Bernt Lie

Born in Mandal in 1868, Bernt Bessesen Lie became a prolific Norwegian writer whose novels and stories were especially popular in the years before and after 1900. He trained in law, but he is remembered chiefly for his literary work.

At the center of his reputation are the Tromsø boys' books, including Sorte Ørn, Svend Bidevind, Peter Napoleon, and Guttedage. These books helped make him one of Norway's most read authors of his time, and they are still the works most closely associated with his name.

Lie died in 1916, just after his 48th birthday. Although not as internationally known as some of his contemporaries, he holds a lasting place in Norwegian literature as a warm, engaging storyteller with a special gift for youthful adventure and sharply observed local settings.