Bert Diaries

Bert Diaries

Berts dagbok Bert och brorsorna Bert och Boysen Bert och bacillerna Berts första betraktelser Berts vidare betraktelser Berts ytterligare betraktelser Berts bravader Berts bekännelser Bert och badbrudarna Berts bekymmer Berts bryderier Berts befrielse Bert och beundrarinnorna Bert Babyface Berts bokslut
Author	Anders Jacobsson and Sören Olsson
Illustrator	Sonja Härdin
Cover artist	Sonja Härdin
Country	Sweden
Language	Swedish
Genre	diary novels
Publisher	Rabén & Sjögren
Published	1987–1999, 2005-

The author reading his book to a young audience

TheBert Diariesare a series ofnovelswritten in the form of adiary,by Swedish writersAnders Jacobsson and Sören Olsson.The main character is a Swedish teenager called Bert Ljung, living inÖreskoga,afictional towninSweden,in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first book came out in 1987. Bert and his friends also have a pop/rock band, theHeman Hunters.

ATV serieswas made in 1994, directed byTomas AlfredsonandSvante Kettner.It was followed by afeature filmin 1995, also directed by Alfredson. In late-July 2016 the filming of a new Bert film was announced.

Between 1993 and 2002, a comic book,FF med Bert,was publishedand between 1992 and 1999,comic albumswere published.

Main characters

Bert Ljung

Bert Ljung is the main character, the only son ofopticianFredrik Ljung andbus driverMadelene (née Olsson). Bert starts as a 12-year-oldchildin thespring term of the 5th gradebut later becomes a mischievousteenagerdiscovering his ownsexuality.From the bookBerts första betraktelser,the readers can learn that Bert Ljung was born on February 21, 1976, but there are a lot ofanachronisms,with the later books largely following afloating timeline.His family is also depicted in the books. InBerts bryderier,Bert tells the tale of his paternal great-grandfather Vladimir Livanov, who hailed fromSaint Petersburgand made glasses, before building a raft and paddling with his hands and ending up inGotland,where he married Beda (who dies on October 14 inBerts bravader). They had a son - Bert's paternal grandfather Stanislav Livanov, who after being teased for his name, changed his name at 18 to Sten Ljung. He married Märta Öberg, and they had two sons - Fredrik, and his younger brother Janne, who became a successful businessman inNew York City.Janne visits Bert and his family over Christmas inBerts ytterligare betraktelserand again inBerts befrielse,and Bert visits him in NYC with family inBerts vidare betraktelserand on his own inBert Babyface.His religious maternal grandmother Svea Olsson also makes a lot of appearances in the books. Bert plays the electric bass, sings and writes songs in the amateur rock bandHeman Hunters(changed toPopulation Station Groovy WYinBerts befrielseand after a mistake made with posters, to13 kor och en spann(13 Cows and a Bucket in Swedish) inBert och beundrarinnorna). He also plays soccer for the amateur teamÖreskoga-Kamraternas Idrottsförening,before quitting inBert och beundrarinnorna.Bert is also interested inmopeds,which in Sweden, one is allowed to drive at 15. He gets aCrescent Trampismoped inBerts bekännelser,before selling it inBerts befrielse.

Åke Nordin

Åke Nordin is Bert's best friend. His mother died in cancer when he was 7 years old. While Bert is interested in girls, Åke is more interested in science, carrying out dangerous experiments with chemicals on his little sister Doris. Åke is the Heman Hunters' electrician and overall technician.

Torleif Andersson

Torleif comes from a family depicted as "intellectual". Torleif likesclassical music,and plays the flute and the keyboards in the Heman Hunters. He moves toHelsingborgat in January inBerts bekännelser,but makes a brief return a few days later. Bert, Åke and Erik meet him again in Helsingborg inBerts bokslut.

Erik "Lill-Erik" Linstett

Lill-Erik is the weak guy. He plays the accordion or the drums in the Heman Hunters. Before his arrival fromSundsvall,rumors make everybody think he is the strong "Stor-Erik" or "Erik the Great" who is able to beat up Klimpen. He has a fear of girls, after he showed his penis to his cousin at 5 years old and she told him it looked like a worm. Despite that, he had been on dates in later books.

Rebecka Molin

Rebecka Molin is the first girl Bert is in love with, which occurs in the mid 5th grade when the book series start.

