Henning Mankell

Henning Mankell was a well-known Swedish author, born on February 3, 1948, in Stockholm, Sweden. His parents divorced when he was just a year old, and he spent his childhood in the small Swedish town of Sveg with his father and elder sister. Mankell has often shared that his childhood in Sveg was one of the best times in his life, despite the absence of his mother and the occasional loneliness he experienced. This town later became the setting for his four-book series about the young character Joel.

Mankell was not only an accomplished author of crime fiction and children's books but also a left-wing political activist. He gained international recognition for his Inspector Wallander Mysteries series, which has been translated into over forty languages and adapted for film and television in numerous countries. The character of Kurt Wallander brought Mankell immense fame, making him a household name in the world of crime fiction.

In addition to his writing, Mankell spent much of his time working with AIDS charities in Africa. He was also the director of the Teatro Avenida in Maputo, Mozambique, where he divided his time between his homes in Sweden and Africa. In 2008, the University of St. Andrews recognized Mankell's significant contributions to literature and social conscience by awarding him an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. Mankell passed away in October 2015, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the world of literature and humanitarian work.