Frid Ingulstad (born 4 September 1935) [1] [2] is a Norwegian novelist, primarily of historical novels, many of them series. She has often been the best-selling author in Norway, and has published more than 200 books.
Ingulstad was born in Oslo. She worked for Fred. Olsen Airtransport as a stenographer and then as a flight attendant, then on the Norwegian America Line ship Idefjord as a radio telegrapher, [3] before becoming a full-time writer in 1990. Her first book, Hva livet gir deg, Camilla, was published in 1965; a travel book had been previously rejected. [1]
She is best known for her novel series, in particular Sønnavind, a series of historical novels set among factory workers along the Akerselva; beginning in the early 20th century with the first book, published in 2005, [4] in 2020 the series reached 100 books with Velkommen hjem, set in 1959. [5] Other series by her are Kongsdøtrene (the first book of which, Ingegjerd, was her 140th book, in 2007), [6] Ildkorset, and Ingebjørg Olavsdatter. [7] [8] She has also written children's books, both fiction and non-fiction, and a biography of Betzy Kjelsberg, Betzy. Fortellingen om en norsk foregangskvinne (2015). [2] [9]
Ingulstad has frequently been the best-selling author in Norway, [7] for example in 2006, with 420,000 books. [8] As of August 2007 [update] she had total sales of approximately 4 million books. [10] She published her 200th book (in the Sønnavind series) in 2013; [11] as of January 2020 [update] the total was 243. [5]
She was repeatedly rejected for membership in the Norwegian Authors' Union, occasioning discussion about the organisation's definition of "literary worth". [8] [10] [12] [13] At its foundation in 2018, she became a member of the initial board of directors of the rival organisation Forfatterforbundet . [14]
She published an autobiography, Min historie, in 2007. [10] [15]
Mannemakt og mørkemakter won first prize in a contest by the publisher Dreijer. [8] Munken (1991) won a prize from Gyldendal and is possibly her best known book. [7]
She received the Oslo City art award in 2010 [16] and the King's Medal of Merit in 2018. [17]
In 2017 the Riksmål Society awarded her its first personal prize. [4] [18]
Ingulstad married Arnulf Ingulstad, an engineer, in 1975. They have a son together, and two daughters from her first marriage. [3] They live in the house where she was born and raised, in the Kastellet section of Nordstrand, in Oslo. [1]
Frid Ingulstad (born 4 September 1935) [1] [2] is a Norwegian novelist, primarily of historical novels, many of them series. She has often been the best-selling author in Norway, and has published more than 200 books.
Ingulstad was born in Oslo. She worked for Fred. Olsen Airtransport as a stenographer and then as a flight attendant, then on the Norwegian America Line ship Idefjord as a radio telegrapher, [3] before becoming a full-time writer in 1990. Her first book, Hva livet gir deg, Camilla, was published in 1965; a travel book had been previously rejected. [1]
She is best known for her novel series, in particular Sønnavind, a series of historical novels set among factory workers along the Akerselva; beginning in the early 20th century with the first book, published in 2005, [4] in 2020 the series reached 100 books with Velkommen hjem, set in 1959. [5] Other series by her are Kongsdøtrene (the first book of which, Ingegjerd, was her 140th book, in 2007), [6] Ildkorset, and Ingebjørg Olavsdatter. [7] [8] She has also written children's books, both fiction and non-fiction, and a biography of Betzy Kjelsberg, Betzy. Fortellingen om en norsk foregangskvinne (2015). [2] [9]
Ingulstad has frequently been the best-selling author in Norway, [7] for example in 2006, with 420,000 books. [8] As of August 2007 [update] she had total sales of approximately 4 million books. [10] She published her 200th book (in the Sønnavind series) in 2013; [11] as of January 2020 [update] the total was 243. [5]
She was repeatedly rejected for membership in the Norwegian Authors' Union, occasioning discussion about the organisation's definition of "literary worth". [8] [10] [12] [13] At its foundation in 2018, she became a member of the initial board of directors of the rival organisation Forfatterforbundet . [14]
She published an autobiography, Min historie, in 2007. [10] [15]
Mannemakt og mørkemakter won first prize in a contest by the publisher Dreijer. [8] Munken (1991) won a prize from Gyldendal and is possibly her best known book. [7]
She received the Oslo City art award in 2010 [16] and the King's Medal of Merit in 2018. [17]
In 2017 the Riksmål Society awarded her its first personal prize. [4] [18]
Ingulstad married Arnulf Ingulstad, an engineer, in 1975. They have a son together, and two daughters from her first marriage. [3] They live in the house where she was born and raised, in the Kastellet section of Nordstrand, in Oslo. [1]