Call number
FIC BAC
Collection
Genres
Publication
Washington Square Press (2015), Edition: Reprint, 368 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML: Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon - the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him 'the bitter neighbor from hell.' But behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations..
Media reviews
Den svenske suksessbloggeren Fredrik Backman drar oss gjennom en forutsigbar fortelling som trykker på alle de rette knappene inntil vi er trygt plassert innenfor vår egen komfortsone.
Livet är obegripligt, världen är läskig och det går inte att skydda sig mot den. Fredrik Backman berättar underhållande om botemedlet i sin debutroman.
Genom humorns prisma belyser ”En man som heter Ove” teman som åldrande, vänskap, sorg, livslust och den föränderliga mansrollen. Boken är varken behärskad eller finputsad – delar är återvunna från Café-bloggen och har skarvats in lite slarvigt – men den är en skruvad och gripande
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romandebut som mycket väl kan vara början på ett stort humoristiskt författarskap. Show Less
This word-of-mouth bestseller has sold more than 650,000 copies in Sweden and has been a hit across Europe. It deserves to do at least as well here. I loved A Man Called Ove so much that I started to ration how much I read to prolong my time with this cantankerous, low-key, misunderstood man. If
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you enjoyed Rachel Joyce’s marvellous bestseller, The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, you will love this book.
Each short chapter of A Man Called Ove could stand alone as a beautifully crafted short story. Bring the chapters together and you have the most uplifting, life-affirming and often comic tale of how kindness, love and happiness can be found in the most unlikely places Show Less
Backman's tale of 59-yea-old curmudgeon, Ove, not only captured the hearts of Backman's fellow Swedes, but has also swept across Europe as a word-of-mouth best-seller; a domino effect that suggests community spirit and social responsibility isn't quite so lacking as we're often told it is....On
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occasion the slightly repetitive tone becomes cloying, but Backman can tickle the funny bone and tug on the heart strings when he needs to, and is a clever enough storyteller to not overindulge in either.
For those of you who don't want your fiction to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, A Man Called Ove isn't for you. Yet it's surprisingly cheering to think how many people have embraced this simple but heartwarming novel. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member cathyskye
This is a book that I'd managed to ignore for almost a year. When I keep seeing the same title over and over again on the book websites and blogs that I frequent, I tend to go into avoidance mode. Hype makes me suspicious. It wasn't until recently when someone whose opinion I trust recommended this
A Man Called Ove runs the gamut of emotions: laughter, exasperation, anger, compassion, fear, love, loss. Those new neighbors of his force him to get involved in something other than his own tunnel-vision plans, and as Ove constantly gets yanked into the lives of others, his backstory is slowly revealed. That backstory makes all the difference in the world because we get to see Ove as a child, as a teenager, as a young man-- and we see why Ove became so mean-spirited.
Some may dismiss A Man Called Ove as a simple "feel good" story. Yes, it does make the reader feel good, but that assessment sells this book short. It is a wonderful characterization and examination of a man's life. It just may get some of us to re-evaluate the curmudgeons in our own lives.
I was stunned to learn that this is a debut novel because it certainly doesn't read like one. I could ramble enthusiastically for several more paragraphs, but I won't. If you've been avoiding Fredrik Backman's book because of the hype, stop. Pick it up and read it. My only warning? Have a family-size box of tissues close at hand when you near the end. You will be crying. Crying for sad... and crying for happy.
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book that I decided to give it another look. Am I ever glad that I did.A Man Called Ove runs the gamut of emotions: laughter, exasperation, anger, compassion, fear, love, loss. Those new neighbors of his force him to get involved in something other than his own tunnel-vision plans, and as Ove constantly gets yanked into the lives of others, his backstory is slowly revealed. That backstory makes all the difference in the world because we get to see Ove as a child, as a teenager, as a young man-- and we see why Ove became so mean-spirited.
Some may dismiss A Man Called Ove as a simple "feel good" story. Yes, it does make the reader feel good, but that assessment sells this book short. It is a wonderful characterization and examination of a man's life. It just may get some of us to re-evaluate the curmudgeons in our own lives.
I was stunned to learn that this is a debut novel because it certainly doesn't read like one. I could ramble enthusiastically for several more paragraphs, but I won't. If you've been avoiding Fredrik Backman's book because of the hype, stop. Pick it up and read it. My only warning? Have a family-size box of tissues close at hand when you near the end. You will be crying. Crying for sad... and crying for happy.
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LibraryThing member TheBookJunky
I enjoyed this a lot. My inner curmudgeon (who frequently becomes 'outer') said, "Baahh! Trite sentimental claptrap. The whole story was entirely predictable. Contrived, manipulative, phooey!"
But.
It felt quite churlish to give 3 stars when I must admit that, nonetheless, I did derive a good deal
It reminded me gently that even though a story arc might be predictable, it's the small quirky details, the unexpected twists, the satisfying little revenges, along with grace and humour, that make the story sing. That's a wonderful achievement not easily obtained.
But.
