Stig Dagerman

Swedish, 1923 - 1954

Stig Dagerman was one of the most prominent Swedish authors of the twentieth century. He became prominent in literary circles at an early age; he edited the youth paper Storm at nineteen and became cultural editor of the daily newspaper Arbetaren at twenty-two. He published his first novel the same year and enjoyed phenomenal success during the following five years. At his height of fame, soon after divorcing his wife to marry the famous actress Anita Bjork, he suddenly fell silent. He was found dead of carbon monoxide inhalation in his car in 1954. He remained popular after his death, and his work continues to be widely read and translated around the world.