Lindgren doesn't experience the same privations as her European neighbours, of course; nevertheless the conflict is hugely formative for her, both psychologically and morally... Her appreciation of the individual cost of such large-scale suffering is striking Observer The diaries make for crisp, painful and perspective-refreshing reading Spectator It offers a remarkable portrait of domestic life in a country maintaining a fragile peace while war raged all around New Statesman Lindgren displays immense compassion for others, on both sides... The diaries often become deeply contemplative Financial Times "Laden with sadness and dismay," the diaries show everything from Lindgren's horror at the deportation of 1,000 Norwegian Jews to Poland - "it is diabolical!" - to her personal heartbreak after a marriage crisis Guardian Sensitive, wide-ranging and offer a rare Scandinavian perspective on the catastrophe of the Nazi war Wall Street Journal The war diaries are marked by fear, astonishment and empathy... breathtaking Die Welt Lindgren's diaries show a compassionate and curious woman trying to fathom the horrors of war through her writing, and leaving behind a wonderful insight into life during a global conflict The National A wonderful and, in place, heart-rending account of World War II, from a perspective not usually prioritised in historical retellings Elle Thinks (blog) A trove of a book, crammed with gem-like observations and truth The National magazine She compassionately, carefully and meticulously documents the horror which was spreading across Europe... these diaries... offer a unique insight into everyday life in Sweden in the shadow of war, and into Lindgren's thoughts on Nazi Germany Zeit The creator of Pippi Longstocking reveals her very personal take on WWII Gransnet A fascinating, engrossing, and wholly unique account of a young writer's attempts to make sense of World War II, from the local concerns of food rationing and the well-being of her children to the larger theatre of war unfolding in Europe, Africa, and Asia. -- Morten Hoi Jensen The newly published 1939-1945 diaries of the globally acclaimed children's book author offer fresh insights into war-time Sweden and into the life of the not-yet-famous Astrid Lindgren Radio Sweden A fascinating time-machine. "Then" becomes "now" -- Per Svensson Sydsvenska Dagbladet

Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) is the third most translated writer for children (after Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm), and her books have sold more than 160 million copies worldwide. She became famous in her country almost overnight, with the publication of the first Pippi Longstocking books in 1945, and was awarded numerous honours, including the Hans Christian Andersen medal and the Gold Medal of the Swedish Academy in 1971.