. I actually haven't even read any of them yet - I need to get to them soon. I love Dag Solstad, but I haven't heard of that one yet. I'll have to see if there are any plans for it being translated or if I'll need to seek it out in Norwegian. Thanks for the lead. It sounds fascinating.

[@janicedowson7793]

Thanks Sean for your excellent thoughtful video. I read the Septology this past year, before the Nobel Prize, and fell into Fosse's rhythms, repetitions and reflections and felt the work very strongly. I find it difficult to put into words the actual experience(s) of reading it, but was deeply compelled by it on many levels like it had reached into my cortex and prodded nerves evoking smell, feeling, dream states and the workings of inner voice. I'm sure it is a work I will revisit and look forward to reading more of Fosse.

[@marcinc5361]

I just read part one and part two, and I have to consider it an absolute masterpiece. I hope Fosse will get a Nobel Prize this year or next, because he decently deserves it. After finishing the whole thing, I will definitely reach for the dramas by him. Thank you for the recommendation and the excellent, in-depth review and analysis. Much of my thoughts overlap with yours.

[@travelthroughstories]

Agreed that Fosse deserves the Nobel! Thank you for the kind words - I really hope you enjoy part 3.

[@JJ-ic7sq]

He did It lol

[@RoxanneM-]

I went looking for his books the other day but the local bookstore I went to didn’t have them. I was moved to get his books precisely because the memory of Sean’s reviews here, and I just kept remembering he has mentioned several times that Fosse is one of his favorite writers. I loved your reviews, Sean. Now I’m really getting them! Congratulations!

[@travelthroughstories]

@@RoxanneM- I'm glad I could help encourage more people to read Fosse! I hope you enjoy

[@hasimdel]

Excellent. It's a great explanation for his magnum opus, his mystical tone, in the context of his re-exploring the faith...

[@kieran_forster_artist]

I became a painter in a much more boring way ( I recently realised after being asked many times at shows and not being able to answer)….I started painting after being captured by the covers of books I read or wanted to read. For what it’s worth…

[@Richardwestwood-dp5wr]

Wish you good luck dude 👍

[@niilohiltunen1716]

What an excellent video. Looking forward to seeing more reviews in the future!

[@tcmockiii]

Thanks, this was lovely. There’s much to ponder on Asle’s ambivalence towards Beyer, selling art from his realistic to expressive phases. So too Asle selling his boat pictures just to get by. Art and economics.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks for watching! That's a great point. The whole dynamic between Asle and Beyer is really interesting and deserves its own chapter.

[@devoncop]

Instantly wishlisted ready for November when the full single volume is released in the UK. What a great review by the way.

[@travelthroughstories]

Great! The single volume editions that are being published now are really nice - I may have to pick one up just to have it. Thank you!

[@Paromita_M]

I reread The Other Name and really liked it this time around. I think I needed to adjust to the narration style but it flowed seamlessly. Reading I Is Another now. Beautiful discussion.

[@BlueSky-479]

I am really happy I find this channel

[@PierfrancoMinsenti]

Thank you so much for this introduction to such a complex novel.

[@astrophela]

Hey Sean, a fellow medievalist here. Do you think the explicit structural principle & thematic extension of coincidentia oppositorum can be called medievalism of Fosse's Septology? I'm relating to Giordano Bruno's influence on James Joyce's usage of co-op as design principle in FW. I hope to talk at some extent with you on this. I recently found similar correspondences with this medieval theological principle in works of Goytisolo (Antagony) & Cartrarescu (Solenoid), the common thread being self-conscious artistic fiction concerned with self-conception. I feel co-op is that principle that a European readily goes back to when writing such types of fiction. Are we seeing an anti-Hegelian strain here? (Hegelian dialectic though derived from co-op is temporal). Please keep doing what you're doing. It's great learning from you :) And truly thankful for taking the time to read all the comments!

[@travelthroughstories]

Hey Raunak, nice to meet another medievalist! (Apologies for the delay in responding - this comment completely slipped through the cracks of youtube's notification system) This is a really interesting question that I don't think I'll have a good answer for... I do know that Fosse is deeply influenced by and interested in the medieval German theologian Meister Eckhart (I believe, though I can't for the life of me find the reference, Cartarescu also talks about him somewhere), so you're probably right that there's something there about Fosse's medieval influences. As for an anti-Hegelian strain in contemporary Euro lit, I'm honestly not familiar enough with Hegelian dialectics and how that manifested in the novel to comment. You may want to read Fosse's essays "Negative Mysticism" and "Anagoge" in the collection I mention, as, since you're more familiar with these philosophies, you may be able to pull more out of his theory than I did here. This sounds like a fascinating development though and I'd like to read more about it!

