FIC PETT (also PLAYAWAY) Petterson, Per. “Out Stealing Horses” translated from the Norwegian by Anne Born, 2003, 238 pages
The discussion of this novel was the final program for the Library’s Global Gathering Norway project. It is the story of Trond Sander, a 67-year-old man who has just moved to a remote cabin without telling anyone. There are horses and there is stealing, but the phrase “out stealing horses” has several meanings. One of our discussion leaders had a degree in religious studies, so she had wonderful unique observations about the monastic/contemplative dimensions in the novel as well as the roles of silence, the forested landscape and logging. We talked about that more than the plot and characters which are intense in their own right.
Here’s the first paragraph to give you a sample of the atmosphere: “Early November. It’s nine o’clock. The titmice are banging against the window. Sometimes they fly dizzily off after the impact, other times they fall and lie struggling in the new snow until they can take off again. I don’t know what they want that I have. I look out the window at the forest. There is a reddish light over the trees by the lake. It is starting to blow. I can see the shape of the wind on the water.”
A primary theme of this novel is family relationships, which is certainly a common theme, but here there is also a celebration of physical labor and tools along with hospitality and household utensils coupled with a very strong sense of place. If you decide to read this, look for the color blue and consider whether it symbolizes something. It’s not a happy-go-lucky story, but it’s a beautiful one. So many in the discussion group said, “I liked it, but I don’t know why.” There’s something about it that seeps into the reader’s core. At the last great snowfall a week or so ago, I looked out the window and contemplated it with new wonder and appreciation. Shoveling snow became a celebration.
