Jakob Ejersbo
Quick Facts
Biography
Jakob Ejersbo (6 April 1968 in Rødovre – 10 July 2008 in Aalborg) was a Danish journalist and writer. His work is considered modern and neorealistic. Authoring the immensely popular novel, Nordkraft, which sold more than 100,000 copies, an unusually high sales figure on the book market in Denmark, Ejersbo became an established writer. A tale about three young people and drug problems in Aalborg, the work was turned into a film in 2005, directed by Ole Christian Madsen. Ejersbo is also well known for writing what is known as the Africa Trilogy (the three novels, Liberty, Revolution, and Eksil), inspired by the author's own childhood experiences in Tanzania.
The trilogy was published posthumously, however. Jakob Ejersbo died from a malign case of esophageal cancer after an illness period of only 10 months.
Johannes Riis, publishing editor at the major Danish publishing house, Gyldendal, spoke at the funeral and said: "Og nu står jeg så her, i en frysende klar og ubarmhjertig bevidsthed om, at jeg i løbet af det sidste års tid har været vidne til noget af det mest urimelige og meningsløse, jeg har oplevet i mit liv. At se så meget originalitet, så meget talent gå til spilde og aldrig få mulighed for at komme til udfoldelse. Det er ikke til at have med at gøre" ("And here I stand, with a cold, clear and merciless thought in mind that I have witnessed something of the most unfair and meaningless I have experienced in my life. To see so much originality, so much talent go to waste and never get a chance of letting it unfold. It is unbearable.").
Ejersbo was not married, lived alone and had no children.
Works
- 2009: Liberty, novel
- 2009: Revolution, novel
- 2009: Eksil, novel
- 2003: Nordkraft, novel
- 2000: Superego, short stories
- 1998: "Fuga", novellesamling skrevet med Morten Alsinger
Awards and stipends
Jakob Ejersbo has received the following awards and stipends:
- 2001: The Danish Arts Foundation. Stipend
- 2003: De Gyldne Laurbær for Nordkraft
- 2003: The Danish Arts Foundation. Stipend
- 2005: The Danish Arts Foundation. Stipend
- 2006: The Danish Arts Foundation. Stipend
- 2007: The Danish Arts Foundation. Stipend
- "Jakob Ejersbo" (in Danish). Litteratursiden.dk. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.