Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940)
Author of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils
About the Author
Selma Lagerlöf, winner of the Nobel Prize in 1909, was the first woman to be elected a member of the Swedish Academy. Her first novel, The Story of Gosta Berling (1891), assured her position as Sweden's greatest storyteller. She retold the folk tales of her native province, Varmland, in an show more original and poetic prose. As a woman writer, Lagerlöf gained a reputation as a naive purveyor of native traditions, but she herself compared writing a novel to solving a mathematical problem. Her artistry entails making her stories seem simple, but they are told with great attention to symbolism, psychology, and narrative technique. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (1906) is a delightful fantasy written to teach children about Swedish geography, but it has found an international audience. Her third novel and masterpiece, Jerusalem (1901--02), the story of farmers from Dalarna who follow their faith to the Holy City, was widely praised for its insights into the lives of peasants searching for a spiritual ideal. During World War II, Lagerlöf helped many German artists and intellectuals escape the Nazis, even donating her gold Nobel Prize medal to a benefit fund to help Finland. She died of a stroke on March 16, 1940. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Selma Lagerlöf - photo edited by Pieter Kuiper
Series
Works by Selma Lagerlöf
Ingrid ; Charlotte Löwensköld ; De vlucht naar Egypte ; De zweetdoek van de heilige Veronica 14 copies
Mårbackablomster 7 copies
En saga om en saga 6 copies
El niño duende y otros cuentos 5 copies
Stenen i sjön Rottnen 5 copies
Geschichten und Legenden 5 copies
Das heilige Leben 5 copies
Skrifter. 3, Anna Svärd 2 5 copies
Cudowna podróż; t.2 4 copies
Skrifter 4 copies
Valda berättelser 4 copies
La Infanoj de Betlehem 4 copies
Nils Holgerssons schönste Abenteuer 3 copies
Trollmusik 3 copies
Mors porträtt och andra berättelser 3 copies
Ingrid 3 copies
Nils Holgersson VIII. Nils fliegt mit dem Adler Gorgo. ( Die Abenteuer mit den Wildgänsen). (1982) 3 copies
Soosauniku tütar : [jutustus] 3 copies
The Greatest Works of Selma Lagerlöf: The Story of Gösta Berling, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness, Jerusalem (2020) 3 copies
El carretero de la muerte. El esclavo en su finca y otras narraciones (SC549) (Spanish Edition) (2006) 2 copies, 1 review
Från skilda tider 2 copies
El mundo de los gnomos 2 copies
Meli och andra berättelser 2 copies
Slåtterkarlarna på Ekolsund 2 copies
Karoliinin sormus 2 copies
Erzählungen — Author — 2 copies
Miraklet i Diamante 2 copies
Selma, Anna och Elise : brevväxling mellan Selma Lagerlöf, Anna Oom och Elise Malmros åren 1886-1937 (2009) 2 copies
Historien om Familien Löwenskjöld 2 2 copies
Legender 2 copies
Jerusalem 2 I det heliga landet 2 copies
Generosidad de corazón / Petter Nord 2 copies
Cuộc du hành kì diệu của Nils 2 copies
Die Lichtflamme 2 copies
“A Christmas Guest” 2 copies
Historien om Familien Löwenskjöld 1 General Löwenskölds ring - Charlotte Löwenskjöld (1983) 2 copies
El esclavo de su finca 2 copies
Mors porträtt och andra noveller 2 copies
Hoa hồng trắng đêm giáng sinh 2 copies
Antikrists mirakler; Drottningar i Kungahälla; Herr Arnes penningar; En herrgårdssägen; Legender 2 copies
Short Fiction 2 copies
Dockteaterspel 2 copies
Wunderbare Reife 1 copy
Akka di Kebnekaise 1 copy
Skrifter 1-12 1 copy
Skrifter. 1 copy
