Fredrik Böök

Who was Fredrik Böök?

Martin Fredrik Böök was a Swedish professor of literary history at Lund University 1920-24, a literary critic and writer. He wrote biographies and books on Swedish literature. In 1907, Fredrik married Tora Olsson. Their son Klas Böök became head of the Bank of Sweden and later an ambassador.

Alongside Henrik Schück, Böök was for decades the most influential Swedish literature scholar and critic. He reviewed books for the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, succeeding Oscar Levertin. In 1922 he became a member of the Swedish Academy, seat 10. During World War II, Böök actively supported the cause of Germany as a belligerent power. After the war he lost his dominating role in the literary field. His biography was written in 1994 by Svante Nordin.