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Starvation -- Fiction Books
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Knut Hamsun
Hunger
"Hunger" by Knut Hamsun is a novel published in 1890. Set in late 19th-century Kristiania, it follows an unnamed, starving young writer wandering the streets as his mental and physical state deteriorates. While trying to maintain respectability, he descends into delusional existence, overwhelmed by poverty and pride. The novel explores the irrational depths of the human mind through detailed psychological analysis, depicting a self-destructive protagonist who refuses to surrender his dignity even as hunger consumes him.
Knut Hamsun
Sult
"Sult" by Knut Hamsun is a novel published in 1890. Set in late 19th-century Kristiania, it follows an unnamed starving young man as he wanders the city streets, his mental and physical state deteriorating. Despite his intellectual pretensions and self-imposed code of honor, he descends into delusionary existence, scrounging for food while struggling to maintain respectability. The novel explores the irrationality of the human mind through detailed psychological observation, marking a pioneering work of modern literature.
Knut Hamsun
Éhség : $b regény
"Éhség: regény" by Knut Hamsun is a novel published in 1890. Set in late 19th-century Kristiania, it follows a starving young man whose grip on reality deteriorates as he wanders the city streets. Unable to pursue a conventional career and driven by self-destructive pride, he experiences mental and physical decay while clinging to respectability. Through a series of encounters, the novel explores the irrationality of the human mind, blending psychological depth with dark humor as the protagonist descends into a delusionary existence.
Knut Hamsun
Hunger
"Hunger" by Knut Hamsun is a novel published in 1890. Set in late 19th-century Kristiania, it follows an unnamed, starving young writer wandering the city streets as his mental and physical state deteriorates. While struggling to maintain respectability, he experiences delusions, self-destructive behavior, and the slow collapse of his grip on reality. Through detailed psychological analysis, the novel explores the irrational workings of the human mind under extreme deprivation, creating what has been called a pioneering work of modern, psychology-driven literature.
William Oberfield
Poison Planet
"Poison Planet" by William Oberfield is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The story revolves around an expedition of Earthmen, led by Captain James McBride, who are the first to set foot on the planet Venus. As they initially encounter a seemingly fertile and calm environment, they soon discover that the flora and fauna are toxic, which presents dire challenges as they attempt to survive. The narrative unfolds with the crew grappling with starvation as they are unable to cultivate crops due to the invasive and lethal nature of Venusian plants. Tension mounts when desperation drives one crew member to commit suicide, leading the others to face moral dilemmas as hunger drives them towards cannibalism. Just as all hope seems lost, Flaunders, the expedition’s botanist, announces a breakthrough in countering the planet's poison, igniting a glimmer of hope amid the darkness. However, an undercurrent of suspicion and ethical questions looms over the crew as they navigate their dwindling humanity in their struggle for survival. Ultimately, the story explores themes of desperation, survival, and the thin veneer of civilization that can quickly unravel under extreme circumstances.
Knut Hamsun
Hunger
"Hunger" by Knut Hamsun is a novel written in the late 19th century. It is a stark, psychologically intimate portrait of a destitute young writer wandering Christiania, tracing his pride, imagination, and desperation as hunger frays his mind. The focus is less on plot than on a vivid inner life—restless thoughts, sudden exaltations, and humiliations—rendered in intense, impressionistic prose. The opening of the novel follows an unnamed aspiring writer as he wakes in a bare attic, broke and hungry, and drifts through Christiania trying to write, find work, and keep his dignity. He pawns his waistcoat to give a coin to a lame stranger, buys a meager meal, and oscillates between grand ideas (new essays and “philosophical” treatises) and erratic impulses (taunting a woman he dubs Ylajali, spinning lies for a credulous old man). He submits a literary sketch to a newspaper and clings to hope while dodging his landlady, then abandons his room and spends a cold, miserable night in the woods. Hunger sharpens and distorts his perceptions; small slights enrage him, and brief bursts of inspiration give way to emptiness. By the end of this opening, rebuffed for a bookkeeping job over a foolish date error, he is weakened and ashamed, yet still forcing a polite front as he tries to seize any chance—such as an advertised job helping an invalid—that might keep him going.
Knut Hamsun
Nälkä
"Nälkä" by Knut Hamsun is a novel published in 1890. Set in late 19th-century Kristiania, it follows an unnamed starving young man wandering the streets as his mental and physical state deteriorates. While trying to maintain respectability, he descends into a delusionary existence, overwhelmed by hunger and his own self-destructive choices. This psychology-driven work explores the irrational workings of the human mind through a series of encounters, depicting the darker side of modern urban life with both intensity and dark humor.
Knut Hamsun
Hunger: Book One
"Hunger: Book One" by Knut Hamsun is a novel published in 1890. Set in late 19th-century Kristiania, it follows a starving young man whose grip on reality deteriorates as he wanders the city streets. The unnamed protagonist clings to respectability while his body and mind decay from hunger. Through a series of encounters, the novel explores the irrational workings of the human psyche, blending psychological depth with dark humor as the vagrant intellectually refuses conventional work yet slowly descends into delusionary desperation.
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