Life and work
Stieg Larsson was born in Västerbotten in northern Sweden in 1954. He grew up in the countryside outside the small community of Norsjö, 100 km north of Umeå. He was raised by his grandparents until his grandfather died in 1962.
He worked as a graphic designer at the news agency Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå (TT) between 1977 and 1999.
Stieg Larsson was strongly committed in the struggle against racism and right-wing extremists. He has written many novels concerning Swedish right-wing extremist movement. In the middle of the 1980’s he helped to start the anti-violence project “Stop the Racism”. This was followed by the founding of the Expo-foundation in 1995, where he later became the executive. From 1999 and on, he was appointed the chief editor of Expo, a magazine published by the organization Expo.
Stieg Larsson was also interested in the science fiction. Among other things was he the chairman of the Scandinavian science fiction society and published two magazines.
In the beginning of the 21st century he started writing detective novels at night just for fun. The initial idea for the Millenium-series came from an old joke together with a colleague at TT back in the 1990s.
I wish he got the chance to write his forth book!
what happened to lisbeth? A forth book would have made this collection perfect. but it is without doubt the best crime novels i have ever read. Stieg writes fantastic and i was up untill 5 in the morning reading his last book.
- sdgv, 11 June 2008
I am an expatriate Swedish woman who found the first book at Arlanda airport...I just finished the third and last, and the withdrawal symptoms are hard to control. All I want to do is start reading from the first book all over again.
In real life, I have met few people as decent as the main characters, but oh how I wish they did exist!
- BAB, 12 May 2008
Hi I am a New Zealander who has discovered Stieg Larrson, It is the most interesting book that I have read in a long time.
Helen Stewart New Zealand
- helen stewart, 2 May 2008
these are the best crime novels I have read, I stayed three weeks with Mikel and lisbeth and feel very sade not to ever know what will happen to them, the writting of S.Larsson is so psychologist, and perfectly documented
- Lamimose, 16 April 2008
This is such a good read, best crime thriller I have read in a very long time! How sad he has gone so suddenly. I don't know how I can wait for the next two to be translated!!! I can't understand the delay, especially as they are filming this year.
- kgs, 3 April 2008, 3 April 2008
If you're in a hurry, you can read them in French. I was so glad to be able to read the 3 volumes in a row.
- Veronica, 31 Mars 2008
Does anyone know an explanation or link explaining the reason for the very different title in English for Vol.I, and the undertoned title of Vol.III?
- Maria FFM, 27 Mars 2008
I'm a Dane who has read all of the books, and I feel sorry for you that they aren't translated quicker, cause theese are probably some of the best crime novels i've read in my entire life.
As a small side comment, I can inform that Stieg Larsson planned on writing a total of 10 novels starring "Mikael Blomkvist" and "Lisbeth Salander".
Too bad he died from a heart attack...
- Wieth, 26 Mars 2008
I totally agree with Brenda, can't believe it is to take so long to get the 2nd and 3rd books translated. Have just read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 3 days and how on earth are we supposed to wait a year for the follow up. PLEASE HURRY UP THE TRANSLATION.
- Fiona, 20 Mars 2008
I just finished the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in English and I just can't believe I have to wait for so long for the next 2 books in the series.....I'm tempted to learn Swedish just to read the next two books.....please accellerate the release of them for those of us with poor linguistic skills but who can't wait to catch up on the characters
- Brendan, 28 February 2008
I just finished to read the third book (published in French). My only comment is that I am very sorry there will not be a fourth one.
- Michel, 9 February 2008
I've just discovered Larsson while caught in an Spanish train station and then spent an entire week almost without sleeping because I couldn't stop reading the Vol.I, I even was late to work because I had to read a little bit during breakfast!
It's been a while since I enjoyed a novel that much; is not just another crime novel, it goes beyond that in so many levels...
Vol II and III are not yet translated to Spanish and I wasn't surprise to find out that Amazon.co.uk has run out of the English version of Vol II, can't wait to get the rest of the series.
- Julia, 21 June 2008