Klaus Rifbjerg occupies a central and prominent position in contemporary Danish literature and cultural life. As the most prolific Danish writer in virtually all literary genres, Rifbjerg is also a literary trendsetter and an important contributor to the cultural life of Denmark. Scandinavian critics agree that his poetry is his crowning achievement and central to Danish and Scandinavian literature; his manifold prose works, screenplays, and radio dramas constitute one of the most significant contributions to Danish literature in the twentieth century. His works have registered the experiences, perceptions, and sensations of predominantly middle-class Danes for more than half a century. The author has referred to his writings as "a continuing novel of development"; his personal life provides a seemingly endless source of themes centered around the contemporary individual and changing sensibilities. Although Rifbjerg's themes remain focused on his own identity and personal experiences, his means of exploring and...