Danish author Dorthe Nors explores nonfiction in A Line in the World, skillfully translated by Caroline Waight. The collection of fourteen essays chronicles Nors’s year-long journeys along Denmark’s North Sea shore, delving into diverse topics like her personal history, environmental issues, and the role of women in society. Despite featuring charming black and white line drawings by Signe Parker, this is not a mere travelogue but a series of thoughtful reflections that weave together various themes.
Nors uses the rugged coastal landscape as a backdrop to lead readers on an intellectual and emotional exploration in each essay, drawing connections between her experiences and broader historical and psychological concepts. The opening essay, “The Line,” sets the tone with Nors’s impassioned desire for a wild, untamed landscape and her assertion of women’s right to define their relationship with nature. Her writing style is intense and challenging, urging readers to rethink conventional perspectives.
Throughout the essays, Nors skillfully combines seemingly disparate ideas to create a cohesive narrative by the end of each piece. In “Magnets,” she muses on bird migrations and memories of her father’s stuffed bird, ultimately reflecting on loss and the unstoppable passage of time. Similarly, in “The Shortest Night,” she delves into the complexities of Midsummer celebrations in Denmark, blending observations of nature with reflections on vulnerability and strength.
This unconventional collection covers a wide range of topics, from Viking history to modern surfing, offering North American readers a fresh and profound literary experience. A Line in the World stands as a compelling work that challenges perceptions and invites readers to see the world in a new light.
