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Available
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Washington Square Press
Description
Fiction. Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:The New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, and Anxious People captivates readers with this "warm and satisfying" (People) story "about a woman rediscovering herself after a personal crisis...fans of Backman will find another winner in these pages" (Publishers Weekly). Britt-Marie can't stand mess. A disorganized cutlery drawer ranks high on her list of unforgivable sins. She is not one to judge others�??no matter how ill-mannered, unkempt, or morally suspect they might be. It's just that sometimes people interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not her intention. But hidden inside the socially awkward, fussy busybody is a woman who has more imagination, bigger dreams, and a warmer heart that anyone around her realizes. When Britt-Marie walks out on her cheating husband and has to fend for herself in the miserable backwater town of Borg�??of which the kindest thing one can say is that it has a road going through it�??she finds work as the caretaker of a soon-to-be demolished recreation center. The fastidious Britt-Marie soon finds herself being drawn into the daily doings of her fellow citizens, an odd assortment of miscreants, drunkards, layabouts. Most alarming of all, she's given the impossible task of leading the supremely untalented children's soccer team to victory. In this small town of misfits, can Britt-Marie find a place where she truly belongs? Funny and moving, sweet and inspiring, Britt-Marie Was Here celebrates the importance of community and connection in a world that can feel i… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member varwenea
Self-Actualization: The psychological process aimed at maximizing the use of a person’s abilities and resources. Ref: Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”
Britt-Marie (BM) is a woman that is difficult to like, but as it turns out, easy to love. Having discovered (or more accurately finally
Some pages into this book, I had the bias that this is the female version of ‘A Man Called Ove’. I was wrong, mostly. The writing style is the primary similarity; the rest is quite different. I was dismayed at how BM had spent her adult life doing everything her husband said. She has no self. The transformation eventually takes place and the past is slowly revealed explaining the why. The author took his time waiting till the last pages to unveil her choice. Nice. The many characters had layers or different sides. The kids in particular had much more than what is apparent. While the book focused on BM, all the other characters pulled me in, including one that was simply named ‘Somebody’. Ha. (You’ll understand this when you read the book.) I adored the kids, so strong, so willful, so hurt, so determined to thrive. I wasn’t as emotional with this book, but it packed a wallop nonetheless.
Side note: If you love soccer, you’ll love the references.
Favorite Characters: Sami, Vega, Omar – these kids stole my heart.
Some quotes:
On dreams lost:
“Not that Britt-Marie didn’t have any dreams of her own; it was just that his were bigger and the one with biggest dreams always wins in this world. She had learned that.”
On optimism:
“…Kent is a bit happy, darn it, and Britt-Marie is darned negative. Maybe that’s how it goes. It’s easier to stay optimistic if you never have to clear up the mess afterwards.”
On one-self:
“If you can be heard then you exist.”
On policeman:
“I was under the impression that one became a policeman because one believed in rules and regulations.”
“I think Sven became a policeman because he believes in justice.”
On reluctant love:
“He sits in silence with his hands gripping the edge of the bench. She does the same, because she likes holding it while he’s also holding it. She peers at him and wants to say that it’s not his fault. That she’s just too old to all in love. She wants to tell him that he can find himself someone better. That he deserves something perfect. But she doesn’t say anything, because she’s afraid he’ll say she is perfect.”
Britt-Marie (BM) is a woman that is difficult to like, but as it turns out, easy to love. Having discovered (or more accurately finally
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accepted) that her husband has been cheating on her, the 63-years-old BM walked out on him and took on a job as a caretaker for a recreation center in the nowhere town of Borg. With her “a civilized person would…”, “I eat dinner at six”, “I’m not an animal”, she comes across as abrasive and rigid. But her actions come from a place of care, of love. She cleaned, she respected the people, she listened, she became the only non-alcoholic adult that the kids can trust. She found strength for others above herself. For the first time in her life, she made friends, she was making decisions for herself, and she was living a life for herself. In some aspects, she is as broken as the town where every business but one has closed and many are unemployed. Yet she has resilience, and she becomes their catalyst to recover. Together, life begins again for the town and for BM, her self-actualization. Some pages into this book, I had the bias that this is the female version of ‘A Man Called Ove’. I was wrong, mostly. The writing style is the primary similarity; the rest is quite different. I was dismayed at how BM had spent her adult life doing everything her husband said. She has no self. The transformation eventually takes place and the past is slowly revealed explaining the why. The author took his time waiting till the last pages to unveil her choice. Nice. The many characters had layers or different sides. The kids in particular had much more than what is apparent. While the book focused on BM, all the other characters pulled me in, including one that was simply named ‘Somebody’. Ha. (You’ll understand this when you read the book.) I adored the kids, so strong, so willful, so hurt, so determined to thrive. I wasn’t as emotional with this book, but it packed a wallop nonetheless.
Side note: If you love soccer, you’ll love the references.
Favorite Characters: Sami, Vega, Omar – these kids stole my heart.
Some quotes:
On dreams lost:
“Not that Britt-Marie didn’t have any dreams of her own; it was just that his were bigger and the one with biggest dreams always wins in this world. She had learned that.”
On optimism:
“…Kent is a bit happy, darn it, and Britt-Marie is darned negative. Maybe that’s how it goes. It’s easier to stay optimistic if you never have to clear up the mess afterwards.”
On one-self:
“If you can be heard then you exist.”
On policeman:
“I was under the impression that one became a policeman because one believed in rules and regulations.”
“I think Sven became a policeman because he believes in justice.”
On reluctant love:
“He sits in silence with his hands gripping the edge of the bench. She does the same, because she likes holding it while he’s also holding it. She peers at him and wants to say that it’s not his fault. That she’s just too old to all in love. She wants to tell him that he can find himself someone better. That he deserves something perfect. But she doesn’t say anything, because she’s afraid he’ll say she is perfect.”
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LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
Having read "A Man Called Ove" recently and loving it, I was really looking forward to getting my hands on this book. However, "Britt-Marie Was Here" wasn't up to the same standard. There were a number of similarities between Ove and Britt-Marie but, while I loved Ove, I found Britt-Marie rather
However, there were some very touching moments throughout the story, especially near the end of the book, and I enjoyed Britt-Marie's 'conversations' with the rat. I also sympathised with her need to clean when she was feeling upset or stressed. I do exactly the same thing, but I don't think I'm that bad!