Oeuvres - tome 2 - l'empereur du portugal, l'anneau des lowenstrold, les ecus de messire arne, l'anneau du pecheur (1979) 1 copy
La notte di Natale 1 copy
Erst ich ein Stück, dann du! Klassiker - Nils Holgersson: Nacherzählt von Frauke Nahrgang (2011) 1 copy
Gösta Berling. Unua parto 1 copy
Kočijaš 1 copy
El carretero de la muerte 1 copy
Legende despre Iisus 1 copy
Löwensköldska ringen 1 copy
Maldición 1 copy
Nils Holgerssons wunderbare Reise durch Schweden. Zweiter Teil der Reise. (Hörspiel Kassette) 1 copy
Troll och människor [1] 1 copy
Gösta Berlingin taru 1 copy
Kootut teokset. 9 1 copy
Чудесное путешествие Нильса с дикими гусями Сказоч. повесть в свобод. пересказе З. Задунайской, А.… (1991) 1 copy
דער קייסער פון פארטוגאל 1 copy
Blago gospodina Arna 1 copy
Skarb pana Arnego 1 copy
Clara Aurelia, Emperatriz de Portugal. Premio Nobel de Literatura de la Academia Sueca. (1958) 1 copy
Il pazzo e la fanciulla 1 copy
Cassetten (Tonträger), Die wunderbare Reise des kleinen Nils Holgersson mit den Wildgänsen 1, 1 Cassette (2000) 1 copy
Ett äfventyr i Vineta 1 copy
Podzim 1 copy
Tarinoita 1 copy
Hüljatu : [romaan] 1 copy
KOOTUT TEOKSET 4 1 copy
Das Kindlein von Bethlehem 1 copy
Selma Lagerlöfs jul 1 copy
Skrifter av Selma Lagerlöf: Drottningar i Kongahälla, Herr Arnes penningar och En herrgårdssägen 1 copy
Elf Kurzgeschichten 1 copy
Legender og Fortællinger 1 copy
Legender i urval 1 copy
Skrifter : Bind 10 1 copy
Skrifter (11 bind) 1 copy
Skrifter (III) 1 copy
Nils Holgersson: Die Eichhörnchenkinder. Das Schloss Vittskövle. Das Spiel der Wildgänse (2) (2004) 1 copy
Las mejores novelas de la literatura universal. 20, La novela escandinava en el siglo XIX (1984) 1 copy
Astrid 1 copy
L'imperatore di Portugallia — Author — 1 copy
Helga. Marianna 1 copy
Eventyr og fortællinger 1 copy
Julelegender 1 copy
Skrifter Af Selma Lagerlöf, 4. bind: En herregaardshistorie; Hr. Arnes Penge; Liljecronas hjem; Køresvenden (1978) 1 copy
Kootut teokset 1 copy
Opere 1 copy
Fortellinger 1 copy
Elsa 1 copy
Vonken 1 copy
Oud en Nieuw 1 copy
Petter Nord 1 copy
En gammel kirke 1 copy
Skrifter (IV) 1 copy
Tale Thott y otras historias 1 copy
Die Erinnerungen: Mårbacka. Aus meinen Kindertagen. Das Tagebuch der Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf (2016) 1 copy
Suotorpan tyttö 1 copy
Helga 1 copy
Nordisk jul 1 copy
Skrifter. 3, Anna Svr̃d 2 1 copy
The Flight into Egypt 1 copy
Bandito 1 copy
Chiếc xe của thần chết 1 copy
Körkarlen ; Bannlyst 1 copy
Erzählungen 8 1 copy
Bijeg u Egipat 1 copy
La junulino el Stormyr 1 copy
Da vida e da morte 1 copy
Zdenac mudraca 1 copy
Lagerlof Selma 1 copy
LENDARIOS 1 copy
Skrifter av Selma Lagerlof 1 copy
Hamburger Lesehefte : Selma Lagerlöf : Die Lichtflamme — Text — 1 copy
Kristus leģendas 1 copy
Skrifter (II) 1 copy
Löwensköldska ringen D 2 1 copy
Geschichten und Legenden 1 copy
SADUN SATU 1 copy
Herinneringen 1 copy
De Groote Betoovering 1 copy
Mårbacka Jugend-Erinnerungen 1 copy
GÖSTA BERLINGS SAGA 2 1 copy
GÖSTA BERLINGS SAGA 1 1 copy
Az Antikrisztus csodái 1 copy
Associated Works
The Greatest Christmas Stories of All Time: Timeless Classics That Celebrate the Season (2006) — Contributor — 50 copies
Out of the Best Books: An Anthology of Literature, Vol. 3: Intelligent Family Living (1967) — Contributor — 34 copies
A Very Scandinavian Christmas: The Greatest Nordic Holiday Stories of All Time (2019) — Contributor — 25 copies, 1 review
Oogst Der Tijden. keur uit de werken van schrijvers en dichters aller volken en eeuwen (1940) — Contributor — 12 copies
