This exquisitely crafted debut novel, Bergen Spring, set in the aftermath of the tumultuous 1960s, explores the personal-and universal-struggle of the human spirit to manifest itself truthfully. Twenty-year-old Erik Hellberg dreams of leaving his small Midwestern town and traveling to Norway, the land of his ancestors. Grappling with self-imposed guilt over his brother's death in the Vietnam War, Erik hitchhikes across northern Europe and finds himself in the breathtakingly beautiful seaside town of Bergen, Norway. It's here that his friendship with an alluring young actress forces him to examine his guilt-and ultimately, his entire life.