When Carina Rydberg's "The highest caste" came out in 1997, it hit literary Sweden like a bomb.
The book's less flattering depictions of Carina herself and several famous Swedes created a scandal and Carina Rydberg soon became an obvious author name.
Unintentionally autobiographical
In addition to "The Highest Caste", she has also written "Kallare än Kargil", her debut novel from 1987, which, like "The Highest Caste", takes place in India.
Her latest book, "Den som vessar vargars tänder", came out in 2006 and since then she has devoted herself to writing plays.
Now comes her new novel "Vitt slödder", an autobiographical story about growing up, racism, class and family.
Carina Rydberg says that the book did not turn out as she had imagined:
- It was not the intention to return to the autobiography, she says.
It was intended as a short story but became a depiction of my upbringing.
Gossip, racism and fear
The book is about Carina Rydberg's traumatic family circumstances and how her feeling of never belonging to any group came about.
At school she was fearful.
- The school quickly turned out to be a dangerous place, she says, referring to events depicted in the new book.
Vitt slödder is also a story about racism and how it comes about among young people in the suburb Carina Rydberg grew up in. When asked what the title is about, she answers:
- The white scum are all racists, regardless of social class.
They are the ones who never grow up and continue to blame all their problems on someone else.
Writer's tip: Iron a lot
Carina Rydberg's previous autobiographical books have been about the time when they were written.
This book describes things that happened a long time ago.
She says it affected the content.
- Memory is a deceptive source, but I have not sifted but only written what came to me.
Then I iron.
I love to iron, my tip for aspiring writers is to iron!
See the full interview with Carina Rydberg in Babel, Sunday 28 August at 20.00 in SVT2 or in SVT Play.