“My memories are running away from me, my love, like when you try to separate oil and water. I’m constantly reading a book with a missing page and it’s always the most important one.” (Fredrik Backman-“And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer”)

Synopsis:

This is a story of a Grandpa struggling to hold onto his memories and not forget those he loves. This is a story of a relationship between a grandpa and his grandson, and a dad and his son. They wrestle with the reality of having to say goodbye. Its a moving story about cherishing the moments you have with the ones you love. Being there to walk by their side until its time to say goodbye.

My Thoughts:

Fredrik Backman is a thought provoking author who takes you on a journey with his writing that allows you to become a part of his character’s world. I actually read this book twice because the first time, I was eager to see what happened, so I rushed through until the end. I decided to read it a second time at a slower pace. The first time I read it, I thought it was pleasing story, but I didn’t quite understand the entire plot line. Fredrik Backman writes in almost a poetic way with this novella. It is necessary to slow down to see the beauty in what he has written.

The second time I read this novella was an entirely different experience. I was able to comprehend the emotion and the beauty of the relationships between the Grandpa and his grandson. I had a front row seat to the struggle the Grandpa was experiencing as little by little, he was losing his memory. Alzheimer’s disease is an unfortunate reality for many elderly people in today’s society. Fredrik Backman gives perhaps a glimpse of insight into what a person might be going through as they fight the disease. He also did a beautiful job of showing what it meant to walk by someone’s side as they watch their loved one struggle with this disease. In the beginning of the book there is an author’s note where he states,

“This is a story about memories and about letting go. It’s a love letter and a slow farewell between a man and his grandson, and between a dad and his boy. I never meant for you to read it, to be quite honest. I wrote it just because I was trying to sort out my own thoughts, and I’m the kind of person who needs to see what I’m thinking on paper to make sense of it. But it turned into a small tale of how I’m dealing with slowly losing the greatest minds I know, about missing someone who is still here and how I wanted to explain it all to my children. I’m letting it go now, for what it’s worth” (Fredrik Backman)

Recommended For:

Fans of Fredrik Backman and those who love thought provoking writing that might give you insight into the world that surrounds us.