The Emigrants (novels)

Infobox Book |
name = The Emigrants
title_orig = Utvandrarna
translator = Gustaf Lannestock


image_caption =
author = Vilhelm Moberg
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Sweden
language = Swedish
genre = Historic drama
publisher = Bonniers (Swedish edition)
pub_date = 1949, 1952, 1956, 1959
english_pub_date = 1951, 1954, 1961, 1961
media_type = Print
pages = 1780 (in total, Swedish edition)
isbn =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

The Emigrants is the collective name of a four novel suite by the Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg:

*"The Emigrants" (1949)
*"Unto a Good Land" (1952)
*"The Settlers" (1956)
*"The Last Letter Home" (1959)

The Swedish titles are: "Utvandrarna", "Invandrarna", "Nybyggarna" and "Sista brevet till Sverige". All books have been translated to English. The novels are generally considered to be among the best pieces of Swedish literature.

Plot

:"For longer descriptions, see the individual pages of each novel."

The novel-series describes the long and strenuous journey for a group of people in Småland, Sweden as they emigrate to
Minnesota, United States, where they settle during the Swedish emigration to North America around the 1850s.

Recognition

The novels have to date been sold in nearly two million copies in Sweden and have been translated into more than twenty languages. [Moberg biography by JoAnn Hanson-Stone at the [http://www.utvandrarnashus.se/eng/ Swedish Emigrant Institute] .]

The reception was not all positive, though. At the time of their releases, the novels were criticised because of their use of profanity.

Honours

*The series was in a poll conducted by "Biblioteket i fokus" in 1997 voted as the best Swedish book of the 20th century by 27,000 people. [ [http://runeberg.org/admin/19971211.html Results of the poll] provided by Project Runeberg ]
*The series was in a poll conducted by Sveriges television in 1998 voted as the most important Swedish book of all time by 17,000 people. [ [http://runeberg.org/admin/19980525.html Results of the poll] provided by Projekt Runeberg ]

Adaptations

Two movies based on the books have been released:
*"The Emigrants", a 1971 adaption by Jan Troell, based on the first two novels.
*"The New Land", a 1972 sequel to the first film, based on the last two novels.

Additionally, a musical by former ABBA members Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, based on the four novels, was produced in the 90s: "Kristina från Duvemåla". It grew to become a great success in Sweden and abroad.

References

External links

* [http://www.vilhelmmoberg.com/english.html Vilhelm Moberg - The Greatest Swedish Author]