Nadja Nilsson

Nadja Nilsson is a girl born in the autumn inVärmland,and lives with her mother in a cottage. She plays theviolin.Her brothers areraggare(basicallygreasers). Bert falls in love with Nadja in May in the 5th grade, and they come together in June. On 1 March in the 6th grade, Bert breaks up with Nadja. They briefly get together again inBerts befrielse.

Paulina Hlinka

Paulina Hlinka is a girl from what was thenCzechoslovakia.When her cousin Pavel visits Sweden inBerts vidare betraktelser,Bert is scared that secret US agents will spot them, and prevent him visiting his uncle Janne in New York City due tothe poor relationship between the US and the USSR,as Czechoslovakia was a USSR-allied state. Bert is in love with Paulina from mid-late 6th grade to early 7th grade, before she leaves him forDödgrävarn( "gravedigger" in Swedish). Bert later bumps into her inBert och beundrarinnorna,but as he smells bad, she makes an excuse that she has to get to woodshop class.

Emilia Ridderfjell

Emilia Ridderfjell is a girl who Bert falls in love with in October in the7th grade.She's interested in horses and schools, and takes singing classes. Her parents are medical doctors. On 1 March in the8th grade,Emilia breaks up with Bert. While Emilia has been a classmate of Bert since starting the1st grade,Bert doesn't discover her until he falls in love with her, almost 6 and half year later. Before, she has just been a name on a paper, and a schooldesk in the classroom, except when Bert says "–Sorry" to her in the3rd gradefor accidentally smashing atable tennisball hitting herdental braces,knocking them out. InBerts bravader,Bert states that liking her is not without social risk (something Bert is always very keenly aware of), since most guys in his class consider her being a wimpish type for having good grades, fine manners and ironed clothes.

She also appears in the Bertcomics,where she has a quicker temper, and two cousins, one is namedLovisafromGothenburgwho Bert doesn't know when she arrives by train making Bert confused, and another cousin namedAntonia Ridderfjell.

Klas "Klimpen" Svensson

Klimpen is a stereotypical tough guy, who fights, and no one wants to be a friend with. His father has araggarecar. He moves toMotalaafter the 5th grade. He later briefly returns to Öreskoga inBerts bekymmer,this time soliciting religious donations. Bert, Åke and Erik encounter him inMjölbyinBerts bokslut.

List of books

Old version

• Berts dagbok(Bert's Diary) - 1987, new edition in 1993
• Bert och brorsorna(Bert and the Brothers) - 1995
• Bert och Boysen(Bert and the Boys) - 1996
• Bert och bacillerna(Bert and the Coodies) - 1997
• Berts första betraktelser(Bert's First Reflections) - 1990
• Berts vidare betraktelser(Bert's Further Reflections) - 1991
• Berts ytterligare betraktelser(Bert's Additional Reflections) - 1991
• Berts bravader(Bert's Exploits) - 1991
• Berts bekännelser(Bert's Confessions) - 1992
• Bert och badbrudarna(Bert and the Swim Chicks) - 1993
• Berts bekymmer(Bert's Worries) - 1994
• Berts bryderier(Bert's Embarrassments) - 1995
• Berts befrielse(Bert's Liberation) - 1996
• Bert och beundrarinnorna(Bert and the Admirers) - 1997
• Bert Babyface(Bert Babyface) - 1998
• Berts bokslut(Bert's Closure) - 1999

New version

• Bert och kalla kriget(Bert and the Cold War) - 2005
• Bert och Heman Hunters(Bert and the Heman Hunters) - 2006
• Bert + Samira = Sant?(Bert + Samira = True?) - 2007
• Bert Badbojen(Bert the bath boy) - 2008
• Bert och ryska invasionen(Bert and the Russian Invasion) - 2009
• Bert och datadejten(Bert and the Computer Date) - 2010
• Bert och friheten(Bert and Freedom) - 2011
• Bert får scenskräck(Bert gets stage fright) - 2012
• Bert och frestelsen(Bert and the temptation) - 2012
• Berts fejsbok(Bert's Facebook) - 2013
• Bert och skrynkliga tanten(Bert and the wrinkled lady) - 2014

External links

• De populära Bertböckerna!(in Swedish)