History of Bestiality


The History of Bestiality is a trilogy by the Norwegian writer Jens Bjørneboe. It consists of the three books Moment of Freedom, Powderhouse and The Silence.

Moment of Freedom

Moment of Freedom: the Heiligenberg Manuscript.
The narrator is a court usher in a small alp village. While observing incidents in the court, he occupies himself filling protocols with what he calls "the history of bestiality".

Powderhouse

Powderhouse: Scientific Postscript and Last Protocol.
The narrator is now houseporter at a hospital for mentally diseased. The staff and patients deliver lectures on themes such as the history of execution, heresy and heretics.

The Silence

The Silence: Anti-novel and Absolutely Very Last Protocol.
The narrator is situated in an unnamed country in northern Africa. He is now occupied with themes such as the history of colonisation: how the European countries took "possession" of large parts of the world, America, Africa and Asia.