Lindgren, Astrid

(1907-2002)

   A Swedish author of children's books, Lindgren is arguably as well known in the English-speaking world as any other Swedish writer, and perhaps even better. Her best-known character is surely her indefatigable Pippi, a girl with superhuman strength, who appears in Pippi Langstrump (1945; tr. Pippi Longstocking, 1950) and its sequels Pippi Langstrump gar ombord (1946; tr. Pippi Goes on Board, 1957), Kanner du Pippi Langstrump? (1947; tr. Do You Know Pippi Longstocking?, 1999), Pippi Langstrump i Söderhavet (1948; tr. Pippi in the South Seas, 1959), and Pippi Langstrump i Humlegarden (1949; tr. Pippi Longstocking in the Park, 2001). Lindgren also uses a girl as her protagonist in Barnen pa Brakmakargatan (1958; tr. The Childrenon Trouble-maker Street, 1964) and Madicken (1960; tr. Mischievous Meg, 1962).

   Lindgren s fantasy novel Mio, min Mio (1954; tr. Mio, My Son, 1956) violates the conventions ofits genre by not letting Mio return to the "real" world. In Broderna Lejonhjarta (1973; tr. The Brothers Loonheart, 1975) Lindgren introduces death into the story. In Emil i Lonneberga (1963; tr. Emil and His Piggy Beast, 1973) she lets her boy protagonist undergo significant personal development.

   The protagonist of Ronja rovardotter (1981; tr. Ronia, the Robber's Daughter, 1983) is somewhat similar to Pippi but does not have her superhuman abilities. An innocent and lyrical love story, the novel takes place against the backdrop of two rival robber bands in a distant forest in a distant time.