The Art of Stuttering – Without Anyone Noticing
Kunsten å stamme - uten at noen merker det
In the autumn of 2021, author Lars Petter Sveen faints on stage in Oslo while doing a reading. Upon regaining consciousness, his first thought is: “Did anyone hear me stutter?”
He fears that he has revealed himself.
His quest to understand why he passed out takes him back to fourth grade, when he stood on stage at a school Christmas party and couldn’t get out a single word.
Ever since he was a child, he has tried to avoid certain situations, words, and phrases. Stuttering is still stigmatized in our society, and Sveen writes about how he found his own way of speaking. His primary objective? To hide his stutter.
How we speak, and how our voice is perceived by others, defines who we are. What happens when your voice gets stuck and your words won’t come out? The Art of Stuttering is a personal, funny, and deeply moving story of coming to grips with a secret shame.
‘Strangely enough, there are hardly any books about people who stutter. In this sense, Sveen’s biographical account is sensational and unique. (…) Sveen shows us that the most private and shameful thing can make for the strongest narrative.’
Dagsavisen
‘In the age of personal non-fiction, this naked self seems almost revolutionary. (…) The process of presenting a voice “full of cracks” is no easy task, but Sveen succeeds, both privately and literary.’
Klassekampen