Overall, a sweet story but "Britt-Marie Was Here" never won me over emotionally and it gave me as sense of déjà vu as I was reading it.
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annoying and fussy.However, there were some very touching moments throughout the story, especially near the end of the book, and I enjoyed Britt-Marie's 'conversations' with the rat. I also sympathised with her need to clean when she was feeling upset or stressed. I do exactly the same thing, but I don't think I'm that bad!
Overall, a sweet story but "Britt-Marie Was Here" never won me over emotionally and it gave me as sense of déjà vu as I was reading it.
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LibraryThing member Sheila1957
Britt-Marie has left her husband and must now find a job. She is hired to care for the recreation center in Borg which will be closing its doors shortly. Borg is a desolate little town where most businesses have closed and people are trying to get out of town. The only highlight of their days is
A good story. A fun read. This is a character study of both Britt-Marie and the town of Borg. The townspeople are a cast of characters. Vega, Omar, Toad, Dino, and Ben form the basis of the team. There is fighting and hurt feelings but slowly they find love and acceptance on both sides. Somebody runs the pizzeria, the grocery store, the car repair shop, the post office, and anything that was closed. She helps to open Britt-Marie to reality and becomes her friend. Kent, her husband, is a jerk. He does not deserve her. He is a user and that is what Britt-Marie is used to. Sven, the cop, is unsure around Britt-Marie as she is around him.
I liked that none of the characters in this book were perfect. I liked their flaws. I liked their strengths. I liked how the town banded together behind the soccer and found hope. I was glad when Britt-Marie knew what she wanted and went after it.
I wish this book were longer. Great characters and a wonderful story!
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soccer. Britt-Marie is very forthright. She does not do people well but she's hell on wheels at cleaning. Whenever she is stressed she cleans. As she and the town adjust to one another, Britt-Marie starts to look at things a little differently but she does not bend immediately or all the way. She tests the waters and slowly finds an acceptance as she coaches the town's soccer team. A good story. A fun read. This is a character study of both Britt-Marie and the town of Borg. The townspeople are a cast of characters. Vega, Omar, Toad, Dino, and Ben form the basis of the team. There is fighting and hurt feelings but slowly they find love and acceptance on both sides. Somebody runs the pizzeria, the grocery store, the car repair shop, the post office, and anything that was closed. She helps to open Britt-Marie to reality and becomes her friend. Kent, her husband, is a jerk. He does not deserve her. He is a user and that is what Britt-Marie is used to. Sven, the cop, is unsure around Britt-Marie as she is around him.
I liked that none of the characters in this book were perfect. I liked their flaws. I liked their strengths. I liked how the town banded together behind the soccer and found hope. I was glad when Britt-Marie knew what she wanted and went after it.
I wish this book were longer. Great characters and a wonderful story!
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LibraryThing member bookczuk
This has been my year for Fredrik Backman. I read his My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You She's Sorry after picking it up because of the title. It had charming moments, enough so that early into my reading, I immediately put A Man Called Ove on reserve at the library. Grandmother was interesting,
A lovely treatment of the peculiarities of peculiar people and how friendships, communities, and families of sorts are forged between the irascible and obstinate (not to mention the OCD.) And soccer. Lots about soccer.
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but Ove claimed my heart. This book falls somewhere between the two. I'm not entirely sure, but it seems that Britt-Marie might be the same Britt-Marie that appears in Grandmother, except in this book, the reader's sympathy is with her instead of the reader's wrath.A lovely treatment of the peculiarities of peculiar people and how friendships, communities, and families of sorts are forged between the irascible and obstinate (not to mention the OCD.) And soccer. Lots about soccer.
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LibraryThing member Twink
Fredrik Backman's first book, A Man Called Ove, remains on my list of all time favourite reads. But Ove has been bumped down a spot by Britt-Marie.
Britt-Marie Was Here is Backman's forthcoming (May 2016 in the US and August 2016 in Canada) novel. I'm giving you lots of warning - this is one you
Britt-Marie's marriage has broken up. After forty years of looking after Kent, she's alone and needs to find a job. Not an easy task, given her age and well - her personality and mannerisms. Britt-Marie is a bit awkward and uncomfortable in social situations and conversations. Britt-Marie's coping mechanisms are cleaning - (baking soda and Faxin - a brand of window cleaner, can do it all) as well as list making.
"A year turned into several years, and several years turned into all the years. One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to understand how it's happened.
Britt-Marie in fact does land a job - a three week stint in a run down little town named Borg, looking after their soon to be closed recreation centre. Borg is full of quirky inhabitants, odd little shops and a group of rag-tag children who love to play soccer - and I loved it all. (And you know, I kind of want to live there too.)
But it is Britt-Marie who will steal (and break) your heart. Her stubbornness, her anxieties and her tentative steps in making a life for herself will by turns have you laughing and crying. Brilliant.
Backman is a clever, clever writer - his soccer to life analogies are brilliant and the characters immediately won me over (or in the case of Kent - had me immediately despising him)
"Kent always pushed the shopping cart, while Britt-Marie walks at his side and holds on to a corner of it. Not because she's trying to steer, only that she likes holding on to things while he is also holding on to them. For the sake of the feeling of going somewhere at the same time."
It's simply impossible not to be in Britt-Marie's corner, urging her on and hoping that......well, I had my hopes for her (and Borg). Backman's ending, although not what I expected, is just right.
All I can say is that you must read this book - and recommend it to your friends.
Britt-Marie Was Here is Backman's forthcoming (May 2016 in the US and August 2016 in Canada) novel. I'm giving you lots of warning - this is one you
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absolutely have to read.Britt-Marie's marriage has broken up. After forty years of looking after Kent, she's alone and needs to find a job. Not an easy task, given her age and well - her personality and mannerisms. Britt-Marie is a bit awkward and uncomfortable in social situations and conversations. Britt-Marie's coping mechanisms are cleaning - (baking soda and Faxin - a brand of window cleaner, can do it all) as well as list making.
