— This book started out with a feeling of meaninglessness, which is a death sin in the old, you know… It’s the worst thing you can do, to see the world as a meaningless place, because life is a gift, you know…
— Life is a gift?
— Yes, and you throw it away…
— From God?
— I’m not aware, I can’t answer that, but I’m just saying that…
— You’re not a religious person?
— Yes, in a way I am, I’m very interested in those subjects, I’ve written a lot about it, but that also has to do with meaning, of course, and if you’re searching for meaning you have to deal with religion, of course. But before that we were talking about meaninglessness as an art…

— Knausgaard, interview