Stig Claesson

Claesson is the father of actor Leif Claesson. His son, artist Nils Claesson, published a revealing portrait of his father in the book Blåbärsmaskinen (The Blueberry Machine, 2009) which was much discussed in Sweden on its publication. Claesson died on 4 January 2008 in Stockholm.

• Name — Stig Claesson • Birth Name — John Stig Claesson • Born — 2 June 1928 • Birthplace — Huddinge, Sweden • Died — 4 January 2008 • Place of death — Stockholm, Sweden • Occupation — * Writer • visual artist • illustrator • Genre — * Journalism • fiction

Claesson debuted in his writing career in 1956, when he was 28 years of age. During his career Claesson published more than 80 books. A number of his books are based on travel abroad and move in the frontier between reporting and fiction. Among his best-known works include En vandring i solen (Walking in the Sun, 1976), which was made into a film with Gösta Ekman in the role of the main character. Claesson provided works about the remote and rural regions of Sweden and describe the conflict between the town and the country in books such as Vem älskar Yngve Frej (1968; Who Loves Yngve Frej), which was translated into 10 languages and was filmed for television in 1973 starring Allan Edwall. A stage adaption was created in the 1990s. His last book was God Natt Fröken Ann (Goodnight, Miss Ann), published in 2006. Stig Claesson's work has received many awards, such as the literature prize of the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet and the Selma Lagerlöf Prize. The University of Uppsala awarded him an honorary doctorate degree in 1974.

He died on 4 January 2008.

He also worked under the name Slas. The authorities additionally record the headings Slas, Stig John Claesson and John Stig Claesson.

Stig Claesson is recorded as writer, illustrator and screenwriter.