"A year turned into several years, and several years turned into all the years. One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to understand how it's happened.
Britt-Marie in fact does land a job - a three week stint in a run down little town named Borg, looking after their soon to be closed recreation centre. Borg is full of quirky inhabitants, odd little shops and a group of rag-tag children who love to play soccer - and I loved it all. (And you know, I kind of want to live there too.)
But it is Britt-Marie who will steal (and break) your heart. Her stubbornness, her anxieties and her tentative steps in making a life for herself will by turns have you laughing and crying. Brilliant.
Backman is a clever, clever writer - his soccer to life analogies are brilliant and the characters immediately won me over (or in the case of Kent - had me immediately despising him)
"Kent always pushed the shopping cart, while Britt-Marie walks at his side and holds on to a corner of it. Not because she's trying to steer, only that she likes holding on to things while he is also holding on to them. For the sake of the feeling of going somewhere at the same time."
It's simply impossible not to be in Britt-Marie's corner, urging her on and hoping that......well, I had my hopes for her (and Borg). Backman's ending, although not what I expected, is just right.
All I can say is that you must read this book - and recommend it to your friends.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Britt-Marie Was Here, Fredrik Backman
Who is Britt-Marie? She is the antithesis of the liberated woman. She is an old-fashioned, naïve, very tidy woman with demanding scruples and an excessive love of lists that she feels compelled to follow to the letter. For her entire life she has been dependent
When we meet her, she is in an unemployment office harassing the employee who cannot seem to provide her with an immediate position. Britt-Marie is called a nag-bag by many and she lives up to the reputation. After all, on the list, one of many she has made, she has written “find employment”, and she ticks off the items on it as they get completed. So, as far as she is concerned, the list must be completed. Although she has never worked outside the home, and is told she has no work experience, she insists that working at home was a job, a concept that should make many a woman smile. Exasperated, the unemployment office employee offers her a three week position in a one-horse town that is dying due to the financial crisis that has hit the world, only it has hit harder in the town of Borg. She is appointed as the caretaker of their recreation center. She immediately returns to the hostel she is staying at, packs her things and heads straight to Borg to begin her new life where she immediately sets about cleaning up the place, for she is nothing if not organized, nothing if not a creature of habit, but first, out of habit, she demands certain cleaning products. She wants Faxin, and only Faxin will do. It is the product she has always used to clean her windows. She wants baking soda which she always uses, as well, to clean everything, clothes, furniture, mattresses, and refrigerators!
Kent has not built up her self-esteem, so she is unaware of any talents she might have other than maintaining a home for him and his children. Now, she uses these skills in the town, cleaning, straightening and sprucing things up. She washes soccer uniforms, windows, floors, and hangs pictures. She adopts the recreation center’s resident rat, for he has a right to live also. She feeds and also engages in one-sided conversations with the rat, because, of course, the rat cannot respond. The conversations with the rat are indicative of Britt-Marie’s loneliness and aloneness. She realizes she has had few friends other than those business people she met through Kent.
Britt Marie is an expert at spouting left-handed compliments which she believes are not insulting, just truthful. She has been desensitized to the feelings of others because she has had little interaction with others outside her home. Although she often says things in very impolitic ways, sometimes those she addresses are actually confused by her statements and then so amused by her innocence that they are not insulted. For instance, she might tell someone he was brave to wear such an unpleasant looking tie, or she might inquire why a child is not in school in a most cryptic, indirect way, especially when one of the children, a “fixer” of sorts, offers to get her the items she needs, although they are not sold in the store. They seem to have “fallen off a truck” somewhere. The child, Omar, can get most anything, and he provides her with the supplies. She meets his sister Vega, a foul-mouthed, dirty-looking girl who works in the local store that doubles as post office, pizzeria, auto mechanic, etc. Sami is their 20 year old, older brother. He hangs out with someone called Psycho, who indeed, is psycho!
These children begin a symbiotic association with her, and they are soon joined by other children and townsfolk like Bank who is not blind, but sight impaired, Sean, the Sheriff, and Somebody, a woman who rolls around her restaurant in her wheelchair barking orders. They form relationships that enhance not only their lives, but Britt-Marie’s and the rest of the townspeople’s as well. When the children approach Britt-Marie to be their soccer coach because she is there only choice since they need a coach to compete for the cup, she agrees, although she knows nothing about soccer. She learns more about life in that capacity than she had during the years she was married. She shares the town’s happy moments and suffers with them when tragedy strikes. She comes of age in Borg, at the “young” age of 63.
As Britt-Marie begins to be appreciated by the people she meets. She thinks back to her childhood dreams and dwells on some of her memories, like the plans she and her sister made to travel to Paris; she also remembers not being able to please her parents and realizes that Kent has never really praised her. When she begins to have a positive influence on the town as she demands and then expects proper behavior, obedience to rules and cleanliness, she finds she is respected, liked and then even praised. She begins to believe in herself just a little bit more, but she always returns to her thoughts of the status quo and wonders if it wouldn’t be better if she returned to the comfort of the life she once knew.
The reader will laugh and cry with her. The reader will wonder, will she go to Paris or will she forgive her husband and go home to him. Will she stay in Borg? Will the Sheriff who is smitten with her and the gathering groups of children remain a part of her life? Now that she has learned how to make her own decisions, her own independent choices, what will she choose? Soccer brought life back into Britt-Marie’s world. Which superstitious beliefs about the professional teams will guide her?
Britt-Marie wanted a job so that someone would notice if she died; she wanted someone to notice if she disappeared or if she didn’t show up. At the end, is that her overriding ambition any longer or has she found a new one? I think Britt-Marie chose to think about going on living rather than planning for the possibility of her death. I think she realized that she could make friends and would be missed, not only by them, but perhaps, also by Kent. Borg gave her a new lease on life and brought me hours of reading joy.
If you fell in love with Ove in Backman’s “A Man Called Ove”, because of his basic humanity in spite of his hard edges, you will adore Britt-Marie in spite of her rigidity. Her inner softness and tenderness will shine through because Backman’s skill in describing life at its core, is astounding. His dry wit will mitigate the more distressing events in the book so that although it is not a laugh out loud story, it will surely often offer a chuckle and titter for the reader.
