THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE was founded by the Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833-1896). The prize has been awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee since 1901 and is regarded as the world's most prestigious award. NORWEGIAN HERITAGE is a series of books about our most important and best-known national icons. The respective titles introduce major personalities from the worlds of art and literature, science and sports, but also the many natural wonders of the country, as well as significant historical periods and cultural expressions. Each book offers an updated introduction to readers who wish to familiarize themselves with a given subject. For a full list of the series' titles, see www.norwegian-heritage.no