Martin Birck's youth (Martin Bircks ungdom) - Hjalmar Söderberg

Art. no. 216584041 24 Apr 2025

Martin Birck's Youth (1901) is a short novel by Hjalmar Söderberg that depicts the development of a young man in Stockholm at the end of the 19th century. The work consists of three parts describing Martin Birck's childhood, youth and early middle age.

In Martin Birck's Youth, the reader follows the main character Martin Birck through his childhood in a middle-class family in Stockholm. The novel is partly autobiographical and gives an insight into Söderberg's own childhood and youth. Through Martin's eyes, it depicts a time of change and new trends, as he navigates between his family's expectations and his own dreams. The work is known for its melancholy tone and deep psychological insights, making it a timeless classic of Swedish literature.