Controversy surrounding the legacy
Stieg Larsson spent 32 years of his life with the architect Eva Gabrielsson. However, they never married, maybe due to Stieg’s dangerous work at the Expo-foundation. They did not have any children, and Stieg left no written will, so according to Swedish law, Stieg’s estate was inherited by his father and brother. This sparked a dispute between Eva Gabrielsson and Stieg’s relatives. She claims that they “were never a part of our lives” and that they are not the right persons handling Stieg’s estate.
A fact complicating the matter is that Eva has the laptop with the partly finished script for the fourth book in the Millenium series. And she will not publish the script unless she is given the full rights to manage the novels in the Millenium series, the novels which she and Stieg worked with together. However, Stieg’s father and brother has not been willing to meet this amend, and this has resulted in a stalemate which has lasted the five years since Stieg’s death.
The most recent event took place when Stieg’s father and brother in an interview with a newspaper offered Eva a final settlement of € 2 million. She rejected the offer, saying that it is not the money she is after, but the legal rights to administrate the literary property of Stieg.
So the stalemate continues, and the final words have not been said.
I would like to know how Larsson died.
– RBSF,
I would like to know how Larsson died.
– RBSF,
Art should triumph over monetary considerations by the members of Stieg’s family, which have no rights to the unpublished book! A life-partner always shares more and so should also have legal right!
– Hannelore Ring,
The brother and father should defer to the life partner and they know it!! This man’s work is not a part of the father and brother’s lives, but an integral part of the life partner’s life. And if she has the fourth novel in any form, she should complete it once she has the sole rights sewn up.
– victoria thomas,
Good on you Eva girl!!
– P Levy,
The brother and father should defer to the life partner and they know it!! This man’s work is not a part of the father and brother’s lives, but an integral part of the life partner’s life. And if she has the fourth novel in any form, she should complete it once she has the sole rights sewn up.
– victoria thomas,
Good on you Eva girl!!
– P Levy,
let’s hope they will find a reasonable solution so that the audience of Larsson’s work will read his final words, someday soon!
– art.em.is.free@gmail.com,
Considering the 32 years of a devoted relationship, it seems that Eva should be ther one with control of the work, and the family should be the ones given the two million euros. For a country so forward-looking in many ways, this aspect of Swedish law seems medieval.
– Brita Goldsmith,
I only stumbled upon the name of this remarkable author while listening to CNN during a stay recently in France. The commentary so so positive that I had to purchase the trilogy and am about 1/3 of the way through the first story. I can see and already confirm all the positive commentaries ! It’s wonderful reading ! This has led me to look just a bit into the story of the author and the facts seems so very unfortunate and unnecessary ! If it’s all tru, shame on the blood relatives and only the best of wishes to his life partner. She appears to be holding true to what is fair and honest. Yu would like to think (and hope and pray during this holiday season) that justice and righteousness will find there way to those that stand firm !
i still can’t find the cause of larsson’s death..it is not important except to complete his biography..
i am waiting patiently to read his last book due in may..i am just one of many fans amongst my friends..
– maxine peterson,
Exactly!
You go girl-hold on and hold out!!! The father and brother may have rights legally, but morally, they should do the right thing.
– Anon. CA,
Do they have common law marriage in Sweden? After 7 years in the US they would be considered married.
– Kelly USA,
If there is no will the father and brother should inherit. If Steig had thought otherwise he would have written a will expressing how he wished his estate to be split, Two million Euro is a generous offer by Steig’s immediate family.
– male in a long term relationship,
Hey Maxine, if you are in U.S. go to alibris.com Not necessary to wait unti May – unless you want to. “…Hornet’s Nest,” is 600 pages and I’m trying to stretch it out so the experience will last.
– ML,
I was thinking that myself
– HH,
even the family doesn’t dispute their relationship ?????
– D Eltherington,
We all put things off, even when we’re not writing some of the best books ever written.
– Leslie Minnesota,
Good, Eva — stick to your guns. It is the principle of the thing: Just becomes someone has a legal right doesn’t mean it is the “right” thing to do. It is not a given that someone will write a will if they have an intent – lots of people do not want to face their afterlife, and are in denial. They do not put their heart’s wishes into words. It happens all the time. Laws do not include values, ethics, morals, principles, and intents of the parties involved. What “is” does not always equate to what “should be”.
– Diedre Amoufhaz, Legal and Ethics education,
So SAD! Too bad headstrong disputes are the spurge of furthering such great literary talent. Cheers to Eva for doing what she knows to be correct.
– Judy, Wisconsin,
Yes, Eva, clearly you spent your lives together. That should indicate Mr. Larssson’s choice, will or no.
– Betsy
I came late to discover Steig, and was more amazed at the parallel between the novels and his life. It is clear who he trusted above all, and Eva honors his memory by her continued fight to execute his literary interest. One cannot choose one’s family, and if his read his work they would know how appalling their resistance is.
I think this case should clearly come down to morals, after all it is evident in the trilogy that the author thought more of that than blood ties! He would want Eva to continue i’m sure of it. Eva can you publish it as yours, the fourth book? Can it not primarily be yours with information from a protected source
– gemspotgem,
to Eva, from a small village on the British Columbia coast, I send you my good wishes and hope that you are recognized as the true inheritor of your partner Stieg Larsson’s life works. He sounded like a magnificent human being. From Virginia
– Virginia,