A little book with a big heart!
“I read this beautifully imagined and moving novella in one sitting, utterly wowed, wanting to share it with everyone I know.” —Lisa Genova, bestselling author of Still Alice
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, and Britt-Marie Was Here comes an exquisitely moving portrait of an elderly … portrait of an elderly man’s struggle to hold on to his most precious memories, and his family’s efforts to care for him even as they must find a way to let go.
With all the same charm of his bestselling full-length novels, here Fredrik Backman once again reveals his unrivaled understanding of human nature and deep compassion for people in difficult circumstances. This is a tiny gem with a message you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
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This tiny little story hit me full force in the heart strings. I ugly cried and am still tearful two hours later. If you’re fortunate enough to have an aging person in your life, be grateful, be patient, be generous, be kind and calm…be their memory and their anchor to this world. Such a moving short-story.
A beautiful, memorable offering from Backman on dealing with death, aging, and saying goodbye.
In a similar vein to Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer deals with a grandpa’s struggle with forgetting and his family’s attempts to help him make the most of his remaining years and his remaining memory.
Backman, as always, offers elegant metaphors for the things we struggle to put into words, such as a park square growing slightly smaller every morning as a metaphor for losing one’s memory. In addition to the story itself, the dialogue between Grandpa, his grandson, his son, and his wife (who lives only in his memory now) are achingly beautiful, and his grandson, Noah, is a great representation of the innocence, wonder, and curiosity of children.
You’ll need tissues handy, but this one is incredibly worth your time.
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer is a short story / novella written by Fredrik Backman. I read the translated version this week and found it to be a nice ode between a grandfather, father, and son. Meant to illustrate or cope with the loss of a parent who hasn’t died but whose faculties are beginning to slip away. When the grandfather confuses the child with his own son, or when the father worries he has little in common with his father or his son, it tugs at your heartstrings. All in all, it’s a fine intro to the author, but not his best work.
To me, this needed more detail and scenes. Some of it was rushed and briefly summarized in conversation; there were times when it was confusing because of the chosen words, but one hundred percent… the way Backman and only Backman can bring a tear to your eyes… is still embedded in this story. It just was too short for me to get invested other than feel for the characters and their losses. Don’t let it be the first you read by this fantastic author, but it’s definitely a good one to read in between his major novels.
I’m going to start by saying that Backman is one of my favorite authors and I have loved all of his books. I have to admit that the content of this story led me to delay reading it, it just hit a little too close to home. That being said, I am so glad I made the plunge and picked this up. It was beautifully written, sad and glorious at the same time. How on earth does Backman continue to create these amazing characters who resonate so strongly with me? Pick this novella up, and don’t be afraid to read it. You won’t be sorry.
A novella from the author of “A Man Called Ove.” So beautifully written, yet “And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer” is a hard read at times. It’s the story of an elderly man who is slowly slipping away, and the love he has for his son, grandson, and wife. It’s an illustration of humanity, compassion and the love people in families have for each other. It’s an important read, as it so well highlights the difficult circumstances families face as their loved ones grow older.
This short novella shows a man struggling to hold on to his memories as he struggles with dementia (one assumes). There’s not a lot to say about this novella (it’s quite short) other than Backman’s writing talent truly shines–he’s able to convey so much emotion and meaning and backstory in such a short book that it’s amazing. As a reader, it was delightful. As an editor, I want to use it as an example for my authors of how to write a story without including every single detail.
This novella just made me love Backman’s writing even more.
Rated PG.
This is a different take on aging and I enjoyed it. It’s short and not as wonderful as Fredrik Backman’s other books, but still very good
Read December 15, 2018
Read with a box of Kleenex. That is all I can say. If you have personal experience with this subject matter, be prepared to be wrecked. Completely. I am completely and utterly undone.
Ok this was definitely not one I should have read first thing in AM with my coffee…my heart hurts and my eyes are still shedding water.
As a Nana this one hit extremely close to the hilt as one day this could be me…
Why does he have to write so beautifully and emotionally…oh how I love that so much
What a beautiful and heart-wrenching story. I sobbed (wracking sobs) nearly throughout for the grandfather, his son and grandson…. and the fear of losing all you hold dear in your heart and mind as you age. Well done, Frederik Backman.
Beautifully woven tale of a grandfather fighting to not lose his memories, as dimentia (or Alzheimers) takes over. Fredrik Backman is a master at pulling you in to see the beauty within the elderly as they approach their end.
The end made me cry. Backman books touch my heart. This story is about a boy and his grandfather and the passing of time. We must all live in the day, not for a tomorrow that may never come.
An amazing story about the sadness of alzheimer’s and the love of the family dealing with it. The author’s struggle to understand what is happening is written so we can understand and deal with this struggle ourselves. I will reread it many times.
And Everyday the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer’ is a short, but delightful, story that demonstrates the love one man has for his family…specifically his son, grandson, and wife. However, his slow descent into a life of memory loss is painful to experience. He fears not being able to remember any of precious memories.
This book was nothing short of amazing. It is a realistic view into how complicated it is to lost someone you love through their loss of memories. While slowly slipping away, the main character struggles to hold onto as many cherished memories and the family members who surround him.
It is heartwrenching to read, but is worth the tears that will trickle down your cheeks. One to put on your to-be-read list!
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This is a sweet little story you can read in about an hour that lovingly describes a slow decline into dementia and its impact on a man’s family.
It’s quite amazing what the author has managed to capture in such a short piece. Grandpa’s fear after the initial diagnosis, explaining what’s going to happen to his beloved grandson, how grandpa’s relationships with both son and grandson evolve as the disease advances, and how big a role love plays all along. Like all the Backman work I’ve read, this is a winner.
This is the story of an elderly man who is struggling to hold onto his memories and his grandson’s struggle to say goodbye. Grandpa has the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. He takes his grandson to their favorite place to talk about how he needs to say goodbye because soon he won’t be able to remember their times together. The grandson is a bit too young to understand everything that is happening. The story flips through the younger years of the grandpa and what he was like as a child, what he was like as a father, and now as a grandfather. He remembers his times when his wife was alive, and thinks he sees her now. He tells her that he is afraid of losing himself, and she lets him know it is okay to let go.
This was a great novella. It is under 100 pages, so very quick to read. I watched my own grandfather slip into dementia at the end of his life, and forget everyone he knows. It is hard to watch as a family member. I liked how the grandfather chose to handle it with his young grandson – asking him to say goodbye now when his grandfather is still the person he remembers. He doesn’t want his grandson to see what he will become.
Fredrik Backman is an amazing writer. A Man Called Ove was probably my favorite book I read last year. So a lot of Backman’s books are on my list for this year! I am looking forward to reading them all.
This was a heartbreaking and realistic read about a grandpa that is loosing his memory, it’s sad but masterfully written.
It’s a unique and powerful experience to read about his interactions with his son and grandson and about his memories, this is a must read.
Fredrick Backman is an amazing and talented author.
Beautifully written bitter sweet story of as grandfather’s struggles with dementia. Anyone who will ever have to be a caregiver of a patient/ loved one with dementia should read this book.
I loved this book. I found it very tender and heartwarming. I was quite touched by it.
Wonderfully written. Having had no experience with dementia or Alzheimers, this little inspirational little book kept the current and the past in focus… how hard it is for all when its over and how to go on.