Aschehoug’s Debutant Scholarship goes to Oliver Lovrenski, for his debut Back in the Day, which received a tremendous reception upon its release last year. The 19-year-old author and his book immediately garnered significant attention and glowing reviews from the entire press corps. Lovrenski received the Bookseller’s Prize as the youngest author ever – and has since been nominated for the Brage Prize, the Norwegian Radio’s Literary Award, and the Tarjei Vesaas’ Debutant Prize. The book appeared on most of the Best Books of the Year-lists for 2023. It has been sold to 14 different countries and has a sold more than 63,000 copies in Norway alone.

Publisher Mads Nygaard held the following speech to the prize winner:

“Such success almost never happens, especially not with a debutant. The book surprises and takes Norwegian literature to an unexpected place. It’s a coming-of-age portrayal on speed. The narrative has a rhythm and timing that are extremely precise. The snapshots make current young lives lived in Oslo come alive. The language belongs to the streets of Oslo; the sociolect makes the characters and environment appear both authentic and alien at the same time – and brings the reader close. Lovrenski manages to make his characters so vivid, whole, and human that the reader finds their way right into their world. Not everything there is beautiful, but we feel it concerns us. In this novel, there is more lived life than many of us will ever experience. This is a gritty tale with a poetic nerve.”

The Oslo City Artist Prize has just been awarded to Oliver Lovrenski, for his debut novel Back in the Day.

The prize has been presented since 1978 to individuals, groups or cultural entities who in the last year have made outstanding contributions Oslo’s arts scene.

The motivation reads as follows:

“[Back in the Day] has attracted great attention for its energy, style, language, and the insight it provides into a world unfamiliar to much of the literary audience. Humor, loyalty, and friendship are central themes. Lovrenski also received the Bookseller’s Prize of 2023, and was nominated for the Brage Prize with the same novel.

Oliver Lovrenski is awarded the 2023 Oslo City Artist Prize for his exceptional portrayal of an authentic, stylish, and important story about today’s youth in Oslo.”

The prize is awarded by the Business Committee upon recommendation from the Cultural and Education Committee of the Oslo City Council. All residents of Oslo can make nominations for the prize, and the award ceremony will take place on the 21^st of March at Oslo City Hall.

Anders Rydell and Jesper Huor’s non-fiction odyssey, Destroy the False Gods, has been nominated to one of Swedish journalism’s most prestigious awards, Guldspaden, in the Book-category.

The prize has been awarded annually since 1991, to “journalists – active in Swedish media – who through committed and knowledgeable journalism have revealed or depicted essential conditions that the public was previously unaware of. The investigation should be an original work, independently carried out.”

The winners will be announced between the 22^nd and 23^rd of March.

The clever Bacon brothers are a bit younger than Jerry and Maya, and they are The JerryMaya Detective Agency’s biggest fans! The Bacon brothers solve slightly nicer crimes, but in The Secret Key they are given a tricky challenge. The brothers find a mysterious key and no one knows where it leads. It can lead almost anywhere!

Everyone in Valleby seem to have issues with their keys. Muhammed Karat has been locked out of his store, Frida at the animal store cannot get to the animal food, and Fransy Vik has lost the key to her locker by the swimming pool. The Bacon brothers have to use their best detective knowledge to be able to help the town.

The Secret Key is the third installment in the Stories from Valleby series, perfect for the beginner reader!