Nº79 Naja Marie Aidt
Naja Marie Aidt is a writer and a poet who was born in Aasiaat, Greenland, to Danish parents. The first 7 years of her life she lived in Greenland where her father taught. Then, the family moved to Copenhagen where her parents split shortly after.
She moved from home at the age of 16 and had her first-born child by the age of 18. Later she had three more children, the last one when she was 40 years old.
In 1991, at the age of 28, she published her first book of poetry, Så længe jeg er ung (While I’m Still Young). Since 1993, she has been a full-time writer and has become one of the most established Danish authors of her generation.
Her short story collection Baboon (Bavian) won the 2007 Danish Critics Prize for Literature and the 2008 Nordic Council Literature Prize. Her debut novel Sten, Saks, Paper (Rock, Paper, Scissors) was published in 2012. In addition to fiction, she has published poetry collections, theatre and radio plays, lyrics and children’s books.
In 2015, Aidt’s son died after falling from the window of his apartment after consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms. Aidt wrote about her son’s death and how life became for her coping with grief in the 2017 Har døden taget noget fra dig så giv det tilbage – Carls bog (When Death Takes Something from You, Give it Back: Carl’s Book). It was shortlisted for various awards and is being translated into fourteen languages, including Spanish. The Spanish title is “Si la muerte te quita algo, devuélvelo” and was translated by Blanca Ortiz Ostalé, published by Sexto Piso
Like many Nordic artists, Aidt says that nature and landscapes are a constant source of inspiration. Mostly Swedish and Norwegian forests. Where you can be totally alone and immerse yourself in nature.
She currently lives in Copenhagen and is married to the renowned cinematographer Eigil Bryld
“In the midst of his psychosis he undressed, opened the window, took a run and jumped into the night,”
Naja Marie Aidt – If death takes something from you, give it back
- Har døden taget noget fra dig så giv det tilbage (2017), Gyldendal; Translated as When Death Takes Something From You Give It Back by Denise Newman (2019)
- OMINA (2016) co-authored by Mette Moestrup, Gyldendal — poetry
- Frit flet (2014), co-authored by Mette Moestrup and Line Knutzon, Gyldendal
- Sten saks papir (2012), Gyldendal — novel; Translated as Rock, Paper, Scissors by K. E. Semmell (2015)
- Alting Blinker (2009), Gyldendal — poetry
- Poesibog (2008), Gyldendal — poetry collection
- Bavian (2006), Gyldendal — short stories; Translated as Baboon by Denise Newman (2014)
- Balladen om Bianca (2002), Gyldendal
- Siska (2000), Cafe Teatret — drama
- Rejse for en fremmed, digte (1999), Gyldendal — poetry
- Tjenende ånder (1998), Radio-Teatret — radio play
- Blæs på Odysseus (1998), Thorvaldsens Museum — songs for choir
- Fra digterens hånd (1996), Borgens Forlag — poetry
- Omstændigheder (1995), Gyldendal — short stories
- Huset overfor (1995), Gyldendal — poetry
- Tilgang (1995), Gyldendal — short stories
- Det tredje landskab (1994), Gyldendal — poetry
- Vandmærket (1993), Gyldendal — short stories
- Som englene flyver (1993) Gyldendal — short stories
- Den blomstrende have (1993), Gyldendal — short stories
- Et vanskeligt møde (1992), Gyldendal — poetry
- Så længe jeg er ung (1991), Gyldendal — poetry
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