Dengang dinosaurerne var små

Dengang dinosaurerne var små When the Dinosaurs Were Little

In When the Dinosaurs Were Little, Kaspar Colling Nielsen returns to the narrative which made him a star on the literary sky. The universe in his stories is as multi-layered and transmutable as ever, giving the reader insight into a spectrum of topics stretching from that of the origins of dinosaurs, to the impact of surveillance drones on individuals.

In this collection of short stories, Colling Nielsen guides us through the history of the world – everything that we thought that we knew, and everything that we do not. For example: that a girl’s genitals can talk, eat cheese doodles, and turn pretty aggressive. Or, that a plumber might have good use of his experiences from a past life as a native American when repairing a locomotive. Or, that the instinct for violence can be ignited even in the most peaceful family father on a summer day. In these tales, there exist no limits for how an identity can be molded: all transformations are possible, and both heaven and hell are within reach.

Awards

Shortlisted for the Readers’ Book Award Denmark 2020
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Reviews

  • “[Colling] Nielsen’s short stories are filled with imagination and joy of storytelling, and they take off with the openness that great stories deserve. /…/ The sense of solemnity that enfolds the stories makes them thought-provoking.”

    ★★★★★

    Nordjyske Stiftstidende, Denmark

  • “One gets completely dizzy with excitement when reading Kaspar Colling Nielsen’s new book. /…/ One is thrilled that [Kaspar Colling Nielsen] has so many quirky and well-considered words in him still. /…/ [When the Dinosaurs Were Little] entertains, frightens and confuses, and it shows us the meaning of it all – or the lack thereof – by sublimely taking it to the extremes.”

    ★★★★★★

    Berlingske, Denmark

  • When the Dinosaurs Were Little is a delightful Italo Calvino-inspired mixture of seriousness and humor, forward-looking and contemporary observations, with a particularly sharp eye aimed at foolish conflicts and pitifully naive utopias. At the same time, [When the Dinosaurs Were Little] is playful and in many ways reminiscent of magical realism. Just read it, regardless whether you are one of those who are quirky, strange, inappropriate or privileged; you receive a lot of legitimate doubts.”

    ★★★★★

    Dagbladenes Bureau, Denmark

  • “Ever since his debut Mount Copenhagen in 2010, [Kaspar Colling Nielsen] has superbly mastered the kind of dystopian narrative in which society is exposed to strange, frightening, and well, not entirely unrealistic scenarios of the future. The same compelling approach applies also in his new collection of short stories. /…/ [A] batch of disturbing and bewildering sci-fi that’s sure to entertain.”

    Netavisen Pio, Denmark

  • “Creative like few others. A social commentator and observant, like many of his peers. And yet: Completely his own. That is Kaspar Colling Nielsen in a nutshell. /…/ Kaspar Colling [Nielsen] is remarkable at what he does. /…/ [A] collection of wild, imaginative and amusing stories. Nevertheless, [the stories] have a realistic touch to them, so that in addition to being extremely entertaining, they also become acutely relevant. I mean: What’s not to like?”

    Litteratursiden, Denmark

Author
Photo: Thomas Howalt Andersen Kaspar Colling Nielsen
Published
2019
Genre
  • Literary
Pages
242
Reading material

Danish edition

Rights sold

Denmark, Gyldendal

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