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What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
In 1982, having sold his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he’d completed a solo course from Athens to Marathon, and now, after dozens of such races, not to mention triathlons and a dozen critically acclaimed books, he reflects upon the influence the sport has had on his life and—even more important—on his writing.
Equal parts training log, travelogue, and reminiscence, this revealing memoir covers his four-month preparation for the 2005 New York City Marathon and takes us to places ranging from Tokyo’s Jingu Gaien gardens, where he once shared the course with an Olympian, to the Charles River in Boston among young women who outpace him. Through this marvelous lens of sport emerges a panorama of memories and insights: the eureka moment when he decided to become a writer, his greatest triumphs and disappointments, his passion for vintage LPs, and the experience, after fifty, of seeing his race times improve and then fall back.
By turns funny and sobering, playful and philosophical, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is rich and revelatory, both for fans of this masterful yet guardedly private writer and for the exploding population of athletes who find similar satisfaction in running.
For the Reading Challenge(s): N/A
The Reason
I’m trying to motivate myself with running, and this book turned up while I was browsing. I didn’t realize who the author was until later.
The Quotes
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. Say you’re running and you think, ‘Man, this hurts, I can’t take it anymore. The ‘hurt’ part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself.”
“I’m the kind of person who likes to be by himself. To put a finer point on it, I’m the type of person who doesn’t find it painful to be alone. I find spending an hour or two every day running alone, not speaking to anyone, as well as four or five hours alone at my desk, to be neither difficult nor boring. I’ve had this tendency ever since I was young, when, given a choice, I much preferred reading books on my own or concentrating on listening to music over being with someone else. I could always think of things to do by myself.”
“It doesn’t matter how old I get, but as long as I continue to live I’ll always discover something new about myself.”
“Sometimes taking time is actually a shortcut.”
The Narrator(s)
Ray Porter. He’s one of my personal GOATs!
My Thoughts
I have never read a single book Haruki Murakami has written although I’ve been curious because of how often people talk about his books. I picked up this book not because of the author, but because of the title – I am a new runner, not a very good one, but very interested in getting better at it. I was surprised when I realized who the author was, and even more surprised when I started reading and finding out how passionate he was about running.
It’s interesting to find out so much about an author whose works I had never read through a memoir about his passion for running and writing. It was interesting to find out that he basically became a writer by just one day deciding to write a novel and then promptly forgetting about it after he was finished. I love the way he talks about why he runs, how he trains, his determination and drive to get better and compete with himself. It is very inspiring for me as an aspiring runner, but also quite scary because I think I would severely injure myself if I went to the lengths he did.
Some of his values and beliefs with the way he lives his life resonates strongly for me, and others seem a little questionable, but either way, reading this book makes me want to reexamine my own values and beliefs about how I live my life, and how I want to move forward with my own running. I highly recommend this book for anyone who runs or who’s thinking about taking up running.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
From award-winning actor and food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming memoir of life in and out of the kitchen.
Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, and the perfect Negroni, he grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around the table. He shared the magic of those meals with us in The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table, and now he takes us beyond the recipes and into the stories behind them.
Taste is a reflection on the intersection of food and life, filled with anecdotes about growing up in Westchester, New York, preparing for and filming the foodie films Big Night and Julie & Julia, falling in love over dinner, and teaming up with his wife to create conversation-starting meals for their children. Each morsel of this gastronomic journey through good times and bad, five-star meals and burnt dishes, is as heartfelt and delicious as the last.
Written with Stanley’s signature wry humour and nostalgia, Taste is a heartwarming read that will be irresistible for anyone who knows the power of a home-cooked meal.
I love Stanley Tucci as an actor, and I love books about food. ‘Nuff said!
The Quotes
“To me, eating well is not just about what tastes good but about the connections that are made through the food itself.”
“Now, I am not one who is necessarily drawn to the Michelin star. Often I find that many of the restaurants that have earned this coveted award are a bit fussy, to say the least, and I’ve left a few of them completely famished, as I have never found pretentiousness very filling.”
“But perhaps the most precious heirlooms are family recipes. Like a physical heirloom, they remind us from whom and where we came and give others, in a bite, the story of another people from another place and another time.”
“Obviously change is good, but there is absolutely no need for us to obliterate the past while creating the future. They can and should live side by side.”