It felt quite churlish to give 3 stars when I must admit that, nonetheless, I did derive a good deal
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of enjoyment from the story. It charmed me despite myself. I liked the construction of the story, of the flashbacks and subplots intertwining nicely. It had a somewhat stylised and artificial quality that set it apart from others of this ilk. It reminded me gently that even though a story arc might be predictable, it's the small quirky details, the unexpected twists, the satisfying little revenges, along with grace and humour, that make the story sing. That's a wonderful achievement not easily obtained.
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LibraryThing member jjaylynny
This book could be viewed a few ways:
- an overly twee read about a curmudgeon with a heart of gold who is thawed out by a lovingly diverse group of stereotypes
- an excuse for a lifetime of passive-aggressiveness and misanthropy
- a musing on the effects of childhood trauma
- a story about grief in a
Yeah. I wasn't unaffected by it while reading it --shit, you'd have to have a personality disorder not to be moved, but you'd also have to be slightly brain dead not to recognize the manipulation.
Too harsh? I'm going to get roasted at book club.
But my dad had one one the very few Saab 9?s probably in the whole state of Iowa in the 60s so YEAH!
- an overly twee read about a curmudgeon with a heart of gold who is thawed out by a lovingly diverse group of stereotypes
- an excuse for a lifetime of passive-aggressiveness and misanthropy
- a musing on the effects of childhood trauma
- a story about grief in a
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person with a personality disorder Yeah. I wasn't unaffected by it while reading it --shit, you'd have to have a personality disorder not to be moved, but you'd also have to be slightly brain dead not to recognize the manipulation.
Too harsh? I'm going to get roasted at book club.
But my dad had one one the very few Saab 9?s probably in the whole state of Iowa in the 60s so YEAH!
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LibraryThing member lit_chick
Book Description: adapted from Amazon.com
In this bestselling and charming debut from one of Sweden’s most successful authors, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon – the kind of man
My Review:
I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any Swedish literature to this point, but A Man Called Ove is indeed a charming and worthy debut. I loved Ove, and I thoroughly enjoyed his gradual, reluctant metamorphosis from curmudgeon to neighbourly granddad. Backman illustrates beautifully the influence that one life has on countless others around it. Am curious what this blogger-turned-author will write next. Highly recommended.
Favourite Quotes:
“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.” (Ch 5)
“Of all the imaginable things he most misses about her, the thing he really wishes he could do again is hold her hand in his. She had a way of folding her index finger into his palm, hiding it inside. And he always felt that nothing in the world was impossible when she did that. Of all the things he could miss, that’s what he misses most.” (Ch 8)
In this bestselling and charming debut from one of Sweden’s most successful authors, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon – the kind of man
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who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. But behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. When a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. And so one cranky old man is changed, and a local residents’ association shaken to its very foundations.My Review:
I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any Swedish literature to this point, but A Man Called Ove is indeed a charming and worthy debut. I loved Ove, and I thoroughly enjoyed his gradual, reluctant metamorphosis from curmudgeon to neighbourly granddad. Backman illustrates beautifully the influence that one life has on countless others around it. Am curious what this blogger-turned-author will write next. Highly recommended.
Favourite Quotes:
“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.” (Ch 5)
“Of all the imaginable things he most misses about her, the thing he really wishes he could do again is hold her hand in his. She had a way of folding her index finger into his palm, hiding it inside. And he always felt that nothing in the world was impossible when she did that. Of all the things he could miss, that’s what he misses most.” (Ch 8)
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LibraryThing member DavidO1103
Lovely book, about Ove, a grumpy Saab-loving Swede who can fix anything, and has little patience for those who can't. Deeply missed his wife Sophie (? Sophia), and is impatient with new neighbors who include a pregnant Iranian woman and her Swedish husband and their two girls. He has no use for
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"men in white shirts" -- bureaucrats. Seemingly against his will, he and an assortment of characters worm their ways into each other's lives... Funny, poignant, sad, lovely... Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
Ove, age fifty-nine recently widowed and let go from his job, just wants to die in peace but life keeps getting in the way: namely, the new family that just moved in and others in the neighborhood keep needing his help and interrupting his suicide attempts. Can't a man die in peace? But as Ove's
Starting off the book - especially with the suicide attempt - I wasn't quite sure what I was going to make of the story. It's a quirky little book, almost episodic with chapters that bring you along for one story and sometimes delving into the past so you eventually learn quite a bit about this man called Ove, who is curmudgeonly but good-hearted. His neighbors include Parvaneh, Patrick and family; Anita and her husband Rune, Ove's one-time friend now enemy; Jimmy the computer geek; and others. I kept thinking it was set in England because of the use of "bloody" as a swear, but they all live in a housing development in Sweden where one must assuredly - as Ove would say - follow the rules. It's a truly delightful tale that wound its way around my heart, and before I knew it I was crying over the characters. Recommended for readers of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.
