New Swedish Books, autumn 2020 1
53 Autumn 2020 Spruce-Fir Folk Helena Granström’s
choice How did the Swedes develop their view on nature? Religious historian David Thurfjell demonstrates how the question is connected both to a human desire to create identity as well as national economy. Particularly evident is the link that joins a close relationship with forest, mountains and lakes (what we today think of as ’typically Swedish’) with the Swedes’ view on God and religion. Whilst Thurfjell shines a light on the evolution of the Nordic love of nature (using the historical development of human thought and his own interviews as a starting point) he also draws a stark image of a modern subject for whom the emotional experience controls all of their life choices: Do I like nature? And can I really be bothered with God? David Thurfjell Selected works Faith and Revivalism in a Nordic Romani Community 2013 Det gudlösa folket. De postkristna svenskarna och religionen 2019 Religion, Contemporary Studies, 335 p. David Thurfjell Publisher Norstedts Rights Norstedts Cecilia Kerstell cecilia.kerstell@norstedts.se Photo: Magnus Liam Karlsson