The Narrator(s)
The author himself. It was absolutely perfect!
My Thoughts
I am a huge fan of Stanley Tucci’s work as an actor and I was fascinated to find out that he was also an avid foodie who has written cookbooks and other books about food. He narrates the audiobook and it was such a pleasure to listen to him talk about his relationship to food, but more so, how food has shaped his relationship to the people in his life. From his relationship with his mother as a child, his extended family, his wife and children, his fellow actors and friends; he tells his stories about them through the meals he has with them, and periodically shares recipes of the food he talks about. I was especially charmed by an anecdote he shares about an interaction he had as a child with his mother, that has now become a similar interaction he has as a father to his child. I really enjoyed the book and discovering more about Tucci as a person.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Sentaro has failed. He has a criminal record, drinks too much, and his dream of becoming a writer is just a distant memory. With only the blossoming of the cherry trees to mark the passing of time, he spends his days in a tiny confectionery shop selling dorayaki, a type of pancake filled with sweet bean paste.
Until, that is, Tokue comes into his life. An elderly woman with disfigured hands and a troubled past, she makes the best sweet bean paste Sentaro has ever tasted. The unlikeliest of friendships blossoms, but it will take all of their resolve – and plenty of pancakes – to protect themselves when Tokue’s dark secret comes to light.
For the Reading Challenge(s): N/A
The Reason
It was the August BOTM for my online bookclub and it was relatively short, so I thought I’d try it.
The Quotes
“All experience adds up to a life lived as only you could. I feel sure the day will come when you can say: this is my life.”
“I began to understand that we were born in order to see and listen to the world. And that’s all this world wants of us. It doesn’t matter that I was never a teacher or a member of the workforce, my life had meaning.”
“If all you ever see is reality, you just want to die. The only way to get over barriers, she said, is to live in the spirit of already being over them.”
“Some lives are all too brief, while others are a continual struggle. I couldn’t help thinking that it was a brutal assessment of people’s lives to employ usefulness to society as a yardstick by which to measure their value.”
The Narrator(s)
Cindy Kay. It was good, no notes.
My Thoughts
I procrastinated reading this book because I haven’t had the best of luck with slice of life stories. I thought that normally nothing happens in slice of life stories except for regular day to day and so on, but with this story, I did see a progression; I liked that there was a something to look forward to with Sentaro learning to make the sweet bean paste from Tokue, I liked that there was some tension and backstories for both characters. I was curious about how it would end for them, and that made me excited to keep reading.
Having said that, I’m not saying that this book is going to become a favorite or anything, I’m just surprised that I didn’t dislike it and didn’t have to force myself to keep reading. It was charming, and I love the description of the food and the way Tokue made the bean paste. That was such a delight to read and made me curious about the actual making of them.
A lot of where the book went surprised me a little because I sort of expected a little bit of magical realism and I was surprised that it was more realistic than fairytale-ish. I appreciated the realism because it served the story but it also led to an ending that was somewhat open-ended, which disappointed me. I would’ve liked a more developed ending. All in all, it wasn’t bad though. I enjoyed reading it.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
With the return of the dragon minions of Takhisis, the Queen of Dragons, the land of Krynn has become more dangerous than ever. But as the nations of Krynn prepare to fight for their homes, their lives, and their freedom, longstanding hatreds and prejudices interfere. When fighting breaks out among the races, it seems the battle is lost before it even begins.
Meanwhile, the heroic Companions have been torn apart by war. A full season will pass before they meet again—if they meet again. Raistlin has made an ominous prediction, one that implies not all of the Companions will survive the fight. His warning, along with sinister dreams, haunt the friends as they search for the weapons that will stop the Dark Queen in her tracks: the mysterious Dragon Orbs and legendary Dragonlance.
Another riveting tale in the Dragonlance Chronicles, Dragons of Winter Night is an action-packed adventure in which the true value of love and friendship is measured against the backdrop of a catastrophic war between good and evil.
They won their first real battle in the war for Krynn, but the war has only just begun for the Companions! Friendships born in conflict will be torn apart. Hope will rest on the shoulders of a disgraced Knight and his two inexperienced companions. Worlds long divided by hatred and prejudice will either band together in a last struggle against darkness – or perish for all time.
