Hunger

Hunger, first published in 1890, is Knut Hamsun’s intense psychological novel following an unnamed writer who wanders the streets of Kristiania (now Oslo), gripped by poverty, starvation, and mental instability. A pioneering work of literary modernism, Hunger delves into the fragmented inner life of its protagonist with raw emotion and existential depth. Hamsun’s stream-of-consciousness style and exploration of alienation influenced writers like Kafka and Hemingway. It remains a harrowing and innovative portrayal of desperation and artistic struggle.