Agnar Mykle
Agnar Mykle was a Norwegian author.
He became one of the most controversial figures in Norwegian literature in the 20th century after the publication of «Sangen om den Røde Rubin» («The Song of the Red Ruby») in 1957 which ignited what became one of the most famous court cases in Norwegian history.
Mykle and his publisher Harald Grieg were accused of writing and publishing immoral, pornographic, and obscene material. Mykle's defense attorney was Johan Bernhard Hjort. Mykle and Grieg were both acquitted, but the remaining copies of the book were ordered withdrawn from the market. The Norwegian Supreme Court overturned the ruling on the confiscation in 1958.
The translations of The Song of the Red Ruby gathered tremendous attention outside of Norway, especially in the USA. Huge sales followed, but Mykle nevertheless had financial difficulties for the rest of his life.
“det krever viljestyrke å selge strikk i metervis”
“...in his heart of hearts he could almost wish that, when he was grown up, his life should consist of nothing but nonsense: just music, love, literature, carefree friendship, a life brimming with glorious, intoxicating Olympian nonsense.”