Astrid Lindgren: The Woman Behind Pippi Longstocking

  Astrid Lindgren’s collection of letters at Kulturkvarteret Astrid Lindgrens Näs, Vimmerby.

  Private letters and images, Lisbet Stevens Senderovitz.

  Sevede Häradsrätts Record Books, 1926–27, Regional State Archives, Vadstena.

  Gyldendal’s Archive.

  Samrealskolan, Vimmerby Archives, Regional State Archives, Vadstena.

  Jens Sigsgaard’s Papers, The Royal Library, Copenhagen.

  The Astrid Lindgren Society Newsletter, 2004–14.

  Conversations and Interviews

  Kerstin Kvint, Karin Nyman, Lisbet Stevens Senderovitz, Margareta Strömstedt, Lena Törnqvist.

  Index

  Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.

  Adler, Alfred, (i), (ii)

  Adolfsson, Eva, (i)

  Åhland and Åkerlund (publishing house), (i)

  Alice in Wonderland (Carroll), (i)

  “Also a Mother’s Day Gift” (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Also sprach Zarathustra (Nietzsche), (i)

  Alvtegen, Karin (grandniece), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Andén, Eva, (i), (ii)

  Andersen, Hans Christian, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Andersson, Sten, (i)

  Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery), (i)

  Asmussen, Svend, (i)

  Astrid Anna Emilia (documentary film), (i)

  Astrid Lindgren: A Life (Strömstedt), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Barrie, J. M., (i), (ii)

  Bauer, John, (i)

  Bechtel, Louise Seaman, (i)

  behaviorism, (i)

  Bengtsson, Frans G., (i)

  Berg, Björn, (i), (ii)

  Bergegren, Hinke, (i)

  Berggren, Henrik, (i)

  Bergman, Ingmar, (i), (ii)

  Bergström, Ulf, (i)

  Beskow, Elsa, (i), (ii)

  Bettelheim, Bruno, (i)

  “Big Rat Ball, The” (Lindgren), (i)

  Bilbo: A Hobbit’s Adventure (Tolkien), (i)

  Bill Bergson and the White Rose Rescue (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Bill Bergson, Master Detective (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)

  Blomberg, Elvira, (i)

  Blomberg, Henrik, (i)

  Blomberg, Olivia Frölund, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)

  Blomberg, Reinhold, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Astrid’s engagement to, (i); Astrid’s reconciliation with, (i), (ii); divorce case of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii); Lasse visited by, (i); remarriage of, (i), (ii)

  Blomsterberg (housekeeper), (i), (ii)

  Bolin, Greta, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)

  Bonnier, Albert, Jr., (i), (ii)

  Bonnier, Gerard, (i)

  Bonniers Förlag (publishing house), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix)

  Books for Children and the Young, (i)

  Børn, Litteratur, Samfund (journal), (i)

  Börner, Holger, (i)

  Bosse, Harriet, (i)

  “Britt Hagström, Aged 15” (Lindgren), (i)

  Brothers Lionheart, The (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)

  Buber, Martin, (i)

  Bühler, Charlotte, (i)

  Carl XVI Gustaf, king of Sweden, (i)

  Carlsson, Ingvar, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Carroll, Lewis, (i), (ii)

  Century of the Child (Key), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Chambert, Gärda, (i)

  Chaplin, Charlie, (i)

  Chernobyl disaster, (i)

  Children and Books (Bolin, Zweigbergk, and Ørvig), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Children of Noisy Village, The (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii)

  Children of the Moor (Fitinghoff), (i)

  Children on Troublemaker Street (Lindgren), (i)

  Christina, princess of Sweden, (i)

  “Christmas Eve in Lilltorpet” (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Christmas in the Stable (Lindgren), (i)

  Confidences of Britt-Mari (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Course in Caring for Children, A (Fürstenberg), (i)

  Dabrowski, Stina, (i), (ii)

  Daddy-Long-Legs (Webster), (i)

  Dahlerup, Pil, (i)

  Dahlgren, Anders, (i)

  Dalenius, Eskil, (i)

  Damernas Värld (magazine), (i)

  Dearest Astrid (Kvint and Eriksson), (i)

  “Dearest Sister” (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Deckner, John Ivar, (i)

  De Nio (literary society), (i)

  Derkert, Siri, (i)

  Dewey, John, (i)

  Doctor Dolittle (Lofting), (i)

  “Dying Child, The” (Andersen), (i)

  Edman, Stefan, (i)

  Edström, Vivi, (i)

  Edwall, Allan, (i)

