How To Academy Podcast Karl Ove Knausgaard – The School of Night
Dec 5, 2025
Karl Ove Knausgaard, the acclaimed Norwegian novelist known for his impactful autobiographical series, explores the complexities of art and fame. He discusses creating an unempathetic protagonist in his new novel, The School of Night, and the choices behind setting it in 1980s Deptford. Knausgaard reflects on the Faustian pacts artists make for success, revealing his own struggles with fame and loss of privacy. With wit and depth, he shares insights on the writing process and the influences that shape his compelling narratives.
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Absence Of Empathy Creates Radical Freedom
- Karl Ove Knausgaard created Christian by flipping his usual empathetic perspective to explore a protagonist who blames others and lacks empathy.
- This absence of empathy frees Christian to act ruthlessly, revealing how personality shapes a novel's moral terrain.
Making Photographs Tangible In Prose
- Knausgaard translates visual photography into prose by detailing the photographer's process and embodied problem-solving moments.
- He uses tactile, sensory steps (finding a cat, cooking it) to render a photograph's meaning on the page.
Sudden Breakthroughs Happen Without Warning
- Knausgaard recalls a friend who suddenly produced startlingly good writing without explanation, which he also experienced later in life.
- He treats those sudden creative breakthroughs as mysteries that transform ordinary effort into meaningful work.
