New Swedish Books, autumn 2019 1
New Swedish Books 36 Liv Strömquist (b. 1978) The
Reddest Rose Unfolds graphic novel, 168 p. Publisher Galago www.galago.se Rights Am-book Alessandra Sternfeld alessandra@am-book.com Selected works Einsteins fru, graphic novel, 2008 Kunskapens frukt, graphic novel, 2014 Uppgång och fall, graphic novel, 2016 Selected awards Adamsonstatyetten 2012 Dagens Nyheters kulturpris 2015 Hedersdoktor vid Malmö högskola 2016 The Reddest Rose Unfolds A medieval visitor to the present day may be less surprised by all our technological advances than by how flimsy our relationships have become. Who today would die for true love or friendship? Liv Strömquist has already had international success with her humorous critique of heterosexual relationships under the patriarchy. In her new book, The Reddest Rose Unfolds, she shifts perspective and stands up for love instead. With the help of classical philosophers, 19th-century romantics and contemporary philosophers, she asks whether it is possible to truly love in an age when we have become so self-obsessed that we can no longer lose ourselves in another. The book’s fusion of image and text creates a unity that culminates in utterly unique quotes such as this: “Being in love is just like being completely powerless, kind of like doner kebab meat, spinning around in a greasy street food stand, COMPLETELY INCAPABLE OF DOING ANYTHING, except BURNING, helpless, you can’t DO anything, you are just a kind of place, a place that houses a wish, one single wish, and that is to be CLOSE to some stupid guy called Kevin (or whoever).” Photo: Maja Flink