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And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer
by
A little book with a big heart!
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You Shes Sorry, and Britt-Marie Was Here comes an exquisitely moving portrait of an elderly mans struggle to hold on to his most precious memories, and his familys efforts to care for him even as they must find a way to let go.
With all the same ...more
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You Shes Sorry, and Britt-Marie Was Here comes an exquisitely moving portrait of an elderly mans struggle to hold on to his most precious memories, and his familys efforts to care for him even as they must find a way to let go.
With all the same ...more
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Kindle Edition, 97 pages
Published
November 1st 2016
by Atria Books
(first published August 24th 2015)
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Kendra
Yes, I think it would be a lovely way to help her understand.
Community Reviews
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Start your review of And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer
I'm finding it difficult to know what else to say besides what a beautiful, beautiful story , so full of love and life , even in the wake of loss . What it's about is best described by Backman himself in his letter to the reader at the beginning.
"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 ...more
This one left me speechless as it hit too close to home. It's the story of how to say good-bye to someone you are losing to Alzheimer's.
It's the story of a grandpa and grandson - and their shared love of mathematics and how grandpa tries to define what is happening to him while wrestling with the fear of memories beginning to fade.
My own father was diagnosed with it 2 years ago. It has been difficult to watch the progression of the disease as his recognition of me has gone from hi how are you ...more
It's the story of a grandpa and grandson - and their shared love of mathematics and how grandpa tries to define what is happening to him while wrestling with the fear of memories beginning to fade.
My own father was diagnosed with it 2 years ago. It has been difficult to watch the progression of the disease as his recognition of me has gone from hi how are you ...more
There's a hospital room at the end of a life where someone, right in the middle of the floor, has pitched a green tent. A person wakes up inside it, breathless and afraid, not knowing where he is. A young man sitting next to him whispers:
"Don't be scared."
This is such a sad little story but with BIG heart. And the sad thing is that these things are true. So many people have went through this with family members. My grandma is forgetting things. Life isn't fair.
The little boy Noah is a ...more
Some books should come with instructions, this is one of them. Here's my instructions to you: Plan on crying. Have tissues handy.
Fredrik Backman has done it again. I usually stay away from people who intentionally make me cry, but Backman pulls me back over and over again. If he released a new book tomorrow, Id likely read it tomorrow. He brings me people who make me smile, and laugh, and whom I cherish even if I cant call them on the phone. And yes, sometimes they make me cry.
At 96 pages And ...more
It's ironic that mathematics figures into the plot of this book (but you shouldn't let that scare you), because I thought about approaching this review as a mathematical proof. Given that Larry is a total sap, prove that this utterly exquisite novella will leave him an emotional wreck. Done and done.
"Noah holds the old man's hand, the man who taught him to fish and to never be afraid of big thoughts and to look at the night's sky and understand that it's made of numbers. Mathematics has blessed ...more
"Noah holds the old man's hand, the man who taught him to fish and to never be afraid of big thoughts and to look at the night's sky and understand that it's made of numbers. Mathematics has blessed ...more
Sunshine and lollipops --
......My God... as absolutely beautiful that this novella is, filled with insights and inspiration.... I thought "It's possible, this is going to be the first Backman book where I'm not going to cry". WRONG! Maybe a few readers will have teary-eye.
Me... I want to 'gush' at the end. 'Something' hit a nerve.
Fredrik Backman's writing is such a HUGE GIFT to many!!! He is to me. Sometimes, I fall hard - 'feel' deeply.
Maybe it's the mood I started with - or maybe feelings ...more
......My God... as absolutely beautiful that this novella is, filled with insights and inspiration.... I thought "It's possible, this is going to be the first Backman book where I'm not going to cry". WRONG! Maybe a few readers will have teary-eye.
Me... I want to 'gush' at the end. 'Something' hit a nerve.
Fredrik Backman's writing is such a HUGE GIFT to many!!! He is to me. Sometimes, I fall hard - 'feel' deeply.
Maybe it's the mood I started with - or maybe feelings ...more
Absolutely beautiful and emotionally stunning. An old man, loosing his most precious memories, his grandson Noah, Noah and his son Ted, sitting on a park bench trying to connect, showing their love for this man who is grandfather, father. The words, phrases, thoughts, so incredibly poignant, wrap themselves around your heart. How do you explain what is happening to a young boy, how does a son help a father with something out of both their control? You talk, you remind, and you travel along with
...more
Dec 02, 2019
emma
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
owned,
recommend,
non-ya,
beautifully-written,
couldn-t-wait-to-read,
literary-fiction,
reviewed,
4-stars
Nobody read this review.
