Astrid Lindgren
A Swedish author who gave children a subversive, red-haired heroine who challenged authority with joyous, superhuman strength.
1907–2002 (age 95)·Swedish children's writer·Birthday: November 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Astrid Lindgren's stories, born from tales told to her ailing daughter, revolutionized children's literature by placing unapologetic, free-spirited youth at their center. Before writing, she worked secretarial jobs and navigated the scandal of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy in 1920s Sweden. Her creation, Pippi Longstocking, with her mismatched socks and pet horse, was a deliberate rebuttal to obedient, moralizing tales. Pippi's anarchic independence and physical power spoke directly to a child's sense of justice and fantasy. Lindgren's vast output, from the mischievous Emil to the poignant Brothers Lionheart, combined deep empathy with unsentimental realism. Beyond her books, she became a formidable moral voice in Sweden, advocating for animal rights and children's welfare, her stories insisting that the young deserved respect, adventure, and a world where they could be both brave and kind.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Astrid was born in 1907, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Astrid Was Born
The biggest hits of 1907
Astrid's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1907Born
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Started school
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1920Became a teenager
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Could drive
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1925Could vote
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Turned 21
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Turned 30
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 40
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 50
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 60
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 70
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 80
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
2002Died at 95
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
Key Achievements
- Created Pippi Longstocking, one of the most influential and enduring characters in children's literature.
- Authored over 30 books that have sold more than 165 million copies worldwide.
- Received the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1958, the highest international recognition for a children's author.
- Her advocacy contributed significantly to Sweden's 1988 animal welfare reform, the 'Lex Lindgren'.
Did You Know?
She originally created Pippi Longstocking in the 1940s as a bedtime story for her daughter, Karin.
Before her literary fame, she worked as a secretary for Sweden's first national expert on criminal psychology.
She is the namesake of an asteroid, 3204 Lindgren.
Her manuscript for 'Pippi Longstocking' was rejected by one publisher before finding a home at Rabén & Sjögren.
“Give the children love, more love and still more love – and the common sense will come by itself.”
