The Sharks — Jens Bjorneboe

Set at the end of the 19th century, The Sharks is a thrilling tale of mutiny and shipwreck. The narrator, Peder Jensen, is both a competent second mate and an unworldly philosopher. Through his eyes, we follow the dismantling of the rigid power structure on board as a community begins to emerge. This is also the story of mankind's voyage into the 20th century, dreadfully aware of our potential for self-destruction but clinging to a belief in the preservation of a fragile humanity. This 1974 novel is the last by Jens Bjorneboe (1920-1976), one of Norway's most original, outspoken, and controversial modern writers.