“If we deny love that is given to us, if we refuse to give love because we fear the pain of loss, then our lives will be empty, our loss greater.”
“Do not enter with defeat in your heart for that is the first victory of evil.”
“Why insult the door’s purpose by locking it?” is a favorite kender expression.”
“Be thankful you can feel pity and horror at the death of an enemy. The day we cease to care, even for our enemies, is the day we have lost this battle.”
The Narrator(s)
Paul Boehmer. Still perfect!
My Thoughts
This second book in the series was so much darker than the first one! It surprised me because there are two more books in the series and this seemed like a huge escalation from the first to second book as opposed to gradual escalation throughout the books. The stakes are higher now, and the Companions’ lives are very much in peril. I was very invested in everything that happened to them; I didn’t like the fact that they kept getting separated, and that there was so much internal conflict between themselves. There was some levity, as there always is with a kender in the mix, and that at least kept me sane! You know I love Tasslehoff!
As of this writing I haven’t started the next book yet, but right now I am completely devastated by the ending. I am hoping that we’ll get more clarity in the next books because I don’t see how we can move forward like this! I have forgotten everything about the books because it’s been decades since I read them but I am completely enthralled by the story once again and I’m excited to finish the series!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
This Dungeons & Dragons-inspired fantasy adventure is the first installment in the beloved Dragonlance Chronicles, set in the magical world of Krynn.
Once merely creatures of legend, the dragons have returned to Krynn. But with their arrival comes the departure of the old gods—and all healing magic. As war threatens to engulf the land, lifelong friends reunite for an adventure that will change their lives and shape their world forever . . .
When Tanis, Sturm, Caramon, Raistlin, Flint, and Tasslehoff see a woman use a blue crystal staff to heal a villager, they wonder if it’s a sign the gods have not abandoned them after all. Fueled by this glimmer of hope, the Companions band together to uncover the truth behind the gods’ absence—though they aren’t the only ones with an interest in the staff. The Seekers, a new religious order, wants the artifact for their own ends, believing it will help them replace the gods and overtake the continent of Ansalon. Now, the Companions must assume the unlikely roles of heroes if they hope to prevent the staff from falling into the hands of darkness.
Lifelong friends, they went their separate ways. Now they are together again, though each holds secrets from the others in his heart. They speak of a world shadowed with rumors of war. They speak of tales of strange monsters, creatures of myth, creatures of legend. They do not speak of their secrets. Not then. Not until a chance encounter with a beautiful, sorrowful woman, who bears a magical crystal staff, draws the companions deeper into the shadows, forever changing their lives and shaping the fate of the world.
“Say that our lives are measured not by gain but by giving.”
“People want to believe in something—even if, deep inside, they know it is false.”
“He said kenders were small because we were meant to do small things. ‘If you look at all the big things in the world closely,’ he said, ‘you’ll see that they’re really made up of small things all joined together.’ That big dragon down there comes to nothing but tiny drops of blood, maybe. It’s the small things that make the difference.”
“We do not mourn the loss of those who die fulfilling their destinies.”
The Narrator(s)
Paul Boehmer. I really like his narration and the different voices he makes for the different characters; they really bring the characters to life!
My Thoughts
It was so nice to revisit this story and some of my favorite characters. Tasslehoff Burrfoot, the kender, I’m sure would be an annoying friend to have in real life, but he’s so funny and adorable in the book and I always look forward to scenes with him and his antics! Raistlin is another standout character; I don’t necessarily like him as a person, but he is the most fascinating character and I want to know more about him.
We also meet a couple of non-main characters in this book; Fizban, an absent-minded wizard, and Bupu, a sweet gully dwarf, that are hilarious and I love reading about them! The plot is also really good, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that the characters are the best part of the series. The first time I read this series was decades ago so I was more easily impressed and although the details of the story didn’t stay with me, the impression it made on me certainly did, and I’m glad to say I still love the story and the characters decades later!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling.
An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. When she finally claws her way up the ranks to become a highmage, however, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will stop at nothing to let her know she is unwelcome, beginning with giving her a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.
What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was once more than a janitor; before he mopped floors for the mages, Thomil was a nomadic hunter from beyond Tiran’s magical barrier. Ten years have passed since he survived the perilous crossing that killed his family. But working for a highmage, he sees the opportunity to finally understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the Tiranish in power.
