Lagerloöf, Selma (1858–1940)

Swedish author. Name variations: Selma Lagerlof. Born Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerloöf, Nov 20, 1858, at Maarbacka in Vaärmland, in Sweden; died at Maarbacka, Mar 16, 1940; dau. of Erik Gustav Lagerloöf and Lovisa (Wallroth) Lagerloöf; attended Royal Women's Superior Training College, Stockholm; never married.

Author of numerous novels, short stories and tales, 1st taught in the southern Swedish town of Landscrona, where she started her writing career as well; following success of The Story of Goösta Berling (1891), resigned her post and became a full-time writer; with revenues from that novel and subsequent works, bought back her childhood home, Maarbacka, which had been auctioned off (1889); received honorary doctorate from University of Uppsala (1907), followed by Nobel Prize (1909), the 1st Swede and 1st woman to be honored thus; purchased the property surrounding Maarbacka that had been in the family for generations and resumed the position of landed gentry; was keynote speaker at International Congress of Women (1911); accepted into the Swedish Academy (1914), the 1st and only female member; writings include Invisible Links (1894), The Miracles of Antichrist (1897), The Queens of Kungahalla and Other Sketches (1897), The Tale of a Manor (1899), Jerusalem (1901–02), Herr Arne's Hoard (1903), Christ Legends (1904), The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (1906–07), A Saga about a Saga (1908), Liljekrona's Home (1911), Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness (1912), The Emperor of Portugalia (1914), Trolls and Men (2 vols., 1916, 1921), The Outcast (1918), Zachris Topelius (1920), Maarbacka (1922), The Ring of the Loövenskolds (1925–28), Memories of My Childhood (1930), The Diary of Selma Lagerloöf (1932), Autumn (1933) and Writings and Re-writings (1933).

See also Walter A. Berendsohn, Selma Lagerloöf: Her Life and Work (Kennikat, 1931); Vivi Edstrom, Selma Lagerloöf (Twayne, 1984); and Women in World History.