Frid Ingulstad (born 4 September 1935)[1] [2] is a Norwegian novelist, primarily of historical novels, many of them series. She has often been the best-selling author in Norway, and has published more than 200 books.
Ingulstad was born in Oslo. She worked for Fred. Olsen Airtransport as a stenographer and then as a flight attendant, then on the Norwegian America Line ship Idefjord as a radio telegrapher,[3] before becoming a full-time writer in 1990. Her first book, Hva livet gir deg, Camilla, was published in 1965; a travel book had been previously rejected.[1]
She is best known for her novel series, in particular Sønnavind, a series of historical novels set among factory workers along the Akerselva; beginning in the early 20th century with the first book, published in 2005,[4] in 2020 the series reached 100 books with Velkommen hjem, set in 1959.[5] Other series by her are Kongsdøtrene (the first book of which, Ingegjerd, was her 140th book, in 2007),[6] Ildkorset, and Ingebjørg Olavsdatter.[7] [8] She has also written children's books, both fiction and non-fiction, and a biography of Betzy Kjelsberg, Betzy. Fortellingen om en norsk foregangskvinne (2015).[2] [9]
Ingulstad has frequently been the best-selling author in Norway,[7] for example in 2006, with 420,000 books.[8] she had total sales of approximately 4 million books.[10] She published her 200th book (in the Sønnavind series) in 2013;[11] the total was 243.[5]
She was repeatedly rejected for membership in the Norwegian Authors' Union, occasioning discussion about the organisation's definition of "literary worth".[8] [10] [12] [13] At its foundation in 2018, she became a member of the initial board of directors of the rival organisation .[14]
She published an autobiography, Min historie, in 2007.[10] [15]
Mannemakt og mørkemakter won first prize in a contest by the publisher Dreijer.[8] Munken (1991) won a prize from Gyldendal and is possibly her best known book.[7]
She received the Oslo City art award in 2010[16] and the King's Medal of Merit in 2018.[17]
In 2017 the Riksmål Society awarded her its first personal prize.[4] [18]
Ingulstad married Arnulf Ingulstad, an engineer, in 1975. They have a son together, and two daughters from her first marriage.[3] They live in the house where she was born and raised, in the Kastellet section of Nordstrand, in Oslo.[1]