Agneta Pleijel first established herself on the cultural scene as a critic at such daily newspapers as Göteborgs Handels-och Sjöfartstidning and Kvällsposten, as editor of the literary publication Ord och Bild, and most important, as the chief cultural editor of the then influential leftist evening paper Aftonbladet. More recently she has held the position of professor of drama at the Dramatic Institute in Stockholm from 1992 to 1996. She has also been chairman of the Swedish chapter of PEN. In light of such a long and distinguished career, Pleijel's challenge as a writer of fiction has in part been to develop a literary voice distinct from her critical writings. Her endeavors have resulted in some of the most interesting fiction to appear in contemporary Sweden. Pleijel's playwrighting and, above all, her prizewinning work as a novelist have made her one of Sweden's most respected...