Millennium trilogy
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
The 4th book
Millennium Stockholm Map
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Boxed set edition of the Millennium Trilogy, the first volume of which, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, has been adapted as a major Hollywood film starring Daniel Craig to be released on the 26th December.
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Biography
Background
Stieg's grandfather, an inspiring role model
Stieg Larsson was born in Västerbotten in northern Sweden in 1954. At the time of his birth, his parents were too young and too poor to keep him, so he was raised by his grandparents in a small village in the north of Sweden. Stieg's grandfather, Severin Boström, became the male role model for the young Stieg. Severin was strongly anti-fascist (and during the Second World War he was imprisoned in the work camp in Storsien for his anti-Nazi opinions)*. Had he been Danish, he would no doubt have been placed in a German Concentration Camp. The fate of his grandfather deeply affected and shaped Stieg's character. He wanted to protect equal rights and fight for democracy and freedom of speech in order to prevent history, and what happened to his grand father, from repeating itself.
* Stieg's father, Erland Larsson, says to stieglarsson.com that nobody in the family can confirm the information about the camp.
Youth, left-wing movement and far travels
When Stieg was nine years old, his grandfather died and he moved to live with his parents and his younger brother. Stieg was given a typewriter for his 12th birthday, and he spent most nights of his youth staying up writing, keeping his family awake with the drumming sound. At 18 years of age he met Eva Gabrielsson at an anti-Vietnam War meeting in Umeå. Eva was to become his life long companion. With some short exceptions, mainly due to the fact that Stieg was sometimes too obsessed with his work, they lived together until Stiegs death the 9th November 2004. After his military service, Stieg travelled in Africa and has been described as "an early backpacker". He rarely had enough money on his travels, in an interview with Norra Västerbotten in 2006, his father describes how he had to work as a dishwasher and sell his clothes to afford a ticket home from Algeria.
Stieg Larsson was also interested in Science Fiction. Among other things was he the chairman of the Scandinavian science fiction society and published two magazines.
A life under constant threat
During the last 15 years of his life, he and his life companion Eva Gabrielsson lived under constant threat from right-wing violence. When a labor-union leader was murdered in his home by neo-Nazis in 1999, the police discovered photos of and information about the couple in the murderer's apartment. So it was not without reason that the couple took precautionary measures. They were never seen together outside the house, they moved mirrors in the hall and they always kept the blinds down. Those are just a few examples. Stieg was an expert in the area, and wrote a book of instructions on how journalists should respond to threats for the Swedish Union of Journalists ("Överleva Deadline", 2000).
Writing as a relaxation
The situation created a contrast between Stieg's work at Expo and his night-time novel writing. He regarded his writing of detective novels as relaxing. Keeping track of loose ends, characters and made up conspiracies posedno problem since it was, after all, fiction and no one would threaten either Eva or himself because of it.
I thought the books were special. I have read them over again and again I can,t get enough of them
- L. Morley, 6 April 2013
i hate those books! GO DIE IN A HOLE NOBODY LIKES YOU! I LOVE YOU!
- GARRE\T, 30 April 2013
sorry meant john books
- , 30 April 2013
thats a lie its really josh
- gerrett, 30 April 2013
thats a lie its really colton
- garrett gillfish bob, 30 April 2013
colton wants your body
NO way garrett wants your body
- colton garrett, 30 April 2013
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The novels and the Swedish trilogy are brilliant! Americans need to appreciate the art of fimmaking in other countries. There are many crime novelists from Scandinavia who are sperb story crafters as well. I also love the Danish TV crime series that deal with global issues and take place in multiple countries (Netflix). Most are much more interesting than Law and Order, etc.
- Dr. V., 31 Mars 2013
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I saw the Swedish movie, the American movie and I really hope that another movie is in the making of "The Girl Who Played With Fire" but it sounds like Roonie Mara is not going to make another film. Too bad, she was awesome in the part if Lizbeth Salander. I have read all three books of the Trilogy, three times! I am such a fan. I felt the same way about "Gone With The Wing" too.
- Micki Simonson, 18 februari 2013
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Wow I was totally mesmerised , what an excellent trilogy. Started with the films now I am reading the books. A shame the genius behind the story is no longer with us. Bless Stieg, you have written history.
- Antje B., 18 januari 2013
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Just finished reading the trilogy and now feel bereaved that there is no more. Who will take up the reins now?
- Pete cole, 14 januari 2013
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truly an enjoyable read.as karen says a real shame to lose such a gifted story-teller. most of what we find in north america is such tripe that i was shocked to learn that an author i enjoy so much left us early(i dont get out much).hope eva puts out that other book.
- craig holmes, 26 december 2012
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What a shame that such a gifted man was taken at such a young age. He was truly a genius. I hope Eva can manage to get the rest of the books out - they were riveting to the point of not wanting to finish the third book, knowing that could well be the end of the series.
- Karen, 21 december 2012
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I think Eva has that 4th copyright.
- teka, 14 december 2012
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What was Lizbeth's motorbike's Swedish license plate number?
- Chuck Blardone, 10 december 2012
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Older comments
ALEX by Pierre Lemaitre
‘It enthrals at every stage of its unpredictability. Grippingly original’
- The Times.
Never read anything from this genre before but WOW!!! Can't get enough of these fabulous books. Such detail, what research and in-depth knowledge, what page-turning fiction! I have felt compelled to find out more about this amazing writer. What a shame about his early death. My deepest sympathies to his life partner. About to start No 3..... go to go!!!
- Dawdling Daisy, 14 May 2013