Harry Martinson (1904-1978)

Awarded the Prize “for writings that catch the dewdrop reflect the cosmos.”

Swedish novelist poet. Martinson was born at Jamshog, Sweden on May 6, 1904. He was left an orphan at an early age. His childhood was spent in different foster homes filled with hard work. He went to sea at the age of sixteen, spending six years of his life on board various ships as a workman in foreign ries. In 1929 he published his first book of poetry. He was elected to the Swedish Academy in 1949. In 1954 he received an honorary doctorate at the University of Goteborg. Martinson died in Stockholm on February 11, 1978.
Major Works:
Flowering Nettle (1935); The Road (1948); Aniara (1956); Three Knifes from Wei (1964)