Through their fractious relationship, mage and outsider uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first. Sciona has defined her life by the pursuit of truth, but how much is one truth worth with the fate of civilization in the balance?
A standalone dark academia brimming with mystery, tragedy, and the damning echoes of the past. For fans of Leigh Bardugo, V. E. Schwab, and Fullmetal Alchemist.
For the Reading Challenge(s): N/A
The Reason
I’d been curious about the author because of another one of their books, and one of my friends convinced me to read this one as a buddy read.
The Quotes
“It’s much easier to tell yourself you’re a good person than it is to actually be one.”
“The question isn’t: How do I stop feeling this way? That’s stupid. I can’t. The question is: What can I do with this feeling?”
“So many parents will try to kill everything brilliant about a girl in the name of giving her a good life, a safe life, a chance at happiness.”
“Because good people can turn desperate when the horrors are upon them—especially people whose culture of plenty has left them with no systems to cope with scarcity or cataclysm. Good people will turn monstrous when it’s down to their survival or someone else’s.”
My Thoughts
This story was so brutal and hard hitting. It’s not what I expected because I thought there would be more magic study, more learning, advancements of the craft, more feminism and women breaking into the Magistry as Highmage, but instead, it’s a whole riot and revolution that happens so quickly, and with so much destruction! I’m not sure yet what I think about the direction the story went with all this destruction, but the storytelling itself is great. All that teaching through dialogue is not an easy thing to do without boring the reader, but I found it interesting and now I’m a little sad that this is a standalone and there’s not more to the story.
The thing that stands out most to me is definitely the denial of truth when it interferes with your comfort and way of life. We all do that to an extent, I think, but when it goes so deep and is rooted so deeply in evil, it’s just easier to not think about it and justify all the evil doing. Most evil doers don’t see themselves as evil, so it’s also interesting to see that characterized with some of the characters and how they see themselves. There is so much to think about with this story, honestly. I think I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
A heartwarming story about the power of books to bring us together, inspired by the true story of the underground library in WWII Warsaw, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.
All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.
With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.
But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families—and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left—literature.
For the Reading Challenge(s): N/A
The Reason
I loved Madeline Martin’s other books and also books about books. I also somehow gravitate towards books about WW2 and this has been on my TBR for a while.
The Quotes
“Good books were like amazing sunsets or awe-inspiring landscapes, better enjoyed with someone else. There was no greater experience in the world than sharing the love of a book, discussing its finer points, and reliving the story all over again.”
“It whispered to her in the silence, a promise only a book can make to a reader, to offer a journey unique to them, tailored”
“There was power in literature. Brilliant and undeniable. Books inspired free thought and empathy, an overall understanding and acceptance of everyone.”
“We cannot let the atrocities and persecution of the Jews slip between the cracks of history. We cannot allow education to be stifled or cultures to be erased or books to be banned. Nor can we let the memory of those brave men and women who fought for freedom and what is right disappear in the turning pages of time.”
The Narrator(s)
Saskia Maarleveld. I have listened to another book narrated by her and didn’t have a problem with it, but I feel like possibly because of the writing in this book, there was a strong inclination towards susurration that made it difficult for me to hear the story very well. It wasn’t bad during dialogue, it bothered me mostly in the narrative parts.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the story, and I love how books and stories play such a big part in keeping spirits up during times of war. I love that Zofia and Janina were part of an anti-Hitler book club, and the way they connected with others through the book club and book discussions. I’ve read many books set in WW2 throughout my life, but they’ve been hitting a lot harder in recent times, and I believe more than ever that reading is one of the most important things for developing empathy.
Martin is very good at writing about friendships and connections, and I love the bond between Zofia and Janina. I love how they looked out for each other and found ways to keep in contact even when it was dangerous for them. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Martin’s other books, but it’s more so because I didn’t enjoy the audiobook experience. Hopefully, if I reread this in the future, I may change my mind when I read it on print or in some other form.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
It’s love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.
Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.
Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she’s catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.
As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don’t get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie’s worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing… and Nick’s afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.
For the Reading Challenge(s): N/A
The Reason
Erin @ Cracker Crumb Life featured this book in her Top Ten Tuesday Beachy Reads post a couple of weeks ago and I was intrigued! I’ve been craving more romance and I love haunted house stories. Thanks for the rec, Erin!
