Intended primarily to complement ""Norsk, Nordmenn, og Norge"" the most widely used Norwegian text in the United States, this anthology may also be used independently and offers a lively, diverse collection of Norwegian writings for the intermediate-level student of Norwegian. High schools universities, or adult classes will find that the various stories and exercises provide a flexible text to meet their differing needs. Writings by Norwegians for Norwegians are grouped into three sections that allow the student to receive a hands-on approach to ""bokmal"" (Norway's standard language). The first section provides core readings that gradually grow in length and complexity, including stories, songs and dramatic sketches on themes ranging from romantic relationships and travel complications to women's rights and environmental issues. A second section on cultural background explores Norwegian geography, immigration to the United States, Germany's World War II occupation of Norway, and contemporary social issues in Norway. Students will find the third group of writings a useful start to expanding their use of Norwegian: selected texts are repeated in ""nynorsk"" (Norway's second official language), ""riksmal"" (the older form of the language), various Norwegian dialects, Swedish, and Danish, to demonstrate how minor adjustments in reading skills can make a wider range of writings accessible to the student. Bound by no single philosophy or teaching method, the anthology allows instructors to use their own approaches, while offering a range of specific suggestions for those who desire more structure. The anthology's eclectic character, introductions to selected Norwegian authors, vocabulary lists, and maps provide opportunities for discussing Norwegian history, culture, geography and literature. Cartoons, jokes, charts, directions, illustrations, maps, and a tourist brochure add variety to the readings. A companion workbook (""arbeidsbok"") and teacher's guide (""laererveiledning"") are also available. The workbook provides a comprehensive grammar review and exercises, while also introducing new constructions necessary to comprehend and discuss the anthology's core selections. The teacher's guide suggests a variety of classroom communication activities for both pairs and small groups.
