Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen (23 September 1848 - 4 October 1895) was a Norwegian-American author and college professor.Through his public lectures, Boyesen won a reputation as an excellent lecturer. He was a prolific writer, and, over 20 years, he published 25 books including novels, short stories, poems, and literary criticism. He also published short stories, essays, and book reviews in periodicals. Boyesen is more commonly known for his works of popular fiction. His most successful books have remained those based upon Norwegian culture and habits. He wrote many books of fiction for adults and children and some poetry. He is best remembered for his novel Gunnar: A Tale of Norse Life, which is generally considered to have been the first novel by a Norwegian immigrant in America
