Lajla: A Tale of Finmark (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Jens Andreas Friis

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 026583371X ISBN 13: 9780265833711

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2022

Synopsis

A richly drawn tale of life, longing, and survival in Finmark, seen through Lapp voices and a child's return home.

Set in the northern reaches of Norway, this classic tale follows Lajla’s world among deer herders, reindeer camps, and a remote parish. From a bustling trading post in Karasjok to the interior, the story moves through the daily courage and stubborn dignity of the Lapp people, their language, and their changing world. As the characters navigate education, faith, and identity, readers glimpse a culture pressed by outside ways yet steadfast in memory and kinship.

The narrative threads together family bonds, the ache of exile and memory, and the moment when old friendships resurface in a northern city. Scenes of winter travel, school day challenges, and the warmth of reunion illuminate themes of belonging, language, and the promises—and costs—of trying to modernize a way of life without losing it.

• Vivid portraits of Finmark life: camps, sleighs, auroras, and the rhythms of deer herding.
• Stories of family, community, and the pull between tradition and education.
• Exploration of language, culture, and the longing to belong to one’s homeland.
• A poignant revival of friendship and homecoming as old ties reappear in a new setting.

Ideal for readers drawn to classic tales of culture, resilience, and the ties that bind generations in the far north.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 026583371X
• ISBN 13: 9780265833711
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 291