A man called Ove : a novel

Title:

Uniform Title:

Man som heter Ove. English

Author:

Backman, Fredrik, 1981-

Personal Author:

Backman, Fredrik, 1981-

ISBN:

9781476738017

Edition:

First Atria Books hardcover edition.

Physical Description:

337 pages ; 24 cm

General Note:

Translated from the Swedish.

Translation of: Man som heter Ove.

"First published in Great Britain in 2014 by Hodder & Stoughton"--Title page verso.

Abstract:

"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 must Ove be bitter just because he doesn?t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time? 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."-- Provided by publisher.

Subject Term:

Older men -- Fiction.

Neighbors -- Fiction.

Neighborhoods -- Fiction.

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Belmont	Book	FICTION BACKMAN	Searching... Unknown
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Searching... East End	Book	FICTION BACKMAN	Searching... Unknown
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Summary

Now a major motion picture A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks!

#1 New York Times bestseller--more than 3 million copies sold!

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 must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

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.

Fredrik Backman's beloved first novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. "If there was an award for 'Most Charming Book of the Year,' this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down" ( Booklist , starred review).

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

Originally published in Sweden, this charming debut novel by Backman should find a ready audience with English-language readers. The book opens helpfully with the following characterizations about its protagonist: Ove is fifty-nine. He drives a Saab. Hes the kind of man who points at people he doesnt like the look of, as if they were burglars and his forefinger a policemans torch. What the book takes its time revealing is that this dyed-in-the-wool curmudgeon has a heart of solid gold. Readers will see the basic setup coming a mile away, but Backman does a crafty job revealing the full vein of precious metal beneath Oves ribs, glint by glint. Oves history trickles out in alternating chaptersa bleak set of circumstances that smacks an honorable, hardworking boy around time and again, proving that, even by early adulthood, he comes by his grumpy nature honestly. Its a woman who turns his life around the first time: sweet and lively Sonja, who becomes his wife and balances his pessimism with optimism and warmth. By 59, he's in a place of despair yet again, and its a woman who turns him around a second time: spirited, knowing Parvaneh, who moves with her husband and children into the terraced house next door and forces Ove to engage with the world. The back story chapters have a simple, fablelike quality, while the current-day chapters are episodic and, at times, hysterically funny. In both instances, the narration can veer toward the preachy or overly pat, but wry descriptions, excellent pacing and the juxtaposition of Oves attitude with his deeds add plenty of punch to balance out any pathos. In the contest of Most Winning Combination, it would be hard to beat grumpy Ove and his hidden, generous heart. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.