Meesters der Zweedse vertelkunst — Author, some editions — 10 copies
The Masterpiece Library of Short Stories Vol. XIX: Scandinavian & Dutch — Contributor — 6 copies
The Five Fathers of Pepi, Reproachfully Yours, My Pants When I Die, Saint Veronica's Kerchief (Catholic Family Book Club) (1957) — Author — 5 copies
Le merveilleux voyage de Nils Holgersson à travers la Suède [Edition Luxe, traduction par Agneta Ségol et Pascale Brick-Aïda et illustrée par Yvan Duque] (1907) — Contributor, some editions — 3 copies
Modern Short Stories — Contributor — 3 copies
Svenske fortællere fra August Strindberg til Harry Martinson — Author, some editions — 1 copy, 1 review
Die Buchgemeinde - Monatsheftefür Literatur, Kunst und Wissenschaft Jahrgang 1927/28 — Contributor — 1 copy
Lebensgut — Ein deutsches Lesebuch für Mädchen — 5. Teil (9. Schuljahr) — Contributor — 1 copy
Stories for girls — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Lagerlöf, Selma
- Legal name
- Lagerlöf, Selma Ottilia Lovisa
- Other names
- Лагерлёф, Сельма
- Birthdate
- 1858-11-20
- Date of death
- 1940-03-16
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Högre lärarinneseminariet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Occupations
- novelist
short story writer
teacher
memoirist - Organizations
- Swedish Academy
- Awards and honors
- Nobel Prize (Literature, 1909)
- Relationships
- Olander, Valborg (friend)
Elkan, Sophie (friend)
Tegnér, Esaias (Her grandfather, Daniel Lagerlöf was his cousin)
Sachs, Nelly (friend) - Short biography
- Selma Lagerlöf was born in Östra Emterwik in the province of Värmland, western Sweden, and raised at Mårbacka, the family's estate there. Her parents were Erik Gustav Lagerlöf and his wife Louise Wallroth. She had five siblings. An early illness left her lame in both legs for a while, but she recovered and later said she had a happy childhood. She began writing poetry at an early age. She was educated at home, and in 1881 went to Stockholm to train as a teacher. In 1885, she took a job at a girls' high school in Landskrona, where she wrote her first novel, Gösta Berlings Saga (1891). The book went unnoticed at the time but later became her most popular, and played a part in the Swedish Romantic revival of the 1890s. In 1895, she won a scholarship from the Swedish Academy and gave up teaching to devote herself to her writing. After a visit to Italy, she published Antikrists mirakler (The Miracles of the Antichrist, 1897). With her close friend Sophie Elkan, she took a trip to Egypt and Palestine in 1899 that inspired her book Jerusalem (two volumes, 1901–02), her first big hit, which established her as one of the leading Swedish novelists of her generation. Other works included the children's geography book Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, 1906). In 1909, Lagerlöf became the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. World War I disturbed her deeply, and she wrote little until publishing her memoirs Mårbacka (1922), Ett barns memoarer (Memories of My Childhood, 1930), and Dagbok för Selma Lagerlöf (The Diary of Selma Lagerlöf 1932). She also produced a trilogy of historical novels set in Värmland: Löwensköldska ringen (The Ring of the Löwenskölds, 1925), Charlotte Löwensköld (1925), and Anna Svärd (1928). She was deeply attached to her childhood home Mårbacka, which was sold after her father’s death, and used her Nobel Prize money to buy it back. She was also a friend of the German-Jewish writer Nelly Sachs, and helped her escape the Nazis to Sweden.