Who is Britt-Marie? She is the antithesis of the liberated woman. She is an old-fashioned, naïve, very tidy woman with demanding scruples and an excessive love of lists that she feels compelled to follow to the letter. For her entire life she has been dependent
Show More
on her husband, Kent, and before that, on her family, a family she could not please or unite after they experienced the tragic death of her sister, the favorite child. She is a woman with little sense of humor, with little knowledge of the outside world, and with few social skills. She is an expert in taking care of a household, husband, and children, not necessarily her own, and also in entertaining her husband’s business clients. Otherwise, she is ill-prepared for the real world outside her home. Who is Britt-Marie? She is a woman betrayed. Her husband, Kent, had a heart attack which led to her discovery of his mistress. She is distraught, humiliated and shocked. For the first time in her life, she makes an independent move which leads to her finally finding her true self.When we meet her, she is in an unemployment office harassing the employee who cannot seem to provide her with an immediate position. Britt-Marie is called a nag-bag by many and she lives up to the reputation. After all, on the list, one of many she has made, she has written “find employment”, and she ticks off the items on it as they get completed. So, as far as she is concerned, the list must be completed. Although she has never worked outside the home, and is told she has no work experience, she insists that working at home was a job, a concept that should make many a woman smile. Exasperated, the unemployment office employee offers her a three week position in a one-horse town that is dying due to the financial crisis that has hit the world, only it has hit harder in the town of Borg. She is appointed as the caretaker of their recreation center. She immediately returns to the hostel she is staying at, packs her things and heads straight to Borg to begin her new life where she immediately sets about cleaning up the place, for she is nothing if not organized, nothing if not a creature of habit, but first, out of habit, she demands certain cleaning products. She wants Faxin, and only Faxin will do. It is the product she has always used to clean her windows. She wants baking soda which she always uses, as well, to clean everything, clothes, furniture, mattresses, and refrigerators!
Kent has not built up her self-esteem, so she is unaware of any talents she might have other than maintaining a home for him and his children. Now, she uses these skills in the town, cleaning, straightening and sprucing things up. She washes soccer uniforms, windows, floors, and hangs pictures. She adopts the recreation center’s resident rat, for he has a right to live also. She feeds and also engages in one-sided conversations with the rat, because, of course, the rat cannot respond. The conversations with the rat are indicative of Britt-Marie’s loneliness and aloneness. She realizes she has had few friends other than those business people she met through Kent.
Britt Marie is an expert at spouting left-handed compliments which she believes are not insulting, just truthful. She has been desensitized to the feelings of others because she has had little interaction with others outside her home. Although she often says things in very impolitic ways, sometimes those she addresses are actually confused by her statements and then so amused by her innocence that they are not insulted. For instance, she might tell someone he was brave to wear such an unpleasant looking tie, or she might inquire why a child is not in school in a most cryptic, indirect way, especially when one of the children, a “fixer” of sorts, offers to get her the items she needs, although they are not sold in the store. They seem to have “fallen off a truck” somewhere. The child, Omar, can get most anything, and he provides her with the supplies. She meets his sister Vega, a foul-mouthed, dirty-looking girl who works in the local store that doubles as post office, pizzeria, auto mechanic, etc. Sami is their 20 year old, older brother. He hangs out with someone called Psycho, who indeed, is psycho!
These children begin a symbiotic association with her, and they are soon joined by other children and townsfolk like Bank who is not blind, but sight impaired, Sean, the Sheriff, and Somebody, a woman who rolls around her restaurant in her wheelchair barking orders. They form relationships that enhance not only their lives, but Britt-Marie’s and the rest of the townspeople’s as well. When the children approach Britt-Marie to be their soccer coach because she is there only choice since they need a coach to compete for the cup, she agrees, although she knows nothing about soccer. She learns more about life in that capacity than she had during the years she was married. She shares the town’s happy moments and suffers with them when tragedy strikes. She comes of age in Borg, at the “young” age of 63.
As Britt-Marie begins to be appreciated by the people she meets. She thinks back to her childhood dreams and dwells on some of her memories, like the plans she and her sister made to travel to Paris; she also remembers not being able to please her parents and realizes that Kent has never really praised her. When she begins to have a positive influence on the town as she demands and then expects proper behavior, obedience to rules and cleanliness, she finds she is respected, liked and then even praised. She begins to believe in herself just a little bit more, but she always returns to her thoughts of the status quo and wonders if it wouldn’t be better if she returned to the comfort of the life she once knew.
The reader will laugh and cry with her. The reader will wonder, will she go to Paris or will she forgive her husband and go home to him. Will she stay in Borg? Will the Sheriff who is smitten with her and the gathering groups of children remain a part of her life? Now that she has learned how to make her own decisions, her own independent choices, what will she choose? Soccer brought life back into Britt-Marie’s world. Which superstitious beliefs about the professional teams will guide her?
Britt-Marie wanted a job so that someone would notice if she died; she wanted someone to notice if she disappeared or if she didn’t show up. At the end, is that her overriding ambition any longer or has she found a new one? I think Britt-Marie chose to think about going on living rather than planning for the possibility of her death. I think she realized that she could make friends and would be missed, not only by them, but perhaps, also by Kent. Borg gave her a new lease on life and brought me hours of reading joy.
If you fell in love with Ove in Backman’s “A Man Called Ove”, because of his basic humanity in spite of his hard edges, you will adore Britt-Marie in spite of her rigidity. Her inner softness and tenderness will shine through because Backman’s skill in describing life at its core, is astounding. His dry wit will mitigate the more distressing events in the book so that although it is not a laugh out loud story, it will surely often offer a chuckle and titter for the reader.
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LibraryThing member CarmenMilligan
If you have not yet read A Man Called Ove by this same author, STOP IMMEDIATELY what you are currently reading, and get ready to consume the book in one sitting. I know! It's that good!
Only then you will understand why Britt-Marie must be close to the top of your TBR.
Britt-Marie is instantly
Stepping out on her own for the first time in ... well, ever, Britt-Marie embarks on one adventure after another. Her arrival in a small town on the verge of collapse is just what she and the townies need. With a love for baking soda, window cleaner, and a burgeoning relationship with a rat, lives are transformed. Oh, and soccer is a really big deal. Really big.
