Tomas Espedal is the author of several novels and prose collections, including Tramp, also published by Seagull Books. James Anderson's literary translations from the Norwegian include Berlin Poplars, by Anne B. Ragde; Nutmeg, by Kristin Valla; and several books by Jostein Gaarder.

In contemporary Norwegian fiction Tomas Espedal’s work stands out as uniquely personal; it can be difficult to separate the fiction from Espedal’s own experiences. In that vein, his novel Against Art is not just the story of a boy growing up to be a writer, but it is also the story of writing. Specifically, it is about the profession of writing—the routines, responsibility, and obstacles. Yet, Against Art is also about being a father, a son, and a grandson; about a family and a family’s tales, and about how preceding generations mark their successors. It is at once about choices and changes, about motion and rest, about moving to a new place, and about living.