The Strindberg Reader

The author looks at the life of the playwright best known for the work Miss Julie, paying special attention to how real life inspired the ideas, premises and characters of his plays and other literary works.

The International Strindberg presents the latest research on the Swedish playwright August Strindberg and his relation to modern and contemporary literature and art. Strindberg's career spanned the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

"I'll tell you what, Ygberg, I believe one has to be very unscrupulous if one wants to get on in the world." That's how The Red Room could be summarised through one of its sentences. Through a number of cultural workers Strindberg asks the question of how life should be lived. As a young person, you can pretend to be an ardent idealist; as an older, somewhat sober person, you can come to realise that what you from the beginning thought to be idealistic may not really be. Through its straightforward language The Red Room (1879) is often called the first modern novel in Swedish. It constitutes a representation of Stockholm in the 1870s and is known for its depictions of the urban environment as well as its satire. The book is an attempt to stand by the lower classes by humorously attacking the hypocrisy of the higher classes. The Red Room was described as dirt by contemporary critics, but it was an immediate success. This edition of The Red Room constitutes the first novel in the cluster text style, which could be 20 percent better than ordinary texts, and is intended to function as a kind of survey for how we look at text, reading and book design. This book, in Swedish, was made as an entry for Svensk bokkonst, which every year rewards good examples of book design. The winners get to participate in Stiftung Buchkunt's Best Book Design from all over the World which in German is called Schönste Bücher aus aller Welt. This difference captures an important gap. Book design has long been about designing beautiful books. Now we'll see how Svensk bokkonst and possibly Stiftung Buchkunst see this. What do you think? Should we read cluster texts? You will get an answer to that question by reading this edition of The Red Room. PLEASE NOTE that the text in this book, i.e. cluster text, cannot be reflown and therefore needs to be read on tablets/screens at least 13 centimetres wide, which can handle line lengths of 95 characters (i.e. smaller screens are not suitable).

In 'August Strindberg, the Spirit of Revolt: Studies and Impressions' by L. Lind-af-Hageby, readers are taken on a journey through the life and works of one of Sweden's most renowned playwrights. The book delves into the thematic elements of Strindberg's works, exploring concepts of rebellion, individualism, and existential crisis. Lind-af-Hageby's writing style is both insightful and analytical, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of Strindberg's literary significance in the context of late 19th-century European literature. The book also includes critical interpretations of Strindberg's major plays, shedding light on the deeper meanings behind his often controversial work. L. Lind-af-Hageby, a respected literary scholar and critic, brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective to this study of August Strindberg. Her profound admiration for Strindberg's contributions to the literary canon serves as a driving force behind the book, offering readers a deeper appreciation for the playwright's revolutionary ideas and creative vision. Lind-af-Hageby's meticulous research and attention to detail make this book a valuable resource for both academic researchers and general readers interested in Scandinavian literature. I highly recommend 'August Strindberg, the Spirit of Revolt: Studies and Impressions' to anyone seeking a nuanced exploration of Strindberg's works and their enduring impact on modern literature. Lind-af-Hageby's comprehensive analysis offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of Strindberg's writing, making this book a must-read for literature enthusiasts and scholars alike.

August Strindberg (1849-1912) was one of the great innovators of modern drama as well as a novelist, poet, and master of the Swedish language. In this collection, Selected Poems of August Strindberg, editor and translator Lotta M. Lofgren has chosen poems from all three volumes of Strindberg's verse -- Poems in Verse and Prose, Sleepwalking Nights on Awake Days, and Word Play and Minor Art -- to illustrate to the English-speaking reader the development, strengths, and versatility of Strindberg the poet. Lofgren explains, "Although August Strindberg is internationally acknowledged as a pioneering realist, expressionist, and surrealist playwright, his poetry is still relatively unknown outside Sweden. The only English translation of [his] poems to date is the 1978 translation of Sleepwalking Nights by Arvid Paulson ... that gives an incomplete and misleading picture of Strindberg's poetry." Lofgren's translation seeks to correct that picture. Strindberg's stature as a dramatist alone may be adequate justification for offering a translation of his verse, but his poetry stands well on its own. All three volumes broke new ground and paved the way for younger generations of poets. Lofgren hopes that her translation will not only introduce Strindberg's verse to English-speaking readers but will also inspire other scholars to revisit his poetry and give it the attention it deserves. Selected Poems of August Strindberg received the American-Scandinavian Foundation's Translation Prize