Originally published in Backman's native Swedish, the story lends perfectly to translation and holds more than one laugh out loud moment. The writing is fluid, detailed and perfectly suited to the quirky characters made alive on the pages.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley for making this treasure available for my pre-release review.
Only then you will understand why Britt-Marie must be close to the top of your TBR.
Britt-Marie is instantly
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unlikable. She is stubborn, unyielding, and extremely rude. However, she is completely adorable from the very first. Handling this dichotomy so deftly is what sets Backman as one of my favorite authors. Stepping out on her own for the first time in ... well, ever, Britt-Marie embarks on one adventure after another. Her arrival in a small town on the verge of collapse is just what she and the townies need. With a love for baking soda, window cleaner, and a burgeoning relationship with a rat, lives are transformed. Oh, and soccer is a really big deal. Really big.
Originally published in Backman's native Swedish, the story lends perfectly to translation and holds more than one laugh out loud moment. The writing is fluid, detailed and perfectly suited to the quirky characters made alive on the pages.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley for making this treasure available for my pre-release review.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
Keeping up appearances but not being appreciated was Britt-Marie's life.
Britt-Marie always worried what others would think if something happened to her when they traveled and her hotel room was not in pristine order.
Britt-Marie was 63 and needed a job. If anyone would drive you crazy
Britt-Marie was appalled when Borg didn't have any Faxin for her cleaning routine. How could they not have Faxin? How can you get anything clean without it?
Britt-Marie has a germ and dirt aversion which is comically portrayed and makes you laugh out loud at her statements.
Borg grows to love Britt-Marie, and Britt-Marie loves Borg and its residents.
BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE is a heartwarming, funny, enjoyable read.
I was delighted with this book from the first three-word sentence of the book, and the delight continued until the last page.
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Britt-Marie always worried what others would think if something happened to her when they traveled and her hotel room was not in pristine order.
Britt-Marie was 63 and needed a job. If anyone would drive you crazy
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about a job or just about anything, it would be Britt-Marie. The only job the employment agency had for Britt-Marie was in a town called Borg, and the job was cleaning the recreation center.Britt-Marie was appalled when Borg didn't have any Faxin for her cleaning routine. How could they not have Faxin? How can you get anything clean without it?
Britt-Marie has a germ and dirt aversion which is comically portrayed and makes you laugh out loud at her statements.
Borg grows to love Britt-Marie, and Britt-Marie loves Borg and its residents.
BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE is a heartwarming, funny, enjoyable read.
I was delighted with this book from the first three-word sentence of the book, and the delight continued until the last page.
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member eyes.2c
Perfectly and weirdly wonderful!
Britt Marie is such a wonderful anti hero. We meet her as she finds herself traded in for a younger model by her 'perfect' husband Kent, who is referred to throughout the book by Britt in the hushed tones of the subdued and oppressed. Let's face it--Britt Marie is a
Britt is thrown on her own resources, and with the help of an exhausted employment officer, ends up as the caretaker of a recreation centre in the dying town of Borg. (The employment officer and Britt's interactions are a thing of joy. I loved those moments) Britt's relationship with Borg is a thing of wonder and joy. As are all the relationships she forms in this dying town. A town broken and down but not out. A metaphor that matches well with Britt's story. Britt finds herself immersed in the kids' soccer team--a team without a field or a coach--and somehow Britt and the Recreation Centre form an apex for the town's rejuvenation and belief in itself.
It is here that she comes into her own, albeit by her peculiarities, rather than intent. She forms friendships in a very Britt way--and they are delightful.
Her one regret, apart from forever wondering if Kent is being looked after, seems to be her loss of her balcony from which she views her world. Her safe place, of comfort and retreat which has now disappeared, along with her husband. As Britt tells us, 'A balcony can change everything.'
Her way to solve the problems besetting her is to clean, and clean, and clean, and then clean again. It's soothing, claiming, and something she can control.
And the people she meets are just plain quirky and yet so true.
The number of times the name 'Somebody' caused me to come to a confused momentary halt was confounding. Every time! I read the word and even though it's capitalized I looked for the rest of the phase or sentence. Somebody is somebody's name in this weirdly wonderful book. And it tripped me up every darn time! Played havoc with my sentence construction and predictive reading abilities! And that too, is just plain part of the book's charm.
I simply loved this book!
p.s. I am officially converted to the use of baking soda--for everything! Thank you Britt!
A NetGalley ARC
Britt Marie is such a wonderful anti hero. We meet her as she finds herself traded in for a younger model by her 'perfect' husband Kent, who is referred to throughout the book by Britt in the hushed tones of the subdued and oppressed. Let's face it--Britt Marie is a
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difficult woman. A woman who keeps 'living' at bay by rules. She is a woman exhibiting all the signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and a woman who finds it hard to express emotions in the normal way. What she does express, at out of place moments, are her decided rules about behaviour and tidiness and her compulsive obsession with cleaning--everything! Continually! Somehow her remarks, out of left field, often seem to others as meaningful. To Britt they are statements of fact. Her check list of determining a person's character includes how they arrange their cutlery drawer and whether or not they place coasters under their drinks. Which leads to some fascinating moments of skewed connection.Britt is thrown on her own resources, and with the help of an exhausted employment officer, ends up as the caretaker of a recreation centre in the dying town of Borg. (The employment officer and Britt's interactions are a thing of joy. I loved those moments) Britt's relationship with Borg is a thing of wonder and joy. As are all the relationships she forms in this dying town. A town broken and down but not out. A metaphor that matches well with Britt's story. Britt finds herself immersed in the kids' soccer team--a team without a field or a coach--and somehow Britt and the Recreation Centre form an apex for the town's rejuvenation and belief in itself.
It is here that she comes into her own, albeit by her peculiarities, rather than intent. She forms friendships in a very Britt way--and they are delightful.
Her one regret, apart from forever wondering if Kent is being looked after, seems to be her loss of her balcony from which she views her world. Her safe place, of comfort and retreat which has now disappeared, along with her husband. As Britt tells us, 'A balcony can change everything.'
