Fredrik Backman's works

I read my way through Fredrik Backman's works. What a writer! Here's what I thought:

1. I absolutely loved  A Man Called Ove. I've recommended it to everyone in the last year who has asked for a good book.

It's been a long, long time since I've read something that made me weep from laughter and sentiment. I read it on a road trip we took with the kids (Eric was driving. I was managing food distribution, conflict resolution, and media consumption. It's how we roll on every road trip.) But in my off moments of negotiating, I read. I would cackle loudly, and then sob, with tears gushing down my face. Eric would look over at me and ask, "Are you OK, over there?" I would whimper/sniff, "Yessssss", and then go back to my blubbering and cackling.

The main character is a lovable, grumpy old man named Ove. My favorite thing about recommending this book is that everyone who reads it comes back and tells me about the "Oves" they have in their own life. For me, it's my grandfather, for a friend: her neighbor, for another friend: her husband.

There is some swearing.

*Note: If you are missing Ove after you read him, and you want to meet Alfie, his kindred spirit, go watch The Beautiful Fantastic, which is a lovely, quirky movie. I like quirky charming movies, not quirky weird movies, and the movie is quirky charming.

2. Britt Marie Was Here. I read this because I wanted more Ove. Well, there was no Ove, but another quirky, lovable, flawed, funny character.

It's amazing to me that these were all written in Swedish, because whoever translated them did a flawless job with translation (not that I know Swedish). I just know that the humor comes through: dry and hilarious.

Also some swearing, I think adult content. But another book I liked.

3. I read most of My Grandmother Told You To Tell You She's Sorry, and I bought the book. Out of Backman's four books, this is the one I'll pass on and not keep on my shelf. I didn't get into this one so much, but the concept of a fable having more meaning than just a bedtime story isn't new to me.

Some people adore this book, great. Just not me this time.

4. Lastly. I also read Beartown. I'm conflicted about recommending this one. Ove and Britt Marie had language, but I could manage it. I enjoyed their character sketches with one main character, developed very well.

Beartown is different. There are main characters, but the book is about so many things: misogynist sports culture, small town mindset*, loyalty, etc . You can get a summary from Amazon.

My brother Jon was once telling me about his movie choices and he said, "You have to know how much filth/questionable material you are willing to see in the name of entertainment." I feel that way about this book. For some of my friends, this book is too much. Too crass. Too crude. Too anti-women, too vulgar. For other friends, this is a beacon a illuminating light into dark places: a marvelous commentary about difficult topics.

But I can say this. It's offensive. It's meant to me. I skipped what I couldn't handle, but if you skip everything . . . you skip everything.

So I wouldn't hand it to everyone. I will keep it high on my restricted shelf. I don't want my kids to read this until they are past 25. Personally, I wouldn't have gone past the first page until well into my thirties.

But from here, in my mid-forties, I've seen more. I'm more comfortable with ambiguity. I can tell the difference between an author who is using crude jokes because he/she can't do any better, an author who uses crude jokes because he/she thinks they are genuinely funny, and an author who uses crude jokes because he/she knows they are repugnant, and to make a point. Backman is the latter.

In short, I thought Beartown was one of the best books I've read in a long time.

But maybe it's not for you.

At any rate, go meet Ove. Start there. Then proceed at will.

*I've lived in several small towns. There are some very nice things about small towns. But when I say, "small town mindset" I don't mean it kindly. I mean the darker side of living in a small town---the manipulation that goes on to keep kids in the small town; the pressure to marry kids from the same town hoping the imagined couple will stay there; the anti-achievement culture that pervades; and the long-held town gender stereotypes that the upcoming generation is indoctrinated into following. That kind of small town mindset, I've seen it plenty. And I don't think it's good.