The Rock Blaster

This book was written in a very confusing style which slowed down the pace. It was an interesting look at Swedish working class and the profession of rock mining. This leaves me conflicted on how to rate it, in the end it was given a 3 star........more

First published in 1973 in Swedish, The Rock Blaster was not translated into English until 2020, after the late Henning Mankell had established iconic status as a writer of masterful thrillers. However, those of us who have followed Mankell beyond that series have long been aware of his leftist lean......more

A haunting tale of living, aging and dying set amid social revolution in Sweden. A very moving story. Written in 1973, this was Mr Mankell’s debut novel, although it was not translated to English until 2020. It is as relevant today as it was then. The pyramid analogy is a perfect example of our curre......more

Mankell’s first novel is about the life of Oskar a rock blaster who survives a dynamite blast minus an eye and hand. It is told in flashback from when he is elderly to his youth, adulthood and how his life has been lived. Set between 1910-1969. It gives a snapshot of Sweden and the poverty and class......more

De baanbreker van Henning Mankell is zijn debuutroman dat nu, ruim 2 jaar na zijn overlijden, alsnog in het Nederlands is vertaald. De geweldige, verhalende schrijfstijl van Mankell is al duidelijk aanwezig in dit boek. Geen spannend, meeslepend en groots geschreven boek, maar een heerlijk, rustig e......more