Description
A novel about disability, family secrets, and Norway's eugenic past.
The White Bathing Hut is a genetic detective story. The narrator uses a wheelchair because of an inherited illness that has caused his muscle tissue to degenerate, making him unable to walk. One day, he falls from his wheelchair. His family is away, his cell phone out of reach, and he has no choice but to lie on the floor of his apartment, dissecting his life, until help arrives. He recalls his parents' reactions of shame and silence when, as a teenager, his illness was first diagnosed. Now in her old age, his mother remains stubbornly secretive. A chance call from a cousin provides the narrator with clues about his grandfather and uncle, whom he never met and who both also had the disease. His search for the truth about his heredity is given new urgency when his mother is diagnosed with cancer. He must persuade her to speak before she dies, for his own sake and for his daughter's. The White Bathing Hut is an indictment of contemporary Norwegian society, which claims to abhor its history of eugenics, yet still seeks to control the lives of people with disabilities.
About the Author
Thorvald Steen is a Norwegian writer who has published a wide range of novels, plays, collections of poems, short stories, children's books, and essays. His other books include Don Carlos, Giovanni, Constantinople, The Little Horse, and The Weight of Snow Crystals. James Anderson's literary translations from Norwegian include several books by Tomas Espedal and Jostein Gaarder and Thorvald Steen's Lionheart, The Little Horse, and The Invisible Library.
Reviews
"The White Bathing Hut manages, without ever exercising a heavy hand, to call attention to the extent to which any disability-physical, cognitive or mental-is met with a social stigma that extends beyond the afflicted individual to the family and their contacts. It also alludes to an even darker subtext, that of Norway's difficult historical relationship with eugenics. Of course, neither of these factors are unique to Norway, nor are they entirely behind us. Shame associated with disability still exists, and the ability to selectively control for desired sex, against congenital conditions, or even for other qualities raises serious ethical questions. Through this book's very honest, resilient and endearing narrator, many of these critical issues are brought to light." * Roughghosts *
"I found myself unable to leave its pages. . . . The White Bathing Hut is one of those literary contributions that cannot be overlooked." * sage cigarettes magazine *
Book Information
ISBN 9780857428844
Author Thorvald Steen
Format Hardback
Page Count 176
Imprint Seagull Books London Ltd
Publisher Seagull Books London Ltd
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 23mm
The White Bathing Hut is a genetic detective story. The narrator uses a wheelchair because of an inherited illness that has caused his muscle tissue to degenerate, making him unable to walk. One day, he falls from his wheelchair. His family is away, his cell phone out of reach, and he has no choice but to lie on the floor of his apartment, dissecting his life, until help arrives. He recalls his parents' reactions of shame and silence when, as a teenager, his illness was first diagnosed. Now in her old age, his mother remains stubbornly secretive. A chance call from a cousin provides the narrator with clues about his grandfather and uncle, whom he never met and who both also had the disease. His search for the truth about his heredity is given new urgency when his mother is diagnosed with cancer. He must persuade her to speak before she dies, for his own sake and for his daughter's. The White Bathing Hut is an indictment of contemporary Norwegian society, which claims to abhor its history of eugenics, yet still seeks to control the lives of people with disabilities.
About the Author
Thorvald Steen is a Norwegian writer who has published a wide range of novels, plays, collections of poems, short stories, children's books, and essays. His other books include Don Carlos, Giovanni, Constantinople, The Little Horse, and The Weight of Snow Crystals. James Anderson's literary translations from Norwegian include several books by Tomas Espedal and Jostein Gaarder and Thorvald Steen's Lionheart, The Little Horse, and The Invisible Library.
Reviews
"The White Bathing Hut manages, without ever exercising a heavy hand, to call attention to the extent to which any disability-physical, cognitive or mental-is met with a social stigma that extends beyond the afflicted individual to the family and their contacts. It also alludes to an even darker subtext, that of Norway's difficult historical relationship with eugenics. Of course, neither of these factors are unique to Norway, nor are they entirely behind us. Shame associated with disability still exists, and the ability to selectively control for desired sex, against congenital conditions, or even for other qualities raises serious ethical questions. Through this book's very honest, resilient and endearing narrator, many of these critical issues are brought to light." * Roughghosts *
"I found myself unable to leave its pages. . . . The White Bathing Hut is one of those literary contributions that cannot be overlooked." * sage cigarettes magazine *
Book Information
ISBN 9780857428844
Author Thorvald Steen
Format Hardback
Page Count 176
Imprint Seagull Books London Ltd
Publisher Seagull Books London Ltd
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 23mm
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