Nominated by the Embassy of Denmark
Love, faith, and politics intersect in two short novels by Danish Nobel laureate Henrik Pontoppidan. Newly translated by Paul Larkin, these novellas explore the human heart through unforgettable characters.
The White Bear follows Thorkild Müller, a gangly, red-bearded man from rural Jutland. Assigned to a remote Inuit tribe in Greenland, he becomes a local legend while confounding his fellow priests. Returning to Denmark, he is adored by his flock but resisted by other clergy, before mysteriously disappearing back to Greenland.
The Rearguard tells the story of newlyweds Jørgen Hallager and Ursula Branth. Opposite in background and beliefs, their marriage in Rome highlights the tension between love, individuality, and idealism, ending in tragic disillusion.