Knut Hamsun 
Hunger 

Hunger is a novel by the Norwegian author Knut Hamsun published in 1890 by P.G. Philipsens Forlag. The novel has been hailed as the literary opening of the 20th century and an outstanding example of modern, psychology-driven literature. A true classic of modern literature that has been described as ’one of the most disturbing novels in existence’ (Time Out), Hunger is the story of a Norwegian artist who wanders the streets, struggling on the edge of starvation. As hunger overtakes him, he slides inexorably into paranoia and despair. Written after Hamsun’s return from an ill-fated tour of America,  Hunger is loosely based on the author’s own impoverished life before his breakthrough in 1890.