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late wife, Sonja, would have said we have things we're destined to do and just maybe Ove has something to live for yet.Starting off the book - especially with the suicide attempt - I wasn't quite sure what I was going to make of the story. It's a quirky little book, almost episodic with chapters that bring you along for one story and sometimes delving into the past so you eventually learn quite a bit about this man called Ove, who is curmudgeonly but good-hearted. His neighbors include Parvaneh, Patrick and family; Anita and her husband Rune, Ove's one-time friend now enemy; Jimmy the computer geek; and others. I kept thinking it was set in England because of the use of "bloody" as a swear, but they all live in a housing development in Sweden where one must assuredly - as Ove would say - follow the rules. It's a truly delightful tale that wound its way around my heart, and before I knew it I was crying over the characters. Recommended for readers of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Let me begin by saying that I love novels that are written about basic human feelings, basic beautiful, “out of the-mainstream” characters, like those in The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye, Mrs. Ames, and A. J. Fikry. I loved all of the quirky characters in this book; each had his or her
The story is about an irascible, but sweet, curmudgeon of a man, a man who sees the world in his own way and believes it his duty to let everyone know it. He is rigid and shows very little outward emotion, but inside, there is a very soft heart. Every day, he mourns the loss of his wife Sonja. She has “chosen” to die before him which isn’t the way it was supposed to happen. He wanted to go first. He doesn’t really know how to live without her; She was everything to him. Enter a new neighbor, Parvenah, and a variety of other odd characters, and then add a woebegone, bedraggled cat to the mix, and watch as life takes on a new meaning for Ove. Slowly, this mix of unusual characters begin to enrich his life, even without his acknowledgment of their effort or little acts of kindness. At first, none of the characters have names, rather they have disparaging nicknames provided by Ove, but as they become identified with their true names, the story’s humanity, as well as Ove’s, is revealed.
His forced retirement from his job because of his health before he was ready to stop working, coupled with the untimely loss of his wife, Sonja, has driven Ove to want to join her. At first, he seems obsessive/compulsive, inspecting the neighborhood, keeping everything just so, following rules to distraction, being essentially overcritical about everything and everyone, expecting perfection and perfect obedience to rules and regulations. Then, once you get to know Ove, you begin to understand who he is and begin to appreciate his behavior. If nothing else, the book is a testimony to the value of those individuals who seem different than the mainstream. They too have the ability to make enormous contributions to society. It is what people do, not what they talk about, that is the measure of the man, according to Ove.
Ove has come up against the bureaucracy many times and he soon begins to feel hopeless and helpless to change things. The cold, unfeeling administrative “white shirts” defeat him at every turn. They make decisions based on regulations that don’t take the individual situation into consideration, that don’t deal with concerns, human need or emotion. Everything to them is black and white. Like Ove, they are following rules, but Ove makes and follows rules for the treatment of inanimate objects, and these “white shirts” make rules for the treatment of human beings, against their wishes. Ove goes to war with the council. Often "the administrative rules are not made for the benefit of the person but for the benefit of the functionaries. So, although both Ove and “the white shirts” concern themselves with following rules, the process and outcome is completely different.
While Ove wants his own authority to be respected, he often does not respect the authority of others in charge because they have a different purpose. The difference in the purpose of each is really what makes this such a beautiful story, if not a fairy tale. In this wonderful novel, everyone is eventually valued for who they are, the things they do, and not the things that are said about them. We discover that underneath Ove’s hard surface is a tenderness that pervades the entire story. He is a man who wants to do the right thing, regardless of the effort involved, regardless of how it interferes with his own needs. He has a “big heart” and always tries to do the right thing!
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own peculiar trait which created the atmosphere within which a warm and caring community arose. There is no awful violence, brutal sex or very foul language; there is just the milk of human kindness hiding on every page you turn. Sit back and relax. You will smile as you read this, perhaps chuckle under your breath or laugh out loud, and sometimes, you may even shed a tear or two.The story is about an irascible, but sweet, curmudgeon of a man, a man who sees the world in his own way and believes it his duty to let everyone know it. He is rigid and shows very little outward emotion, but inside, there is a very soft heart. Every day, he mourns the loss of his wife Sonja. She has “chosen” to die before him which isn’t the way it was supposed to happen. He wanted to go first. He doesn’t really know how to live without her; She was everything to him. Enter a new neighbor, Parvenah, and a variety of other odd characters, and then add a woebegone, bedraggled cat to the mix, and watch as life takes on a new meaning for Ove. Slowly, this mix of unusual characters begin to enrich his life, even without his acknowledgment of their effort or little acts of kindness. At first, none of the characters have names, rather they have disparaging nicknames provided by Ove, but as they become identified with their true names, the story’s humanity, as well as Ove’s, is revealed.
His forced retirement from his job because of his health before he was ready to stop working, coupled with the untimely loss of his wife, Sonja, has driven Ove to want to join her. At first, he seems obsessive/compulsive, inspecting the neighborhood, keeping everything just so, following rules to distraction, being essentially overcritical about everything and everyone, expecting perfection and perfect obedience to rules and regulations. Then, once you get to know Ove, you begin to understand who he is and begin to appreciate his behavior. If nothing else, the book is a testimony to the value of those individuals who seem different than the mainstream. They too have the ability to make enormous contributions to society. It is what people do, not what they talk about, that is the measure of the man, according to Ove.
