Swedish translator, writer, and teacher (1931–2019)
"Bylock" redirects here. For the application, see ByLock.
Maj Bylock, 2005
Maj Bylock (21 March 1931 – 18 August 2019) was a Swedish children's writer, translator, and teacher. Her works have been translated into Danish, English, Finnish, Faroese, Dutch, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Sami, Turkish, and German. She is the recipient of the Litteris et Artibus medal among other awards.
Biography
Maj Kerstin Andersson[1] was born in Visby, on the Swedish island of Gotland,[2] on 21 March 1931. At the age of 12, the family moved to Värmland where she stayed. She completed her studies to be a primary school teacher, and then worked in that profession until 1961.[3]
The first books she wrote were textbooks in history and religion, when she, as a teacher, found that there were no good books for children in these subjects. Over the years, she also wrote books for children and young people as well as adults. Her authorship has a clear historical mark.[3] In 2010, her contribution to improving children's education was the subject of Mary Ingemansson's thesis The Historical Novel and Historical Consciousness in ten- to twelve-year-olds - Maj Bylocks.[4] She is translated into Danish, English, Finnish, Faroese, Dutch, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Sami, Turkish, and German. Bylock also contributed a hymn, No. 524, Är dagen fylld av oro och bekymmer, in the Swedish hymn book, music by Anfinn Øien. Her award-winning Solstenen, became a musical. In later years, in addition to her own writing, Bylock recounted a number of notable classics in world literature. The intention was to make them accessible to a greater number of readers and to contribute to a rich, international cultural heritage being passed on.[5] Bylock was awarded the Astrid Lindgren Prize in 1990. She received an honorary doctor from Karlstad University in 2006.[6]
Bylock died in Karlstad on 18 August 2019.[7][5] She is buried at Nyed's cemetery.[8]
Awards and honors
Maj Bylock, 2008
1967 - Swedish State Cultural Scholarship
1969 - Karlstad City Culture Scholarship to Gustaf Frödings Minne
1969 - 1st prize in Bonniers et al. foreign publisher's competition for the best children's book for Äventyret med grodan
1972 - 2nd prize in the Vecko-Journalen competition The new short story for the novel Honda
1980 - 1st prize in Harrier's novel prize competition for De sjunkna skeppens vik
1981 - Swedish Writers Fund Work Scholarship
1983 - Swedish Writers Fund Work Scholarship, two-year
1983 - 1st prize in Rabén & Sjögren's jubilee prize competition for Solstenen
1986 - Swedish Writer's Fund premium
1987 - 1st prize in Bonnier's jubilee prize for Karusell och kärleksbrev
1988 - 96 - The Swedish Writers' Fund's guaranteed author's allowance
1985 - The Swedish Writers' Association's and the Swedish Journalist's Association's scholarship
1990 - Astrid Lindgren Prize
1999 - County Council of Värmlands Frödings scholarship