- Nationality
- Sweden
- Birthplace
- Östra Ämtervik, Värmland, Sweden
- Places of residence
- Mårbacka, Östra Ämtervik, Värmland, Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden
Landskrona, Sweden - Place of death
- Östra Ämtervik, Värmland, Sweden
- Burial location
- Sunne
- Associated Place (for map)
- Östra Ämtervik, Värmland, Sweden
Members
Discussions
2nd edn Finalist discussion: Girl From the Marsh Croft in Consensus Press (November 2025)
Group Read, May 2014: Gosta Berlings Saga in 1001 Books to read before you die (May 2014)
Reviews
Based upon a Christmas story from famed Swedish author and Nobel laureate Selma Lagerlöf, this lovely picture-book, originally published in Switzerland, follows the nighttime adventures of a strange man who goes searching for something with which to keep his wife and infant child warm. Eventually he happens upon a hardhearted shepherd, who is so impressed by the fact that his dogs can't bite the stranger, his sheep don't flee from him, and his staff won't strike him, that he grants his show more wish, and allows him to take some coals. Following this man, the shepherd sees the wife and infant child in a cold cave, and having true mercy for this first time, gives a sheepskin to keep the infant warm. It is at this moment, the moment that he shows compassion, that he is able to see the angels all around him, and to comprehend that he is witnessing the miracle of Christmas...
Having enjoyed another of Selma Lagerlöf's Christmas stories, in the form of The Holy Night, and being an admirer of Maja Dusíková's artwork, which I have encountered in such books as The Gift from Saint Nicholas, I was quite excited to track down a copy of What the Shepherd Saw. I was therefore surprised to discover that this was in fact the same story, in somewhat altered form, as that found in The Holy Night. That other book contained a more involved tale, one with a framing device involving a young child whose grandmother has died. In that version, the story of the mysterious man and the shepherd is an inset tale, one told to the child by the grandmother. Here the story of the man and the shepherd is presented by itself, so although both books are clearly based on the same original story, they are different enough that I have not combined them. The story here is moving, highlighting the true meaning of Christmas, and how our ability to perceive that meaning is dependent upon what we have in our hearts - whether we approach it with kindness and compassion, or hardheartedness. I'm amused to see that some reviewers didn't care for it, thinking it some kind of "incorrect" Nativity Story, when of course, it is nothing of the kind. Rather, it is a symbolic miracle story, in which a man to whom the meaning of Christmas is unknown, discovers it, through following his mysterious visitor. Does he actually see the Holy Family, or is it a vision? That is up to the reader to decide, but it is odd to me to reproach a tale of how we approach the Nativity Story, for not being the original "true" Nativity Story.
Leaving that aside, I did find this tale poignant and appealing, and thought the artwork from Dusíková was beautiful. I do think the fuller version to be found in The Holy Night is far more powerful, and I would recommend that one before this, but if What the Shepherd Saw is all that the reader can obtain, I still think it is worth picking up. show less
Having enjoyed another of Selma Lagerlöf's Christmas stories, in the form of The Holy Night, and being an admirer of Maja Dusíková's artwork, which I have encountered in such books as The Gift from Saint Nicholas, I was quite excited to track down a copy of What the Shepherd Saw. I was therefore surprised to discover that this was in fact the same story, in somewhat altered form, as that found in The Holy Night. That other book contained a more involved tale, one with a framing device involving a young child whose grandmother has died. In that version, the story of the mysterious man and the shepherd is an inset tale, one told to the child by the grandmother. Here the story of the man and the shepherd is presented by itself, so although both books are clearly based on the same original story, they are different enough that I have not combined them. The story here is moving, highlighting the true meaning of Christmas, and how our ability to perceive that meaning is dependent upon what we have in our hearts - whether we approach it with kindness and compassion, or hardheartedness. I'm amused to see that some reviewers didn't care for it, thinking it some kind of "incorrect" Nativity Story, when of course, it is nothing of the kind. Rather, it is a symbolic miracle story, in which a man to whom the meaning of Christmas is unknown, discovers it, through following his mysterious visitor. Does he actually see the Holy Family, or is it a vision? That is up to the reader to decide, but it is odd to me to reproach a tale of how we approach the Nativity Story, for not being the original "true" Nativity Story.
