När barnet lagt sig
Hardcover in Swedish, 205 pages
Published by Norstedts on September 9, 2009

In this memoir, Michael details his life from the time of his adoption as a baby to tracking down his biological parents at age 30, discovering to his surprise that his mother was Swedish and his father Italian.

Upon learning he was adopted:

Someone or something had painted my whole world.
Everything was still in place.
But in a new, unknown color palette."

Michael went from not being allowed to talk about being adopted when growing up, to wanting to find his biological parents when he had his own children. In between, he played ice hockey in winter, football in summer, and at 17 was an exchange student in Omaha, Nebraska, in the USA.

Next came a fleeting attempt to study ballet, but he soon found out it was not his calling and dropped out. At age 19 he was accepted to the Swedish Academic School of Drama, and after working in theatre for many years, became a huge success in Swedish cinema in 2000.

"Moving and skilled. Michael Nyqvist writes as he acts."  ...Lars Linder, Dagens Nyheter

"He tells about a stripped and naked man named Michael, about grief and lack, but also about joy. "   ...Ann Heberlein, Sydsvenska Dagbladet

"A restless and intense depiction of the pursuit of belonging."  ...Sindre Hovdenakk, VG

Vancouver Observer review:
The book is a charming compilation of memories from his childhood and his experiences in theatre school at a young age. He recounts being mesmerized by the magic of theatre after performing a dramatic scene from Crime and Punishment, and getting some positive feedback from highly acclaimed actors.

Nyqvist was only a few years old when his parents told him he was adopted, and that his father was from Italy. Throughout the book, the reader gets to follow his tireless quest to find his biological parents. Nyqvist sends a touching letter to his mother beginning with: "I want to thank you for me being here...". When he finally meets his mother, she refuses to reveal any details about his father and they are not able to connect with each other on a deeper level.

Through meticulous and fearless research, he finally succeeds in finding his father in Florence, Italy, and to his surprise and joy, he is welcomed with open arms into his Latin family.

There is an under layer of sadness throughout the book, and even though he succeeds in finding his roots, the emotional turmoil of finding out he was dropped off at an orphanage as a newborn has left deep emotional scars.

Nyqvist pours his heart into his writing, much like he does with his acting, and the result is a beautifully written book that showcases his gentle, reflective personality. His writing also highlights his determination and willingness to go to great lengths to perform his craft, to find out where he came from and where his place is in the world.

När barnet har lagt seg
Hardcover in Norwegian, 191 pages
Published by Cappelen Damm in February 2010

Just After Dreaming
Paperback  - English version of När barnet lagt sig
Published by Murdoch Books (Australia) in September 2010

När barnet har lagt sig
Paperback - Danish version of När barnet lagt sig
Published by Nyt Nordisk Forlag on October 21, 2010

Dansa för oss  (Dance for us)
Swedish hardcover, 233 pages
Published by Forum in March 2013

On April 6, 2013, Michael visited the Academic Bookstore at Mäster Samuelsgatan in Stockholm. He discussed his book with publisher Adam Dahlin leading the conversation and answered questions. After the presentation, he signed books for the guests.

In this book he discusses his life beginning with his childhood in the 60's, continuing through his teens and his time as a theater student up to the celebrated actor he is today. He offers happy and moving moments in his life as well as thoughts about the choices he made.

"'Dance for us' is a well written book."   ... Swedish daily newspaper

"Write us more Nyqvist! 'Dance for us' should have been twice as thick."  ...Aftonbladet

"Nyqvist is a very good storyteller ... 'Dance for us' contains many stories that the reader will remember for a long time."  ...Femina

"Some stories are sad, another almost absurd ... But everything is worth reading."   ...Norran

"He is entertaining to read."   ...Dagbladet Sundsvall

"We follow Nyqvist of lightning illuminated life sequences from childhood to the present, with emphasis on the first tentative steps toward an artist. It is personal without being sentimental, well-written without being adapted."  ...BTJ

You can view photos related to Books & Dreams events from 2012-2013 at this link.

Gefallen aus allen Wolken (Fallen out of the Clouds)
German edition, 203 pages
Published by Plöttner Verlag on March 13, 2014

On April 24, 2014 Michael attended a book event in Leipzig. You can view the photos at this gallery link.

 

AUDIOBOOKS BY MICHAEL NYQVIST

2004: I morgon du by Lars Weiss

2009: När barnet lagt sig - autobiography

2010: Den vita lejoninnan by Henning Mankell

2013: Dansa för oss - autobiography