author
Edwin Björkman
1866–1951
A Swedish-born journalist, critic, and translator who helped bring Scandinavian literature to English-language readers in the United States. His career ranged from newspaper work and literary criticism to novels, essays, and translations of major Nordic writers.
1 Audiobook
The Soul of a Child
by Edwin Björkman
About the author
Born in Stockholm in 1866, Edwin August Björkman worked as a clerk, actor, and journalist before moving to the United States in the early 1890s. He went on to build a varied literary career as a newspaperman, author, critic, and translator, becoming especially known for introducing Scandinavian writing to English-speaking audiences.
Björkman translated and promoted a wide range of Nordic authors, including August Strindberg, and also wrote fiction, drama, essays, and cultural commentary of his own. His work reflects both his Swedish roots and his life in America, making him a notable bridge between Scandinavian and American literary culture.
Later in life he lived in North Carolina, where he died in 1951. Though not widely remembered today, he played a real part in shaping how Scandinavian literature reached American readers in the early twentieth century.