Leaving that aside, I did find this tale poignant and appealing, and thought the artwork from Dusíková was beautiful. I do think the fuller version to be found in The Holy Night is far more powerful, and I would recommend that one before this, but if What the Shepherd Saw is all that the reader can obtain, I still think it is worth picking up. show less
I had rather forgotten I had a copy of this, and am really glad to have rediscovered it. As the title suggests, the book consists of a series of adventures experienced by a 14-year-old boy names Nils Holgersson, who, the author begins by telling us, "wasn't good for much". On a Sunday afternoon, when he has been excused from attending church with his parents in exchange for a promise to read the service for himself, Nils naturally goofs off a bit, falls asleep trying to read enough of the show more daily portion to be able to answer some questions, and wakes to find his mother's treasure chest inexplicably open. He concludes there must be a thief in the house, but shortly finds himself in an encounter with an elf, which he manages to snare in a butterfly net. This does not end well, however. The elf cons Nils into releasing him, then takes his revenge by clipping Nils round the ear and casting a spell on him. When Nils wakes from the elf's blow, he realizes he has been shrunken to elf-size himself. Further, upon visiting the cowshed trying to find the elf, Nils also discovers that he can now communicate with all the animals. Attempting to prevent one of the family's domesticated geese from flying away with a wild flock, Nils becomes trapped on the back of the large bird as it takes off and soars to a great height. For the next month, Nils shares the travels of the white gander and the wild geese, and thus ensue all his "wonderful adventures". This imaginative rendering of Swedish folktales and legends was a pure delight to read. Many of the tales have familiar elements (think Tom Thumb and the Pied Piper for example), and the aerial tour of Sweden taught me much about that country's geography and wildlife (this actually was the POINT of the book, which was commissioned as a child's geography reader in 1902.) The translation must be extremely well-done, because much of the prose is quite lovely to read. There are several full-color plate illustrations, and well as more numerous pen and ink drawings throughout. My copy contains only the first volume of this two-volume work. One day I hope to get my hands on the second half. show less
The little-girl narrator of this lovely Christmas tale from Sweden recalls how her grandmother, who died when she was five, used to tell her many stories. After the grandmother's death, which is depicted in both text and artwork, one of the few tales to remain whole and intact in her memory, was this story of Jesus' birth. Related by the grandmother, the story follows the travails of a man who goes in search of live coals to kindle a fire, with which he hopes to warm his wife and newborn show more child. He eventually comes upon miserly shepherd in the wilderness who, although he wants to deny the request, is so impressed by the fact that the man has not been hurt by his dogs or his spear, and has not in turn frightened his sheep, that he agrees. Curious as to what is going on with this mysterious stranger, who is not burned by the live coals, the shepherd follows him back to an isolated cave, where he sees the man with his wife and newborn child. Concerned for the babe, he gives a sheepskin to keep him warm, and in that one generous act, his eyes are opened, and he sees that the world around him is full of angels, singing the birth of this holy child...
Selma Lagerlöf, who in 1909 became the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, is perhaps best known today in the the English-speaking world for her children's novel, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. The story of The Holy Night appears to be one of a number of legends she penned about Christ, and the season of Christmas-tide. Although there are really two stories here - that of the little girl and her grandmother, and that of the shepherd who learns to see - the narrative does not feel divided and there are insights to be gained from both strands. Translator Velam Swanston Howard has done a good job here - something I don't often say, when reviewing titles from Floris Books - and there were some lovely moments in the text. When the girls reflects, after her grandmother's death, that "I remember feeling that something was gone from our lives. The door to a beautiful enchanted world had been closed," one has a sensation of sympathy and fellow-feeling. The young may not always understand the meaning of loss, but they are able to feel it most keenly. When the grandmother asserts the truth of her tale, maintaining that "it is not revealed by the light of lamps or candles, or by the light of sun and moon, but what is needed is to have such eyes as can see God's glory," one feels that sense of revelation, of truths beyond the ordinary ones of the workaday world.
