Features

Bradley Harmon reflects upon Jila Mossaed’s Swedish poetry, exploring freedom, survival and the breath of poetry, and the possibilities and limitations of writing in a new language.
By Bradley Harmon.

Before the war the Swedish writer Sara Stridsberg had never had any contact with her Ukrainian publisher. When Russia invaded Ukraine she sent an email. Here she writes about the exchange that followed, the family that was forced to flee, and the place of literature in the ongoing war.
Translated by Deborah Bragan-Turner.

We open up our reviews archive to highlight some of the recent gems in Swedish-language literature, through lists curated by genre and age group.

Alexander Keiller discusses the ever-changing shape of the subtitling industry.

In this recent column published on the eve of war, Anna-Lena Laurén explores the crisis in Ukraine through the prism of her own family history.
Translated by D.E. Hurford.

Anna Maria Hellberg Moberg investigates the phenomenon of self-translation, its advantages and pitfalls.

We report on Gothenburg Book Fair's first hybrid fair.

We present our readers' picks of books they would most like to see available in English, from tense political thrillers to experimental fiction and affecting memoirs.

Translator and physician John Litell discusses the joys of translating Andrea Lundgren's short stories, winning the Peirene Stevns Prize, and the challenges of completing a debut literary translation while working in intensive care during a pandemic.

We present some of the latest shortlists and winners in Swedish-language fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children's fiction.

Carin Bacho and Catharina Lantz of Koja Agency discuss the ins and outs of selling children's book rights, the key to a good children's or YA book, and the books that inspired them as children.

Swedish Book Review talks to Duncan J. Lewis, Director of Nordisk Books, about what makes a 'Nordisk' book, indie publishing in the UK, and redressing the balance of perceptions of contemporary Nordic literature.

Urpu Strellman, Judith Toth and Sofie Voller discuss the year 2020 in rights, offering an insight into their day-to-day work.

In her inaugural speech upon induction into the Swedish Academy, Jila Mossaed discusses her poetry, and her choice to change writing language in order to bear witness. Translated by Brad Harmon.

The six authors in this issue have all recently published their first novel. Anja Tröger explores the way their literary voices add something different to the Swedish canon of literature.

Catherine Venner reports on the author and translator events held by SELTA in Edinburgh in 2019.

In 2019 translator Tom Geddes was awarded the Swedish Academy prize for the promotion of Swedish literature abroad. Here he shares some of the highs and lows in his distinguished career.

If I had to choose one word to describe Steven T., Murray, it would be 'versatile'.