Leif GW Persson
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Leif Gustav Willy Persson (born 12 March 1945) is a Swedish
criminologist Criminology (from Latin , 'accusation', and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'', 'word, reason') is the interdisciplinary study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is a multidisciplinary field in both the behaviou ...
and novelist. Persson has four children, one of whom,
Malin Persson Giolito Anna Malin Ulrika Persson Giolito (born 25 September 1969 in Stockholm) is a Swedish author and lawyer. She is the daughter of novelist and criminologist, Leif G. W. Persson. Persson Giolito wrote the award-winning book '' Störst av allt'' (''Q ...
, is also a crime writer.


Early life

Leif Gustav Willy Persson was born on 12 March 1945 in
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
, Sweden to Gustav and Margit Persson. He attended the High School
Norra Real Norra Real ("Northern Real") is an upper-secondary school, located on Roslagsgatan 1 in Stockholm, Sweden. The school is the oldest upper-secondary school in Stockholm and one of the most difficult to get accepted into. A number of prominent re ...
.


Career

In 1977, while working at the
Swedish National Police Board The Swedish National Police Board (, RPS) was the central Government agencies in Sweden, administrative authority for the police in Sweden from 1 January 1965 to 1 January 2015, when the Swedish Police Authority was established. The Swedish police ...
, Persson was the
whistleblower Whistleblowing (also whistle-blowing or whistle blowing) is the activity of a person, often an employee, revealing information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe, unethical or ...
who worked with journalist Peter Bratt in the so-called Geijer Scandal when he confirmed a classified memo sent by then National Police Commissioner
Carl Persson Carl Johan Gunnar Persson (14 December 1919 – 6 November 2014) was a Sweden, Swedish jurist and politician. Persson served as the National Police Commissioner (Sweden), National Police Commissioner of the Swedish Police Authority from 1964 to ...
to Prime Minister
Olof Palme Sven Olof Joachim Palme (; ; 30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and 1982 to 1986. Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until as ...
about the alleged ties of the Minister of Justice,
Lennart Geijer Johan Lennart Geijer (14 September 1909 – 16 June 1999) was a Swedish politician and lawyer. He is mainly remembered for his role in the Geijer affair and for being the Minister for Justice who himself negotiated with the robbers and terrori ...
, to a
prostitution ring Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...
in Stockholm. Following this affair he was fired from the National Police Board. The string of events almost drove Persson to suicide, but he soon returned as lecturer at
Stockholm University Stockholm University (SU) () is a public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, social ...
. The prostitution ring affair inspired him to write his first novel, ''Grisfesten''. He returned to the National Police Board as a professor in 1992. Persson was a professor in
criminology Criminology (from Latin , 'accusation', and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'', 'word, reason') is the interdisciplinary study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is a multidisciplinary field in both the behaviou ...
at the Swedish National Police Board from 1992 to 2012. He is well known in Sweden for his
crime fiction Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professiona ...
novels and for his regular appearances as an expert commentator on notable crime cases on television and in newspapers. Between 1999 and 2009, he participated as an expert commentator on the
TV3 Channel 3 or TV 3 may refer to: Television *Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), a commercial television channel in Burkina Faso * Canal 3 Niger, a commercial television channel in Niger * Canal 3 (Guatemala), a commercial television channel in Guatemala * Can ...
television show ''
Efterlyst ''Efterlyst'' ("Wanted") is a Swedish television program, equivalent of ''America's Most Wanted ''America's Most Wanted'' (often abbreviated as ''AMW'') is an American television program whose first run was produced by 20th Television, and ...
'', which is primarily about wanted Swedish criminals. Between 2010 and 2018, he participated in the SVT television show '' Veckans Brott'' with
Camilla Kvartoft Camilla Kvartoft (born 6 March 1968) is a Swedish television presenter and journalist. She hosted the SVT crime show Veckans Brott between 2010–2018. Kvartoft was born in Hägersten Hägersten (''Heronstone'') is an Urban districts of Sweden ...
, which is primarily about unsolved Swedish criminal cases both recent and cold. In 2018, his move to SVT's competitor TV4 was widely published. At TV4, his new show ''Brottsjournalen'' (2018 - 2020) covered primarily recent and cold Swedish criminal cases that went unsolved together with
Jenny Strömstedt Jenny Kristina Östergren Strömstedt (; 2 August 1972) is a Swedish journalist, author and television host. She has worked on the TV4 television program ''Nyhetsmorgon'' and hosted ''Kalla Fakta'', ''Pangea.nu'', ''Svart eller Vitt'' and ''Dis ...
.


