- He set his own standard for short story and prose art.

It is a great loss in Norwegian literature, says Ingeri Engelstad, publishing director for Oktober publishing house, to NTB.

Kjell Askildsen grew up in Mandal and is known for his minimalist style.

He made his debut with the collection of short stories Heretter jeg foll deg helt hjem 1953, but is perhaps best known for Thomas F's latest notes to the general public from 1983.

"The master of short story art"

Askildsen published his latest book Vennskapets pris, as an 86-year-old, in 2015. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages, and in Swedish are, among others, Kompisarna, Ett stort öde landskap and Hundarna från Thessaloniki.

In 2009, Kjell Askildsen was awarded the Swedish Academy's Nordic Prize.

The Swedish author Tomas Bannerhed has taken great inspiration from Askildsen, he says in an interview with Dagens Nyheter.

- Kjell Askildsen was the master of short story art.

At least in the Nordics.

He described the grief of duality in a very fine way, and had a linguistic precision, as if the sentences had been carved out.

He should have received the Nobel Prize, says Bannerhed to the newspaper.