Her way to solve the problems besetting her is to clean, and clean, and clean, and then clean again. It's soothing, claiming, and something she can control.
And the people she meets are just plain quirky and yet so true.
The number of times the name 'Somebody' caused me to come to a confused momentary halt was confounding. Every time! I read the word and even though it's capitalized I looked for the rest of the phase or sentence. Somebody is somebody's name in this weirdly wonderful book. And it tripped me up every darn time! Played havoc with my sentence construction and predictive reading abilities! And that too, is just plain part of the book's charm.
I simply loved this book!
p.s. I am officially converted to the use of baking soda--for everything! Thank you Britt!
A NetGalley ARC
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
I absolutely loved the character of Britt-Marie. She is 63 years old and has recently left her husband. She finally admitted that he had been having affairs, he did not appreciate her or everything she did for him in taking care of and raising his children as well as taking care of him and his
Britt-Marie arrives in the town, her car explodes, at least that is what she thinks happens. It turns out that it has been hit by a soccer ball that does quite a bit of damage to her door. As it turns out, Britt-Marie hates soccer because it is the one thing that Kent sits and watches while she bustles around taking care of the house and he ignores her. Britt-Marie meets a group of children who play soccer religiously outside the recreation center and they somehow convince her to coach their team so they can enter a soccer tournament. The characters she meets in this little town make you laugh and cry. Somebody, the owner of the pizzaria, Vega and Omar, siblings who play soccer, Sven the police officer, Bank her landlord and many others show Britt-Marie she is a person who is worth caring about, has a sense of humor and is a good friend. She even gets a pet that she takes care of and feeds every day at exactly 6:00 because that is when civilized people eat dinner.
Britt-Marie's growth in this book is amazing. She and the people in Borg learn and teach one another what is important in life, such as loyalty, friendship, love, family and home. There persistence and stubbornness help them remain a community even when it seems that there is nothing left for them. Fredrik Backman is becoming one of my favourite authors. I recommend this book to anyone who loves quirky characters, a good story, drama, family stories and stories about not giving up on yourself or others.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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home. She leaves the house, but now she needs to find a job. After being out of the workforce for over 40 years, this is easier said than done. With all her quirks (making lists that she must stick to, being brutally honest and saying what she thinks, cleaning everything, never laughing etc.) she heads off to the employment office and demands they find her a job. After badgering the young counsellor, she finally gets a short-term (3 months) position as the caretaker at a recreation centre in a small, almost abandoned town called Borg. It is really just buildings on both sides of a road, but she heads off. This job and the life she finds in Borg, changes her and her life. Britt-Marie arrives in the town, her car explodes, at least that is what she thinks happens. It turns out that it has been hit by a soccer ball that does quite a bit of damage to her door. As it turns out, Britt-Marie hates soccer because it is the one thing that Kent sits and watches while she bustles around taking care of the house and he ignores her. Britt-Marie meets a group of children who play soccer religiously outside the recreation center and they somehow convince her to coach their team so they can enter a soccer tournament. The characters she meets in this little town make you laugh and cry. Somebody, the owner of the pizzaria, Vega and Omar, siblings who play soccer, Sven the police officer, Bank her landlord and many others show Britt-Marie she is a person who is worth caring about, has a sense of humor and is a good friend. She even gets a pet that she takes care of and feeds every day at exactly 6:00 because that is when civilized people eat dinner.
Britt-Marie's growth in this book is amazing. She and the people in Borg learn and teach one another what is important in life, such as loyalty, friendship, love, family and home. There persistence and stubbornness help them remain a community even when it seems that there is nothing left for them. Fredrik Backman is becoming one of my favourite authors. I recommend this book to anyone who loves quirky characters, a good story, drama, family stories and stories about not giving up on yourself or others.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member PhonyGal
What an enjoyable book! I laughed out loud, especially during the first chapter I kept thinking about those close to me who are list makers and extremely organized!
LibraryThing member BrittanyLyn
Fredrik Backman does it again. Full of humanity, humor, and loss, even Backman's unlikeable characters are so human, you can't help but to fall in love.
LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
“Britt-Marie is not used to hoping.”
Our protagonist is not judgmental, oh no, she is certainly not one of those kind of people.
“Forks. Knives. Spoons.
In that order.
Britt-Marie is certainly not the kind of person who judges other people. Far from it.
But surely no civilized person would
We're not animals, are we?”
Britt-Marie is a persnickety woman has a sleaze of a husband and a very limited world. Until she finds herself in a dying town, surrounded by dirty kids who play soccer. And a rat who doesn't always show up for dinner on time. Schedules and proper behavior should help keep her world...well...if not great, at least acceptable. And baking soda. A great deal of baking soda must be used.
There is much to be learned from this charming story, or you can just enjoy the story for itself. This is the third Backman book I've read, and I loved it just as I did the first two. His writing, his turning of a phrase, is extraordinary. Translator Henning Koch must be given a good deal of credit too, because no matter how well the book was originally written, it could have fallen flat with a poor translation, but Koch captured Britt-Marie beautifully.
The author, in his acknowledgments, thanks the readers who criticized his work, and although he can't promise to become a better writer, they forced him to think. I hope he doesn't pay too much attention to the criticism, because I love his books just they way they are.
Our protagonist is not judgmental, oh no, she is certainly not one of those kind of people.
“Forks. Knives. Spoons.
In that order.
Britt-Marie is certainly not the kind of person who judges other people. Far from it.
But surely no civilized person would
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even think of arranging a cutlery drawer in a different way from how cutlery drawers are supposed to be arranged?We're not animals, are we?”
Britt-Marie is a persnickety woman has a sleaze of a husband and a very limited world. Until she finds herself in a dying town, surrounded by dirty kids who play soccer. And a rat who doesn't always show up for dinner on time. Schedules and proper behavior should help keep her world...well...if not great, at least acceptable. And baking soda. A great deal of baking soda must be used.
There is much to be learned from this charming story, or you can just enjoy the story for itself. This is the third Backman book I've read, and I loved it just as I did the first two. His writing, his turning of a phrase, is extraordinary. Translator Henning Koch must be given a good deal of credit too, because no matter how well the book was originally written, it could have fallen flat with a poor translation, but Koch captured Britt-Marie beautifully.