Media stardom and personality

In 1990, Persson together with
Jan Guillou Jan Oskar Sverre Lucien Henri Guillou (, ; born 17 January 1944) is a French-Swedish author and journalist. Guillou's fame in Sweden was established during his time as an investigative journalist, most notably in 1973 when he and co-reporter Pet ...
and Pär Lorentzon appeared in a SVT program ''Grabbarna på Fagerhult'', indulging in hunting, fishing, and other traditionally male leisure activities. As the 1990s went on, Leif GW Persson emerged as one of Sweden's most acclaimed media personalities, and his popularity continued to grow through the 2000s. Often referred to simply as "GW", he frequently appears on television, radio, and in other media as a commentator on crime and criminology. Among other things, he is a noted expert on the unsolved 1986
assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
of Swedish prime minister
Olof Palme Sven Olof Joachim Palme (; ; 30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and 1982 to 1986. Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until as ...
, and has been harshly critical of police and prosecutors. He also holds forth on other issues, including politics, literature, and wine, etc, and is well known for his great interest in hunting. He takes an irreverent attitude to authorities, regularly dismissing officials as incompetent or lazy. Persson's disheveled appearance, biting wit, and characteristic manner of speech, replete with mumbling and grunting, has made him a cult figure often lovingly parodied in the media. His extraordinary media stardom has in recent years been the theme of several journalistic investigations; at one point, Swedish public radio asked "How much Leif GW Persson can Sweden handle?". A self-described bacchanalian and an alcoholic, Persson has famously coped with his addiction by practicing a strict half-year regime since the late 1980s: denying himself alcohol (and other drugs) for six months, and then drinking heavily during the rest of the year. In 2018, at age 73, he announced that his failing health would prevent him from fully resuming alcohol use, lamenting that he would henceforth be "unrecognizable" for an entire year instead of the usual six sober months. Persson, who is overweight and has at times been very obese, has also struggled with his food intake. In the early 2000s, he was forced to abandon a habit of "food orgies" – regular bouts of extremely lavish, high-end gourmet dining and drinking – with his friend, the media mogul
Jan Stenbeck Jan Hugo Robert Arne Stenbeck (; 14 November 1942 – 19 August 2002) was a Swedish business leader, media pioneer, sailor and financier. He was head of Kinnevik Group from 1976 and founded among other things the companies Comviq, Invik & ...
, after his physician warned that his heart could not take another year of it. According to Persson, it was Stenbeck's refusal to cut back on the gourmandizing that led to his death in 2002.


