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Birgitta Stenberg facts for kids

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Birgitta Stenberg
Stenberg in 2008
Stenberg in 2008
Born (1932-04-26)26 April 1932
Engelbrekt Parish, Sweden
Died 23 August 2014(2014-08-23) (aged 82)
Smedsbolet, Västra Götaland County, Sweden
Occupation Author, translator, illustrator, politician
Nationality Swedish
Spouse
Håkan Lagergren
(m. 1974; div. 1991)
Kerstin Bjärkstedt
(m. 2012)

Birgitta Alma Sofia Stenberg (26 April 1932 – 23 August 2014) was a Swedish author, translator and illustrator. She was the 2005 winner of the Selma Lagerlöf Prize.

Life

Birgitta Stenberg was born in Engelbrekt Parish in 1932. She was educated in Visby and finally in Paris. Stenberg spent a lot of time in southern Europe improving her language skills. In the early 1950s, she lived in Paris, Rome and on the French Riviera, experiences that inspired her book, Kärlek i Europa (Love in Europe).

She became a Swedish author, translator and illustrator. Stenberg was, during the early 1950s, a part of the literary assembly Metamorfosgruppen. She wrote the script for the film Raskenstam.

During the Cold War in the 1950s, Stenberg was named secretary of the Swedish department of the Congress for Cultural Freedom and editor for Kulturkontakt which was founded by the CIA under the cover name of Ford Foundation.

Birgitta Stenberg Stockholm Pride 2013 001
Stenberg speaking at Stockholm Pride in 2013

Stenberg's first novel Fritt förfall was refused by Bonnier Group in 1952 due to the novels "lack of literary quality". Stenberg later wrote an autobiographical suit, starting with Kärlek i Europa in 1981 and continuing with Apelsinmannen (1983), Spanska trappan (1987) and Alla vilda (2004).

Stenberg's first published novel was Mikael och Poeten in 1956. The novel dealt with the Kejne Affair, a topic that is further explored in the later work Apelsinmannen.

She worked at the radio interception at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as a journalist at the magazine Arbetaren (The Worker), as an interpreter, fisherman and local politician for the Left Party.

Personal life

Stenberg lived in Åstol, Sweden and she was openly bisexual. In 1974, she married Håkan Lagergren (1934–91). In 2012, Stenberg remarried Kerstin Bjärkstedt (born 1953). Stenberg died at her home in Smedsbolet, Gullspång Municipality, Västra Götaland County from hepatic cancer on 23 August 2014.

Awards

  • 1999 Aniara Prize
  • 1999 Piraten Prize
  • 2005 Selma Lagerlöf Prize

Selected works

  • 1956 – Mikael och Poeten (fiction)
  • 1958 – Vit av natten (fiction)
  • 1961 – Chans (fiction)
  • 1963 – Våldgästen (fiction)
  • 1964 – De frånvända (fiction)
  • 1969 – Rapport (fiction)
  • 1973 – Skurkar (short stories)
  • 1976 – Klara Färdiga (children's book)
  • 1977 – Farväl till havet (easy-read)
  • 1977 – Klara Färdiga och prins Hektor (children's book)
  • 1981 – Kärlek i Europa (autobiographical novel)
  • 1983 – Raskenstam (roman) (filmscripts the same years)
  • 1983 – Apelsinmannen (autobiographical novel)
  • 1984 – Glatta livet (shortstories)
  • 1985 – Det skuddade stoftet (poems)
  • 1986 – Bodil (easy-read)
  • 1986 – Emily och Eddy (children's book)
  • 1987 – Spanska Trappan (autobiographical novel)
  • 1987 – Falkboet (children's book)
  • 1988 – Kaninmysteriet (children's book)
  • 1990 – Tusenbröderna (fiction, part 1 of trilogy)
  • 1991 – Mannen i havet (poems)
  • 1991 – Detta med Doris (fiction, part 2 of trilogy)
  • 1994 – Arabesk (fiction, part 3 of trilogy)
  • 1996 – Pagodernas drottning (poem)
  • 1997 – Mina öar (essays)
  • 1998 – Äntligen av med liket (fiction)
  • 2001 – De 7 dödssynderna (cook book)
  • 2004 – Alla Vilda (autobiographical novel)
  • 2005 – Allt möjligt om bin
  • 2005 – Åtrå och strid (play, essays)
  • 2006 – Fritt förfall (first publication of refused debut novel from 1952)
  • 2008 – Erotiska noveller (shortstories)
  • 2010 – Eldar och is (autobiographical novel)
  • 2013 – Syster Linda (fiction)
  • 2014 – Skriver mig ut ur världen (autobiographical novel)
Children's books about Billy, in collaboration with Mati Lepp
  • Whistle, 1989
  • Billy on the country, 1991
  • Billy on new adventures, 1994
  • Billy and the monster, 1994
  • Billy's Strange Day, 1995
  • Billy and the new girl, 1996
  • Billy in school, 1998
  • Billy and Grandma, 1999
  • Billy and pigs, 2001
  • Billy and Lotta Runaways, 2001
  • Billy gets a visit, 2003
  • Billy and the Frog, 2004
  • Billy gets angry, 2006
  • Billy and the mysterious cat, 2007
  • Billy and ball, 2009
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