Ove has come up against the bureaucracy many times and he soon begins to feel hopeless and helpless to change things. The cold, unfeeling administrative “white shirts” defeat him at every turn. They make decisions based on regulations that don’t take the individual situation into consideration, that don’t deal with concerns, human need or emotion. Everything to them is black and white. Like Ove, they are following rules, but Ove makes and follows rules for the treatment of inanimate objects, and these “white shirts” make rules for the treatment of human beings, against their wishes. Ove goes to war with the council. Often "the administrative rules are not made for the benefit of the person but for the benefit of the functionaries. So, although both Ove and “the white shirts” concern themselves with following rules, the process and outcome is completely different.
While Ove wants his own authority to be respected, he often does not respect the authority of others in charge because they have a different purpose. The difference in the purpose of each is really what makes this such a beautiful story, if not a fairy tale. In this wonderful novel, everyone is eventually valued for who they are, the things they do, and not the things that are said about them. We discover that underneath Ove’s hard surface is a tenderness that pervades the entire story. He is a man who wants to do the right thing, regardless of the effort involved, regardless of how it interferes with his own needs. He has a “big heart” and always tries to do the right thing!
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LibraryThing member nyiper
This was.....absolutely delightful!!!!!!! I loved the audio, read by George Newborn. There is no way to not have tears in your eyes over the ending---such a perfectly beautifully told story---just thinking about Ove makes with laugh with pleasure ---Sonia was right about that husband of hers. She
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knew him right from the start and we understand him as well as the story evolves. Show Less
LibraryThing member ctpress
Ove is 59. Grumpy. Stubborn. Set in his ways, steadfast in his principles and with a peculiar sense of justice. He is also very lonely - mourning the loss of his late wife. In steps the persian neighbours - and in particular the woman Parvana. They form an unlikely bond that develops into a
I didn’t really know what to think of the story at first - was sceptic - but then we begin to hear the back-story of Ove and his life and marriage - and what was only biting slapstick satire at startout became a very moving, funny, weird story - a story with heart and soul - about acceptance and tolerance and a second chance in life.
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friendship - very slowly Ove is about to change. Reluctantly that is. I didn’t really know what to think of the story at first - was sceptic - but then we begin to hear the back-story of Ove and his life and marriage - and what was only biting slapstick satire at startout became a very moving, funny, weird story - a story with heart and soul - about acceptance and tolerance and a second chance in life.
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LibraryThing member rretzler
Ove is a grumpy old man who has little tolerance for tailgaters and people who can't do their jobs. One day, a family with two young children and another on the way move in next door. After the father knocks over Ove's mailbox attempting to back a trailer into a no-car zone, Ove's and the family's
When I first started to read this book, I realized that I could be a grumpy old man! I sympathize with Ove over drivers who tailgate, then pass and end up sitting and waiting at the same traffic light at the same time. Like Ove, I also cannot stand to wait in traffic and must always keep moving. It frustrates me when I encounter someone who does not know their job, or whose job I could do just as well. So right from the beginning, I was captivated by Ove. The story of Ove's past is told throughout the book, interspersed with the events of his present day. I did think the book was a little simplistically written at first, but I don't know whether that was due to the translation, or how the author typically writes. It did put me off just a little at first, but the story was so engaging that I soon forgot about it as I was drawn into Ove's life.
A Man Called Ove may end up being one of my favorite books of the year. The front cover claims "You'll laugh, you'll cry..." and I guarantee that's true!
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lives become intertwined. Ove's life is completely turned upside down as he takes in a cat and ends up helping everyone who crosses his path. When I first started to read this book, I realized that I could be a grumpy old man! I sympathize with Ove over drivers who tailgate, then pass and end up sitting and waiting at the same traffic light at the same time. Like Ove, I also cannot stand to wait in traffic and must always keep moving. It frustrates me when I encounter someone who does not know their job, or whose job I could do just as well. So right from the beginning, I was captivated by Ove. The story of Ove's past is told throughout the book, interspersed with the events of his present day. I did think the book was a little simplistically written at first, but I don't know whether that was due to the translation, or how the author typically writes. It did put me off just a little at first, but the story was so engaging that I soon forgot about it as I was drawn into Ove's life.
A Man Called Ove may end up being one of my favorite books of the year. The front cover claims "You'll laugh, you'll cry..." and I guarantee that's true!
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LibraryThing member Bricker
Wow! An amazingly beautiful book. A story of what happens when life gets interrupted and then even the interruption gets interrupted.
LibraryThing member libraslibros
I was expecting to love this book, but I thought it was just okay. Maybe curmudgeon characters aren't my thing. I liked the interactions between Ove and the cat the best.
