Selma Lagerlöf

Born

in Mårbacka, Värmland, Sweden

November 20, 1858

Died

March 06, 1940

Genre

Magic Realism, Fiction, Children's Books

Influences

Fredrika Bremer

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Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf (1858-1940) was a Swedish author. In 1909 she became the first woman to ever receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, "in appreciation of the lofty idealism, vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterize her writings". She later also became the first female member of the Swedish Academy.

Born in the forested countryside of Sweden she was told many of the classic Swedish fairytales, which she would later use as inspiration in her magic realist writings. Since she for some of her early years had problems with her legs (she was born with a faulty hip) she would also spend a lot of time reading books such as the Bible.

As a young woman she was a teacher in the southern parts of Sweden for ten years befo ...more

Combine Editions
Selma Lagerlöf’s books

Average rating: 3.85 · 21,420 ratings · 1,296 reviews · 361 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf, Thea Kliros (Illustrator) , Velma Swanston Howard (Translator) 4.04 avg rating — 8,729 ratings — published 1906 — 359 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gösta Berling's Saga by Selma Lagerlöf, Lillie Tudeer (Translator) , Pauline Klaiber-Gottschau (Translator) 3.70 avg rating — 2,845 ratings — published 1891 — 204 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Emperor of Portugalia 3.86 avg rating — 2,397 ratings — published 1914 — 93 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Jerusalem by Selma Lagerlöf, Velma Swanston Howard (Translator) 3.94 avg rating — 871 ratings — published 1901 — 135 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	En herrgårdssägen 3.63 avg rating — 735 ratings — published 1899 — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Herr Arnes penningar 3.45 avg rating — 831 ratings — published 1904 — 75 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Löwensköld Ring 3.68 avg rating — 552 ratings — published 1925 — 38 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Löwensköldska ringen / Charlotte Löwensköld 3.77 avg rating — 300 ratings — published 1925 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Anna Svärd 3.83 avg rating — 230 ratings — published 1928 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Charlotte Löwensköld by Selma Lagerlöf, Maria Banuș (Translator) , Petre Banuș (Translator) 3.91 avg rating — 211 ratings — published 1925 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Selma Lagerlöf…

Series by Selma Lagerlöf

Nils Holgersson (2 books)
by

Selma Lagerlöf

4.04 avg rating — 8,779 ratings

Löwensköldska ringen (3 books)
by

Selma Lagerlöf

3.78 avg rating — 1,357 ratings

Jerusalem (3 books)
by

Selma Lagerlöf,

Velma Swanston Howard (Translator)

3.92 avg rating — 931 ratings

Mårbacka (3 books)
by

Selma Lagerlöf

3.86 avg rating — 264 ratings

Nils Holgersson Audible (5 books)
by

Selma Lagerlöf,

Patrick Bernhard (Narrator)

Sabrina Krause (Narrator)

Henrik Dinkelaker (Narrator)

Kathrin Rüstig (Narrator)

Romeo Möller (Narrator)

Robér Schönborn (Narrator)

Maja Großmann (Narrator)

, more…
3.33 avg rating — 48 ratings

More series by Selma Lagerlöf…

Quotes by Selma Lagerlöf

“Nothing on earth can make up for the loss of one who has loved you.”
― Selma Lagerlöf

2481 likes

“Have you ever seen a child sitting on its mother’s knee listening to fairy stories? As long as the child is told of cruel giants and of the terrible suffering of beautiful princesses, it holds its head up and its eyes open; but if the mother begins to speak of happiness and sunshine, the little one closes its eyes and falls asleep with its head against her breast. . . . I am a child like that, too. Others may like stories of flowers and sunshine; but I choose the dark nights and sad destinies.”
― Selma Lagerlöf, Gösta Berling's Saga

38 likes

“What Gosta,' he said to himself, 'can you no longer endure? You have been hardened in poverty all of your life; you have heard every tree in the forest, every tuft in the meadows preach to you of sacrifice and patience. You, brought up in a country where the winter is severe, and the summer joy is very short, have you forgotten the art of bearing your trials?
'Oh Gosta, a man must bear all that life gives him with a courageous heart and a smile on his lips, else he is no man. Sorrow as much as you will. If you love your beloved, let your conscience burn and chafe within you, but show yourself a man and a Varmlander. Let your glances beam with joy, and meet your friends with a gay word on your lips! Life and nature are hard. They bring forth courage and joy as a counterweight against their own hardness, or no one could endure them...”
― Selma Lagerlöf

9 likes

See all Selma Lagerlöf's quotes »

Polls

What should our February 2019 read be?
Theme: books published in the 1910s

Night and Day by Virginia Woolf

13 votes 36.1%

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

10 votes 27.8%

This is the End by Stella Benson

6 votes 16.7%

The Emperor of Portugallia by Selma Lagerlöf

5 votes 13.9%

The Reef by Edith Wharton

2 votes 5.6%

36 total votes

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Combine EditionsSelma Lagerlöf’s books

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Combine Editions
Selma Lagerlöf’s books