  Ekman, Kerstin, (i)

  “Electrical Experiment, An” (Lindgren), (i)

  Elvira (childhood friend), (i)

  Emil and His Clever Pig (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Emil and Ida in Lönneberga (Lindgren), (i)

  Emil in the Soup Tureen (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Ericsson, Barbro (niece), (i), (ii)

  Ericsson, Gullan (sister-in-law), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii)

  Ericsson, Gunnar (brother), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv); death of, (i), (ii); as farmer, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Finnish links of, (i); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi); as political activist, (i), (ii); practical jokes of, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Ericsson, Gunvor (niece), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)

  Ericsson, Hanna (mother), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii); Astrid’s correspondence with, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv); Astrid’s pregnancy condemned by, (i), (ii); as civic leader, (i), (ii); death of, (i); as disciplinarian, (i), (ii); fictional figure inspired by, (i); food baskets from, (i); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Lasse’s misadventures recalled by, (i); Reinhold condemned by, (i); reticence of, (i)

  Ericsson, Samuel August (father), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv); Astrid’s correspondence with, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi); Astrid’s pregnancy condemned by, (i), (ii); death of, (i); demonstrativeness of, (i); as farmer, (i), (ii); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Lasse’s misadventures recalled by, (i); permissiveness of, (i), (ii)

  Ericsson Hergin, Stina (sister), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii); Blomberg confronted by, (i); as editorial adviser, (i); fictional character inspired by, (i); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); political views of, (i)

  Ericsson Lindström, Ingegerd (sister), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi); as editorial adviser, (i); fictional character inspired by, (i); images of, (i), (ii), (iii); as journalist, (i), (ii); as parent, (i)

  Erikson, Britt, (i)

  Erikson, Gun, (i), (ii)

  Eriksson, Marianne, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  Eriksson, Nancy, (i)

  Eriksson, Ulf, (i)

  Esse (John Erik; foster child), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)

  Estaunié, Édouard, (i)

  European Union, (i)

  Eva Meets Noriko-San (Riwkin), (i)

  Fairy-Tales Told for Children (Andersen), (i)

  Falhstedt, Greta, (i)

  Fälldin, Thorbjörn, (i)

  Falstaff, fakir, (i)

  Felke, Jens, (i)

  Fitinghoff, Laura, (i)

  Forslund, Kristina, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Forsslund, Karl-Erik, (i)

  Four Siblings Speak (Fyra syskon berätter; Lindgren), (i)

  Freud, Sigmund, (i), (ii)

  Friendly Criticism (Zweigbergk and Lindgren), (i)

  Fries, Anne-Marie Ingeström. See Ingeström, Anne-Marie

  Fröbel, Friedr
ich, (i)

  Fröding, Gustaf, (i)

  Frölund Blomberg, Olivia, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)

  Fürstenberg, Arthur, (i)

  Fyra syskon berätter (Four Siblings Speak; Lindgren), (i)

  Gebers (publishing house), (i), (ii)

  Gibran, Kahlil, (i)

  Glistrup, Mogens, (i), (ii)

  Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, (i)

  Great Dictator, The (Chaplin), (i)

  Grönning, Lotta, (i)

  Gullander, Else, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Gyldendal (publishing house), (i), (ii)

  Gyllenhammar, Pehr G., (i)

  Hallqvist, Britt G., (i)

  Hamberg, Per-Martin, (i), (ii)

  Hamsun, Knut, (i)

  Hans Christian Andersen Award, (i)

  Hansson, Per Albin, (i)

  Hartung, Louise, (i); Astrid’s correspondence with, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv); as Astrid’s tour guide, (i); images of, (i), (ii); literary tastes of, (i), (ii); sexual orientation of, (i), (ii)

  Hedström, Lotte, (i)

  Heidenstam, Verner von, (i)

  Hellbom, Olle, (i), (ii)

  Hellsing, Lennart, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Hellström, Mats, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Here and Now Story Book (Mitchell), (i)

  Hergin, Hans (brother-in-law), (i), (ii)

  Hergin, Stina Ericsson (sister). See Ericsson Hergin, Stina

  Herking, Ursula, (i)

  Hesse, Hermann, (i)

  “He Travels through Day and Night” (Lindgren), (i)

  Hetzer, Hildegard, (i)

  Hitler, Adolf, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix)

  Hobbit, The (Tolkien), (i)

  “Hocus Pocus” (Lindgren), (i)

  Hoffmann, E. T. A., (i)

  Holmberg, Mai, (i)

