Naughty Boys.Dirty Secrets.Mad Dogs.

In the Eriksson family, childhood is a shocking experience, full of crude and disturbing rites of passage. It all started with Askild 'the Crackpot', chased by bloodhounds on a German plain after escaping from a Nazi concentration camp.His son, Niels 'Jug Ears' Junior, is born in an outhouse, and wins respect by kicking other boys in the balls.

And his son, Asger 'the Liar', collects stories about his shipwrecked family which are always exciting though not entirely true. He is haunted by the time he spent hidden in the space under the stairs with his fat aunt, aka 'the Little Bitch'. Unable to banish Doghead, a horror from his childhood, to the shadow realm, he reveals the very bad deeds children can do - to push his family story forward, past a point of no return.

Doghead is a richly imaginative farcical tragedy; a witty saga of three generations of wild Eriksson men. It touches on chilling themes - concentration camps, child abuse, alcoholism, rape - yet warmly celebrates the stories that hold families together.

Review

"Doghead is the acclaimed magical realist saga from best-selling Danish author Morten Ramsland . . . gritty, powerful and engaging." (Daily Express)

"A huge international success...combines rambunctiousness, salty humour and poetic imagination." (Independent on Sunday (Books of the Year))

"A brilliant magical realist family saga. Better than Peter Hoeg. When I read it I had to pinch my arm to see if I was dreaming. It was really that good. Deserves to be an International bestseller." (Weekendavisen)

"Ramsland writes like a fire engine with the sirens on, driving full-speed through red lights." (Politiken, Denmark)

"Ramsland has a voice completely of his own. This is a courageous, entertaining and subtle novel. One hell of a book!" (Information, Denmark)

Book Description

From a fiery and humorous Danish John Irving, a bighearted, epic story of mad dogs, naughty boys, strange relatives and family secrets.

From the Back Cover

Naughty boys. Dirty secrets. Mad dogs.

In the Eriksson family, childhood is a disturbing experience, full of crude and disturbing rites of passage. It all started with Askild 'the Silent Crackpot': painter, murderer and thief.

His son, Niels 'Jug Ears' Junior, is born in an outhouse, wins respect by kicking other boys in the balls, and uses dynamite to blow up the privy when his father sells his cherished coin collection.

And his son, Asger 'the Liar', collects stories about his shipwrecked family which are always exciting, though not entirely true. Unable to banish Doghead, a horror from his childhood, he reveals the very bad deeds children can do - pushing his family forward, past a point of no return.

Doghead is a richly imaginative farcical tragedy, a witty saga of three generations of wild Eriksson men.

'A huge international success...combines rambunctiousness, salty humour and poetic imagination.'

Independent on Sunday