Well, while I agree with you on everything else you have written in the past 3 years, I am at odds with you on your book reviews! I LOVED Beartown, and even added it to my “favorites” list on goodreads which is my highest bar, and very few books make it there. Backman made me go from wondering why hockey even exists to totally appreciating the sport. He made me love deeply flawed yet incredibly human characters. He had me reading along pleasantly at times only to find tears falling down my cheeks one sentence later. I simply fell in love with Beartown. I thought The Goldfinch was too long and really meandered unnecessarily at times. Can’t wait to read your next review! If you get a chance to listen to a library interview with Backman, I highly recommend it. He starts off sounding like an aloof and arrogant author and then he divulges his methodology and well, he’s a crazy genius. Cheers!
It's famous, and you've probably already read it, but if not: Winter of Our Discontent by Steinbeck is probably the best fiction I've ever read. And should be required reading at every undergraduate institution. I think you'd find it sufficiently surprising, though perhaps cliche, I'm not sure. If you have more time, East of Eden I could not put down twenty years ago when I read it over a weekend, a nine-hundred-page-turner.
I hate to admit it, after your review, but I read Beartown twice. This is in part because I am a hockey mom and I live in a small town culture when hockey drama makes and breaks relationships. I also watched the Beartown HBO series (in subtitles twice). That said, I can't even get one hockey friend to read or watch Beartown--they are too busy driving their kids to hockey. Reading your review I get that for me this book/movie was a story that fit with my experience somewhat, but you are right, the novel can fall short in representing layers and the hero/villan that can lies in all of us is difficult to represent.
I preferred “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you she’s Sorry”. That’s where Backman introduced Britt Marie. Then read “Britt Marie was Here” for her origin story. I think the characters are far more interesting than in the Beartown series. “My Grandmother…” was one of those stories that caught me by surprise. If you like his style of writing at all, even in it’s straightforwardness, you should read these books too.
Backman, one of my fav authors. Britt Marie Was Here-hilarious,sad and heartwarming. Anxious People also good. But the best, A Man called Ove(so much better than the movie)
I highly recommend The Sparrow by Doria Marie Russell. A story about "Jesuits in Space", it deals with the paradox of someone having done everything right, with right intentions, who nevertheless causes unimaginable harm, and suffers because of it. It doesn't provide you with simple answers, but has you walk with the characters as you delight in their discoveries and suffer with them in their pain. It is also an incredible study of anthropology, with its first contact setting allowing us to marvel in the uniquenesses of another society.
This is not a page turner, but a novel to be mulled over. It poses many questions, but doesn't attempt to force an answer on the reader. Additionally, despite containing some Christian characters and themes, this is not a Christian book, the author herself is a lapsed Catholic.
Thank you for sharing your review. It sounds like Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey is the type of novel you're looking for! Vivid, heartbreaking, messy, complex, poetic... I didn't want it to end!
Thank you for the review! If you enjoy murder mysteries, The Sandhamn Murders are a series written by Viveca Sten. Also set in Sweden, in a small town, on an island :-)
Thanks for these reviews, life is always too short and help in choosing what to read and not to read is precious. I imagine you have already read Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole crime novels, but if not, they should be right up your alley. Something more off-beat, ambitious and original that I greatly enjoyed: Roberto Bolano's The Savage Detectives. Thanks again, and look forward to more reviews.
I could not finish Beartown and gave the book to charity book drive. A Man Called Ove was Backman's best book. I would recommend reading Cutting for Stone and The Covenant of Water both by Abraham Verghese.
Well, while I agree with you on everything else you have written in the past 3 years, I am at odds with you on your book reviews! I LOVED Beartown, and even added it to my “favorites” list on goodreads which is my highest bar, and very few books make it there. Backman made me go from wondering why hockey even exists to totally appreciating the sport. He made me love deeply flawed yet incredibly human characters. He had me reading along pleasantly at times only to find tears falling down my cheeks one sentence later. I simply fell in love with Beartown. I thought The Goldfinch was too long and really meandered unnecessarily at times. Can’t wait to read your next review! If you get a chance to listen to a library interview with Backman, I highly recommend it. He starts off sounding like an aloof and arrogant author and then he divulges his methodology and well, he’s a crazy genius. Cheers!
Agree to your comments about Beartown and Goldfinch. Is your goodreads name the same as here? I’d like to see what else you like.
I think so!
It's famous, and you've probably already read it, but if not: Winter of Our Discontent by Steinbeck is probably the best fiction I've ever read. And should be required reading at every undergraduate institution. I think you'd find it sufficiently surprising, though perhaps cliche, I'm not sure. If you have more time, East of Eden I could not put down twenty years ago when I read it over a weekend, a nine-hundred-page-turner.
Caravans by James Michener
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
I hate to admit it, after your review, but I read Beartown twice. This is in part because I am a hockey mom and I live in a small town culture when hockey drama makes and breaks relationships. I also watched the Beartown HBO series (in subtitles twice). That said, I can't even get one hockey friend to read or watch Beartown--they are too busy driving their kids to hockey. Reading your review I get that for me this book/movie was a story that fit with my experience somewhat, but you are right, the novel can fall short in representing layers and the hero/villan that can lies in all of us is difficult to represent.
I preferred “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell you she’s Sorry”. That’s where Backman introduced Britt Marie. Then read “Britt Marie was Here” for her origin story. I think the characters are far more interesting than in the Beartown series. “My Grandmother…” was one of those stories that caught me by surprise. If you like his style of writing at all, even in it’s straightforwardness, you should read these books too.
Backman, one of my fav authors. Britt Marie Was Here-hilarious,sad and heartwarming. Anxious People also good. But the best, A Man called Ove(so much better than the movie)
A book you will remember, Atlas Shrugged.
I don't know if this is your style, but I love Middlemarch. Everyone is so finely imagined that it seems impossible that they aren't real people.
I love fleabag
I highly recommend The Sparrow by Doria Marie Russell. A story about "Jesuits in Space", it deals with the paradox of someone having done everything right, with right intentions, who nevertheless causes unimaginable harm, and suffers because of it. It doesn't provide you with simple answers, but has you walk with the characters as you delight in their discoveries and suffer with them in their pain. It is also an incredible study of anthropology, with its first contact setting allowing us to marvel in the uniquenesses of another society.
This is not a page turner, but a novel to be mulled over. It poses many questions, but doesn't attempt to force an answer on the reader. Additionally, despite containing some Christian characters and themes, this is not a Christian book, the author herself is a lapsed Catholic.
Thank you for sharing your review. It sounds like Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey is the type of novel you're looking for! Vivid, heartbreaking, messy, complex, poetic... I didn't want it to end!
Thank you for the review! If you enjoy murder mysteries, The Sandhamn Murders are a series written by Viveca Sten. Also set in Sweden, in a small town, on an island :-)
Abraham Verghese ‘ s Covenant of Water is both art, science and brilliant story telling
I just bought that book! I'll be reading it soon!
Thanks for these reviews, life is always too short and help in choosing what to read and not to read is precious. I imagine you have already read Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole crime novels, but if not, they should be right up your alley. Something more off-beat, ambitious and original that I greatly enjoyed: Roberto Bolano's The Savage Detectives. Thanks again, and look forward to more reviews.
Have you read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue? That is one of those books that you do not want to end.
Please keep the book reviews coming, they are wonderful!
From a novelist, I want truth, humility, and wonder.
I could not finish Beartown and gave the book to charity book drive. A Man Called Ove was Backman's best book. I would recommend reading Cutting for Stone and The Covenant of Water both by Abraham Verghese.
I couldn’t finish Bear town either. I picked it up after reading ove.