kristina’s books

Moberg’s affair with Kristina Odelberg/Hedenblad was discovered through this collection of presentation copies. She was apparently of great importance to the author, who sent her these books, many of them with intimate inscriptions, between the years 1945 and 1969. No. 6 in this collection, the copy of Vår ofödde son (Our Unborn Son), a play which deals with an abortion, is the only book that has been subject to a book- binder’s care, suggesting that this book/theme was essential to Kristina. The inscription of the translator in the copy of the Danish edition of the same work (No. 15), which says ”this book, which is partly about you [...]”, makes it clear. Not much is known about this woman, but we know that she married an officer in Linköping in 1948, the same year as Moberg went to USA to start his research for The Emigrant Novels.

No serious attempt to write Moberg’s biography has been made since Magnus von Platen published the first part of his planned monograph Den( unge Vilhelm Moberg. En levnadsteckning, 1978), which follows Moberg into the 1930s. His relationship to Kristina throws new light on his literary works from the 1940s and onward and can not be neglected, should a definitive biography ever be written.

1. Inom Baggemosa ägogränser. Bygdehistorier av Ville i Momåla. Växjö, 1923. First edition. Contemporary half cloth, wrappers not preserved. Contents are partly stained. Written in pencil on the title: ”Carl Moberg / Moshult!” Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – en bok som är i behov av kärleksfullt bemötande – från Författaren / Som minne av den 22 juli 1954.” The inscription says that this is ”a book in need of a tender treatment [reception]” & ”as a memory of the 22nd of July 1954”.

2. De knyttede haender. Roman. Paa dansk ved E. Grünbaum. Köpenhamn, 1935. Original printed wrappers. The wrappers are a bit creased and chipped. First Danish edi- tion of De knutna händerna. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina, min älskade! Vilhelm” [”To Kristina, my beloved!”].

3. Kyskhet. Ett spel för teatern om den älskande människan i prolog och fem akter. Stockholm, 1937. Originalupplaga. Häftad. Dedikation: ”[Vilhelm Moberg]s [kyskhet] – vad som är kvar av den tillägnas härmed Kristina. / Vilhelm / d. 20/1 1947”. [Vilhelm Moberg’s chastity – what is left of it is hereby dedicated to Kristina”].

4. Långt från Landsvägen. Tredje upplagan. Stockholm, 1940. Original printed wrappers. Lacking the front wrapper. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – minne av den 18 april 1945 – från hennes Vilhelm (som råkar vara författare till denna bok) / ‘Raskens’ kommer!” [”To Kristina – memory of the 18th of April 1945 – from her Vilhelm (who happens to be the author of this book) / ‘Raskens’ is coming!”].

5. Raskens. En soldatfamiljs historia I-II. Elfte upplagan. Stockholm 1941. Two volumes in publisher’s linen. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med tillgivenhet från hennes Vilhelm” [”To Kristina with affection from her Vilhelm”].

6. Vår ofödde son. Skådespel i fyra akter. Stockholm, 1945. First edition. Red half leather, with reviews in a pocket at end of the volume. Front wrapper preserved. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med tacksamhet och all min tillgivenhet från Författaren / d. 28/6 1945.” [”To Kristina with gratitude and all my affection from the Author / the 28/6 1945”].

7. Raskens. En soldatfamiljs historia. I (of II). Stockholm, 1945. (Series: Romaner i folkupplaga). Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med tack för mycket – mycket! / Vilhelm / den 21 okt. 1945” [”To Kristina with thanks for a lot – a lot! / Vilhelm the 21st of October 1945”].

8. Rid i natt! Roman fra Värend 1650. Oversatt av Eli Krog. Oslo, 1945. Publisher’s boards with printed dustjacket. First Norwegian edition. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – min älskade – från förf.” [To Kristina – my beloved – from the author”]. 9. Kungl. Dramatiska Teaterns Studio: Spelåret 1945-46. Stockholm, 1945. Stapled wrappers. Folded once, and with some cornerfolds. A playbill from The Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, announcing Vår ofödde son, containing a short comment upon the play by Moberg on pp. 7. ”Sid. 7!” [”Page 7!”] written by Moberg on the front wrapper; inscribed on the referred page: “den 17/11 1945. Kristinas Program. En hälsning från författaren” [”the 17/11 1945. Kristina’s playbill. A greeting from the author”].