LibraryThing member LARA335
Beautifully written, charming story of a sweet curmudgeon. Had me laughing and wiping copious tears away. This chap was so English I couldn't believe it was a translation from Swedish, but yes humanity and human foibles are universal. A life-affirming, moving, lovely read, with real, fully rounded
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characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member svetlanagrobman
Call me sentimental, but, to me, there’s a lot to be said for a journey directed inward – from a gruff and unrefined appearance to a good and generous soul that, sometimes, resides in rather unlikely places. This is what Fredrik Backman’s novel “A Man Called Ove” (Atria Books, 2014) is
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about, although the novel’s protagonist never thought of his journey as soul-searching. He longed to end his life, because, in his view, it had lost its purpose and meaning, but annoying neighbors kept interrupting his plan, making it hard for him to die. Poignant and unpredictable, Backman’s book is filled with many twists and turns, as well as enjoyable characters and humorous situations. Show Less
LibraryThing member riofriotex
Ove (a Swedish name, as the book was originally written in Swedish, pronounced Oo-vah) is a rule-following curmudgeon - at least at the beginning of the book. He reminds me of my dad - or my husband, who also hates BMWs (albeit for a different reason). This is a funny book that's also a little sad.
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Ove lost his wife of about 40 years rather suddenly, and six months later loses his job. He tries to commit suicide multiple times in different ways throughout the book. Each time, though, some incident with his neighbors interrupts him. These are interspersed with Ove's backstory, which shows the reader how he became the man he is at the beginning of the book - and at the end. Voice and film actor George Newbern is a marvelous narrator whose droll reading made me laugh. I liked this so much that I've checked out the audio version of another of Fredrik Backman's books as well as two of his novellas. Show Less
LibraryThing member lissabeth21
That has to be the most absolutely satisfying, perfect ending to any book I've ever read!! The very first line of the whole book disturbed me slightly; fifty-nine is too young to be "old." But every line after was immensely wonderful. I literally laughed out loud, shared sections with people
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nearby, and had tears in my eyes more than once - marveling at both the beauty and ugliness of the world we live in. Show Less
LibraryThing member dandelionroots
I appreciated the dark humor and fragments of this story, but overall it fell flat.
LibraryThing member gogglemiss
I nearly gave up on this book on page 26, as it started slowly, but am I glad that I persevered with this. I laughed, I didn't cry but my heart softened many times, at this beautiful, sad and uplifting tale. Wonderful book.
LibraryThing member varwenea
1 star for creating a flawed character who is completely lovable and oddly understandable
1 star for writing a story that blossomed into a loved-by-so-many for the aforementioned flawed character
1 star for having a poetic, gently-humorous poise that is charming without being overbearing
1 star for
1 star for the perfect ending that turned me into a sobbing, sniveling idiot while smiling broadly
And that is how this book earned 5 stars!
Ove is a man-of-few-words. His mother passed away when he was a gentle 7-year-old. His loving father raised him to be a good man via his actions. “Men are what they are because of what they do. Not what they say.” Ove became an orphan at 16, left school, and one day met Sonja on the train where he worked. She became “All the color he had”. With a dedicated and committed love, Ove earned Sonja’s heart despite everyone telling her she can do much better than Ove. She didn’t care; she knew Ove was real. Their love interspersed magnificently in the alternating chapters interwoven with the present tense, where Ove is the grumpy, cankerous neighbor that no one understands, until one family – the clumsy Patrick, the dynamic Parvaneh, and their two daughters came crashing into his life, almost literally, interrupting his “plans”. This unexpected new phase of his life gave him fulfillment that anyone of us can only hope to achieve in our later years.
While reading the first pages/chapters, I felt the plot was fairly predictable. Then the characters, the unveilings, the affecting poise (despite being translated from Swedish), the warmth (but not to the point of obviousness) – everything worked together so much better than one would think it ought to! The message from Parvaneh to Sonja in the Epilogue is perfection. My favorite chapters were 14, 16, and 23, addressing the very loving though at times blemished relationship of Ove and Sonja. Backman achieved a balance of tenderness and imperfections that made the story real, believable, and captivating!
Some Quotes:
On Falling in Love:
“’You like reading?’ she asked him brightly.
Ove shook his head with some insecurity, but it didn’t seem to concern her very much. She just smiled, said that she loved books more than anything, and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about. And Ove realized that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his live.
He had never heard anything quite as amazing as that voice. She talked as if she were continuously on the verge of breaking into giggles. And when she giggled she sounded the way Ove imagined champagne bubbles would have sounded if they were capable of laughter. He didn’t quite know what he should say to avoid seemingly uneducated and stupid, but it proved to be less of a problem than he had thought.
She liked talking and Oved liked keeping quiet. Retrospectively, Ove assumed that was what people meant when they said that people were compatible.”
On Love and Life:
“Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her. But if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.”
On Sorrow:
“And she wept. An ancient, inconsolable despair that screamed and tore and shredded them both as countless hours passed. Time and sorrow and fury flowed together in stark, long-drawn darkness. Ove knew there and then that he would never forgive himself for having got up from his seat at that exact moment, for not being there to protect them. And knew that his pain was forever.”