Bibliography

* ''Grisfesten'' (1978; ''The Pig Party'') *'' Profitörerna ''(1979; ''The Profiteers'') * ''Hidden criminality: theoretical and methodological problems, empirical results'' (1980) * ''Min kompetens ''(1981; ''My Competence'') * ''Samhällsbärarna'' (1982; ''The Pillars of Society'') * ''
Mellan sommarens längtan och vinterns köld ''Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End'' (''Mellan sommarens längtan och vinterns köld'') is a novel by Leif G. W. Persson, published in 2002. Belonging to scandinavian noir genre, the novel switches through classic detective fiction, spy ...
'' (2002 – first volume in a trilogy that deals with Sweden in the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
era and events related to the yet unsolved 1986 murder of Swedish prime minister
Olof Palme Sven Olof Joachim Palme (; ; 30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and 1982 to 1986. Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until as ...
; ''Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End'', UK 2010, trans. Paul Norlen). * ''En annan tid, ett annat liv ''(2003 – second volume in the trilogy; ''Another Time, Another Life'', UK 2012, trans. Paul Norlen) * ''Linda - som i Lindamordet'' (2005 – Evert Bäckström book 1; ''Linda – as in the Linda Murder'', UK 2013, trans. Neil Smith) * ''Faller fritt som i en dröm'' (2007 – third volume in the trilogy; ''Falling Freely, as if in a Dream'', UK 2014, trans. Paul Norlen) * ''Den som dödar draken ''(2008 – Evert Bäckström book 2; ''He Who Kills the Dragon'', UK 2013, trans. Neil Smith) * ''Den döende detektiven'' (2010; ''The Dying Detective'') *'' Gustavs Grabb' (2011 – autobiography) * ''Den sanna historien om Pinocchios näsa'' (2013 – Evert Bäckström book 3; ''The Sword of Justice'') *'' Bombmakaren och hans kvinna ''(2015)


Evert Bäckström novels

So far, three of Persson's novels feature homicide detective Evert Bäckström. Bäckström is one of the most successful investigators within the police force; he displays excellent deductive skills. Bäckström appeared as a supporting character in the TV mini-series ''En pilgrims död'' and ''Den fjärde mannen''. (The main characters in these series were Jarnebring and Johansson.) In both of these series, Bäckström was played by
Claes Malmberg Claes Malmberg (real name ''Clas-Peder Malmberg'', born 8 April 1961 in Gothenburg, Sweden) is a Swedish actor and stand-up comedian. He has worked together with Anders Aldgård. He has appeared in theatre plays and in films and TV series. Ca ...
. An American TV Series was made in 2015 entitled '' Backstrom''. The show takes place in Portland, Oregon, USA instead of Sweden, and the character's first name is changed to Everett. However the character's actual personality remains more or less unchanged. Backstrom was played by
Rainn Wilson Rainn Percival Dietrich Wilson (born January 20, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, podcaster, producer, writer, and director. He starred as Dwight Schrute on NBC's American adaptation of ''The Office'' from 2005 to 2013, and received t ...
. The show was cancelled after one season. In a Swedish TV series, ''
Bäckström Bäckström and Backström are Swedish surnames, etymologically distinct from one another, and sometimes anglicized to Beckstrom or Backstrom. Bäckström means "creak stream". Backström means "downhill stream". Notable people with the name incl ...
'' (2020), the title role is played by
Kjell Bergqvist Kjell Bertil Leonard Bergqvist (born 23 February 1953) is a Swedish actor. Bergqvist finished the Royal Dramatic Training Academy in 1973 and made his debut in '' En enkel melodi'' and ''Jack''. He has since cooperated for many years with scr ...
. The first season of six episodes aired in 2020. The second season of six episodes aired in 2022. A third season, also of six episodes, broadcast in 2024.


Jarnebring and Johansson

Several of Persson's novels feature police officers Bo Jarnebring and Lars Martin Johansson, partners and best friends. In the film ''
Mannen från Mallorca Mannen () is a mountain in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The tall mountain is located just west of Horgheim, along the river Rauma in the Romsdalen valley. Mannen has a distinctive needle peak. The mountain's shape has b ...
'' (adapted from the novel ''Grisfesten'') Jarnebring is played by
Sven Wollter Sven Justus Fredrik Wollter (11 January 1934 – 10 November 2020) was a Swedish actor, writer, and political activist. Wollter is one of the most renowned Swedish actors, he was awarded Best Swedish actor twice. In his native country, he becam ...
, and Johansson by
Tomas von Brömssen Tomas Birger von Brömssen (born 8 May 1943) is a Swedish theatre, film, and television actor. von Brömssen was born in Örgryte and grew up in Gothenburg. His father, Birger von Brömssen, was a painter. He studied Scandinavian languages, inten ...
. Two TV mini-series featuring the characters were produced starring
Rolf Lassgård Rolf Holger Lassgård (born 29 March 1955) is a Swedish actor. He is known for his many roles in crime dramas. Life and career Lassgård was born in Östersund, Jämtland. A keen amateur ice hockey player in his youth, he also joined theatre tea ...
as Johansson and Per Svensson as Jarnebring: ''En pilgrims död'' (2013) and ''Den fjärde mannen'' (2014-15). (These two series also featured Persson's other character Evert Bäckström.) A third series ''Den döende detektiven'' was broadcast in 2018.


