Jan Fridegård (born Johan Fridolf Johansson, (14 June 1897 – 8 September 1968), also known as Fride Johansson, was a Swedish writer of the proletarian school.
Fridegård grew up among in Uppland. He later held various jobs, including joining the Swedish cavalry, before publishing his first books in the early 1930s. He changed his name formally to Fridegård in 1930, having published works under the names Fride Johansson, Fride Johannesson and Johan Magerman before.
Fridegård's breakthrough was the socially critical, semi-autobiographical novel about Lars Hård, first published in three volumes 1935-1936 and later in a single volume. Controversial at the time, it provoked criticism from contemporary critics for its depiction of the immoral protagonist and Fridegård's straightforward writing style, but it has since been regarded as a classic in Swedish literature.
A prolific author, Fridegård later wrote several historical novels, including a trilogy of novels about the Viking Era in Sweden: Trägudars land (1940; translated 1989 as Land of Wooden Gods), Gryningsfolket (1944; translated 1990 as People of the Dawn) and Offerrök (trans. 1991 as Sacrificial Smoke), Lynda G. Adamson, World Historical Fiction: An Annotated Guide to Novels for Adults and Young Adults. Greenwood Publishing Group (p. 34), and books with spiritualism themes.
Bibliography
1931 – Den svarta lutan 1933 – 1935 – 1936 – Barmhärtighet 1936 – Tack för himlastegen 1937 – Offer 1938 – 1939 – Statister (bok)|Statister 1940 – 1941 – 1942 – Här är min hand 1944 – 1944 – Kvarnbudet 1947 – Fäderna:stenåldern 1948 – Johan From, Lars Hård och andra 1949 – 1950 – Kvinnoträdet 1951 – Lars Hård går vidare 1952 – Johan Vallareman och andra sagor 1952 – 1953 – Vägen heter smal 1954 – Sommarorgel 1955 – 1955 – Lyktgubbarna 1956 – Flyttfåglarna 1956 – From och Hård 1957 – Arvtagarna 1958 – En bland eder 1959 – Muren 1959 – Svensk soldat 1960 – Soldathustrun 1961 – Mot öster - soldat! 1962 – Soldatens kärlek 1963 – Hemkomsten 1963 – Den gåtfulla vägen 1964 – På oxens horn 1965 – Lättingen 1965 – Noveller 1966 – Det kortaste strået 1967 – Tre stigar
Posthumous releases 1968 – Hallonflickan 1971 – Den blå dragonen. Självbiografiska berättelser 1973 – Ängslyckan och andra berättelser
References