As should be apparent, I enjoyed the story here, finding it both powerful and poignant. I also enjoyed the illustrations by Ilon Wikland, which I found very appealing. I was struck by the scene in which the grandmother is shown in her casket, with mourners around her and two candles at her head. One so rarely sees such an overt depiction of death in children's books, and yet it is handled with a delicate touch, and feel appropriate. Recommended to anyone looking for more thought-provoking Christmas stories for the picture-book set. show less
Selma Lagerlöf, who in 1909 became the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, is perhaps best known today in the the English-speaking world for her children's novel, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. The story of The Holy Night appears to be one of a number of legends she penned about Christ, and the season of Christmas-tide. Although there are really two stories here - that of the little girl and her grandmother, and that of the shepherd who learns to see - the narrative does not feel divided and there are insights to be gained from both strands. Translator Velam Swanston Howard has done a good job here - something I don't often say, when reviewing titles from Floris Books - and there were some lovely moments in the text. When the girls reflects, after her grandmother's death, that "I remember feeling that something was gone from our lives. The door to a beautiful enchanted world had been closed," one has a sensation of sympathy and fellow-feeling. The young may not always understand the meaning of loss, but they are able to feel it most keenly. When the grandmother asserts the truth of her tale, maintaining that "it is not revealed by the light of lamps or candles, or by the light of sun and moon, but what is needed is to have such eyes as can see God's glory," one feels that sense of revelation, of truths beyond the ordinary ones of the workaday world.
As should be apparent, I enjoyed the story here, finding it both powerful and poignant. I also enjoyed the illustrations by Ilon Wikland, which I found very appealing. I was struck by the scene in which the grandmother is shown in her casket, with mourners around her and two candles at her head. One so rarely sees such an overt depiction of death in children's books, and yet it is handled with a delicate touch, and feel appropriate. Recommended to anyone looking for more thought-provoking Christmas stories for the picture-book set. show less
I had trouble getting into this and nearly put it down with no intention of picking it back up. But I decided to stick with it and, as my rating suggests, it was well worth the time and effort. The core story, about the fall and redemption of defrocked pastor Gösta Berling, is a much larger story about redemption in general. This is not a theme I generally have much interest in but Lagerlöf’s approach is unlike anything I have encountered before. Many, if not most, of the chapters are show more self-contained stories about one of the large cast of characters who come into (and out of) Berling’s own life. Many, if not most, of the chapters can be read as parables. I think that I had trouble at the outset because it took me quite a while to fall into Lagerlöf’s rhythm and into her universe. Although I have read a number of Scandinavian classics, none, I think, are so heavily indebted to the old sagas…about which I am embarrassed to admit I know almost nothing. One might be tempted to call some of the writing “magical realism” and, in its way, that’s not wrong. But Gösta Berling owes so much to the history and myth, the fables and stories of this region—too much for me to appreciate given my ignorance—that only by reading enough of the first dozen chapters or more did I gain enough courage to go on. Even so, the Faust story (to cite but a single work) is amply visible. The writing, I think, is excellent and I suspect that the translation (by Paul Norlén), while good, doesn’t adequately represent the original. Occasional flashes of brilliance come through but I cannot help but wonder. In any event, a superb book. show less
Lists
1890s (1)
Reading LIst (1)
Put a Bird On It (1)
Elevenses (1)
Female Author (1)
Best Audiobooks (1)
100 Hemskaste (1)
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 525
- Also by
- 50
- Members
- 7,903
- Popularity
- #3,069
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 181
- ISBNs
- 1,304
- Languages
- 31
- Favorited
- 40
