Many interesting facts related to Scandinavian culture, tradition, and mentality make this region specific. The first similarity you will notice is related to their flags. Their colors are different, but they all contain the Nordic cross and their structures are identical. Learn about the 5 best contemporary Scandinavian writers you should read.
The most entertaining thing about Norway, Denmark, and Sweden is their language similarities. Officially, all these languages are different, but people can easily understand each other.
Because of that, the job of contemporary Scandinavian writers is much easier. They can dedicate their work to three different markets without any need to translate it into a foreign language. However, successful contemporary writers usually do not stop there. Contemporary literature is often translated to English, Spanish, and other languages.
A wide range of options can sometimes be tricky. That is the reason why you should know some of the best contemporary Scandinavian writers. You will make your free time more entertaining and get familiar with Scandinavian culture at the same time. Let’s go!
Fredrik Backman
Fredrik Backman is a Swedish contemporary writer that is popular in all parts of the world. He is the author of a New York Times bestselling book under the name A Man Called Ove. Some of his most popular books are also My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She Is Sorry, Us Against You, and others.
His latest book, Anxious People, is published in 2020. The storyline talks about a crime that never took place. The main characters are eight anxious people that meet each other and realize they have many things in common. Their wannabe robber friend disappears, and they are not sure whether organizing a robbery is a smart decision or not. All the characters have some secrets that make the book more entertaining and dramatic.
Arne Dahl
Are you a big fan of contemporary crime books? If the answer is “yes”, Swedish crime author Arne Dahl deserves your attention. His real name is Jan Arnald, and he released a couple of books under his real name. These books are “Maria Och Artur” and “Barbarer”. The first time he used his pen name was when publishing a series of crime novels about imaginary crime investigators under the name “The Intercrime Group”.
His last book, Hunted, was published last year. The storyline describes the life of two investigators that are trying to solve a murder. Thanks to imagination and creativity, Arne Dahl proved once again he is one of the best crime writers in Scandinavia.
However, this writer does not hide his bad habits. The creative methods he uses are not always healthy. For instance, Arne often refuses to sleep because has to finish a chapter. Future writers should not follow his example. Proper sleeping brings different benefits; it can improve their mood, focus, and concentration. All these advantages are important for writing creativity.
Naja Marie Aidt
Naja Marie Aidt confirms that creative writing can boost the mental health of a person. Readers will manage to find the origin of their emotions, practice mindfulness, and free their minds of all the negative thoughts.
Danish Naja Marie Aidt lost her son in 2015 in a horrible accident. That is the reason why Naja could not write for many years. However, she somehow realized that writing will help her move forward. Her book “If Death Has Taken Something From You, Give It Back” tells how her family and she managed to cope with the loss.
Nata Marie’s books all talk about a mix of happiness, beauty, horror, trauma, and other emotions. After some reading, you will probably find yourself crying. The author always knows to use the appropriate language to get under your skin.
Angela Baker, the creative writer, editor, and proofreader at GetGoodGrade considers Naja Marie Aidt her idol. “All the stories she writes are personal. She will know how to make you laugh and make you cry at the same time. Even if Naja’s book has 500 pages, you would want to read it more” – Angela said in one of her interviews.
Per Petterson
The Norwegian novelist started his journey in 1987 with a collection of short stories. After that, he released his famous books To Siberia (1996) and In the Wake (2002). The second book describes a young man who lost the family in the Scandinavian star ferry disaster. The book is probably based on the real-life of the writer as Petterson lost his parents and younger brother in a disaster as well.
His other book, Out Stealing Horses, talks about the 67-year-old man who decides to move to a peaceful area and start a quiet life. However, after some time, the old man meets his neighbor that wakes up his memories from the period after World War II. Petterson uses beautiful language to describe all the memories and tries to confirm how childhood events can change someone’s life forever.
The book got two rewards – the Bookseller’s Best Book of the Year Award and the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature. These rewards confirm the book deserves your attention.
Merethe Lindstrom
In 1983, 20-year-old Merethe Lindstrom released a collection of short stories and made her first steps in the writing industry. The first reward Merethe got was in 1996 for the book The Stone Collectors. However, that was only the beginning of her successful career.
In 2011, her book Days of the History of Silence won two rewards – Nordic Council’s Literary Prize and the Norwegian Critics’ Award. The storyline of the books describes the life of a couple Simon and Eva, the parents of three grown-up daughters, that spent most of their lives together. Yet, the family is not the only thing that keeps them together. They both have secrets from the past that could not be hidden anymore.
The book talks about nostalgia, silence, and different psychological dilemmas. Eva is a specific female character that even younger generations will admire. She is open-minded, independent, and educated (she is a former teacher). Her attitude and approach make the book even more interesting for reading.
5 Best Contemporary Scandinavian Writers You Should Read – Final Thought
Reading a book will relax you, improve your mood, and expand your vocabulary. You only need to find a genre of the book that will make your free time more entertaining. The writers from the list cover different topics and their writing styles are not the same. However, they will surely add a mix of emotions to your everyday routine. It is something we all need!
5 Best Contemporary Scandinavian Writers You Should Read, written exclusively for Daily Scandinavian by Dorian Martin. Dorian is a content writer and consultant for educational and technology blogs. Currently, he works with a Trustmypaper research paper writing service providing help to grad students.Throughout his career, he served as a writer and proofreader and worked with experienced copywriters and bloggers.