Maja Hagerman's book about canonized farmer's son Botvid praised in reader poll

The book is about Botvid, who lived and was canonized over 900 years ago, when Sweden became Christian.

"For me, it has been an adventure to discover how much can be found out about this rather ordinary farmer's son, who lived so incredibly long ago, and to examine the intricacies of how he became a saint," says author Maja Hagerman in a press release.

According to legend, Saint Botvid was a missionary in Södermanland, after being converted to Christianity in England. He is said to have been killed around 1120 with an axe by a slave he had freed. His remains are said to have later been taken to what is now Botkyrka.