Selma Lagerlöf was born in Mårbacka, in the province of Värmland in southern Sweden. Her father was a retired army officer, and Lagerlöf was tutored at home. She grew up largery under the care of her paternal grandmother, who inspired the child's imagination with fairy tales and legends.

Lagerlöf studied at the Royal Women's Superior Training Academy in Stockholm, graduating as a teacher in 1882. She worked then at a girl's school at Landskrona, and began writing a novel. The first chapters Lagerlöf sent to a literary contest, sponsored by the magazine Idun. Lagerlöf was awarded and she was also offered publishing contract for the whole book.

Supported financially by her friend Baroness Sophie Aldesparre, Lagerlöf wrote her first novel, GÖSTA BERLINGS SAGA (The Story of Gösta Berling), which appeared in 1891, and became part of the Swedish Romantic revival of the 1890s. Her next novel, ONSLIGA LÄNKAR (Invisible Links), was published in 1894. That year she also met writer Sophie Elkan, who became her lifelong companion.

With a fellowship granted by King Oscar and financial assistence from the Swedish Academy, Lagerlöf devoted herself entirely to writing. After travels in Italy and Sicily with Elkin, Lagerlöf published ANTIKRISTS MIRAKLER (The Miracles of Antichrists), a socialist novel about Sicily. A journey to Egypt and Palestine (1899-1900) inspired JERUSALEM: I DALARNE (1901) and JERUSALEM: I DET HELIGA LANDET (1902), which established her fame as the foremost Swedish novelist.

In 1904 Lagerlöf bought back Mårbacka, her childhood home. It was sold in the 1880s, when her father died and money was needed to settle his debts. Lagerlöf's most popular children's book, NILS HOLGERSSONS UNDERBARA RESA GENOM SWERIGE (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils), appeared in 1906.

In the 1920s Lagerlöf devoted much time to women's causes. She wrote short stories, Värmland trilogy: LÖWENSKÖLDSKA RINGEN (1925), CHARLOTTE LÖWENSKÖLD (1925), ANNA SVÅRD (1928), and a biograph of Finnish author Zachris Topelius. Her autobiography, which included several volumes, became very popular in the 1930s.

As World War II approached, Lagerlöf helped German intellectuals and artist escape Nazi persecution. When Finland fought against the Soviet Army during the Winter War, Lagerlöf donated her gold Nobel Prize medal to a collection in aid of Finland. She died at her home on March 16, 1940.

Selma Lagerlöf Award: 100 000 Swedish crowns, winners among others writers Göran Palm, Göran Tunström, Kerstin Ekman, Stig Claesson, Sven Delblanc, Georg Henrik von Wright

Selected bibliography:

• GÖSTA BERLINGS SAGA, 2 vol., 1891 - THE STORY OF GÖSTA BERLING film 1924, dir. by Mauritz Stiller, starring Greta Garbo
• OSYNLIGA TANKAR - INVISIBLE LINKS, 1984
• ANTIKRISTS MIRAKLER - MIRACLES OF ANTICHRIST, 1897
• EN HERRGÅRDSSÄNGEN - TALES OF A MANOR, 1899
• DROTTNINGAR I KUNGAHÄLLA, 1899
• JERUSALEM, 2 vol., 1901-02 - Jerusalem - film 1995, dir. by Bille August, also basis for three-part television film
• HERR ARNES PENNINGAR, 1904 - HERR ARNE'S HOARD - Arne-herran rahat - film 1919, dir. by Mauritz Stiller
• KRISTUSLEGENDER, 1904 - CHRIST LEGENDS
• NILS HOLGERSSONS UNDERBARA RESA GENOM SVERIGE 1-2, 1906-1907 - THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF NILS film 1962, dir. by Kenne Fant
• TÖSEN FRÅN STORMYRTORPET, 1907 - THE GIRL FROM THE MARSH CROFT - film 1017, dir. by Victor Sjöström; film Das Mädchen von Moorhof, dir. by Detlef ; Sierck/Douglas Sirk; film 1940, dir. by T.J. Särkkä; film 1947, dir. by Gustaf Molander: film 1947, dir. by Gustaf Edgren
• EN SAGA OM EN SAGA, 1908
• LILJECRONAS HEM, 1911
• KÖRKARLEN, 1912 film 1920, dir. by Victor Sjöström; film La charrette fantôme, dir. by Julien Duvivier
• KEJSAREN AV PORTUGALLIEN, 1914 - THE EMPEROR OF PORTUGALLIA film The Tower of Lies, dir. by Victor Sjöström; film 1944, dir. by Gustaf Molander
• TROLL OCH MÄNNISKOR 1-2, 1915-21
• BANNLYST, 1918 - THE OUTCAST
• ZACHRIS TOPELIUS, 1920
• MÅRBACKA, 1922
• LÖWENSKOLDSKA RINGEN, 1925 - THE RING OF LÖVENSKÖLDS
• CHARLOTTE LÖWENSKÖLD, 1925 film 1930, dir. by Gustaf Molander
• ANNA SWÄRD, 1928 - Anna Swärd,
• ETT BARNS MEMOARER - MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD, 1930
• DAGBOK FÖR SELMA LAGERLÖF, 1932 - THE DIARY OF SELMA LAGERLÖV
• HÖST, 1932 - HARVETS
• SKRIFTER 1-12, 1933
• FRÅN SKILDA TIDAR, 1943-45