[@sandysalzinger4725]

I just finished Septology thanks to finding your best books of 2022 video. Now I’ve watched your review and you’ve opened my eyes to aspects of the book I hadn’t considered. Thank you for your excellent videos which are works of art in their own right!

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you so much, Sandy. I'm glad you enjoyed Septology as much as I did!

[@chambersstevens3135]

You called it at 3:20! Thanks for the overview!

[@thatbrianl]

The new Dalkey Archive printing of Trilogy is in the mail to me right now and I have the single-volume Septology preordered. Looking forward to immersing myself in his work this fall…thanks to your videos.

[@travelthroughstories]

That edition looks amazing. Trilogy is also a great place to start with Fosse. Thanks for watching, Brian!

[@verashissel2951]

This review is up at same level as the book itself! I think Jon Fosse is looking at his masterpieces differently through this review!

[@grahamberrie2462]

Yep

[@BrandonsBookshelf]

I'll be back when I have an hour in the car to dedicate. i am so excited about this. I know how much you and Keiran love it. I have all three on my desk, but have not started yet.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks, Brandon! Fosse has a super unique voice that takes a while to get into, but it's worth it.

[@russellmagee8300]

absolutely fantastic video - a sprawling, in-depth look into what is certain to be one of the lasting works of the twenty-first century; I cannot wait to dive into these works and will most definitely be referring back to this video throughout the journey

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you so much! Completely agree - I suspect Fosse will stand the test of time. I hope you find much to admire and enjoy in his books when you take the plunge.

[@moiramitchell9647]

Thank you for this wonderful explication of Septology Sean. As you say, there is still a lot more that could be said, but you have lined up the key elements and discussed them so lucidly! I wish it were possible to get hold of a copy of An Angel Walked Through the Stage in the UK! (can't find one anywhere...)

[@agnescroteau8960]

I am grateful for I have now thanks to Fosse a reference for doppelgängers (a useful gift in this universe)

[@impywimpy]

Cool stuff! Really enjoy your production and structure, as it seems to me to be a major improvement over your earlier analyses. My major experience with Fosse was actually one of his earlier works, "Nokon kjem til å komme" (Someone will be approaching/find us), as a radio play! It was one of my first times experiencing "experimental" fiction. It has such a dream-like quality, and as I was completely ensnared by the tone, I imagine it was one of the major reasons I eventually got into Beckett. They are completely different, for sure, as Beckett seems to focus more on pathos/bathos, as he feels less contemplative, and more into shit. :p I've also read the lovely "Melancholia", and I'd describe it as right up there with Vesaas' "Fuglane" in its description of mental illness, though they again are completely different beasts. Your context and reading here is lovely, and I really would like to get back into reading this amazing compatriot of mine. Nynorsk is mostly structually identical to Bokmål, so approach it as a linguist, and you'll have a much easier time with it. Reading it IS easy if you already know Bokmål, and I think most of the confusion comes from there being main and sub-forms of some things, leading it to be hard to write consistently if you try to translate word for word. It's also a bit less direct, if that makes sense. You often have to get to words by side tracks.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you, Tonny! The radio play sounds fascinating - I wonder if I can find a recording of that. I'll admit that Melancholia is one of the few Fosses that I actually haven't read yet. It was very difficult to find and I only found this copy of it a few months ago. You note that it's one of the best descriptions of mental illness - have you read Stig Sæterbakken yet? His Gjennom natten was incredibly disturbing and I've been meaning to read Ikke forlat meg for a while now. His descriptions of depression are really moving though, especially considering that he ended his own life. Interesting notes about reading Nynorsk. I haven't really dove deeply into it yet other than just looking over a couple of passages, but I'll keep that in mind.

[@ianp9086]

I am hoping to get to Septology this winter - I have read the Boathouse and Trilogy so far - thinking I would read some shorter works before tackling the magnum opus. I really enjoyed them. I have Aliss at the fire and Scenes from childhood on the shelf too so I’m torn - procrastinate with more short books or dive in to Septology?!

[@travelthroughstories]

Hah - dive into Septology! His short works are fantastic, but I think Septology is really worth the time investment. Waiting for winter is a perfect idea though.