  Holmberg, Olle, (i), (ii), (iii)

  “Homage to Stockholm” (Lindgren), (i)

  Huckleberry Finn (Twain), (i), (ii)

  Hunger (Hamsun), (i)

  Idun (magazine), (i)

  I’m Putting Your Letters under the Mattress, (i)

  Ingen liten lort (Not a Bit of Filth; Törnqvist and Öhlman-Sundén), (i), (ii)

  Ingeström Fries, Anne-Marie, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Astrid’s correspondence with, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii); background of, (i); death of, (i); as editor, (i)

  International Agency of Children’s Books (IAC), (i), (ii)

  International Board of Books for Young People (IBBY), (i), (ii)

  Introduction to Ecofeminism (Hedström), (i)

  Israel, Joachim, (i), (ii)

  Jansson, Tove, (i), (ii)

  Jensen, Thit, (i)

  “Johan’s Christmas Eve Adventure” (Lindgren), (i)

  Johansson, Lars, (i)

  Johansson, Maria, (i)

  “Jorma and Lisbet” (Lindgren), (i)

  Kajsa Kavat (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Kamprad, Ingvar, (i)

  Karlsson, Ewert, (i)

  Karlsson Flies Again (Lindgren), (i)

  Karlsson-on-the-Roof (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  Kästner, Erich, (i), (ii)

  Kati in America (Lindgren), (i)

  Kati trilogy (Lindgren), (i), (ii)

  Kerstin and I (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Key, Ellen, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  Kinch, Karl, (i)

  Kjellberg, Lennart, (i)

  Knutsson, Gösta, (i)

  Kreisberg, Ove, (i)

  Kvint, Kerstin, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  La Garçonne (Margueritte), (i)

  Lagerkvist, Pär, (i)

  Lagerlöf, Selma, (i), (ii), (iii)

  Landquist, John, (i), (ii)

  Landsbygdens jul (magazine), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii)

  Land without a Quisling, The (Nowacki), (i)

  Larsson, Carl, (i)

  Lawrence, Edgar T., (i), (ii)

  Lemke, Gertrud, (i)

  Lenya, Lotte, (i)

  Lepman, Jella, (i)

  Lilliecrona, Torsten, (i)

  Linde, Gunnel, (i)

  Linder, Gurli, (i)

  Lindgren, Astrid Anna Emilia Ericsson: adult readers viewed by, (i); as animal welfare activist, (i), (ii), (iii); in art school, (i), (ii); awards to, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv); Blomberg’s affair with, (i), (ii); Blomberg’s reconciliation with, (i), (ii); childrearing viewed by, (i), (ii), (iii); as children’s literature advocate, (i); on children’s play, (i); death of, (i); depression of, (i), (ii); didacticism avoided by, (i), (ii); as editor, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi); empathy toward children of, (i), (ii), (iii); engagement of, (i); as environmental activist, (i), (ii), (iii); Esse’s adoption rejected by, (i), (ii); fan letters to, (i); feminism and, (i), (ii); film rights sold by, (i); financial difficulties of, (i); grandmother recalled by, (i); Gunnar’s death grieved by, (i); hard work idealized by, (i); Hartung’s friendship with, (i); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi), (xvii), (xviii), (xix), (xx), (xxi), (xxii), (xxiii), (xxiv), (xxv), (xxvi), (xxvii), (xxviii), (xxix), (xxx), (xxxi); journalistic career of, (i), (ii), (iii); Lasse brought to Stockholm by, (i); Lasse entrusted to foster care by, (i), (ii); Lasse’s childhood documented by, (i); Lasse’s insecurities recalled by, (i); Lasse visited by, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); on love, (i), (ii); marriage proposals to, (i); nature’s importance to, (i); as office worker, (i), (ii), (iii); as pacifist, (i), (ii); parents recalled by, (i), (ii), (iii); philanthropy of, (i); as political activist, (i), (ii); as postal censor, (i), (ii); pregnancy and childbirth of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii); publishers’ meddling viewed by, (i); as radio panelist, (i); religious convictions of, (i); restlessness of, (i); on Seacrow Island, (i); shorthand employed by, (i); Sture’s infidelity toward, (i), (ii), (iii); tax controversy and, (i); as tomboy, (i), (ii), (iii); United States visited by, (i), (ii); on walking tour, (i); war diaries of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); wedding of, (i); as widow, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); writing methods of, (i)

  Lindgren, Barbro, (i)

