Klaus Rifbjerg (born December 15 1931) is a Danish writer. He has written more than 120 novels, books and essays.

Biography

Rifbjerg was born in Copenhagen but grew up on the island of Amager in Øresund, on the east coast of Sjælland, the child of two teachers. Later he studied English and literature, in Copenhagen and for a year in the United States at Princeton University.

His breakthrough was in 1958 with the novel Den kroniske Uskyld. It was made into a film in 1985, directed by Edward Fleming. Since then he has published more than 100 novels as well as poetry and short story collections, plays, TV and radio plays, film scripts, children's books, and diaries.

Rifbjerg is also known as a journalist and critic. Along with Villy Sørensen, he was editor of the publication Vindrosen, and from 1984 to 1991 he was the literary director of Gyldendal.

Among other honors, he was awarded the Nordic Prize of the Swedish Academy (1999), The Nordic Council's Literature Prize, and the grand prize of the Danish Academy.

Works

• Under vejr med mig selv (1956)
• Efterkrig (1957)
• Den kroniske uskyld (1958)
• Konfrontation (1960)
• Operaelskeren (1966)
• Lonni og Karl (1968)
• Anna (jeg) Anna (1969)
• Lena Jørgensen Klintevej 4 2650 Hvidovre (1971)
• Tak for turen (1975)
• De hellige aber (1981); English translation Witness to the Future by Steven T. Murray (1987)
• Falsk forår (1984)
• Krigen (1991); English translation War by Steven T. Murray & Tiina Nunnally (1995)
• Nansen og Johansen (2002)

Many of his works have been translated into other languages. One of his principal themes is the portrayal of children and their difficulties establishing their own identity.