On Men of a Different Era:
“Sonja said once that to understand men like Ove and Rune, one had to understand from the very beginning that they were men caught in the wrong time. Men who only required a few simple things from life, she said. A roof over their heads, a quiet street, the right make of car, and a woman to be faithful to. A job where you had a proper function. A house where things broke at regular intervals, so you always had something to tinker with.
‘All people want to live dignified lives; dignity just means something different to different people,’ Sonja had said. To men like Ove and Rune dignity was simply that they’d had to manage on their own when they grew up, and therefore saw it as their right not to become reliant on others when they were adults. There was a sense of pride in having control. In being right. In knowing what road to take and how to screw in a screw, or not. Men like Ove and Rune were from a generation in which one was what one did, not what one talked about.”
On Time:
“Sometimes it’s hard to explain why some men suddenly do the things they do. And Ove had probably known all along what he had to do, whom he had to help before he could die. But we are always optimists when it comes to time; we think there will be time to do things with other people. And time to say things to them.”
On Death – and I’ve always said I want to die first:
“Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it’s often one of the great motivations for living. Some of us, in time, become so conscious of it that we live harder, more obstinately, with more fury. Some need its constant presence to even be aware of its antithesis. Others become so preoccupied with it that they go into the waiting room long before it has announced its arrival. We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves. For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by. And leave us there alone.”
On Aging, Time, and Grief:
“And time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks, years. One of the most painful moments in a person’s life probably comes with the insight that an age has been reached when there is more to look back on than ahead. And when time no longer lies ahead of one, other things have to be lived for. Memories, perhaps. Afternoons in the sun with someone’s hand clutched in one’s own. The fragrance of flowerbeds in fresh bloom. Sundays in a café. Grandchildren, perhaps. One finds a way of living for the sake of someone else’s future. And it wasn’t as if Ove also died when Sonja left him. He just stopped living.
Grief is a strange thing.”
1 star for writing a story that blossomed into a loved-by-so-many for the aforementioned flawed character
1 star for having a poetic, gently-humorous poise that is charming without being overbearing
1 star for
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crafting its many booming onion-y layers thoughtfully and beautifully for an otherwise basic plot 1 star for the perfect ending that turned me into a sobbing, sniveling idiot while smiling broadly
And that is how this book earned 5 stars!
Ove is a man-of-few-words. His mother passed away when he was a gentle 7-year-old. His loving father raised him to be a good man via his actions. “Men are what they are because of what they do. Not what they say.” Ove became an orphan at 16, left school, and one day met Sonja on the train where he worked. She became “All the color he had”. With a dedicated and committed love, Ove earned Sonja’s heart despite everyone telling her she can do much better than Ove. She didn’t care; she knew Ove was real. Their love interspersed magnificently in the alternating chapters interwoven with the present tense, where Ove is the grumpy, cankerous neighbor that no one understands, until one family – the clumsy Patrick, the dynamic Parvaneh, and their two daughters came crashing into his life, almost literally, interrupting his “plans”. This unexpected new phase of his life gave him fulfillment that anyone of us can only hope to achieve in our later years.
While reading the first pages/chapters, I felt the plot was fairly predictable. Then the characters, the unveilings, the affecting poise (despite being translated from Swedish), the warmth (but not to the point of obviousness) – everything worked together so much better than one would think it ought to! The message from Parvaneh to Sonja in the Epilogue is perfection. My favorite chapters were 14, 16, and 23, addressing the very loving though at times blemished relationship of Ove and Sonja. Backman achieved a balance of tenderness and imperfections that made the story real, believable, and captivating!
Some Quotes:
On Falling in Love:
“’You like reading?’ she asked him brightly.
Ove shook his head with some insecurity, but it didn’t seem to concern her very much. She just smiled, said that she loved books more than anything, and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about. And Ove realized that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his live.
He had never heard anything quite as amazing as that voice. She talked as if she were continuously on the verge of breaking into giggles. And when she giggled she sounded the way Ove imagined champagne bubbles would have sounded if they were capable of laughter. He didn’t quite know what he should say to avoid seemingly uneducated and stupid, but it proved to be less of a problem than he had thought.
She liked talking and Oved liked keeping quiet. Retrospectively, Ove assumed that was what people meant when they said that people were compatible.”
On Love and Life:
“Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her. But if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.”
On Sorrow:
“And she wept. An ancient, inconsolable despair that screamed and tore and shredded them both as countless hours passed. Time and sorrow and fury flowed together in stark, long-drawn darkness. Ove knew there and then that he would never forgive himself for having got up from his seat at that exact moment, for not being there to protect them. And knew that his pain was forever.”
On Men of a Different Era:
“Sonja said once that to understand men like Ove and Rune, one had to understand from the very beginning that they were men caught in the wrong time. Men who only required a few simple things from life, she said. A roof over their heads, a quiet street, the right make of car, and a woman to be faithful to. A job where you had a proper function. A house where things broke at regular intervals, so you always had something to tinker with.
