List of Swedish women writers explained

This is a list of women writers who were born in Sweden or whose writings are closely associated with the country.

A

• Sophie Adlersparre (1823–1895), journalist, editor, women's rights activist
• Charlotte Agell (born 1959), English-language works for children and young adults
• Catharina Ahlgren (1734–1800)
• Astrid Ahnfelt (1876–1962), writer, translator and editor, fostered cultural relations between Sweden and Italy
• Sonja Åkesson (1926–1977), poet, dramatist
• Susanna Alakoski (born 1962), Finnish-born author now in Sweden, novelist, author of Svinalängorna filmed as Beyond
• Eva Alexanderson (1911–1994), novelist, translator, publisher
• Elsa Alkman (1878–1975), suffragist, women's rights activist, writer and composer
• Barbro Alving (1909–1987), journalist, feminist, screenwriter
• Fanny Alving (1874–1955), journalist, novelist
• Karin Alvtegen (born 1965), crime fiction writer, some works now in English
• Lena Anderson (born 1939), children's writer and illustrator
• Pamela Andersson (born 1965), journalist
• Stina Aronson (1892–1956), novelist, her Hitom himlen features women in the farms of northern Sweden
• Suzanne Axell (born 1955), journalist, television presenter
• Majgull Axelsson (born 1947), journalist, best-selling novelist

B

• Victoria Benedictsson (1850–1888), realist novelist
• Anne-Marie Berglund (1952–2020), poet, novelist, short story writer
• Elisabeth Bergstrand-Poulsen (1887–1955), writer, artist, illustrator
• Gunilla Bergström (1942–2021), journalist, widely translated children's author, creator of Alfie Atkins (Alfons Aberg)
• Charlotta Berger (1784–1852)
• Elsa Beskow (1874–1953), children's writer, novelist, illustrator
• Eva Billow (1902–1993), writer and illustrator of children's literature
• Margareta Birgersdotter Grip (1538–1586), genealogist, early documentalist
• Elsa Björkman-Goldschmidt (1888–1982), writer and lithographer
• Ellen-Sylvia Blind (1925–2009), Swedish Sami writer
• Louise Boije af Gennäs (born 1961), novelist, feminist, co-creator of Swedish soap opera Rederiet
• Sophie Bolander (1807–1869)
• Hilma Borelius (1869–1932), literary historian, academic and suffragist
• Karin Boye (1900–1941), novelist, poet, Swedes know her poems by heart^[1]
• Eva Brag (1829–1913), novelist, poet, journalist
• Agnes Branting (1862–1930), textile artist and writer
• Fredrika Bremer (1801–1865), novelist, feminist writer
• Irja Agnes Browallius (1901–1968), teacher, novelist, short story writer
• Annika Bryn (born 1945), journalist, short story writer, crime-fiction author
• Maj Bylock (1931–2019), children's writer, translator, teacher

C

• Gunnel Carlson (born 1956), gardening journalist, author, television presenter
• Charlotte Cecilia af Tibell (1820-1901), author, hymn writer
• Siv Cedering (1939–2007), children's writer, poet, writes in both English and Swedish
• Sigrid Combüchen (born 1942), novelist, essayist, journalist, critic, author of Byron (1988)

D

• Tora Dahl (1886–1982), novelist, teacher, gained fame with her autobiographic Fosterbarn (Foster Child) in 1954

E

• Inger Edelfeldt (born 1956), novelist, short story writer, children's writer, illustrator
• Brita Egardt (1916–1990), ethnologist and folklorist
• Lena Einhorn (born 1954), director, writer and physician
• Hedda Ekman (1860–1929), writer and photographer
• Kerstin Ekman (born 1933), novelist, detective story writer, several English translations
• Margareta Ekström (1930–2021), poet, novelist, children's writer, critic
• Elaine Eksvärd (born 1981), non-fiction writer specializing in rhetoric
• Sigrid Elmblad (1860–1926), journalist, poet, translator and writer.^[2]
• Helena Eriksson (born 1962), expressionist poet, author of Strata
• Maria Ernestam (born 1959), journalist, widely translated novelist

F

• Charlotta Falkman (1795–1882), novelist
• Phebe Fjellström (1924–2007), ethnologist
• Emilie Flygare-Carlén (1807–1892), novelist
• Maja Forsslund (1878–1967), folklorist and local historian
• Tua Forsström (born 1947), highly acclaimed Swedish-language poet, widely translated, author of Efter att ha tillbringat en natt bland hästar (After Spending a Night among Horses)
• Marianne Fredriksson (1927–2007), journalist, novelist, most works translated into English
• Inger Frimansson (born 1944), crime fiction writer, children's writer, journalist
• Katarina Frostenson (born 1953), one of Sweden's foremost poets since the 1980s