10. Gudens hustru. En hednisk kultkomedi i sju scener. Stockholm, 1946. First edition. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till min käraste / (särskilt tillägnas henne sidorna 118-121!) / Författaren / 18 oktober 1946”. [”To my dearest / (especially the pages 118-121 are dedicated to her!) / The Author / 18th of October 1946”].

11. Brudarnas källa. En legend om de bofasta. Stockholm, 1946. 5th thousand. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina, min älskade! / Förfat- taren. / ‘… hennes själ och kropp, allt svarade för att hon sade sanning till mig’ (sid. 113)”. [”To Kristina, my beloved! / The Author. / ‘… her mind and body, everything ensured me that she told me the truth’ (pp. 113)”].

12. Soldat med brutet gevär I-III. Stockholm, 1946. (Series: Romaner i folkupplaga). 3 volumes in original printed wrappers. The spines are a little worn. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina från tillgivne författaren / 13/4 1947” [”To Kristina from the affectionate Author”].

13. Sänkt sedebetyg I-II. Stockholm, 1946. (Series: Romaner i folkupplaga). 2 volumes in original printed wrappers. Inscribed in the first volume: ”Till Kristina, min förtrogna och älskade! / författaren.”[”To Kristina, my confidant and be- loved! / the author”]. Inscribed also in the second volume: ”Till min käraste! / Författaren” [To my dearest! / The Author”].

14. Rid i natt! Roman från Värend 1650. Illustrerad med trägravyrer av Harald Sallberg. Stockholm, 1947. (Series: Romaner i folkupplaga). Original printed wrappers. A short tear at lower front joint. Inscribed: ”Kristina – till minnet av den 2-3 juni 1947 – Författaren / ‘Du sjöng för mig om kärlek intill döden – än brusar i min själ din blå koral’ (Gullberg)”. [”Kristina – to the memory of the 2nd-3rd of June 1947 – The Author / ‘You sang to me of love unto death – still hums in my soul your blue choral” (Gull- berg)”].

15. Vor ufødte søn. Skuespil i fire Akter. Köpenhamn, 1947. Original printed wrappers. The spine is partly loose, a tear on the front wrapper. In- scribed by the translator Karl Erik Soya: ”Kaere Kristina! Denne bok, der til dels handler om dig, sendes dig til erindring – ikke om forfattaren, men om oversaettaren. / Din Carl Erik”. [”Dear Kristina! This book, which is partly about you, is sent to you as a memory – not of the author, but of the translator / Your Carl Erik”].

16. Utvandrarna. Stockholm, 1949. 10th-19th thousand. Publisher’s half linen. In a custom-made box. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina, min älskade, som lånat sitt namn åt den kvinnliga huvudpersonen i denna bok, med tacksamhet och kärlek från Författaren.” [”To Kristina, my beloved, who has lent her name to the female main character in this book, with gratitude and love from The Author”].

17. Den okända släkten. Stockholm, 1950. First edition. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med hjärtlig hälsning från tillgivne Författaren. / 24 april 1950” [”To Kristina with cordial greeting from the affectionate Author”].

18. Fallet Krukmakaregatan. De försvunna polispapperens gåta. Stockholm, 1951. First edition. Original printed wrappers. The cover is detached from spine. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – med kära hälsningar från tillgivne författaren / Grisslehamn 19 juni -51 / God Midsommar!” [To Kristina – with dear greetings from the affectionate author / Grisslehamn 19 juni -51 / Good Midsummer!”]. 19. The Emigrants. A Novel. Translated from the Swedish by Gustaf Lannestock. New York, 1951. First edition, first printing. Publisher’s cloth with printed dustjacket. The jacket is a bit chipped and has a long tear on the rear panel. Inscribed: ”To Kristina from the Author. August 20 – 1951.”

20. Invandrarna. Stockholm, 1952. First edition. Original printed wrappers. The cover is detached from spine, and has a teape-mended tear on the spine. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – hon som givit bokens kvinnliga huvudperson namn – med tack för mycket! / Författaren / den 8 maj 1953” [”To Kristina – she who has given name to the main female character in this book – with thanks for a lot! / The Author / the 8th of May 1953”].

