Chris's review
Pan: From Lieutenant Thomas Glahn's Papers (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics) by Knut Hamsun
i devoured 'pan' in less than a week. this was my introduction to knut hamsun, and now i can't wait to read 'hunger,' the book he's apparently known for. 'pan' is a striking, gorgeous character study - a man who lives alone, with his dog, who is driven insane by love, and the want for it. it's one of the most brilliant character arcs i've ever encountered, and the epilogue is - as eliot puts it - the 'last twist of the knife.' i literally was sucking in my breath at certain points, inwardly howling at the doomed protagonist ... check this out if you like your tragedies tempered with philosophy, ethics, and the ramifications of requited love.