The author, in his acknowledgments, thanks the readers who criticized his work, and although he can't promise to become a better writer, they forced him to think. I hope he doesn't pay too much attention to the criticism, because I love his books just they way they are.
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Britt-Marie walked out on her cheating husband after 40 years of marriage. Fussy and set in her ways, she is unsure of how to be on her own. Finding a job in a small, run-down town, she relocates and finds herself friends and a life if she will only take it.
LibraryThing member SignoraEdie
I have read and appreciated all of Fredrik Backman's books and was eager to read this new novel. At first I was disappointed...as the novel seemed slow but trusting the author, I kept reading. I was certainly rewarded. I LOVED this book. The main character is a woman who has never discovered
The story is wonderful, but even more wonderful is the language of the author. I found myself pausing after a sentence and savoring it. I wanted to underline so many passages. And when I was finished with the book, I wanted to just sit and hold on to it just a little longer. Very few books touch me this way. Thank you Fredrik Backman.
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herself. Living her life with insecurity and hungers that were never met, she tiptoes through life. When she takes the step to leave her philandering husband, she embarks on a journey that brings new life to her and to those she touches.The story is wonderful, but even more wonderful is the language of the author. I found myself pausing after a sentence and savoring it. I wanted to underline so many passages. And when I was finished with the book, I wanted to just sit and hold on to it just a little longer. Very few books touch me this way. Thank you Fredrik Backman.
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LibraryThing member Ronrose1
I’m not going to read the last chapter. Those of you who have read the book will know why. Those of you who haven’t read the book will just have to wonder, until you read the book. Why do we do what we do? Why do we make the choices that we make in life? Perhaps it is our nature; a natural
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inclination. Perhaps it is that we have been acted upon by outside forces. A happy event or more probably a traumatic event may shape the rest of our lives. Britt-Marie’s life has been pretty well mapped out ever since the traumatic event she experienced as a little girl. Her extreme efforts to please others has lead to the almost total exclusion of her own feelings. Her lack of self image manifests itself in the way she has acceded to all of her husbands demands, insults, neglect, and verbal slights. No matter how much he belittles her, she can only respond by working harder to try and win his approval by making his life perfect. Order is the rule of her life. You thought the Queen was straight-laced and orderly, well she has nothing on Britt-Marie. Britt-Marie, no one is allowed to call her Britt, with the exception of her aunt, insists that there is a place for everything and everything must be in it’s place and spotlessly clean to boot. How is she to cope when confronted by the truth of her husband’s philandering? Her orderly world breaks apart. Britt-Marie, to her credit, pulls herself together enough to leave home to try and make some sense of an unruly world. Her struggles to cope will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart. Britt-Marie’s attempts to survive and belong in this mixed up universe will make you fall in love with this square peg in a round world. Show Less
LibraryThing member smallwonder56
Britt-Marie, one of the characters from Backman's novel "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" expands the character and takes her from an annoyance to someone you can understand and cheer for. The book starts out somewhat slowly because the Britt-Marie, herself, had sort of a flat
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personality, but she grows, follows her own hero's journey and works to become "self-actualized". Wonderful book. I didn't want it to end. Show Less
LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
An abandoned town and an abandoned woman. Borg is the town. Only those people who couldn’t get out remain there. Britt-Marie is the abandoned woman. Taken for granted by her husband for so many years, having an extra-marital affair, nothing positive to say about her, she finally walks out. How
Britt-Marie was a character in Backman’s previous novel, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, not a pivotal character as was her husband, Kent, who plays a large role in this story as well. A woman with no skills other than house keeping, Britt-Marie finds herself in need of a job. After pestering the woman at the employment agency, as only Britt-Marie can do, she lands a three week assignment as the caretaker of a derelict recreation center scheduled to be razed. An impulsive cleaner, Britt-Marie’s first task is to clean the space from top to bottom, several times over, regardless of the rec center’s impending doom. When several children come in to watch a soccer match, she is startled. Thus begins a relationship between Britt-Marie and the town that is unusual at the very least and unbelievable at the very best.
Many young adult novels are described as ‘coming of age.’ If it is at all possible for a 60+ year old woman to come of age, then Britt-Marie does so in this book. Having spent all her days in the service of someone else, her mother and her husband, leaving Kent was the first thing she had ever done for herself. Surviving in Borg, a town that everyone has given up on, building her self esteem, is no easy feat.
Backman has a way with words. An example: Soccer is an important element in the book. He writes of the town’s rag tag team, “One of the boys takes aim at the fence but instead manages to shoot the ball right back to Britt-Marie, which, if you consider the angle, is quite an impressive feat as far as under-achievements go.” The cast of characters is most unusual and most lovable.
I was not warned, but I will warn you…you will, without a doubt, need a box of tissues at the end. Don’t say I didn’t tell you if you fail to follow my instructions.
Start with My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry. Move on to Britt-Marie was Here and in between read A Man Called Ove. The perfect reading list.
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the latter made her way to the former, is the beginning of this wonderful novel, Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrick Backman. This is definitely one of the best novels I’ve read this year.Britt-Marie was a character in Backman’s previous novel, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, not a pivotal character as was her husband, Kent, who plays a large role in this story as well. A woman with no skills other than house keeping, Britt-Marie finds herself in need of a job. After pestering the woman at the employment agency, as only Britt-Marie can do, she lands a three week assignment as the caretaker of a derelict recreation center scheduled to be razed. An impulsive cleaner, Britt-Marie’s first task is to clean the space from top to bottom, several times over, regardless of the rec center’s impending doom. When several children come in to watch a soccer match, she is startled. Thus begins a relationship between Britt-Marie and the town that is unusual at the very least and unbelievable at the very best.
Many young adult novels are described as ‘coming of age.’ If it is at all possible for a 60+ year old woman to come of age, then Britt-Marie does so in this book. Having spent all her days in the service of someone else, her mother and her husband, leaving Kent was the first thing she had ever done for herself. Surviving in Borg, a town that everyone has given up on, building her self esteem, is no easy feat.