‘All people want to live dignified lives; dignity just means something different to different people,’ Sonja had said. To men like Ove and Rune dignity was simply that they’d had to manage on their own when they grew up, and therefore saw it as their right not to become reliant on others when they were adults. There was a sense of pride in having control. In being right. In knowing what road to take and how to screw in a screw, or not. Men like Ove and Rune were from a generation in which one was what one did, not what one talked about.”
On Time:
“Sometimes it’s hard to explain why some men suddenly do the things they do. And Ove had probably known all along what he had to do, whom he had to help before he could die. But we are always optimists when it comes to time; we think there will be time to do things with other people. And time to say things to them.”
On Death – and I’ve always said I want to die first:
“Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it’s often one of the great motivations for living. Some of us, in time, become so conscious of it that we live harder, more obstinately, with more fury. Some need its constant presence to even be aware of its antithesis. Others become so preoccupied with it that they go into the waiting room long before it has announced its arrival. We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves. For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by. And leave us there alone.”
On Aging, Time, and Grief:
“And time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks, years. One of the most painful moments in a person’s life probably comes with the insight that an age has been reached when there is more to look back on than ahead. And when time no longer lies ahead of one, other things have to be lived for. Memories, perhaps. Afternoons in the sun with someone’s hand clutched in one’s own. The fragrance of flowerbeds in fresh bloom. Sundays in a café. Grandchildren, perhaps. One finds a way of living for the sake of someone else’s future. And it wasn’t as if Ove also died when Sonja left him. He just stopped living.
Grief is a strange thing.”
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LibraryThing member Twink
I first tried reading A Man Called Ove from Swedish author Fredrik Backman.
Ove is the perfect archetype for the word 'curmudgeon'. Everything is Ove's world is black and white, right and wrong. Rules are meant to be followed, signs are meant to be obeyed and Ove will let you know if you don't.
I
The story came alive for me with George Newbern's reading. He captured the mental image I had created for Ove, but also gave him a humanity beyond the grousing. Ove's wife Sonia died four years ago and Ove has now decided that life is not worth living - suicide is on his list of things to do that day. Until a new, noisy family moves in next door. Of course they don't know how to back in a trailer. Ove will show them how to do it right. Suicide goes on the list for tomorrow. But then there's one more thing that Ove needs to oversee - and then another....
I can't believe I almost missed this wonderful tale! Backman is a gifted storyteller - I became completely invested in this little corner of the world, cheering on Ove as he rediscovers life - with a side of grumpy. If you liked The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, you will enjoy A Man Called Ove.
Ove is the perfect archetype for the word 'curmudgeon'. Everything is Ove's world is black and white, right and wrong. Rules are meant to be followed, signs are meant to be obeyed and Ove will let you know if you don't.
I
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read the first bit and actually felt quite sad. I didn't want to listen to a litany of complaints. (I have to listen to a few people like this at work - why bring it home?) I just thought this wasn't a book for me. But then I started hearing how much everyone loved it - and the library ordered the audio version - so I thought I would give it another go by listening. And am I ever glad I did!The story came alive for me with George Newbern's reading. He captured the mental image I had created for Ove, but also gave him a humanity beyond the grousing. Ove's wife Sonia died four years ago and Ove has now decided that life is not worth living - suicide is on his list of things to do that day. Until a new, noisy family moves in next door. Of course they don't know how to back in a trailer. Ove will show them how to do it right. Suicide goes on the list for tomorrow. But then there's one more thing that Ove needs to oversee - and then another....
I can't believe I almost missed this wonderful tale! Backman is a gifted storyteller - I became completely invested in this little corner of the world, cheering on Ove as he rediscovers life - with a side of grumpy. If you liked The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, you will enjoy A Man Called Ove.
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LibraryThing member LiteraryFeline
Let me start off by saying how much I loved this book. Ove, for all his rigidness, judgmental ways, and crankiness, was impossible not to like once I got to know him. His strong work ethic and natural propensity to do the right thing stand out above all else. Through his reflections into his past,
Ove believes he has very little to look forward to as the book opens. He has suffered through so many losses, and it has weighed him down. He doesn't believe life is worth living anymore. Nothing is as it used to be. It's not a world he wants to understand or be a part of. When his new neighbors move in, Ove's orderly world is thrown into a tailspin.
I adored his neighbors, especially Parvaneh who saw behind the frowns and scowls on Ove's face. While the author does not go much into her back story, I couldn't help but get a good idea of the kind of person she is. She's someone I would want to get to know and spend afternoons chatting with. Maybe our girls could play together. I loved her daughters and the role they played in the story. Having a 3 year old of my own, I know the irresistibly factor they can have at that age.
Perhaps my most favorite character of the book is the cat. He reminded me a lot of Ove. Life was not easy for either one, but they proved to be a strong person/animal.
This book could have been overly sentimental as these books sometimes tend to be. It wasn't. It's a feel good book to be sure, but one that touches on the harsh realities of life as well as the necessity to move forward.
