The Swedish writer Selma Lagerlöf was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1909).
The SwedishAcademy awarded her the prize in appreciation of the lofty idealism, her vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterize her writings.
Lagerlöf is most widely known for her children’s book The Wonderful Adventures of Nils.
The book, intended as a geography primer for elementary schools, became a classic in children’s literature and was translated in several languages. You can click here for a comprehensive description of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, written by Elysa Faith Ng, an eleven year old child.
Although Pearl S. Buck was born in America, she spent the first forty years of her life living in China.
Her novel The Good Earth, which was instrumental in her winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938, was chosen as an Oprah book club selection.
Reading Pearl Buck’s writing feels like reading poetry to me. I just love the quiet rhythm of the words. They evoke the simple beauty of the characters and the harsh mystery of China’s ancient culture. —Oprah
Carol Balawyder 