Backman has a way with words. An example: Soccer is an important element in the book. He writes of the town’s rag tag team, “One of the boys takes aim at the fence but instead manages to shoot the ball right back to Britt-Marie, which, if you consider the angle, is quite an impressive feat as far as under-achievements go.” The cast of characters is most unusual and most lovable.
I was not warned, but I will warn you…you will, without a doubt, need a box of tissues at the end. Don’t say I didn’t tell you if you fail to follow my instructions.
Start with My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry. Move on to Britt-Marie was Here and in between read A Man Called Ove. The perfect reading list.
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LibraryThing member ethel55
The idea that lists in ink are meant to be heeded is a great analogy for the character of Britt Marie. She's very organized, loves to clean, but a bit awkward with people. When she uncharacteristically leaves her husband, she soon shows up at the unemployment office, looking for work. Enter one of
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the interesting, unnamed characters, Girl, who finally gives in and finds Britt Marie a job as a supervisor of a rec center in a small town called Borg. The rec center is in a shambles, and the town a shell of itself after the recent economic crisis. But, Somebody still runs a grocery/pizzeria and kids still play soccer on what they call a pitch lit by headlights of parked cars. Here, Britt Marie's foray in the messiness of life and the wonderful characters Backman has created kept me reading long past bed or break time. The end was hard, but I loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheGrandWorldofBooks
This is a book with the most incredible character growth of any book I have ever read. Britt-Marie starts out kind of on the same annoyance scale as nails on a chalkboard, but quickly grew on me, until by the end I was getting emotional over what was going on with her. And I connected with her on a
The story and the characters in this book are written with an affection that really shows deeply in the book. This town and these characters must be extremely close to Mr. Backman's heart, because even the less than nice characters show the results of the aforementioned affection.
Soccer plays a big hand in this book too, but surprisingly, not in an annoying, overwhelming way. To be honest, by the end of the book, I was getting pretty excited over a soccer match, which is not something I think I have ever done. For a couple of minutes I even toyed with the idea of trying to WATCH soccer too. The book was right...soccer does demand to be loved.
I highly recommend this book. I laughed...I literally cried...I connected on a deep level with the characters and I rode the roller coaster of emotions that the book made me feel, and enjoyed every minute of the ride. And I definitely wasn't ready for the book to be over, but I feel immensely satisfied by the experience.
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level that I did not expect when I started the book. The story and the characters in this book are written with an affection that really shows deeply in the book. This town and these characters must be extremely close to Mr. Backman's heart, because even the less than nice characters show the results of the aforementioned affection.
Soccer plays a big hand in this book too, but surprisingly, not in an annoying, overwhelming way. To be honest, by the end of the book, I was getting pretty excited over a soccer match, which is not something I think I have ever done. For a couple of minutes I even toyed with the idea of trying to WATCH soccer too. The book was right...soccer does demand to be loved.
I highly recommend this book. I laughed...I literally cried...I connected on a deep level with the characters and I rode the roller coaster of emotions that the book made me feel, and enjoyed every minute of the ride. And I definitely wasn't ready for the book to be over, but I feel immensely satisfied by the experience.
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LibraryThing member Loried
As a big fan of Backman's book, A Man Called Ove, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read a galley of Britt-Marie Was Here. I thoroughly enjoyed it, finding it well-written and entertaining. The characters were quirky and the story was original. Although it may not have been realistic,
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it still was a delightful read. My only criticism is the ambiguous ending; I would have liked a definitive conclusion. I think the book could inspire interesting book discussions about love, friendship, community and marriage. I highly recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member asomers
Fredrik Backman is masterful at created quirky characters with so much depth. You can't help but grow to love them.
LibraryThing member bell7
Sixty-three year old Britt-Marie has just left her adulterous husband and struck out on her own, going to a employment office to see about getting a job and driving the poor young woman who works their crazy with her rules and lists. Britt-Marie likes everything to be just so, you see, and she's
This is the sort of feel-good, quirky story I love, and those who enjoyed the author's earlier book A Man Called Ove will find more to like in his newest title. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the ending - it felt a little dragged out and if you're not a fan of certain things being left a little ambivalent, it will drive you slightly crazy. Britt-Marie is one of those characters who would be difficult in real life but is great fun to read about, and in the end I could relate to her more than I expected to. The other people Britt-Marie meets - Somebody who runs about all the businesses in Borg out of a pizzeria, Sven the policemen, and the kids who have a soccer team even if no one else takes them seriously - were really fun to spend time with.
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not being rude or unhelpful or judgmental when she points out that they're not quite up to her standards, right? She ends up with a job at the recreation center in the dilapidated town of Borg, and whether or not she's ready for Borg - or Borg's ready for her - remains to be seen.This is the sort of feel-good, quirky story I love, and those who enjoyed the author's earlier book A Man Called Ove will find more to like in his newest title. The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the ending - it felt a little dragged out and if you're not a fan of certain things being left a little ambivalent, it will drive you slightly crazy. Britt-Marie is one of those characters who would be difficult in real life but is great fun to read about, and in the end I could relate to her more than I expected to. The other people Britt-Marie meets - Somebody who runs about all the businesses in Borg out of a pizzeria, Sven the policemen, and the kids who have a soccer team even if no one else takes them seriously - were really fun to spend time with.
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
Wouldn't it be nice, after your death, if someone remembered that you had existed? Well, that desire was a catalyst for Britt-Marie to attempt some new, if terrifying and bewildering, experiences. The resulting tale is marvelous. I became quite attached to Britt-Marie, and definitely rooted for her
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as the story moved along. I think you will too! Here's to being the kind of person willing to "take the leap". Show Less
LibraryThing member librarian1204
I gave A Man Called Ove 5 stars. It blew me away. Characters, emotions, it is the whole package. I think, had I read Britt-Marie first, it would be 5 stars. Trying to figure out why and I think at the beginning of this book, I felt that there was now a female curmudgeon in place of a male.
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Britt-Marie in place of Ove. But there are differences and the story is excellent. Once again the various characters and their interactions move the story. The MC and her awakening is a see-saw. Mr. Backman has given us stories and characters that will long be remembered. Show Less
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2018)
Indies Choice Book Award (Honor Book — Adult Fiction — 2017)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2016)
Original publication date
2016
ISBN
9781501142543