Kallifatides, Theodor

(1938-)

   A Swedish novelist, poet, and essayist, Kallifatides was born in Greece but emigrated to Sweden in 1964. Intent on making Swedish his working language, he published his first book in Swedish, Minnet i exil (1969; The Memory in Exile), only five years later. It was followed by the novel Utlanningar (1970; Foreigners), which tells about the situation of immigrants in Sweden. This theme is continued in Et nytt land utanfor mitt fonster (2001; A New Land outside My Window).

   Many of Kallifatides's novels are set in Greece, such as the trilogy consisting of Bonder och herrar (1973; tr. Peasants andMasters, 1977), Plogen och svardet (1975; The Plow and the Sword), and Den grymma freden (1977; The Cruel Peace), which describes the impact of World War II on life in a Greek village. En fallen angel (1981; A Fallen Angel) discusses life under the Greek junta, while Brannvin och rosor (1983; Liquor and Roses) describes the struggle of the Greeks against the Nazis. En laång dag i Aten (1989; A Long Day in Athens) tells about Kallifatides's father.

   Kallifatides writes about love in the novels Karleken (1978; Love) and De sju timmarna i paradiset (1998; Seven Hours in Paradise), a novel about intense and all-consuming passion. En kvinna att alska (2003; A Woman to Love) tells about friendship. The novel Det sista ljuset (1995) is set in an immigrant neighborhood and accuses some immigrants to Sweden of having become welfare cheats. Ett liv bland manniskor (1994; A Life among Humans) is an autobiographical narrative, while Afrodites taårar (1996; The Tears of Aphrodite) is a volume of essays.

   Kallifatides has also published two volumes of poetry, Tiden ar inte oskyldig (1971; Time Is Not Innocent) and For en kvinnas rost (1999; For the Voice of a Woman). In recent years he has turned to writing mystery stories and has published Ett enkelt brott (2001; A Simple Crime), Den sjatte passageraren (2002; The Sixth Passenger), and I hennes blick (2005; In Her Eyes).