The Conqueror

About the Author

Jan Kjærstad was born in Oslo in 1953. He read theology at the University of Oslo and made his debut as a writer in 1980 with a short story collection, The Earth Turns Quietly. The Conqueror forms the second part of a trilogy which also includes The Seducer (Arcadia Books, 2003) and The Discoverer. These novels have achieved huge international success. Jan Kjærstad is also the author of essays, a children’s book and editor of the literary magazine Vinduet. He was the recipient of the Nordic Prize for Literature in 2001 and was also awarded Germany’s Henrik Steffen Prize for Scandinavians who have significantly enriched Europe’s artistic and intellectual life.

Barbara J. Haveland was born in Scotland, and now lives in Denmark with her Norwegian husband and teenage son. She has translated works by several leading Danish and Norwegian authors, including Peter Høeg, Linn Ullmann and Leif Davidsen.