The Narrator(s)
Jeannie Sheneman. Wonderful narration, I was fully immersed.
My Thoughts
It was so much fun! I finished it within 24 hours because it was just so easy to read and I couldn’t put it down. The romance itself is sweet, maybe a little cheesy, but honestly, the ghost story was so good! Most of the time when I read romances with side ghost stories, I don’t expect a good story because I see it only as a plot point, but in this case, I got really invested in the ghost story.
I love that it’s also a found family story, and finding a place of belonging among people who care about you and accept you for you. It scratches a lot of itches for me, and I love it more than I expected I would. It makes me so happy to see that there’s going to be another book in the series featuring a secondary character in this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on that when it comes out!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Against the wishes of his mother, sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as The Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping… with the winner being awarded “The Prize”—anything he wants for the rest of his life. But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystopian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line—the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you’re given a warning. Three warnings and you’re out of the game—permanently…
“They’re animals, all right. But why are you so goddam sure that makes us human beings?”
“Any game looks straight if everyone is being cheated at once.”
“Crowd was to be pleased. Crowd was to be worshipped and feared. Ultimately, Crowd was to be made sacrifice unto.”
“They walked on, somehow in step, although all three of them were bent forever in different shapes by the pains that pulled them.”
The Narrator(s)
Kirby Heyborne. Not a big deal but there were some parts where I felt his inflection didn’t fit the part. Otherwise, it was good listening.
My Thoughts
Stephen King’s psychological horror is always so chilling to me. I’ve read this book before but had forgotten much of it and recently I’d been wanting to read it again because the movie was coming out later this year. I’d been wondering how this could be a full length book when all they do is walk and nothing else happens.
Well, never underestimate the power of King’s storytelling. There are backstories, conversations, philosophizing… in addition to the things happening directly to the plotline. It turns out reading about their walk itself is incredibly fascinating, sometimes horrifying. King is so good at describing the feel of the ground, the movement of their feet, the landscape they walk across, and so much more. But still, the best parts are the psychological thought processes as they walk.
There’s a challenge among some fans of the book where they walk while listening to the audiobook according to the rules of the story. They walk for the whole time they’re listening to the book, and they’re not supposed to go slower than the walkers in the book. It sounds “fun” and immersive, and maybe one day, when I’m a lot fitter, I’ll do it.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet, a curmudgeon with staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People think him bitter, and he thinks himself surrounded by idiots.
Ove’s well-ordered, solitary world gets a shake-up one November morning with the appearance of new neighbors, a chatty young couple and their two boisterous daughters, who announce their arrival by accidentally flattening Ove’s mailbox with their U-Haul. What follows is a heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unlikely friendships, and a community’s unexpected reassessment of the one person they thought they had all figured out.
A word-of-mouth bestseller that has caused a sensation across Europe, Fredrik Backman’s irresistible novel about the angry old man next door is an uplifting exploration of the unreliability of first impressions and a gentle reminder that life is sweeter when it is shared with other people.
I have been wanting to read a Fredrik Backman book for a while. I recently watched A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks, and I loved it, so I bumped this book up the TBR.
The Quotes
“People said Ove saw the world in black and white. But she was color. All the color he had.”
“We always think there’s enough time to do things with other people. Time to say things to them. And then something happens and then we stand there holding on to words like ‘if’.”
“Men are what they are because of what they do. Not what they say.”
“We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves. For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by. And leave us there alone.”
The Narrator(s)
George Newbern. It was good, no notes!
My Thoughts
I am in love with this book. I watched the movie with Tom Hanks and now that I’ve read the book, I feel like it did a great job of covering most of the things that happened in the book. I love that even though I’ve watched the movie and knew what was coming, I still got so invested and emotional when I read the book. I couldn’t help myself from crying all over again at the end.
This is such a wonderful story of unconditional love; both of the romantic and platonic kind. I love that it also talks about difficult topics; of grief, and loneliness, of loss, growing old. So many difficult topics, with Ove at the center of it all. He’s a miserable old man; unfriendly, rigid, difficult. And yet, he’s got the biggest heart. He’s the perfect character for us to follow through this journey. What a joy to have read this book!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
