The Other NameThe Other Name
Score Modern
What it's about
On the west coast of Norway, as the year draws to a close, Asle, an aging painter and widower, looks back on his life. His only friends are his neighbor Åsleik, a fisherman and farmer, and his gallerist, Beyer. In a nearby town lives another Asle, also a painter, a double who lives another version of the same life.
Why it's worth reading
It's the first part of Jon Fosse's Septology, whose final volume was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's written as one long sentence and reads like a meditation. Septology is often published in a single volume.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics52 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller4 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #77 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #338 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #666 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Jon Fosse
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Americanah
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Pachinko
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Quick answers
Is The Other Name worth reading?
Yes. It's the first part of Jon Fosse's Septology, whose final volume was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. It ranks #666 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Other Name about?
On the west coast of Norway, as the year draws to a close, Asle, an aging painter and widower, looks back on his life. His only friends are his neighbor Åsleik, a fisherman and farmer, and his gallerist, Beyer. In a nearby town lives another Asle, also a painter, a double who lives another version of the same life.
How long does it take to read The Other Name?
About 5 hours (189 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Other Name?
If you liked it, try The Vegetarian by Han Kang, Stoner by John Williams or Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.