Hans Aanrud

Hans Aanrud was a Norwegian writer who wrote plays, poetry, and stories depicting rural life in his native Gudbrandsdal, Norway. He came from a farming family and worked as a private tutor before moving to Oslo, where he became a literary and theatre critic. He also served as an adviser at the National Theatre of Oslo and a literary consultant for Aftenposten. He was one of the founders of the regional literature movement in Norway, and his works are characterized by realistic and humorous descriptions of the peasant culture, the landscape, and the dialect of his home valley. He wrote several popular children's books, such as Storkarer, Smaafæ, Sidsel Sidsærk, and Sølve Solfeng, as well as short stories, novels, and comedies. He received several literary awards and honors, such as the King's Medal of Merit in gold, the Dobloug Prize, and the Henrik Steffens Prize. He died in Oslo in 1953 at the age of 89.