Gabriela Melinescu was born August 16, 1942, in Bucharest. After graduating from the University of Philology in Bucharest, she began working as editor of the magazines Femeia (Woman) and Luceafarul. Between 1965 and 1975 she published the following volumes of poetry: Winter Ceremony (EPL, 1965), Abstract Beings (Ed.
Tineretului, 1967), Inside the Law (EPL, 1968), Divine Origin Illness (Ed. Albatros, 1970), Vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience (Ed. Eminescu, 1972; winner of the Writer's Union Prize), World Murmur (Ed. Albatros, 1972), and Against the Loved One (Ed. Eminescu, 1975). She also published a volume of prose, Bobinocarii (EPL, 1969); a children's book, The Mast with Two Ships (Ed. Tineteretului, 1969); and a book of journalism, Life Demands Life (together with Sanziana Pop, Ed. Eminescu, 1975). In 1975 she moved to Sweden, where she has published five volumes of poetry and nine volumes of prose, including The God of Fecundity (Coeckelberghs Forlag, 1981); Light toward Light (Albert Bonniers Forlag, 1993); Patience's Children (Coeckelberghs Forlag, 1979); The Wolves Climb to the Skies (Coeckelberghs Forlag, 1982); Queen of the Street (Coeckelberghs Forlag, 1988); Birdman (Eva Bonniers Forlag, 1991; winner of the Swedish Academy Prize "De Nio"); Change of Feathers (Albert Bonniers Forlag, 1998); and At Home in a Foreign Land (Albert Bonniers Forlag, 2003; winner of the Swedish Academy Prize "De Nio"). In 2002 she received The Albert Bonniers Prize for "opera omnia." After 1989 she is again published in Romania, where all her previous works see above are now availablepublished in Romanian. She also publishes SWEDISH JOURNAL 1 & 2 (Ed Univers & Ed Polirom)
In 2002 she received the Nichita Stanescu prize from the Romanian Academy, and in 2004 she received the noted Institute of Romanian Culture prize for life achievement.
Gabriela Melinescu is also a noted translator of, among others, Swedenborg, Strindberg, and the contemporary writers Brigitta Trotzig and Goran Sonevi.