I gave a copy of this book to my mother-in-law for her birthday last August after reading a few positive book blogger reviews. I meant to read it too, but wasn't able to get to it. Now I know why she named it as her favorite read of 2014. I can just imagine how much the main character reminded her of her own father--at least from the stories I have heard. I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite reads of 2015. One I can see myself coming back to time and time again. And that's saying something given how rare it is I reread a book.
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the reader gets a good sense of what led Ove to his current place in life, to make the choices he made, and to ultimately understand who exactly Ove was. My heart broke for Ove; and at times my heart soared for Ove. I came to really care about him. I couldn't help it.Ove believes he has very little to look forward to as the book opens. He has suffered through so many losses, and it has weighed him down. He doesn't believe life is worth living anymore. Nothing is as it used to be. It's not a world he wants to understand or be a part of. When his new neighbors move in, Ove's orderly world is thrown into a tailspin.
I adored his neighbors, especially Parvaneh who saw behind the frowns and scowls on Ove's face. While the author does not go much into her back story, I couldn't help but get a good idea of the kind of person she is. She's someone I would want to get to know and spend afternoons chatting with. Maybe our girls could play together. I loved her daughters and the role they played in the story. Having a 3 year old of my own, I know the irresistibly factor they can have at that age.
Perhaps my most favorite character of the book is the cat. He reminded me a lot of Ove. Life was not easy for either one, but they proved to be a strong person/animal.
This book could have been overly sentimental as these books sometimes tend to be. It wasn't. It's a feel good book to be sure, but one that touches on the harsh realities of life as well as the necessity to move forward.
I gave a copy of this book to my mother-in-law for her birthday last August after reading a few positive book blogger reviews. I meant to read it too, but wasn't able to get to it. Now I know why she named it as her favorite read of 2014. I can just imagine how much the main character reminded her of her own father--at least from the stories I have heard. I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite reads of 2015. One I can see myself coming back to time and time again. And that's saying something given how rare it is I reread a book.
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LibraryThing member cmbohn
A friend of mine asked, “Everyone out there has a story. Can we love them before we know it? And will we take the time to find out?” That’s the burning question in the book, A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.
Ove is not an old man, not in years, but he has become the grumpy old neighbor. He
He wasn’t always like this. He used to be less grumpy. Not warm and friendly, but not so prickly and angry. That was before Sonia died. Now Ove is ready to give up on life. But life, in the form of new neighbors, a homeless cat, and a couple of teenagers, is not ready to give up on him.
Ove is not an old man, not in years, but he has become the grumpy old neighbor. He
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complains about everything and everyone. Some days he only talks to complain. Other days he doesn’t talk at all.He wasn’t always like this. He used to be less grumpy. Not warm and friendly, but not so prickly and angry. That was before Sonia died. Now Ove is ready to give up on life. But life, in the form of new neighbors, a homeless cat, and a couple of teenagers, is not ready to give up on him.
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LibraryThing member she_climber
Never thought I could fall in love with a senior curmudgeon. Great story and worth the hype.
LibraryThing member Itzey
I just finished one of the best books of the year in my mind. I laughed, chuckled, roared and admittedly shed a few tears.
Ove endured an unbelievably tough childhood filled with loneliness and lack of nurturing. Forced to survive on his own he structured his life around rules and principles. Over
Thankfully for Ove there were people who saw the cracks in the crusty soul and loved him deeply. The love story of Sophia and Ove will leave you in tears. Ove could not have foreseen his future the day the neighbors moved in and ran over his mailbox.
Poor Ove, despite his attempts to alienate children, cats and kooks, his snappy one-liners and his over-sized kind heart couldn't fool anyone who took the time to look closely at the man. As Ove would say himself, "It isn't what a man says that matters, it is what he does."
Ove was obsessed with his car, a Saab, and the company was so enthralled with the story of Ove's life they uncharacteristically did a book review on their company's website. First published in Sweden, it has been translated into English. A must read!
Ove endured an unbelievably tough childhood filled with loneliness and lack of nurturing. Forced to survive on his own he structured his life around rules and principles. Over
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time he formed a crust over his personality that seemed to harden him into an ill-tempered old neighborhood crank. Thankfully for Ove there were people who saw the cracks in the crusty soul and loved him deeply. The love story of Sophia and Ove will leave you in tears. Ove could not have foreseen his future the day the neighbors moved in and ran over his mailbox.
Poor Ove, despite his attempts to alienate children, cats and kooks, his snappy one-liners and his over-sized kind heart couldn't fool anyone who took the time to look closely at the man. As Ove would say himself, "It isn't what a man says that matters, it is what he does."
Ove was obsessed with his car, a Saab, and the company was so enthralled with the story of Ove's life they uncharacteristically did a book review on their company's website. First published in Sweden, it has been translated into English. A must read!
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LibraryThing member niquetteb
This story of a grumpy old Swedish man left me in awe of the author's writing. Fredrik Backman created such real life characters that I am convinced I have personally met these people. The story held my attention and gripped my heart in all the right moments. I am so happy I read this novel!
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Best Male Narrator — 2021)
Pages
368
ISBN
1476738025 / 9781476738024