Röda Rummet

Röda rummet is a novel by August Strindberg that was first published in 1879. A satire of Stockholm society, it has frequently been described as the first modern Swedish novel. While receiving mixed reviews in Sweden, it was acclaimed in Denmark, where Strindberg was hailed as a genius. The novel tells the story of Arvid Falk, a young idealistic civil servant, who leaves the drudgery of bureaucracy to become a journalist and author. As he explores various social activities-politics, publishing, theatre, philanthropy, and business-he finds more hypocrisy and political corruption than he thought possible. He takes refuge with a group of "bohemians", who meet in a red dining room in Berns Salonger.