Frid Ingulstad (born 4 September 1935)[1][2] is a Norwegian novelist, primarily of historical novels, many of them series. She has often been the best-selling author in Norway, and has published more than 200 books.

Life and career

Ingulstad was born in Oslo. She worked for Fred. Olsen Airtransport as a stenographer and then as a flight attendant, then on the Norwegian America Line ship Idefjord as a radio telegrapher,[3] before becoming a full-time writer in 1990. Her first book, Hva livet gir deg, Camilla, was published in 1965; a travel book had been previously rejected.[1]

She is best known for her novel series, in particular Sønnavind, a series of historical novels set among factory workers along the Akerselva; beginning in the early 20th century with the first book, published in 2005,[4] in 2020 the series reached 100 books with Velkommen hjem, set in 1959.[5] Other series by her are Kongsdøtrene (the first book of which, Ingegjerd, was her 140th book, in 2007),[6] Ildkorset, and Ingebjørg Olavsdatter.[7][8] She has also written children's books, both fiction and non-fiction, and a biography of Betzy Kjelsberg, Betzy. Fortellingen om en norsk foregangskvinne (2015).[2][9]

Ingulstad has frequently been the best-selling author in Norway,[7] for example in 2006, with 420,000 books.[8] As of August 2007 she had total sales of approximately 4 million books.[10] She published her 200th book (in the Sønnavind series) in 2013;[11] as of January 2020 the total was 243.[5]

She was repeatedly rejected for membership in the Norwegian Authors' Union, occasioning discussion about the organisation's definition of "literary worth".[8][10][12][13] At its foundation in 2018, she became a member of the initial board of directors of the rival organisation Forfatterforbundet.[14]

She published an autobiography, Min historie, in 2007.[10][15]

Honours

Mannemakt og mørkemakter won first prize in a contest by the publisher Dreijer.[8] Munken (1991) won a prize from Gyldendal and is possibly her best known book.[7]

She received the Oslo City art award in 2010[16] and the King's Medal of Merit in 2018.[17]

In 2017 the Riksmål Society awarded her its first personal prize.[4][18]

Personal life

Ingulstad married Arnulf Ingulstad, an engineer, in 1975. They have a son together, and two daughters from her first marriage.[3] They live in the house where she was born and raised, in the Kastellet section of Nordstrand, in Oslo.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Andrine Davidsen, "Gratulerer med dagen, Frid Ingulstad !", Nordstrands Blad, 4 September 2015 (in Norwegian).
  2. 1 2 "Frid Ingulstad", Store norske leksikon, 11 December 2019, retrieved 16 September 2020 (in Norwegian).
  3. 1 2 Simen V. Gonsholt, "Kioskvelteren", Dagbladet, 5 February 2007, updated 15 December 2016 (in Norwegian).
  4. 1 2 "Riksmålspriser og hilsen fra statsministeren", Riksmålsforbundet, 12 November 2017 (in Norwegian).
  5. 1 2 Leif Gjerland, "Oslo før: En sønnavind 'helt i hundre'", Aftenposten, 19 January 2020 (in Norwegian).
  6. ↑ Thorleif Andreassen, "Frid Ingulstad med sin 140. bok", Aftenposten, 6 January 2007 (in Norwegian).
  7. 1 2 3 Tom Egeland, "Norges mest leste runder 80", Den norske Forfatterforening, 1 September 2015 (in Norwegian).
  8. 1 2 3 4 Alexander Nyhagen, "Norges mestselgende forfatter har for liten litterær verdi: Nektes medlemskap i Forfatterforeningen", VG, 23 January 2007 (in Norwegian).
  9. ↑ Jan-erik Ebbestad Hansen, "Biografi i Betzy Kjelsbergs ånd", Aftenposten, 12 September 2015 (in Norwegian).
  10. 1 2 3 Steffen Aagedal and Mette Kamilla Skjong, "'Jeg opplevde mediekjøret som hysteri'", NRK, 21 August 2007 (in Norwegian).
  11. ↑ "200 bøker fra Frids hånd", Serieliv.no, 9 April 2013 (in Norwegian).
  12. ↑ Kaja Korsvold, "Avviser halvparten", Aftenposten, 22 April 2007, updated 19 October 2011 (in Norwegian).
  13. ↑ Hilde Bjørnskau, "Frid Ingulstad: 'Det er uvirkelig'", NRK, 3 October 2015 (in Norwegian).
  14. ↑ "Innspill til kulturmeldingen fra Forfatterforbundet", 13 August 2018 (in Norwegian).
  15. ↑ NTB, "Millionselgeren Frid Ingulstad med selvbiografi", Finansavisen, August 2007 (in Norwegian).
  16. ↑ Julie Messel, "Ble hedret av Oslo", Nettavisen, 6 May 2010 (in Norwegian).
  17. ↑ "Frid Ingulstad tildelt H.M. Kongens fortjenestemedalje", Bodøposten, 9 March 2018 (in Norwegian).
  18. ↑ "Riksmålsforbundets priser til Burkey og Ingulstad", Den norske Forfatterforening, 16 October 2017 (in Norwegian).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.