Knut Hamsun one of the most significant and divisive authors of the 20th century made literary history with the release of this stirring autobiographical novel in 1890 which detailed the extreme poverty hunger and despair of a young author attempting to find self-discovery and its ultimate artistic expression. The novel skillfully explores the psychodynamics of obsession self-destruction and alienation while creating a compelling portrayal of a man who is pushed to the edge of insanity by forces