Selma Lagerlöf, born in Värmland, Sweden in 1858, was a celebrated writer whose illustrious career earned her the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909. She passed away in her homeland in 1940. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (originally Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige) is one of her most renowned works, published in two parts in 1906 and 1907. Commissioned by the National Teachers Association in 1902 to create a geography reader for public schools, Lagerlöf dedicated three years to studying nature and immersing herself in the animal and bird life of Sweden. She skillfully wove together previously unpublished folklore and legends from various provinces into her enchanting narrative. (Summary by Lars Rolander and Wikipedia)