Birger Sjöberg

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Birger Sjöberg
Birger Sjöberg.png
Birger Sjöberg in the mid 1920's, playing the guitar
Born(1885-12-06)6 December 1885
Vänersborg
Died30 April 1929(1929-04-30) (aged 43)
Växjö
Occupationpoet, novelist, songwriter

Birger Sjöberg (1885–1929) was a Swedish poet, novelist and songwriter, whose best-known works include the faux-naïf song collection Fridas Bok (Frida's Book) and the novel Kvartetten Som Sprängdes (The Quartet That Split Up),[1] a somewhat Dickensian relation about stock-exchange gambling in the twenties, and the frantic efforts to recover.

Originally a journalist, Sjöberg wrote songs in his spare time. His debuted as a serious writer with the 1922 publication of Fridas Bok (Frida's Book), which was both a critical and popular success. Following a series of concert tours, he withdrew from public life and focused on his writing.[1]

After his death in 1929, a new series of songs and a selection of poems were published.[1]

Selected works[]

Prose and poetry by Birger Sjöberg:

  • Fridas Bok (Frida's Book) 1922
  • Kvartetten Som Sprängdes (The Quartet That Split Up) 1924
  • Kriser Och Kransar (Crises And Laurel Wreaths) 1926
  • Fridas Andra Bok (Frida's Second Book) 1929
  • Minnen Från Jorden (Memories From The Earth) 1940

Translations of his works in English[]

  • Anthology of Swedish Lyrics 1930 [2]
  • Modern Swedish Poetry Pt. 2 1936 [3]
  • Scandinavian Songs and Ballads 1950 [4]
  • Twentieth Century Scandinavian Poetry 1950 [5]
  • Twelve Pieces from Frida’s Book 1975 [6]
  • When First I Ever Saw You LP 1980 [7]
  • Swedes On Love CD 1991 [8]
  • Frida's New Clothes 2008 [9]

His life in English[]

  • A History of Swedish Literature 1961 [10]
  • A History of Swedish Literature 1989 [11]
  • A History of Swedish Literature 1996 [12]

Image gallery[]

  • Birger Sjöberg's birthplace in Vänersborg

  • Birger Sjöberg's grave at the Donation Cemetery in Helsingborg

  • Frida statue in Vänersborg

  • The Quartet That Split Up 1962

See also[]

  • Swedish ballad tradition

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of literature, (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster,1995) p. 1038.
  2. ^ Anthology of Swedish Lyrics, trans. by Charles Wharton Stork, (New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1930).
  3. ^ Modern Swedish Poetry Pt. 2, trans. by C. D. Locock, (London: H. and W. Brown, 1936).
  4. ^ Scandinavian Songs and Ballads, trans. by Helen Asbury, (Mullsjö: Anglo-American Center, 1950).
  5. ^ Twentieth Century Scandinavian Poetry, trans. by Helen Asbury and Martin S. Allwood, (Stockholm: Kooperativa Förbundets Bokförlag, 1950).
  6. ^ Twelve Pieces from Frida’s Book, trans. by Michael Roberts, (Grahamstown: Michael Roberts, 1975).
  7. ^ When First I Ever Saw You LP, trans. by Tom Fletcher and Michael Roberts, (Stockholm: Sonet, 1980).
  8. ^ Swedes On Love CD, trans. by Roger Hinchliffe, (Stockholm: Roger Records, 1991).
  9. ^ Frida's New Clothes, trans. by Stork, Locock, Asbury, Roberts . . ., (Vänersborg: Birger Sjöberg-sällskapet, 2008).
  10. ^ A History of Swedish Literature by Alrik Gustafson, (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1961).
  11. ^ A History of Swedish Literature by Ingemar Algulin, (Stockholm: Swedish Institute, 1989).
  12. ^ A History of Swedish Literature edited by Lars G. Warme, (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1996).

External links[]

Swedish

English

Translations

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