[@oleghrozman4172]

I am interested in Fosse not because he won Nobel Prize. But because he was inspired by Meister Eckhart and his philosophy. It is very interesting.

[@mihapop2167]

Such an extensive review! Thank you! I'll definetly read it!

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy Septology as much as I did!

[@birgerwessel]

Fantastic review. You are brilliant.Thank you.

[@rjd53]

Great review, as always. - I read the first volume The Other Name. Since it was not the first Fosse I read I was not surprised by its style, and I really enjoyed reading it and it is a novel I like to reread passages of. - But then I did not feel to go into the next volume(s), because it seemed to be more of the same and I'm not that interested in the childhood of the protagonist (I skipped the volume of Knausgaard's Struggle about his early childhood for the same reason). One day I WILL read the next parts, but in the German translation (my native language) - so far I've read the English. For the change, and because I think Fosse might come across better in German. These editions are very pricy though, I have to wait for used copies.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you! For what it's worth, book 2 more focuses on Asle as like a 17-22 year old or so, rather than his childhood. Like you, I really don't like books about childhood (Book 3 of My Struggle is definitely the least interesting for me as well), but I is Another didn't suffer from the same pitfalls. I bet the German translations are great!

[@darrylmockridge]

I've been writing for 60 years, and painting since 1967. I would be extremely interested in what you might say about my swan song.

[@janneglnd7633]

It is like when you are drunk,and you internalise the whole pub,the whole party, and the people in it becomes the playthings of your subconsious. Also syncronisity wich appears when tierd,confused, or also when one is in allignement with God? I got a strange feeling,that when I am contemplating my sister,I AM my sister. It is mystisism,yes. Thank you for wonderful rewiew. Janne

[@AasthaAgarwal-g3u]

Oh man I really want to read this but in my country the paperback and Kindle edition too are so expensive

[@tarotforawhile]

Thank you Sean ❤ suits fine now that he won the Nobel Prize and you made this vid a year ago 😊😊🙏🏼👌🏼

[@yongtaelee5579]

Thanks for your excellent explanation.

[@sparshhardik]

Well explained. Thank you for making this video.

[@andrew_nayes]

Enjoyed your review! But, I have some remarks about the Norwegian language. At 21:50 you talk about the names being similar. But Asle and Åsleik is not very similar, apart from their obvious visual typographic similarities. Å and A in Norwegian is very different. Å is not a different type of A, but a different letter and sound all together. (just as E is not just an F with an added line.) The pronunciation of Åsleik is very different from Asle. The "å" in Åsleik is similar sounding to B[O]AT or ST[O]WAWAY, while the "a" in Asle is similar sounding to L[I]KE or C[A]RL. Furthermore, Asle is pronounced with a forceful emphasis to the s, almost like HI[SS], while Åsleik does not have the same emphasis in the s. I don't think that many Norwegians would feel that the name Asle and Åsleik is very similar, apart from their visual typographic similarities. Another interesting thing about the name Åsleik: The literal meaning of the name is HILL(ås)-PLAY(leik). (I haven't read the book, but might be meaningful?)

[@travelthroughstories]

Fair enough! Thanks for the note. I know that the "a" and "å" are entirely different letters in Norwegian, but I still thought the typographic similarities made the names, broadly, similar enough to be included in the list. Good points about the differences in emphasis and pronunciation though!

[@marcellonoli7589]

Incredible video-essay, thank you.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you!

[@secondthoughtplease1]

Fantastic! Please tell me, whats the theory text called “analog” or similar weitten by fosse which you quote at around 35 min? Your review is really beautiful, the way you brought in these chapters.

[@travelthroughstories]

It's a short 5-page essay called "Anagoge" in the translated collection titled "An Angel Walks Through the Stage and Other Essays" put out by Dalkey Archive. Thank you for the kind words!

[@secondthoughtplease1]

@@travelthroughstories thank u!!

[@erinh7450]

Another fantastic review; I'm going to have to check these out. Good luck with the Norwegian - are you going with Nynjorsk rather than Bokmål so you can read Fosse? I recently had a brief flirtation with Bokmål as I heard tell that if you master that it's a very short jump to Danish, so I could get a two-fer, but yeesh, the North Germanic languages really are SO different from the West Germanic. I'd been hoping since I was fluent in two of the latter and had some basic knowledge of a third that might collectively help, but still a BIG leap. The relative ease of adding new Romance languages lulls one into overconfidence! That project is now on pause. 😏 But I'm thinking you have a leg up on Norwegian with some of the older Germanic languages you already speak?

