Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1951-08-13
"'Emigrants'' Hailed By U. S. Press


MOberg's novel "Utvandrarna," or
1.-THE Emigrants," which has just
been published by Simon and Schu-
ster in New York, has been very
well received by the reviewers of
leading American newspapers. 1t
sis an epic written in the great
tradition of NOrthen fiction" Hud-
son STROBE says in the New York
Herald Tribune Book Review, and
in the Washington Post Lee Grove
halls the novel as "a real contri-
button to the understanding of
American life"
In the first section of the book
Moberg concentrates on the life
of the small farmers in Ljuder in
the province of Smaland, not far
from Algutsboda where Moberg
himself was born. The second sec
ton deals with the gripping eX-
periences of the emigrants during
the long journey across the At
lantic. Before embarking upon this
novel, Moberg twice toured AM
erica, interviewing hundreds of
Swedish Americans, many of
whom We're his blood relations.
THE Emigrants" will be followed
by two more volumes carrying for
ward the lives of its characters
and their descendants in America.
The Swedish publisher is Bonniers
in Stockholm.
AS Wilhelm Moberg stresses in
his introduction, quarter of
Sweden's total population, more
than a million people, emigrated,
a staggering loss to any national
economy, and doubly severe to a
country of Sweden's size, John
Nerber, writer and critic, says in
The New York Times Book Re-
view. Mr.. Moberg, one of Swed-
ems leading novelists, has written
a warm and sympathetic re-crea-
ton of the Sweden of 1850. The
Emigrants' is a novel of peasant
life, drawn to the last homely and
SuperStitious detail. 1t is a story
of poverty and heartbreak over
which human faith has its will.
And it is filled with an earthly
humor, the unpredictable flash of
human malice and emotion which
bring Mr.. Moberg's characters
sharply into focus. The Emil
grants is a finely written and
deeply moving novel,"
The exciting new novel, well
translated by Gustaf Lannestock.
is obviously Moberg's major work,
Hudson STROBE, professor at the
University of Alabama and we'll
known author of books about
Scandinavia, says in the New York
Herald Tribune Book Review. AT
times Moberg's grim earthiness
may prove strong meat even for
hardened American stomachs, but
surely his coarse language will not
become a cause celebre here as
in Sweden. He writes with clarity
and vigor and uses irony with
telling effect"
The emigranus were peasants.
and Moberg treats them as SUCH"
Lee Grove writes in the Wash
ington Post. He does not roman
ticize them, neither does he treat
them with disdain. Their british
ness is not CLOSED over, but
neither is it dwelt upon at the
expense of more attractive human
qualities There is a Scandi-
navian deliberateness about it as
Moberg goes about laying t n e
foundation for a trilogy, which
when completed will undoubtedly
be described as a prose epic and
something old fashioned. It is
very satisfying, after the frenetic
hustle of so much contemporary
writing. to see a writer taking
time to develop his subject, his
characters and environment. The
Emigrants,' because of its subject
and the thoroughness with which
the author has gone into it, is a
real contribution to the under
standing of American life"
Swedish Critics Hailed Novel As
Masterpiece of Realistic Art
The literary riot which Hudson
STROBE refers to in his review oc-
CURED toward the end of 1850,
when a local Swedish oroun call