Astrid Lindgren’s War Diaries goes international

The publishing rights for Astrid Lindgren’s War Diaries from the Second World War have now been sold to several countries, among them Germany, Hungary, Poland, UK and the USA. The Diaries are already published in Norway and will be released in Germany in October.

– The Diaries are now being published in eleven countries and we are counting on a few more as well. It’s amazing how strong the interest has been, considering how experiences of the Second World War differ between nations, says Annika Lindgren, Head of Publishing at Saltkråkan AB – The Astrid Lindgren Company. The language, the humour, the serious reports of terrible war crimes, mixed with notes about her and her family’s daily life, makes it a read that appeals to many.

The German publisher, Ullstein Buchverlage, are promoting the book on a large scale, coinciding with the Frankfurt Book Fair. Award-winning author Antje Ravic Strubel has written the foreword and the German translation has been made by Angelika Kutsch, known for her translations of, among others, Tove Jansson, Åke Edwardson and Selma Lagerlöf.

– Brilliantly written and acutely observed, Astrid Lindgren’s War Diaries bring a new and illuminating point of view to the most momentous years in recent German history. Moreover, the Diaries will provide food for thought about many issues occupying our minds right now: Wars, refugees, the personal responsibility of individuals in times of political turmoil. At Ullstein, we are proud and pleased to publish this exceptional book, says Siv Bublitz, Publisher & CEO of Ullstein Buchverlage.

According to plans, the Diaries will be published in the UK and in the USA during autumn 2016.

– Astrid Lindgren’s War Diaries provide an absolutely fascinating insight into life in a neutral country during World War II – a largely unfamiliar perspective especially in Britain.These diaries would be fascinating even if they were by a complete unknown, but the fact that they cover the period when Lindgren was composing and finally publishing Pippi Longstocking, one of the most famous and widely translated children’s books of the 20th century, adds an extra layer of interest, says Adam Freudenheim, Publisher of Pushkin Press (UK).

The War Diaries were published in Sweden by Salikon Publishing House in May 2015, 70 years after the end of the war. They are on their third print run, with a fourth on its way.

There will be a large seminar at the Gothenburg Book Fair where Karin Nyman, Astrid Lindgren’s daughter, will participate together with author Kerstin Ekman and Jens Andersen who has recently written abiography of Astrid Lindgren. The seminar is moderated by Björn Wiman, culture editor at Dagens Nyheter and takes place on Friday 25 September at 1 p.m.

For more information:

Annika Lindgren, Head of Publishing: 070-812 62 68, annika.lindgren@saltkrakan.se

Cilla Nergårdh, PR & Marketing Manager, 070-938 46 52, cilla.nergardh@saltkrakan.se

Salikon publishes books and texts by and about Astrid Lindgren that are not children’s books. The company is owned by Saltkråkan.