author
Barbra Ring
1870–1955
Best known for lively children’s books and sharp-eyed fiction, this Norwegian writer also built a wide-ranging career as a critic, memoirist, and journalist. Her stories about Peik became especially popular and helped make her a familiar name in early 20th-century Scandinavian literature.
1 Audiobook
Pikku Petra
by Barbra Ring
About the author
Born in Drammen, Norway, in 1870, Barbra Ring wrote across an impressive range of forms: novels, short stories, children’s books, memoirs, biographies, and criticism. She made her literary debut in 1904 with Babbens Dagbog, and later became widely read for her books for younger readers, especially the stories about Peik.
Alongside her fiction, she was an active literary and theatre critic and worked as a journalist for several Norwegian newspapers. That mix of creative writing and criticism gave her a strong presence in Norwegian literary life, and her writing was known for being accessible, observant, and full of energy.
Ring died in 1955, but her work still stands as part of a rich tradition of Norwegian writing for both children and adults. She is remembered not only for her storytelling, but also for the breadth of her career and the lively voice she brought to many different kinds of writing.