Margareta Ekström

Ekström was born in Stockholm in 1930, to Harald Ekström and Sigrid Lagervall. She was married to Carl-Eric Nordberg from 1954 to 1969. In the 1960s, she met the writer, Per Wästberg, and they had a long relationship together that eventually ended. With Wästberg, she had two children; Johanna Ekström, who is also a writer, and Jakob Wästberg, an entrepreneur. In 1996, Ekström suffered a debilitating stroke, and was unable to write, read, or speak, afterwards. She died in 2021.[2][3]

Ekström had a Bachelor's degree and was a literary critic for Expressen from 1961–1983, and a worked at Sydsvenskan from 1974–1982.[4] During her life, she held several positions in cultural institutions in Sweden, including membership of the Swedish Film Review Council (1960–1967), the Radio Board (1967–1970), as a board member of the Swedish Film Industry (1974–1977) and vice-chairperson of Svenska PEN (1968–1981). She was also a board member of the Swedish Institute (1979–1983) and member of the Bonniernämnden (1971–1985).[4]

She made her literary debut in 1960 with the short story collection Aftnar i S:t Petersburg.[5] in 1973, she wrote a book addressed to her daughter, titled Ord till Johanna (Words to Johanna).[3] in 1990, she published a collection of poetry titled Skärmar (Screens) to critical acclaim.[6] She notably translated several of Virginia Woolf's books into Swedish, including Orlando, and several stories.[7]

• 1964 – Albert Bonnier Scholarship Fund for Younger and Newer Writers
• 1970 - Literature Promotion Scholarship
• 1972 - Vi Magazine Literature Prize
• 1977 - Dobloug Prize
• 1989 – Gun and Olof Engqvist Scholarship
• 1993 - Golden Pen from the Gastronomic Academy
• 1997 - The Nine Winter Prize
• 1998 - Litteris et Artibus
• 2000 – Signe Ekblad-Eldh Prize