Sinners in Summertime

Sigurd Hoel's Sinners in Summertime is a satirical novel about sex, psychoanalysis, and the arrogance of youth. Originally published in English in 1930, Sinners in Summertime is the story of a group of graduate students who spend the summer together along the Norwegian coast. Driven by a faith in Freud, they are determined to be honest with each other about the nature of sex, in order to avoid the self-delusions they feel have plagued previous generations. What follows is a complete undermining of all their "enlightened" values, as they find themselves prone to the same romantic jealousies and uncontrollable passions. In a witty and free-flowing style, Hoel exposes the folly of youthful intellectualism, while at the same time demonstrating the passionate connections that bind all generations together.