Robert Karjel

Karjel grew up in the small city of Örebro, the son of a Swedish mother, Solveig, and an Estonian father, Raivo. His father escaped Estonia as a child at the end of World War II. "Perhaps my mixed Swedish-Estonian background created a permanent inner tension," Karjel wrote in an author profile. "The almost mythic stories of heroism I heard growing up clashed with the dullness of the Swedish suburb where I lived."^[11]

In 1987, Karjel traveled to the Amazon jungle, where he lived with Swedish missionaries in a village dependent on the cocaine trade, material he used in his second book, Shadow of the River. In 1993, he appeared in the Swedish TV version of Fort Boyard (game show), in which he had to arm-wrestle a muscleman, do complex math under pressure, and dive into the ocean to retrieve a key.^[12] In 2000, he traveled with his 6-year-old daughter across Egypt's Great Sand Sea, doing research for his third book, Gospel of the Hanged.^[13] He has taken his younger daughter scuba diving in the Red Sea.^[14]

Karjel writes his first drafts by hand, in lined notebooks he can carry on military assignments.^[13]

In 2010, Karjel commanded a helicopter squadron on the ship HSwMS Carlskrona (P04), as part of the EU's Operation Atalanta fighting Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.^[15] He was interviewed during the mission in a BBC documentary film, The Trouble with Pirates.^[16] From 2011 to 2013, he directed an $800 million program for the Swedish Air Force, procuring Black Hawk helicopters for medivac operations in Afghanistan.^[15]

In 2005, he was a Copeland Fellow at Amherst College, where he wrote much of The Swede.^[17] In 2013, he held a writer's residency at Ledig House, Omi International Arts Center, upstate New York.^[13]

He lectures frequently on the topic of leadership under pressure. In February 2017, he was named Speaker of the Year in Sweden.^[18]

• The Swede^[19] (De redan döda, Wahlström & Widstrand, 2010), HarperCollins, 2015. In the German edition: Der Schwede. In the Polish edition: Szwed, który zniknał. In the Czech edition: Švéd. In Slovenian: Šved, ki je izginil. In the Dutch edition: De Zweed. In Greek: Ο Σουηδός. In Hebrew: השוודי. In the Italian edition: Lo Svedese.
• De hängdas evangelium (Gospel of the Hanged), Wahlström & Widstrand, 2005.
• Skuggan av floden (Shadow of the River), Wahlström & Widstrand, 1999.
• Gå över gränsen (Crossing the Border), Wahlström & Widstrand, 1997.
• "Ut ur Kabul" (Out of Kabul, 2023) is a thrilling and gripping novel inspired by the chaotic evacuation from Kabul during the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Drawing from his military background and experience in international operations, Karjel weaves in his understanding of global politics, security, and crisis management. The book immerses readers in the dangerous and intense events that unfolded in Kabul, while also exploring the moral and human challenges that arise in extreme circumstances.
• "Bli någon att räkna med" (Someone to Count On, 2024) is a personal and inspiring book that delves into what it takes to become a leader whom others can rely on, whether in everyday life or in high-pressure situations. Combining autobiographical stories with practical advice, Karjel offers insights on overcoming obstacles and becoming the kind of leader people trust. He highlights the importance of self-leadership and how we can influence others through our actions, whether we are leading in the workplace, within the family, or in other settings.

• Official website
• The Trouble with Pirates at IMDb
• Robert Karjel interviewed, "Homeland + Girl With the Dragon Tattoo =". Speakeasy - Wall Street Journal.