Anna Holt

Created by Persson, police detective Anna Holt has appeared in both Persson's novels, and in novels by fellow author
Jan Guillou Jan Oskar Sverre Lucien Henri Guillou (, ; born 17 January 1944) is a French-Swedish author and journalist. Guillou's fame in Sweden was established during his time as an investigative journalist, most notably in 1973 when he and co-reporter Pet ...
. Holt has also appeared in several television adaptations starring Petra Nielsen.


Notable adaptations

* ''Profitörerna'' (TV series, 1983) * ''Mannen från Mallorca'' (''
The Man from Majorca ''The Man from Majorca'' () is a 1984 Swedish crime thriller film directed by Bo Widerberg. It is based on the novel ''The Pig Party'' by Leif G. W. Persson. The film stars Sven Wollter and Tomas von Brömssen. The novel has big similarities with ...
'', film, 1984) * ''I lagens namn'' (''In the Name of the Law'', film, 1986) * ''En pilgrims död'' (''Death of a Pilgrim'', TV mini-series, 2013) * ''Den fjärde mannen'' (''The Fourth Man'', TV mini-series, 2014–15) * '' Backstrom'', (US TV series, 2015) * ''
Bäckström Bäckström and Backström are Swedish surnames, etymologically distinct from one another, and sometimes anglicized to Beckstrom or Backstrom. Bäckström means "creak stream". Backström means "downhill stream". Notable people with the name incl ...
'', (TV series, 2020-present)


Awards

Persson won the
Best Swedish Crime Novel Award The Best Swedish Crime Novel Award (''Bästa svenska kriminalroman'') is a literary prize awarded annually since 1982 by the Swedish Crime Writers' Academy. The winners of the award are listed below: Winners References {{Reflist External linksS ...
(''Bästa svenska kriminalroman''), for three of his novels: ''Samhällsbärarna'' in 1982, ''En annan tid, ett annat liv'' in 2003, and ''Den döende detektiven'' in 2010. This award is a literary prize awarded annually by the
Swedish Crime Writers' Academy The Swedish Crime Fiction Academy (Swedish: ''Svenska Deckarakademin''), is a Sweden, Swedish organization set up in 1971 to promote quality in Swedish detective fiction and crime fiction.
. He also received the 2011
Glass Key award The Glass Key award (, , , , ) is a literature award given annually to a crime novel by an author from the Nordic countries. The award, named after the novel The Glass Key by American crime writer Dashiell Hammett, is a real glass key given every ...
for ''Den döende detektiven'' (The Dying Detective); this award is a given annually to a crime novel by an author from the
Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; ) are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe, as well as the Arctic Ocean, Arctic and Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic oceans. It includes the sovereign states of Denm ...
and the 2011 Palle Rosenkrantz Prize, which is awarded by the ''Det danske Kriminalakademi'' for the best criminal literature translated into Danish.


References


External links

*
Leif G. W. Persson's blogThe Salomonsson Agency
{{DEFAULTSORT:Persson, Leif G.W. 1945 births Living people Writers from Stockholm Swedish criminologists Swedish crime fiction writers Nordic detective fiction writers Swedish whistleblowers Swedish social democrats Swedish people of Walloon descent