Gaarder, Jostein

(Norwegian, 1952– )

A high school teacher in philosophy in the Norwegian town of Bergen, Gaarder writes primarily for teenagers, and is a firm believer in the importance for young people of an understanding of religion and philosophy. His breakthrough came with Sophie's World (1991), an international best-seller which has been translated into over twenty languages and adapted into a feature film. The novel follows 15-year-old Sophie's mind- expanding journey after she is introduced by a mystery mentor to fundamental questions such as ‘who am I?’ and ‘where does the world come from?’ Through a skilful blend of philosophical information and narrative she—and we—are drawn into an exploration of the great philosophies of the Western world, and of the nature of philosophy itself.

Iris Murdoch  KB