Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg Books In Order

Publication Order of League Of Pensioners Books

Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg is a Swedish author that writes satirical novels with social messages. Her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into many foreign languages.

+Biography

Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg came to international fame in 2013. But she was an established author long before that. Catharina started out as a diving archeologist and it was a career she loved and pursued for a long time.

She spent more than a decade diving to the depths of the world’s oceans, working to better understand mankind’s history. But she gave it all up to write fiction.

Catharina’s renown did not explode until she wrote ‘The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules’ in 2013, a quirky book that found an inviting audience in English-speaking nations when it was finally translated.

The book was designed to criticise the manner in which old people in Sweden were treated. Catharina remembers being angry at the decisions Sweden’s government made to cut the budget of the welfare system, a development that saw the elderly homes in the country get neglected.

Catharina believed that the old people of that time had worked so hard to bring about the social, economic and cultural transformations that had made Sweden such a great country that it was simply criminal to see them go unnoticed, slowly withering away in the poorest of conditions.

Their situation became especially unappealing to Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg when she realized that the prisoners in the country were treated far better than the old people in elderly homes, enjoying three meals a day, access to entertainment and exercise facilities.

It was in realizing that problem that the author decided to write ‘The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules’, a book designed to appeal to women and men of all ages and which followed the exploits of a group of old people who go on a crime spree in an attempt to get themselves incarcerated, the idea being to enjoying the benefits offered to prisoners.

Strangely enough, Catharina’s time as a marine archeologist came in handy when she was writing the book. Her diving work brought her into contact with all sorts of unique personalities and she used those encounters to create the unique characters in her stories.

Catharina admits to being frustrated by the fact that in the years since she wrote ‘The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules’, things in Sweden have not changed drastically. However, the author believes that her work has contributed to the overall conversation.

Catharina Ingelsman-Sundberg isn’t much of a planner when it comes to writing. She knows that most authors require plans to write and she understands the importance of drafting a synopsis and making an outline of one’s story.

And that is a process the author has experimented with on numerous occasions. However, as effective as the method can be, Catharina finds the approach rather boring. Whenever she outlines her stories, she loses the drive to write.

For the author, nothing is more exciting than sitting down to write when you have no idea what is going to happen. She accepts that it is foolishness to take such chances with a story, especially a long one and especially when there is a chance that you might change your mind on the direction of your story down the line.

But Catharina does not care. She doesn’t see much point in writing if she cannot have fun doing it. That being said, even with her pantser habits, Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg does extensive research for her books.

However, even then the author doesn’t really follow the rules because she takes no notes. The author tackles her books one scene at a time. And she does her research one scene at a time.

This allows her to put her stories on paper while the information she’s collected is still fresh in her mind. The approach also makes it unnecessary to take notes. The author does not allow her research to restrict her.

Rather, she uses it as a trigger for her imagination. Catharina is thankful for the fact that she can write anywhere. She doesn’t care how loud or quiet her environment gets. She can even write with music blaring in the background.

Though, when it comes to the editing and revision processes, Catharina will seek out quieter environments because she always makes an effort to read the words that she writes aloud during those processes.

The author is very particular about the words she uses and she never stops trying to improve the language.

+The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules
Martha Anderson is 79-years-old. Most people her age would happily settle into retirement, living a life free of activity. But the idea of spending the rest of her life in a care home, stuck in an armchair, waiting for death to take her does not appeal to Martha.

If anything, Martha wants excitement. She wants to escape her care home but she knows she needs money to do so. To finance her plans, Martha decides to rob a bank. She undertakes this mission in the company of the so-called League of Pensioners, her small crew of dedicated friends.

Together, the league breaks every rule. They won’t be bound by bedtime curfews. They won’t eat the poor plastic meals given to them at the care home. And nothing will stop them from escaping their neglected institution in favor of a far more attractive establishment.

+The Little Old Lady Who Struck Luck Again
Martha and her friends did what others thought impossible. They escaped their terrible care home in Sweden and took up residence in Las Vegas. Now they have the rest of their lives to do whatever they want whenever they want, and they have every intention of taking advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.

It isn’t long before they start courting trouble, coming up with a ploy that will see them overcome a casino’s security mechanism. Martha and her friends have tasted the luxuries of life and they have no intention of going back to their old care home.

To survive out in the harsh world, they will need even more money, which means even more daring robberies and money-making schemes.

3 Responses to “Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg”

1. Zandra O’Donnell: 11 months ago

   Richard Osman must have read the first two Little Old Lady books and got his idea for the Thursday Murder Club books from them as they are so reminiscent of the Little Old Lady characters who are so immediately engaging and lovable

   Reply
2. sharon d paisley: 11 months ago

   This is the best fun reading. I find myself laughing out loud. I have sent copies of these books to friends. I am following the series….. waiting for the next one.

   Reply
3. Lynne KIpling: 3 years ago

   I loved these stories. The little old lady and her friends remind me of myself and my friends, we aren’t doing illegal things, but we do anything we want when we want and have a lot of fun. All seniors should be like your characters

   Reply