G

• Christina Garsten (born 1962), social anthropologist, non-fiction writer
• Wilhelmina Gravallius (1809–1884)
• Caroline Giertz (born 1958), writer and TV presenter
• Elsa Grave (1918–2003), novelist, poet, artist
• Maria Gripe (1923–2007), children's writer
• Abela Gullbransson (1775–1822), revivalist writer
• Madeleine Gustafsson (born 1937), poet, critic, translator

H

• Anna Hamilton Geete (1848–1913), translator, biographer
• Carola Hansson (born 1942), novelist, translator
• Gunnel Hazelius-Berg (1905–1997), museum curator and writer, specializing in textiles and folk costumes
• Barbro Hedvall (born 1944), journalist, non-fiction writer
• Marie Hermanson (born 1956), thriller writer, author of The Devil's Sanctuary
• Rut Hillarp (1914–2003), modernist poet evoking sexual relationships in a man's world
• Sara Holmsten (1713–1795), memoirist
• Karin Hübinette (born 1966), journalist, television presenter

I

• Ulla Isaksson (1916–2000), novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, caused controversy among feminists with Paradistorg (Paradise Place, 1973)

J

• Ann Jäderlund (born 1955), poet, playwright, children's writer
• Ann Henning Jocelyn, (born 1948), writer, playwright and translator
• Klara Johanson (1875–1948), literary critic, essayist, translator
• Majken Johansson (1930–1993), now regarded as one of Sweden's greatest mid-20th century poets
• Molly Johnson (1931–2018), novelist, known for Pansarkryssaren
• Mari Jungstedt (born 1962), popular crime fiction writer, journalist, translated 15 languages including English^[3]

K

• Mare Kandre (1962–2005), novelist, short story writer, several works translated into English
• Marit Kapla (born 1970), writer, journalist
• Kristina Kappelin (born 1958), journalist, columnist, non-fiction writer
• Amanda Kerfstedt (1835–1920), novelist, playwright, translator
• Ellen Key (1849–1926), feminist writer, advocate of child-centred education
• Elisabet Kjellberg (1821-1914), publicist, editor, and author
• Ellen Kleman (1867–1943), novelist, journal editor, women's rights activist
• Linde Klinckowström-von Rosen (1920–2000), columnist, letter writer, non-fiction writer
• Sophie von Knorring (1797–1848), pioneer of the realistic novel in Sweden
• Thekla Knös (1815–1880)
• Anja Kontor (born 1964), journalist, television presenter
• Elisabeth Krey-Lange (1878–1965), journalist and women's rights activist
• Agnes von Krusenstjerna (1894–1940), novelist, short story writer, often causing controversy with accounts of sexual intercourse
• Annette Kullenberg (1939–2021), journalist, novelist, playwright

L

• Camilla Läckberg (born 1974), best-seller crime writer, translated into 33 languages
• Anna Laestadius Larsson (born 1966), historical novelist
• Ann-Helén Laestadius (born 1971), Sami journalist and children's novelist, writing in Swedish
• Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940), children's writer, novelist, Nobel prize winner
• Dagmar Lange (1914–1991), successful crime fiction writer under the pen name Maria Lang
• Viveca Lärn (born 1944), journalist, children's writer
• Åsa Larsson (born 1966), crime fiction writer
• Lisbeth Larsson (1949–2021), literary historian focusing on gender studies
• Zenia Larsson (1922–2007), writer and sculptor, one of the first Holocaust survivors in Sweden to describe their war experiences
• Anne Charlotte Leffler (1849–1892), novelist, biographer
• Anna Maria Lenngren (1754–1817), well-known poet, works in support of intellectual freedom of expression for women
• Sara Lidman (1923–2004), novelist, several works translated into English
• Birgitta Lillpers (born 1958), poet, novelist
• Gunnel Linde (1924–2014), writer
• Gurli Linder (1865–1947), writer, feminist, children's literature critic
• Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002), world-famous children's writer, best known for her Pippi Longstocking stories
• Barbro Lindgren (born 1937), children's writer
• Anna Lindmarker (born 1961), journalist, broadcaster
• Elin Lindqvist (born 1982), novelist
• Eva Lindström (born 1952), illustrator and writer
• Aurora Ljungstedt (1821–1908), crime horror writer
• Kristina Lugn (1948–2020), poet, dramatist, critic

M

• Bodil Malmsten (1944–2016), novelist, at least two works translated into English
• Rosa Malmström (1906–1995), librarian and gender studies specialist
• Edda Manga (born 1969), historian of ideas
• Gerda Marcus (1880–1952), journalist, philanthropist
• Liza Marklund (born 1962), best-seller crime fiction writer, works translated into 30 languages
• Moa Martinson (1890–1964), ever popular novelist, writer of articles and books in support of women's rights
• Ellen Mattson (born 1962), novelist, critic
• Katarina Mazetti (born 1944), widely translated novelist, journalist
• Margareta Momma (1702–1772)
• Edita Morris (1902–1988), Swedish-American pacifist, short story writer, journalist, novelist
• Alva Myrdal (1902–1986), welfare state proponent, author of Crisis in the Population Question

