Hobo Highbrow loves language. He works as an editor, is attempting to write a prize-winning novel and generally is rather particular about words. He lives in Oslo with a gang of offbeat friends and a loving girlfriend. Really, not much happens in this book. If I had to lay out a plot for you, I couldn't. What it reminds me most of is a sitcom - we follow a main character around, through a series of experiences that don't really lead us anywhere but entertain us all the same.

Hobo is an incredibly funny character - he's quirky-bordering-on-neurotic and has so many "insightful" (yes, I mean that sarcastically) thoughts about life. He's entirely self-centered and yet is under the impression that everything he does is for the common good. For example: Hobo is helping his friend out by delivering some food to his aunt. Hobo comments about this experience that:

I liked the feeling of doing something useful, of being a minuscule cog in the wheel that went by the name of CARING FOR THE ELDERLY. A mechanism that admittedly struggled from time to time, but was driven by a gang of diligent and engaging people like myself.

Ha! While you can tell that much of his writing is nonsensical drivel, he truly believes himself to be an authentic and creative author. As he explains it, he was "like a loaf of bread that had risen and was about to spill out over the baking tin, out of the oven and conquer the world!!" I loved the sections were he talks about his writing and how his world needs to be set up in order for the "real" writing to begin. And his book! Such a farce. He is curiously in love with the dictionary, the game Scrabble, and the band A-ha, whom he uses as a muse and whose lyrics are like a scriptural guide to life.

The translator (I'm guessing, based on several spellings, that someone British translated) did a great job with the language and style. Hobo is an authentic and European character, full of faults and yet he creates a soft spot for himself all the same. The quirky characters and dry humor made this one an entertaining read. ( )

“The Scoundrel Days of Hobo Highbrow,” by Norwegian author Pal Christiansen, is about a down-on-his-luck 40ish writer who obsesses about Paul Waaktaar-Savoy of the rock group A-ha. Hobo has published a few books and poems in his 20s and now works as a proof-reader for a newspaper. He aspires to write a Nobel Prize winning literary novel, but has a loose grip on reality. He selects Paul Waaktaar-Savoy as his idol, as someone like him who struggled from a little known country to break out on the world scene. Hobo has a penchant for words. His favorite book is the dictionary and, of course, he plays Scrabble. He and his odd friends make for a humorous story laced with actual tidbits about A-ha.

I lived in northern Germany during the 70's and 80's while being a soldier, and spent much time in Bremen, Bremerhaven, and Frankfurt, so I have a feel for the type of life in a northern European city. However, I didn't know remember who A-ha was. So after googling I found one of A-ha's early hits was “Take on Me,” a very popular song back that I remember. Now it keeps on playing in my head.

I found “Scoundrel Days” an enjoyable read with definitely an odd cast of characters. It was originally written in Norwegian but very well translated into English by Jon Buscall, especially the word play. The novel's discussion of what it means to live in a small country where it's hard to stand out, to be an artist and insight on a-ha was a bonus. There is talk about another Hobo book and I, for one, would be most interested is the continuing saga of Hobo.

This copy will be giveaway at http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/. Details are in the right sidebar. ( )