Sara Lövestam – A Versatile Swedish Author and Language Expert

Sara Lövestam learned to read at the age of two and attempted writing by the time she was four. However, her literary career only took off at the age of 28 when, after several years of unsuccessful attempts, she signed her first contract for the novel Udda.

The word that best describes Sara Lövestam's work is versatile. She is a trained linguist, teaches Swedish, and spent 11 years working as an instructor for SFI (svenska för invandrare, Swedish for Immigrants). As an author, she writes historical novels, young adult fiction, romance, crime novels (including lättläst simplified versions), popular science books on grammar and the Swedish language, and children's books. She co-hosts the podcast Livet på lätt svenska, appears on television as a language expert, serves as a judge on the radio show Lantzkampen, writes articles on Swedish for Svenska Dagbladet, and conducts language courses.

Her literary output includes 30 books, all of which receive positive reviews regardless of their genre. While her work spans multiple categories, several recurring themes can be found in her writing: discovering one's identity, differences in human perspectives, and the relationship between the present and history. Her books have been translated into English, German, French, Danish, Norwegian, Arabic, Polish, and more.

Sara Lövestam calls herself a "grammar apostle" (grammatikapostel). She loves talking about the Swedish language through the various media she engages with. She has also written a guide for SFI and SVA (svenska som andraspråk, Swedish as a Second Language) teachers titled Grammatikundervisning – för sfi och sva. However, her most famous works on grammar are the popular science books in the Grejen med… (The Thing About…) series. All three books are available in our store. The series is highly praised both in Sweden and internationally, primarily for its combination of pedagogical excellence and the author's unique sense of humor. These qualities are also present in her other language-related titles. Riddar Kasus hjärta och andra sagor om grammatik is an illustrated collection of short fairy tales combined with grammar explanations, while Handbok för språkpoliser is a humorous guide for the "language police"—those who care about the correct use of Swedish and often point out the mistakes of those around them. Both books are available in our store.

Sara Lövestam has received multiple awards, mainly in Sweden and France. In 2009, she won the Bok-SM competition for the script of her novel Udda. For her crime novel Sanning med modifikation, she received the award for Best Debut from the Svenska Deckarakademin (Swedish Crime Writers' Academy) in 2015 and the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in France in 2017. In 2024, she was awarded the Tage Danielssonpriset in Linköping.

The simplified lättläst version of Sanning med modifikation was published under the title Flicka försvunnen, which is available for purchase on our website. This book is part of a four-part series about an Iranian immigrant named Kouplan, who fled his country to seek refuge in Sweden. Fearing capture and deportation by Swedish authorities, he must find a way to survive. He decides to try working as a private detective, leading to unexpected events.

Besides its crime elements, the Kouplan series sheds light on the real struggles and dangers faced by immigrants in Sweden. As the author herself states, while her protagonist is fictional, her years of teaching Swedish to immigrants have allowed her to reflect the experiences and traits of many real-life students in Kouplan’s character. The second book in the lättläst version of the series, Bedragaren, is also available in our store.