N

• Anna T. Nilsson (1869–1869), educator, peace activist, writer
• Kerstin Norborg (born 1961), novelist
• Hedvig Charlotta Nordenflycht (1718–1763), revered poet, works defending women's rights, first self-supporting female writer in Sweden
• Anna Nordgren (1847–1916), painter
• Astrid Nyberg (1877–1928), pioneering newspaper editor and suffragist
• Julia Nyberg (1784–1854), poet, songwriter, used the pen name Euphrosyne

O

• Linda Olsson (born 1948), best-selling novelist, now in New Zealand
• Rosalinde von Ossietzky-Palm (1919–2000), German-born Swedish non-fiction writer and pacifist
• Nan Inger Östman (1923–2015), novelist, children's writer

P

• Agneta Pleijel (born 1940), novelist, poet, playwright, journalist, critic, author of the philosophical novel Fungi

R

• Karolina Ramqvist (born 1976), journalist
• Märta Helena Reenstierna (1753–1841), diarist
• Christina Rogberg (1832–1907), author and courtier
• Eva Runefelt (born 1953), novelist, poet
• Carina Rydberg (born 1962), novelist, author of the controversial Den högsta kasten
• Elisabeth Rynell (born 1954), poet, novelist, English translation of her novel Mervas

S

• Hilda Sachs (1857–1935), journalist, novelist and women's rights activist
• Marie Sophie Schwartz (1819–1894), novelist
• Malla Silfverstolpe (1782–1861), diarist
• Maj Sjöwall (1935–2020), novelist, some works written in collaboration with Per Wahlöö
• Cecilia Skingsley (born 1968), journalist and economist
• Edith Södergran (1892–1923), widely recognized Swedish-language modernist poet
• Pernilla Stalfelt (born 1962), children's author and illustrator
• Ingela Strandberg (born 1944), poet, children's writer, novelist, playwright, translator, journalist and musician
• Sara Stridsberg (born 1972), novelist, poet
• Eva Ström (born 1947), poet, novelist, biographer, critic
• Amelie von Strussenfelt (1803–1847)
• Ulrika von Strussenfelt (1801–1873)
• Elsa Stuart-Bergstrom (1889-1970)
• Margareta Suber (1892–1984), novelist, travel writer, children's writer, poet
• Annakarin Svedberg (born 1934), novelist
• Maria Sveland (born 1974), novelist and journalist

T

• Gunhild Tegen (1889–1970), short story writer, editor, pacifist
• Kerstin Thorvall (1925–2010), children's writer, novelist, journalist, illustrator
• Johanna Thydell (born 1980), children's and youth writer
• Anna-Clara Tidholm (born 1946), children's and youth writer, illustrator
• Mia Törnblom (born 1967), columnist, non-fiction writer, educator
• Rita Tornborg (born 1926), novelist, short story writer
• Ulla Trenter (1936–2019), novelist, translator, politician
• Birgitta Trotzig (1929–2011), celebrated writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry
• Helene Tursten (born 1954), crime fiction writer

U

• Bea Uusma (born 1966), children's writer, non-fiction writer, illustrator, medical doctor

V

• Gunnel Vallquist (1918–2016), essayist, non-fiction writer, translator, religious commentary

W

• Elin Wägner (1882–1949), novelist, journalist, pacifist, feminist
• Anna Westberg (1946–2005), novelist, non-fiction writer
• Josefina Wettergrund (1830–1903)
• Eva Wigström (1832–1901), writer, poet and pioneering folklorist
• Liselott Willén (born 1972), novelist
• Gunilla Wolde (1939–2015), children's writer, illustrator

See also

• List of Swedish-language writers
• List of women writers

Literature

• Book: Forsas-Scott, Helena. Swedish Women's Writing 1850-1995. 2000. A&C Black. 978-1-84714-197-2.
• Book: Wilson, Katharina M.. An Encyclopedia of Continental Women Writers. 1991. Taylor & Francis. 978-0-8240-8547-6.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Swedish Literature in the 20th Century. Anneli Jordahl . Swedish Institute. 2006. 20 January 2015 .
2. Book: Bohman . Nils . Dahl . Torsten . Svenska män och Kvinnor: Biografisk Uppslagsbok . Stockholm . Bonnier . 1955 . 1137575928 . SV . 394.
3. Web site: Modern Swedish Literature. Sverige/Sweden. 20 January 2015 .