Sidsel Mørck
In Unclean Waters

«Mostly everything is thought, said and done, people are both good and bad, many too hungry, many too full, everyone is fighting their own battle. Life is a mockery, and when one has finally gathered enough knowledge and experience to live a good life – it is over.»

Ole Viktor Calle grows up at the beginning of Norway's petroleum era. Since his father is in the industry, he hears a lot of stories from the oil workers. Ole decides to study to be an engineer and starts his own career in Statoil, where he gets to experience the Norwegian oil adventure for himself. Here, he is witness to both the positive and the negative sides of the industry.

In Unclean Waters is a novel about childhood and the oil industry, about women's struggle and alcoholism, economy and family life – and about trying to live up to a father's expectations.

«In Unclean Waters» is something as rare as a petroleum historic novel (…) The challenge is to make the petroleum history engaging fiction. Mørck succeeds on many points.

Sidsel Mørck writes nuanced and reflected, she writes with knowledge and warmth about a father and son, and does not undermine the positive sides of the petroleum industry. This is a novel that gives a lot to the reader (…)

Oddmund Hagen, Dag og Tid

Sidsel Mørck

Sidsel Mørck

Sidsel Mørck (b. 1937) had her literary debut in 1967 with the poetry collection «Et ødselt sekund» («A Wasted Second»). From then on until today she has written nearly 40 books of poetry, short stories, novels and poetry for children. Her writing is characterized by an interest in societal problems and environmental concerns. She has received several awards for her work, including Fritt Ords Honorary Prize and Norwegian PENs Ossietzky Prize.

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Solum Bokvennen
Universitetsgaten 14
0164 Oslo

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Edited January 31, 2022 by Solum Bokvennen