ASTRID LINDGREN is far and away Sweden's best-known author internationally. Her books have been translated into some ninety languages, and the cavalcade of memorable characters she created over the years - Pippi Longstocking and Karlsson-on-the-Roof, to name but two - have delighted generations of children around the world. In her homeland, however, Astrid Lindgren was more than just a much-loved writer. She was a cherished national icon, a public figure known for her conscience and integrity. In 2007, the 100th anniiversary of her birth was being celebrated all over the world.