Robert Isaksen grew up on a military base on the outskirts of a small Norwegian town. At the age of 18 he is still living at home with his officer father, Isak. Almost a year has passed since the death of his mother. Robert realises that big changes will have to take place if he is going to achieve his ambition to become a writer. The goal
is not an easy one. A change of style turns him into the town’s first post-punk, but it also brings him face to face with the narrow-mindedness of a small town. His limited experience with the opposite sex is another challenge that has to be dealt with. Robert’s plan is to move into a collective in Oslo after he’s finished Secondary School, but his frequent confrontations with his father leave him torn between feelings of anger and loyalty towards him.
1983 is a novel about breaking up, breaking out, breaking away; it’s about helpless love, maturity, immaturity and big dreams.