21. Det gamla riket. Roman. Stockholm, 1953. First edition. Original printed wrappers. The spine is partly loose, a few ink stains on the wrappers, and a short tear at top front joint. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – boken, äntligen färdig, sänder jag dig med innerlig hälsning – Vilhelm” [To Kristina – the book, finally finished, is sent to you with a devout greeting – Vilhelm”].

22. Att övervaka överheten. Stockholm, 1953. First edition. Original printed wrappers. The spine is partly loose. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med önskan om en god pingsthelg 1953 från Vilhelm.” [To Kristina with wishes for a good Pentecost Weekend 1953 from Vilhelm.”]

23. Mårtensson, Sigvard: En bok om Vilhelm Moberg. En handledning till radioteaterns pjässerie spelåret 1953-1954. Stockholm, 1953. Original printed wrappers. The spine is a bit worn. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med hjärtli- gaste hälsningar från Bokens Ämne” [To Kristina with the most cordial greetings from The Book’s Subject”].

24. Lea och Rakel. Ett kvinnodrama. Stockholm, 1954. First edition. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina från hennes tillgivne Vilhelm” [”To Kristina from her affectionate Vilhelm”].

25. Nybyggarna. Stockholm, 1956. (Salesman’s dummy). Printed wrappers. An errata slip is mounted on the title leaf. Small loss at foot of spine, and a tear on the rear panel. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina – 5/3 [?] berättelsen om Kristina – fortsättningen kommer senare – från Vilhelm.” [”To Kristina – 5/3 [?] – the story of Kristina – to be continued – from Vilhelm.”]

26. Nybyggarna. Stockholm, 1956. First edition. Publisher’s half linen. Spine has a slight lean. Inscribed: ”To Kristina with warmest wishes from Vilhelm”.

27. Komplotterna. Affärerna Unman och Selling. Stockholm, 1956. First edition. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”To Kristina with warmest wishes from The Author. / 9/6 1956.”

28. Mårtensson, Sigvard: Vilhelm Moberg. En biografi. Stockholm, 1956. First edition. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med varmaste hälsning och önskan om God Jul / från bokens ämne.” [”To Kristina with the warmest wishes and hopes for a Merry Christmas / from this book’s subject.”]

29. Domaren. En tragisk komedi i sex scener. Stockholm, 1957. First edition. Original printed wrappers. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina med en innerlig julhälsning från hennes tillgivne Vilhelm” [”To Kristina with a heartfelt Christmas greeting from her affectionate Vilhelm”].

30. Mårtensson, Sigvard: Vilhelm Moberg. En bildbiografi. Stockholm, 1963. First edition. Publisher’s cloth with a bit chipped dustjacket. A picture book on Moberg. Inscribed: ”Till Kristina från Vilhelm / Bilderbokens Ämne. / d. 30/3 1969.” [”To Kristina from Vilhelm / the subject of the picture book. / the 30/3 1969.”]

31. Utvandrarna / Invandrarna / Nybyggarna / Sista brevet till Sverige. Stockholm, 1968. (Series: Delfinserien) 4 pocket volumes in a card slipcase Inscribed in the first volume: “den 29/3 1969. Till Kristina - hon som givit sitt namn åt den kvinnliga huvudpersonen i utvandrarromanen och till minnet med innerlig tillgivenhet från Författaren” [”the 29/3 1969. To Kristina – she who gave name to the female main character of the Emigrant Novel, and to the memory with devout affection from The Author”].

32. A Manuscript Letter 4 pp., to Kristina Hedenblad from ”Mother”. Dated 27/6 -60. In envelope.

33. Andersson & Ulvaeus: Kristina från Duvemåla. En svensk musikal byggd på Vilhelm Mobergs utvandrarepos. Malmö, 1995. Programme for the musical. Loosely inserted newspaper clippings, a postcard and stamps with motives from the musical.. Provenance: Kristina Odelberg.

34. A photography of Moberg from the military service, with the printed signature “Ville i Momåla”, and later inscribed by Moberg: “Till Kristina”.

Enclosed is a folder, containing newspaper cuttings found in the books, all of them marked with the book title from which they were taken.

The price of the collection is 250 000 SEK.