Oliver Lovrenski: Když nám bylo míň

Norwegian author Oliver Lovrenski published his debut novel "When We Were Younger" at age 19. Hailed as the Norwegian "Trainspotting", the book is a raw generational account of a group of teenage boys from an immigrant neighbourhood in Oslo - their street life, violence, drugs, and mutual loyalty. The novel's rhythmic language draws from rap, slang, and youth vernacular. In Norway, the book became an instant bestseller, earning Lovrenski the Bokhandlerprisen (Norwegian Booksellers' Prize) and making him its youngest laureate. He also received the Oslo City Artist Prize and nominations for the Bragepris and Tarjei Vesaas' Debutant Prize. The novel has been published in numerous languages and was shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award in 2026. The Czech edition was published by Paseka in 2024, translated by Václav Křenek.

Lovrenski will present the book in conversation with poet and publicist Jonáš Zbořil. Zbořil debuted in 2013 with the poetry collection "Podolí" (nominated for the Jiří Orten Prize and Magnesia Litera - Discovery of the Year), followed by "Nová divočina" (2020) and his prose debut "Flora" (2024), a dystopian novella about parenthood and humanity's changing relationship with nature, whose translation rights have been sold to nineteen languages. For many years he hosted the literary programme Liberatura on Radio Wave; since 2022 he has worked in the culture section of Seznam Zprávy, where he hosts the podcast "Kulturák" and publishes the newsletter Chlebíček.

The programme lasts 60 minutes and is conducted in English. The event is held in cooperation with NORLA - Norwegian Literature Abroad and Paseka publishers.