New Swedish Books, Autumn 2017 1
New Swedish Books 26 Josefin Holmström (b. 1986)
My Name is Samuel Publisher Norstedts www.norstedts.se Rights Norstedts hakan.bravinger@norstedts.se Works Antarktis Novel 2013 My Name is Samuel The light guides us: we follow it, long for it, and are enormously relieved when the darkness of the night dissipates. To be without light, to be blind and then suddenly be able to see – that’s the stuff of legends. The concept of ‘light’ can be understood symbolically too, of course, as a metaphor for knowledge and thought. Josefin Holmström’s novel takes place in northern Sweden during the latter part of the 19th century. The village priest understands that Samuel, who was born blind, is gifted, and when Samuel is suddenly able to see it’s like a miracle. The boy gets an education and makes it to Cambridge in England. There is a great optimism about progress, new techniques are the future, and Samuel experiments with light and light sources. Destiny leads him into a fascinating and remarkable world. My Name is Samuel is a thoughtful and charming novel, a story about science and people, about love and experience. Photo: Sara Moritz