| Margareta Ekström | |
| Birth Name: | Sigrid Margareta Ekström |
| Birth Date: | 1930 4, df=y |
| Nationality: | Swedish |
| Occupation: | Poet, novelist, children's writer, literary critic and film critic |
| Spouse: | Carl-Eric Nordberg (1954-1969) |
| Children: | Johanna Ekström |
| Awards: | Dobloug Prize (1977) |
Sigrid Margareta Ekström (23 April 1930 – 12 December 2021) was a Swedish poet, novelist, translator, children's writer, literary critic and film critic.
Ekström was born in Stockholm in 1930, to Harald Ekström and wife Sigrid Lagervall. She was married to Carl-Eric Nordberg from 1954 to 1969. In the 1960s, she met the writer, Per Wästberg, and they had a long relationship together that eventually ended. With Wästberg, she had two children; Johanna Ekström, who is also a writer, and Jakob Wästberg, an entrepreneur. In 1996, Ekström suffered a debilitating stroke, and was unable to write, read, or speak, afterwards. She died on 12 December 2021, at the age of 91.[1] [2] [3]
Ekström had a Bachelor's degree and was a literary critic for Expressen from 1961 to 1983, and a worked at Sydsvenskan from 1974 to 1982.[4] During her life, she held several positions in cultural institutions in Sweden, including membership of the Swedish Film Review Council (1960–1967), the Radio Board (1967–1970), as a board member of the Swedish Film Industry (1974–1977) and vice-chairperson of Svenska PEN (1968–1981). She was also a board member of the Swedish Institute (1979–1983) and member of the Bonniernämnden (1971–1985).
Ekström made her literary debut in 1960 with the short story collection Aftnar i S:t Petersburg.[5] in 1973, she wrote a book addressed to her daughter, titled Ord till Johanna (Words to Johanna). in 1990, she published a collection of poetry titled Skärmar (Screens) to critical acclaim.[6] She notably translated several of Virginia Woolf's books into Swedish, including Orlando, and several stories.[7]