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Alexander Kielland when he was mayor of Stavanger.

Alexander Lange Kielland ( February 18, 1849 - April 6, 1906) was a very elegant man and one of the most famous Norwegian authors of the 19th century. Born in Stavanger, Norway, he grew up in a rich merchant family. Among his most famous works are the novels Skipper Worse (1882) and Gift (Poison, 1883), and the short story "Karen".

In Gift (Poison, 1883) Kielland debates the hunger for Latin which Norwegian teachers had in this area of time. The story has its peak when the main person, a young boy called Marius, lying on his deathbed, repeating Latin grammar.

It has been debated why Kielland ended his career as a writer so early. Some believe that he was so much of a realist that he could not deal with new-romantic tendencies in Norwegian literature at the end of the 19th century. Tor Obrestad 's autobiography of Alexander L. Kielland opens up thoughts about Kielland dying because of health-problems. He had several heart-attacks, he constantly gained weight and he couldn't control his great passion for food.

During the last year of his life, he was also the Major of his hometown, Stavanger.

He is one of the so-called "The Four Greats" in Norwegian literature, along with Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, and Jonas Lie.