  Lindgren, Inger (daughter-in-law), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Lindgren, Lars “Lasse” (son), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi), (xvii), (xviii), (xix), (xx), (xxi); Astrid’s stories shaped by, (i); Astrid’s visits to, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); birth of, (i), (ii), (iii); childhood recalled by, (i); death of, (i), (ii), (iii); divorce of, (i); foster family of, (i), (ii), (iii); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii); Marie’s illness and, (i); in Näs, (i), (ii); return to Sweden by, (i); as student, (i)

  Lindgren, Marianne (daughter-in-law), (i), (ii)

  Lindgren, Mats (grandson), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Lindgren, Sture (husband), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi), (xvii); as association executive, (i); Astrid’s marriage to, (i), (ii); Astrid’s ultimatum accepted by, (i); death of, (i); ill-health of, (i); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii); infidelity of, (i), (ii); previous marriage of, (i)

  Lindgren Nyman, Karin (daughter). See Nyman, Karin Lindgren

  Lindström, Åke (nephew), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Lindström, Ingegerd Ericsson (sister). See Ericsson, Ingegerd

  Lindström, Inger (niece), (i)

  Lindström, Ingvar (brother-in-law), (i), (ii)

  Linnea (maid), (i)

  Little Claus and Big Claus (Andersen), (i)

  Ljungcrantz, Sara, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Løgstrup, K. E., (i)

  Lundell, Ulf, (i)

  Lundgren, Max, (i)

  Lundqvist, Åke, (i), (ii)

  Lundqvist, Ulla, (i), (ii)

  Maid among Maids, A (Nordström), (i)
/>
  Main Thing Is You’ve Got Your Health, The (Lindgren), (i)

  “Maja Gets a Fiancé” (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  Mannerheim, Carl Gustaf Emil, (i)

  Man of Steel, The (The Titan from Krypton), (i)

  “Måns Starts School” (Lindgren), (i)

  Mardie (Lindgren), (i)

  Mardie to the Rescue (Lindgren), (i)

  Margueritte, Victor, (i)

  Märta (childhood friend), (i), (ii)

  Mary Poppins, (i)

  Maugham, W. Somerset, (i)

  Maurois, André, (i)

  Meaning of Life, The (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Miller, Henry, (i)

  Mio, My Son (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi); critical views of, (i), (ii); darkness in, (i); editing of, (i); introversion and loneliness in, (i), (ii), (iii)

  “Mirabell” (Lindgren), (i)

  Mitchell, Lucy Sprague, (i)

  Mit Småland (Lindgren), (i)

  Møller, Katti Anker, (i)

  Montessori, Maria, (i)

  Montgomery, L. M., (i)

  “Morality and Children’s Books” (Løgstrup), (i)

  “More Love!” (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii)

  Mors hyllning (magazine), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Munk, Kaj, (i)

  Mussolini, Benito, (i), (ii), (iii)

  My Cow Wants to Have Fun (Lindgren and Forslund), (i)

  “My Piece of Sweden” (Lindgren), (i)

  Myrdal, Alva, (i), (ii)

  Neill, A. S., (i), (ii), (iii)

  Nietzsche, Friedrich, (i), (ii)

  Nils Karlsson the Elf (Lindgren), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Nilsson, Ada, (i), (ii)

  “No, Be Quite Calm” (Lindgren), (i)

  Nordemar, Olle, (i), (ii)

  Nordlund (housekeeper), (i)

  Nordström, Ester Blenda, (i)

  Normal Youth and Its Everyday Problems (Thom), (i)

  Nortull League, The (Wägner), (i)

  Not a Bit of Filth (Ingen liten lort; Törnqvist and Öhlman-Sundén), (i), (ii)

  Nowacki, Tadeusz, (i)

  Nyman, Carl Olof (son-in-law), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v)

  Nyman, Ingrid Vang, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)

  Nyman, Karin Lindgren (daughter), (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi), (xvii), (xviii), (xix), (xx), (xxi), (xxii), (xxiii), (xxiv), (xxv), (xxvi); Astrid’s child-rearing recalled by, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); Astrid’s diligence recalled by, (i); Astrid’s German visit recalled by, (i); Astrid’s inspirations recalled by, (i); in Astrid’s logbook, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); Astrid’s loyalty recalled by, (i); Astrid’s notoriety recalled by, (i), (ii), (iii); Astrid’s philanthropy recalled by, (i); birth of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv); images of, (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii), (ix); literary ambitions of, (i); marriage of, (i), (ii); Pippi Longstocking’s origins and, (i), (ii); Sture recalled by, (i), (ii); as translator, (i)