R.I.P. Anne-Cath Vestly, 88 (Norwegian writer, "Aurora" se..

She died on Sunday.

http://www.norwaypost.no/Culture/Author-Anne-Cath.-Vestly-dies-at-88/m...-id-32.
(short obit with a sweet photo - I hope there will be longer ones
soon, in English)

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Anne-Catharina_Vestly
(bibliography)

http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=cath+vestly&btnG=Search+Images
(covers & photos)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0895370/
(her film acting and writing credits)


In "Hello, Aurora," (first book of 7 in that series) the young girl's
mother works outside the home and the father is the homemaker while
working on his degree, and neighbors are disturbed by this. It caused
quite a stir in Norway when published in 1966 and it was featured in
"Cricket" in late 1977 and 1978. Shirley Hughes was the illustrator in
those issues - pity you can't find her pictures of Aurora outside of
"Cricket"! (I think.)

Abebooks' description of "Hello, Aurora":

"a warm, friendly book about a stay-at-home father, his little girl,
the new baby, and their working mother. Everyone in the family is
perfectly happy with the arrangement, but the neighbors are certain
that aurora is neglected, the baby mistreated, Father is a doormat,
and Mother is a monster. humor."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne-Catharina_Vestly

"Her most famous book is 'Eight Children and a Truck' ('Åtte små, to
store og en lastebil' in Norwegian), about a family with eight
children living in a small apartment in Oslo."

Her awards included: Peer Gynt Prize, 1980; Save the Children--Rainbow
Prize, 1989; & the
Paul Robeson Prize, Anti-Racist Center, 1990. She was nominated for
the Astrid Lindgren Award.


Lenona.

Well, turns out it was Monday the 15th.

I can't find any New York Times articles - of course, there are dozens
of recent ones in Norwegian and probably other languages - but I did
find one short tribute:

http://www.espen.com/julie/archives/2008/12/annecath_vestly.html

Also, the "Eight Children" series has been translated into English.

> It caused
> quite a stir in Norway when published in 1966 and it was featured in
> "Cricket" in late 1977 and 1978. Shirley Hughes was the illustrator in
> those issues - pity you can't find her pictures of Aurora outside of
> "Cricket"! (I think.)

Turns out only one chapter from "Hello, Aurora!" was printed in
"Cricket" - in January of 1978. In it, Aurora feels a bit hurt and
insecure when her father starts giving piano lessons to the little
girl next door (the family needs the extra income) but she figures out
how to make things work out happily for everyone.

Lenona.