Eva Mattsson grew up in Gävle. She graduated in 1966 and in the same year sat the exam at the school of journalism, studied languages and theatre, and worked as a language teacher, journalist, and welfare worker.
Her debut work Stanna mitt hjärta (SS) was published in 1979, and she subsequently published several short story collections, including Spröda röster, 1984, Groucho i grönt, 1987, and Blod på min vägg, 1988. Her consistent themes are in keeping with the period’s new literature of emancipation, oppression, protest, rebellion, and miracles. Her novel Für Elise, 1980, presents a pessimistic portrait of a middle-aged woman, while Jag ska göra natt till dag. En kärleksroman (N), 1982, approaches love as a malady. In Passepartout (N), 1993, the writer lets the female protagonist try different narrative strategies; however, she never succeeds in becoming the main character in her own narrative.
Additions by the editorial team 2011:
The above biography was first published in 1998. Since then, Eva Mattsson has published the autobiographical work Familjenotiser: vägsträckor, 1999, the short story collection Hundarna i Ask, 2000, and the novels Tala efter pipet, 2002, Den lilla pikéblusen, 2005, and Ostende: en släkthistoria, 2006.
