A Death in the Family: My Struggle, Book 1 cover art

A Death in the Family: My Struggle, Book 1

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A Death in the Family: My Struggle, Book 1

By: Karl Ove Knausgaard
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
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About this listen

Karl Ove Knausgaard writes about his childhood and teenage years, his infatuation with rock music, his relationship with his loving yet almost invisible mother and his distant and unpredictable father and his bewilderment and grief on his father’s death.

When Karl Ove becomes a father himself, he must balance the demands of caring for a young family with his determination to write great literature. Knausgaard has created a universal story of the struggles, great and small, that we all face in our lives.

©2009 Karl Ove Knausgaard, Translation: 2012 Don Bartlett (P)2014 Recorded Books Inc Biographical Fiction Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Biography

Critic reviews

"It's unbelievable.... It's completely blown my mind." (Zadie Smith)
"A scorchingly honest, unflinchingly frank, hyperreal memoir of the life of one man and his family." ( Guardian)
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This book made me realise how eventful my life has been. I find it almost enviable how little depth there is to the author's life experiences. Many of his struggles appear to stem from his and his father's undiagnosed autism, something I struggled with for years as well, but come on.

Overdramatization of an eventless life

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I did not know if I would like this at all. The quality of the writing and narration are so brilliantly complementary!

Story and Narration Combined

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A book that deserves its reputation - it’s pills you in slowly, building the narrative and then dives into the central theme of the book. The narrator is also brilliant and a pleasure to listen to.

Highly enjoyable

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A biographical novel, rich in memory, forensic even. A rich creation full of pain. Compelling.

worthy of the hype!

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This is a stunning book . I started book 2 immediately after finishing book 1 . & believe me , I am not prone to hyperbole . Just ask my wife

wow

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