"What is Norway?" H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon asks the question and begins to answer it in his introduction to a richly illustrated and detailed new volume, Norway, Portrait of a Nation. Released in conjunction with Norway's year-long celebration in 2005 of its centennial as an independent country, the book is published in English, Norwegian, and German editions by Dinamo Forlag in Norway. Nordic Home, based in Minneapolis, is the sole United States importer and distributor of Norway, Portrait of a Nation, available for sale through www.norway.com.
Modern Norway is more than the land of traditional folkways and folk arts that its 19th- and early 20th-century emigrants left behind, Crown Prince Haakon observes. In the past century, Norway has gained recognition for, among other things, its advances in technology, stewardship of natural resources, modern design, adventurous cuisine, egalitarian society, and role as a catalyst for peace and champion of human rights.
Vice President Walter Mondale says, "Norway, Portrait of a Nation is a handsome, informative celebration of Norway and of the rich U.S.-Norway relationship."
"This beautiful book deserves a place on the coffee table, but you will not be able to resist picking it up and actually reading it," says Todd Nichol, King Olav V Professor of Scandinavian-American Studies and Editor, Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA). "It can be read front to back or browsed for everything from foreign policy to sport to food."
"Norway, Portrait of a Nation gives you an excellent insight into Norway's many faces," says Knut Vollebaek, Norwegian Ambassador to the United States. The country's giants in sports, foreign affairs, art, business, environmentalism, literature, cuisine, and other fields have come together to produce a picture of impressive scope.
• Grete Waitz, record-breaking runner and Olympic medalist, and Kristen Damsgaard, former national coach and manager of sports for Norway, write on a culture of athletic prowess and outdoor life.
• Gro Harlem Bruntland, twice prime minister of Norway and most recently head of the World Health Organization, and Aftenposten journalist Ole Mathismoen uncover the roots of Norwegians' passionate affinity for nature and commitment to environmental protection.
• Geir Lundestad, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, writes on the Nobel Peace Prize as a tool in Norway's mission of bridge-building in the world.
• Bent Stiansen, Oslo chef, restaurateur, and Bocuse d'Or gold medalist, serves up the story of Norway's culinary delights and oddities along with Torkjell Berulfsen, journalist with Norway's national broadcasting service, and Astri Riddervold, one of the country's leading experts on cuisine.
The book includes many more essays on topics as diverse as the country's emergence in filmmaking and building a transportation system amid Norway's mountains and fjords. A small selection of recipes features modern Norwegian cuisine. A thorough statistical portrait presents a wealth of facts and figures. And throughout its 591 pages, Norway, Portrait of a Nation provides intimate portraits of such key figures as composer Edvard Grieg, skater Sonja Henie, explorer Fridtjof Nansen, painter Edvard Munch, and authors Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun.
Official Centennial Volume
Norway, Portrait of a Nation was produced in cooperation with Centennial Anniversary-Norway 2005 Ltd., a corporation formed in 2003 under the auspices of the Norwegian government to organize a program of events and commemorations for the centennial year. The book has also been supported by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Norway's monarchy, with H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon taking a leading role in the project's development.
How To Purchase Norway: Portrait of a Nation
Copies of Norway, Portrait of a Nation, may be ordered online through the Norwegian American Foundation on www.norway.com.