| | Astrid
Lindgren, 1907-2002
Swedish author, creator of "Pippi Longstocking"
Swedish
writer Astrid Lindgren is one of the most famous children's authors in the world.
Her cult book "Pippi Longstocking" has been translated into more than
70 languages and published in more than 100 countries
Life and work of Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Ericsson grew up in her
family's farm in the small town of Vimmerby, southern Sweden. Her happy days as
a child playing in the farm would provide her later with the inspiration for her
world-famous books. As a teenager, she liked dancing and dressing in the latest
fashion, and she was the first girl in her town to cut her hair short, which was
quite an attitude at the time. Astrid began training as a journalist at the age
of 16, but decided to move to Stockholm two years later after she became pregnant
while unmarried.
In Stockholm she worked as a secretary until she married
with Sture Lindgren at the age of 24, becoming a housewife in order to take care
of their two children. Years later, when the Lindgren's daughter Karin fell ill,
Astrid would sit by her bedside and make up stories of a remarkable red-haired
girl called Pippi Långstrump.
Astrid Lindgren started writing
for herself and Karin about that crazy girl called Pippi and published her first
Pippi Långstrump book in 1945 through a small editing house. Her
book achieved great success and saved the editors from bankruptcy. Her editors
Rabén & Sjögren are today the most famous publishing house for
children in Sweden.
From then onwards, Astrid wrote and worked for Rabén
& Sjögren as their children's book editor. In total, she produced about
80 books altogether: the Pippi Långstrump series, the Karlsson
and the Noisy Village books, the detective Bill Bergson novels,
the fairy tales of Mio, and several other collections of songs and picture
books
Many of her works have been taken into theatre, like Karlsson-on-the-Roof,
and film or television, such as Pippi Longstocking, Bill Bergson Master
Detective, Rasmus and the Vagabond, and Ronia the Robber's Daughter.
She received many prizes and awards during her lifetime, among others the Right
Livelihood Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award. After her death in 2002,
the Government of Sweden created the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) in
her honour. The ALMA is the world's most important children and youth literature
award.
Astrid Lindgren's masterpiece: Pippi Longstocking
The first Pippi Långstrump book was published in 1945 and soon became
one of the all-time classic books of children’s literature, being translated
into more than 70 languages in more than 100 countries around the world. Pippi
Långstrump gave Astrid Lindgren numerous prestigious international awards
and launched her into fame.
Pippi Långstrump (known as Pippi
Longstocking in English, Pippi Langstrumpf in German, Pipi Calzaslargas
in Spanish or Fifi Brindacier in French), is a nine-year-old girl who lives
alone with her monkey and her horse in an old house. Pippi is very strong, very
loud, has a potato nose, freckles and red braids that stick out sideways, wears
colourful clothes that do not fit her, and wants to be a pirate when she grows
up. She is the best friend of her neighbours Annika and Tommy, and she likes telling
absurd, nonsense stories all the ime. Pippi is a great playmate and a very good
friend who is always keeping an eye over Annika and Tommy and speaking up for
the powerless and oppressed.
Pippi Longstocking's stories are based on
Astrid Lindgren's childhood at her family farm, back on a time when life was simpler
and closer to nature. Pippi's house Villa Villekulla is much like Astrid's Vimmerby
or like any other small town in the Småland region. Many of Pippi's stories
and jokes are Astrid's very own childhood memories, plays and experiences, blended
together with the rich storytelling culture and folklore of rural Sweden.
In many ways, Pippi reflected the image of an anti-hero for Pippi Långstrump,
the strong, intelligent and independent nine year old girl, was all the opposite
of the ideal Swedish girl of her time. Astrid Lindgren had been following the
latest theories on child psychology and education as well as on the feminist movement,
and her character Pippi reflected all this new social attitude towards the place
of children and women in society.
Astrid Lindgren's commintment
to a better world
Astrid Lindgren was a woman with strong engagement
in matters concerning children, the environment and society. As one of the world's
most beloved children’s authors, she campaigned for the well-being of children
and against corporal punishment. As one of Sweden's beloved celebrities, she campaigned
for animal rights and against animal cruelty.
Astrid Lindgren believed
in a peaceful world and she tried to transmit the message of non-violence, justice
and humanity through her work. In Sweden she was a legend who influenced Swedish
politics at a point that the 1988 Swedish Animal Protection Act was also known
as the Lindgren Law. Her humanitarian commitment was acknowledged many
times through awards such as the 1978 German Booksellers’ Peace Award, the
1989 USA Albert Schweitzer Medal, or the 1993 Right
Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize.
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