It is rare when a book can move me to tears and also make me laugh out loud. But the charming and heartwarming A Man Called Ove did both, and I can’t wait to read this memorable book again!
Swedish author Fredrik Backman reminds us first impressions can be deceiving. Anyone meeting Ove for the first time would find a grumpy man with a short fuse, stubborn in his ways and staunch in his beliefs. But underneath the widowers crankiness is sadness and a story.
One November morning his orderly world is shaken when his new neighbors accidentally flatten his mailbox with their U-Haul. The chatty, clueless couple and their two outgoing daughters seem to interrupt Ove at the most inopportune times. They find Ove’s grumpiness endearing and an unlikely friendship is formed along with hilarious interactions.
The story becomes one of sympathy, love and a celebration of life as Ove realizes his impact on others and the importance of letting love in. All the characters feel so authentic that you may find similar personalities in your own family and neighborhood.
Made into a Swedish film in 2015, look for a remake of A Man Called Ove starring Tom Hanks.
The New York Times bestselling author also penned My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, and Things My Son Needs to Know about the World. Fredrik's two novellas are And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer andThe Deal of a Lifetime. His books are published in more than 40 countries.
Swedish writer Fredrik Backman has been called one of the greatest authors of our time. HIs latest novel, Anxious People, debuted in September. He lives in Stockholm with his wife and two children.