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you, Erin! I've mainly been studying Bokmål, but Nynorsk isn't so different that by studying one you're not learning a bit of the other at the same time. Nynorsk is actually easier for me in some ways because it's more similar to Old Norse than Bokmål is. So yeah, the Old English and Old Norse help a bit, especially with the basics. I can get by with reading it (slowly), but speaking it on the other hand...😅. I hope you're able to get back to it at some point - it's a beautiful language with so much great literature!

[@erinh7450]

@@travelthroughstories I do hope to get back to it sometime! It's the literature that makes me want to - I doubt I'd ever need/achieve conversational Norwegian! You'll have to report back and tell us how easy it is from there to get to reading Danish as well... 😄

[@sorinbarbu1637]

Thank you so much for this wonderful video! I love your analysis of this masterpiece:-) ❤❤

[@kieran_forster_artist]

I wonder whether the quality of the booktuber is inversely proportional to their following. Anyway man, I appreciate the depth of ur reviews and how u express ur deep appreciation of the works. One more question….if u are not religious, might u be mystical in the Fossean sense? Please keep up the pronunciation of these Northern European words….the sounds themselves make me pull out the credit card to get that book.

[@RaghidaIbrahim-lb5bj]

I ordered the book and was sent only A New Name. What order should I read them in?

[@clumsydad7158]

Very interesting, thanks for the intro to Jon Fosse

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy Fosse's world.

[@CE-BSanjnaSarswal]

Thank you for the hardwork ❤

[@MrBEA68]

So, how’s your Norwegian? Any progress?

[@videocatalao]

Please, do let me know, are the other books by Fosse (I have read Septology) so full of Christian parts ?

[@rishabhaniket1952]

Thanks to you this was the first time since I have gained consciousness that I had already read the author before he or she had won the Nobel Prize.

[@travelthroughstories]

As much as I love when bookish prizes introduces us to new authors, it is always nice when you read an author *before* they win the prize. I'm glad you read Fosse!

[@rishabhaniket1952]

@@travelthroughstories Yeah, just rembered a new exception, Mr Dylan. Though in his case it was entirely listening rather than reading.

[@matthewglenguir7204]

The algorithm brought me here. Learning more about laureates

[@aviralrohela.9662]

Here to explore him, after the auspicious news came out..

[@TrondArneAusdal]

Lykke til med norskopplæringen!

[@thomasasker3425]

Thanks!

[@Paromita_M]

Fosse won. 🥳 Must be so happy. I certainly am.

[@travelthroughstories]

Yes! Well deserved!

[@lai1064]

Dose someone have e-book of The Other Name?

[@mavispice3966]

I do

[@lai1064]

@@mavispice3966 how can I get one?Need I pay you?

[@GreenPartyofMalaysia]

While you’re at it, read Ibsen in the original…

[@Paromita_M]

A great review. I completely bounced off The Other Name because of the no punctuation single sentence almost stream of consciousness aesthetic. Reminded me of Ducks, Newburyport (in terms of technique, not story) which I also DNF'd. Don't know if it's for me. Soo tempted to retry. I want to try more non-Anglophone authors but keep failing. 😭 The only ones which have sort of worked for me are Umberto Eco, Orhan Pamuk, Olga Tokarczuk, Elena Ferrante. I am sad about it.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you! That's fair - I think Fosse's stream-of-consciousness rhythm is very different than, say, Ellmann's, but I can completely understand how it still doesn't work for everyone. Perhaps it's worth checking out one of his shorter books and see if that works for you? Morning and Evening is a one-sitting book that uses a very similar prose style.

[@Paromita_M]

@@travelthroughstories Thank you for the suggestion, will try!

[@videocatalao]

I am 754 pages into Septology, its going well, very well. But I wonder if his other books have so much "Catholic parts" in them. I am thoroughly enjoying the book but I find the religious/christian parts not only ridiculous and annoying but also very off putting. I hope the other books are not like this.

[@BardSonic]

damnit. if only the set was understandable.

[@schmelzikasefaust8193]

I really love books and I read a lot but Fosse just bored me to death. Very interesting review though. Way more interesting than his book in my case.

[@Janneglnd]

Jon Fosse made me stop laughing nervously.

[@jorgemurcia451]

Nobel Prize