Astrid Lindgren books fund political extremists
Sweden's extreme right wing National Democrat party has outraged the family of Astrid Lindgren by selling books penned by the popular children's writer on its website.
The party said on its website that it had decided to sell the books so that "even more people get to enjoy our national literature and take pride in our people and fatherland."
But the party's ploy has angered Annika Lindgren at Saltkråkan AB, a company run by the children and grandchildren of Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) that holds the copyright to works by the author best known internationally for the creation of the fiercely independent Pippi Longstocking.
"This is so stupid. They must lack any knowledge of what Astrid Lindgren stood for throughout her whole life," she told the newspaper Metro.
Annika Lindgren said her company had previously tried unsuccessfully to block the National Democrats from selling the books.
Rabén & Sjögren, the company responsible for publishing Astrid Lindgren's books in Sweden, said it too was aware of the National Democrats' online store.
"The don't purchase the books from us and we don't know how they got them, but it is our view that they most likely buy them in regular book stores. It's a link that's impossible for us to control," said company spokesperson Jessica Bab Bonde.
"We would never help them to earn money by offering them discounts, as we do with major customers. It's a real pity to be associated with a non-democratic organization. But at the same time we think it's important that the books reach all children, regardless of what kind of parents they have," she added.
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The party said on its website that it had decided to sell the books so that "even more people get to enjoy our national literature and take pride in our people and fatherland."
But the party's ploy has angered Annika Lindgren at Saltkråkan AB, a company run by the children and grandchildren of Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) that holds the copyright to works by the author best known internationally for the creation of the fiercely independent Pippi Longstocking.
"This is so stupid. They must lack any knowledge of what Astrid Lindgren stood for throughout her whole life," she told the newspaper Metro.
Annika Lindgren said her company had previously tried unsuccessfully to block the National Democrats from selling the books.
Rabén & Sjögren, the company responsible for publishing Astrid Lindgren's books in Sweden, said it too was aware of the National Democrats' online store.
"The don't purchase the books from us and we don't know how they got them, but it is our view that they most likely buy them in regular book stores. It's a link that's impossible for us to control," said company spokesperson Jessica Bab Bonde.
"We would never help them to earn money by offering them discounts, as we do with major customers. It's a real pity to be associated with a non-democratic organization. But at the same time we think it's important that the books reach all children, regardless of what kind of parents they have," she added.
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