2000 Supplement: Swedish Literary Prizes

The theme of the SBR supplement for 2000 is Swedish Literary Prizes. Most people have heard of the Nobel Prize for Literature, but few will realize that there are now well over a hundred other Swedish literary prizes awarded, in most cases annually. Guest editor Irene Scobbie aims to offer as exhaustive a list as possible of these prizes, and presents brief extracts in translation of some examples of the prizewinners' work.
Lars Andersson has garnered numerous literary awards during the course of his career, including the Svenska Dagbladet literature prize (1982), the Selma Lagerlöf literature prize (1990), Sveriges Radio's listeners' prize for literature (1993), and the prestigious Samfundet De Nio's Main Prize (1996). Neil Smith introduces the author and presents his translation of the first chapter from Andersson's novel Artemis (1995).
Majgull Axelsson's first fictional work, Långt borta från Nifelheim (Far From Nifelheim, 1994) earned her the Moa Martinson Prize. She followed this up with Aprilhäxan (The April Witch, 1997) which caused a stir in Sweden and won the prestigious August Prize. Irene Scobbie introduces Majgull Axelsson and presents the first chapter of Joan Tate's translation of Aprilhäxan.
Inger Edelfeldt has won a number of literary prizes, including the Nils Holgersson Plaque for the story "Gravitation"; the Svenska Dagbladet Literary Prize for Rit; and the Ivar Lo-Johansson Prize, Göteborgs-Posten Literary Prize and Karl Vennberg Prize for Den förunderliga kameleonten (The Wonderful Chameleon, 1995). Sarah Death introduces the work of Inger Edelfeldt and presents her translation of a story from Den förunderliga kameleonten.
Per Olov Enquist is one of Sweden's most important and influential living writers. A grateful nation has given him all its literary and cultural awards, including the Selma Lagerlöf Prize (1997), the August (Strindberg) Prize and two more in 1999 for Livläkarens besök (The Royal Physician's Visit). Anna Paterson introduces Per Olov Enquist and presents her translation of an extract from Livläkarens besök.
Kjell Johansson published his first work Det finns en krog på vägen till varje revolution (There is a Pub on the Way to Every Revolution) in 1972 but really made his name in 1989 with Gogols ansikte (Gogol's Face). He published Huset vid Flon (The House by the Dam) in 1997, after which he was awarded the Berns, Ekblad-Eldh and Ivar Lo-Johansson Prizes. Irene Scobbie and Barbro Lindberg provide an introduction to Johansson's work and an extract from Huset vid Flon.
Ola Larsmo published his first short novel in 1983. Since then he has published five novels, a collection of essays and of short stories, and two non-fictional works. He is a prolific cultural journalist. In 1991 he was awarded the Göteborgs-Posten literary prize, and in 1996 his novel Maroonberget (The Maroon Mountain) won the literary prize of the journal Vi. Peter Hogg introduces Larsmo's work and presents his translations of extracts from Maroonberget and another novel, Norra Vasa 133.
Elisabeth Rynell's earlier works established her as a prose writer and lyric poet. In Hohaj (1997), for which she received no fewer than six prizes, she reached new heights, combining her love of Norrland, its special lighting, its isolation and its people, with her emotional experiences. Irene Scobbie and Barbro Lindberg introduce Rynell's work and present a translation of an extract from Hohaj.
Eva Runefelt is frequently referred to by other Swedish writers as a poet's poet. In addition to the honours and acclaim which have attended the publication of each of her collections of poetry, Runefelt has also published a collection of short stories, Hejdad tid, which won the Svenska Dagbladet Prize in 1994. Frank Gabriel Perry introduces Eva Runefelt and presents translations of a selection of her poems.
Katarina Frostenson's status as one of Sweden's major poets was formally recognized in 1992 when she was elected the youngest-ever member of the Swedish Academy, at the age of thirty-nine. Frank Gabriel Perry offers an introduction to Frostenson and presents translations of some of her poems and an extract from the opening of her libretto for the opera Staden which formed part of Sweden's contribution to Expo 2000.
Sarah Lidman has won many literary awards, most recently the prestigious Pilot Prize in 1999. Her extremely personal style of writing poses almost insurmountable difficulties for a translator. Joan Tate was one of the very few to succeed. We publish her account of how she tackled the project, which throws light on one of Sweden's best-known writers, and on Joan Tate's art of translation.