Thorvald Steen
Thorvald Steen (born 9 January 1954) is a Norwegian writer and government scholar. He made his literary debut in 1983, and has subsequently published a wide range of novels, plays, collections of poems, books of short stories, children's books and essays. He has distinguished himself as one of Norway's leading internationally oriented writers.
Thorvald Steen

Kjetil Ree · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Thorvald Steen
- Born
- 9 January 1954
- Birthplace
- Norway
- Occupation
- Author, novelist
- Fields
- Norwegian literature · Norwegian drama
- Education
- University of Oslo
- Honours
- Gyldendal's Endowment · Dobloug Prize · Livsvernprisen · Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav
- Languages
- Norwegian
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Thorvald Steen (born 9 January 1954) is a Norwegian writer and government scholar. He made his literary debut in 1983, and has subsequently published a wide range of novels, plays, collections of poems, books of short stories, children's books and essays. He has distinguished himself as one of Norway's leading internationally oriented writers.
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Thorvald Steen (born 1954) is a novelist, playwright and poet, among other activities, of Norwegian nationality. The novelist was born in Oslo.
Thorvald Steen was educated at University of Oslo. Activity centred on Norwegian drama and Norwegian literature.
The work spans essay and theatre. Languages used include Norwegian. Honours include Dobloug Prize, Gyldendal's Endowment and Livsvernprisen.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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wikidata · Q1524648 · wikipedia · Thorvald Steen
In this article
Biography
Biography
His Norwegian breakthrough came in 1992 with a cycle of poems, Ilden (The Fire) and shortly afterward he achieved international recognition with his creative historical novels Don Carlos (1993), Giovanni (1995), Constantinople (1999), The Little Horse (2002), Camel Clouds (2004) and Lionheart (2010). In 2006 Steen wrote the coming-of-age novel The Weight of Snow Crystals, which was followed in 2008 with the freestanding sequel The Longest Leap. Steen's work is translated into 26 languages and published in 46 countries. He has received several literary prizes, both at home and abroad. In 1993 he received Gyldendals legat (Gyldendal's Endowment). The Belgian newspaper Le Soir declared Don Carlos one of the five best novels translated into French in 1996. The newspaper Clarin in Argentina chose Steen as “Best new writer” for Don Carlos the same year. In 2001 he received the Norwegian Dobloug Prize for his entire work. The novel Camel Clouds was elected novel of the year by the Turkish newspaper Bir Gun in 2006 and won the Slovak Jan Holly Award in 2007. In 2006 Steen received the Comenius Medal from the University of Bratislava for his historical novels, and in 2010 he received the Thomsen Prize. Steen was the chairman of The Norwegian Authors' Union (1991–97) and he has been an honorary member of the union since 1997. He has also been chairman of the board in Norla (Norwegian Literature Abroad) since 1997 and a member of the board of PEN since 2003. In 2004 he received a Governmental Stipend from the Norwegian Minister of Culture.
Thorvald Steen studied at University of Oslo. The recorded working language is Norwegian. The field of work recorded is Norwegian literature and Norwegian drama. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are theatre and essay. Distinctions recorded are Gyldendal's Endowment, Dobloug Prize, Livsvernprisen and Knight First Class of the Order of St.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Thorvald Steen • Born — 9 January 1954 • Birthplace — Norway • Occupation — Author, novelist • Genre — Fiction
Novels/Short Stories
Novels/Short Stories
• The Invisible Library, 2014 • Balance, 2012 • Lionheart (Løvehjerte) (novel) 2010 • The Longest Leap, 2008 • The Weight of Snow Crystals, 2006 • Bare en siste gang (Just one Last Time), 2005 and 2009 • Camel Clouds, 2004 • The Little Horse, 2002 • Constantinople, 1999 • Kongen av Sahara (King of Sahara), 1997 • Giovanni, 1995 • Don Carlos, 1993 • Tungen (The Tongue), 1991
Poems
Poems
• Under sol og måne (Under Sun and Moon. Photographies by Victor Dimola), 2001 • Alexandrias aske (The Ashes of Alexandria. Poems by Lars Saabye Christensen, Gro Dahle, Paal-Helge Haugen and Thorvald Steen) 1993 • The Fire, 1992 • Månekisten (The Moon Casket), 1987 • Neonulvene (Neonwolfs), 1987 • Vindkommoden (The Wind Chest. Photographies by Per Maning), 1985 • Gjerrige fallskjermer (Stingy Parachutes), 1985 • Hemmeligstemplede roser (Classified Roses), 1983
Essays
Essays
• Den besværlige historien (The Cumbersome History), 2014 • Stories of Istanbul, 2008 • Fra Reykholt til Bosporus (From Reykholt to Bosporus) 2003 • Luftskipet (Airship) 2000 • Jungel. Essays om litteratur og politikk (Jungle. Essays about Literature and Politics), 1996 • En fallskjerm til folket (Parachutes to The People), 1995
Plays
Plays
• Nidaros, 2013, (music by Timbuktu (Jason Dikaité) • Desert Storms, 2010, with Tariq Ali • De tålmodige, 1997
Other
Other
• Asylet. Gaustad sykehus 150 år (anniversary book) 2005 (ed.)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1954
Thorvald Steen was born on 9 January 1954.
Children's books
• Sometimes You're Absolutely Right(illustrated book), 2015, with Hilde Kramer • Da pinnsvinet gjorde reven en tjeneste (illustrated book), 2002 • Frosken og sjiraffen og stillheten (illustrated book), 1995 • Da frosken og sjiraffen skulle stupe kråke (illustrated book), 1993 • Frosken og sjiraffen (The Frog and The Giraffe), 1993, illustrated by Marek Woloszyn • Milli Meter og regnbuen (Milli Meter and The Rainbow) 1992, illustrated by Malgorzata Piotrowska • Jeg er kanskje en fugl, sa Milli Meter (I Might Be a Bird, said Milli Meter) 1991, illustrated by Malgorzata Piotrowska • Milli Meter og delfinene (Milli Meter and the Dolphines) 1990, illustrated by Malgorzata Piotrowska
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Thorvald Steen”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1524648: Thorvald Steen
General reference · Wikidata
References
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References
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Further particulars
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Further particulars
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Thorvald Steen received Gyldendal's Endowment, Dobloug Prize, Livsvernprisen and Knight First Class of the Order of St.
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