Im serious. Look away right now. This review is for my and possibly Fredrik Backmans eyes ONLY. Or, like, Rihanna, if she so chooses, but only because I could never say no to Rihanna. She has the face of an angel.
But everyone who ISNT the single most beautiful living person or a charming Scandinavian author, NAVIGATE AWAY RIGHT NOW.
Okay.
Now that everyone is gone
THIS MADE ME SO SAD.
It turns out I have feelings after all.
This was way too short (hence why I read it at the ...more
Im serious. Look away right now. This review is for my and possibly Fredrik Backmans eyes ONLY. Or, like, Rihanna, if she so chooses, but only because I could never say no to Rihanna. She has the face of an angel.
But everyone who ISNT the single most beautiful living person or a charming Scandinavian author, NAVIGATE AWAY RIGHT NOW.
Okay.
Now that everyone is gone
THIS MADE ME SO SAD.
It turns out I have feelings after all.
This was way too short (hence why I read it at the ...more
Fredrik Backman: You brought me to my knees. This novella had me sobbing, smiling, laughing and in bewildered awe of the beautiful words that you are able to write so melodically on a page. You capture emotion between characters so exquisitely.
In this incredible novella, Grandpa and Noahnoah (his grandson) have a very special relationship. They understand each other perfectly. It is this perfect relationship, that makes Grandpa's plight harder and harder each day. Harder because at first, ...more
In this incredible novella, Grandpa and Noahnoah (his grandson) have a very special relationship. They understand each other perfectly. It is this perfect relationship, that makes Grandpa's plight harder and harder each day. Harder because at first, ...more
Without a doubt.....A 2016 SUPER FAVORITE!
I just don't know what to say.......except that I loved every expressive word of love, and every shared memory in this beautifully written novella.
When Fredrik Backman writes, he really knows how to bring the characters to life and make the reader feel their emotions like they were your own.
I just want to send a balloon way up into the sky.......
Don't miss this one, and keep the tissues handy!
(Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!)
Jan 07, 2018
da AL
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
literary,
audio-books
To be honest, I was afraid this was going to be smarmy, but it redeemed itself by the end. The audio reader does a stunning job. Why isn't he credited anywhere on the box or the cds?!
3.5
Woe is the reader who isnt weeping! Thats me. My tear ducts were dry as the Mojave Desert. I feel like a weirdo because so many people reviewing this book said they sobbed uncontrollably. I have to remind myself that some books DO make me cry; this is just not one of them. And this novella IS very sad, as we listen to a brilliant and loved man who has Alzheimers talk to his grandson, Noah. Butand I really sound cold-hearted here, I knowfor me I think my saddest moment was realizing that I had ...more
Woe is the reader who isnt weeping! Thats me. My tear ducts were dry as the Mojave Desert. I feel like a weirdo because so many people reviewing this book said they sobbed uncontrollably. I have to remind myself that some books DO make me cry; this is just not one of them. And this novella IS very sad, as we listen to a brilliant and loved man who has Alzheimers talk to his grandson, Noah. Butand I really sound cold-hearted here, I knowfor me I think my saddest moment was realizing that I had ...more
FIVE STARS
A short (under 1 hour) story that I listened to while cooking up a big pot of corn chowder this afternoon. I could blame all the tears on my onion chopping, but, really, this is a heart-tugging sweet tale will make even the darkest soul melt into a big old mush melon.
Narrated by the talented David Morse, this is a man at the end of a long life. As he looks backwards at his regrets and loves, you see that life is nothing more than thousands of tiny moments. What makes this story stand ...more
A short (under 1 hour) story that I listened to while cooking up a big pot of corn chowder this afternoon. I could blame all the tears on my onion chopping, but, really, this is a heart-tugging sweet tale will make even the darkest soul melt into a big old mush melon.
Narrated by the talented David Morse, this is a man at the end of a long life. As he looks backwards at his regrets and loves, you see that life is nothing more than thousands of tiny moments. What makes this story stand ...more
Such a beautifully written story of big themes like life, love and loss, but written in an accessible and moving way. Backman can do no wrong. 4.5 stars
The little novella packs a powerful punch. This is one that will not be forgotten. Grandpa is in the throes of losing his memory, and each day he loses a little more. He is aware this is happening; it scares him. He shares his thoughts with his grandson, Noah, with whom he shares an unbreakable bond.
This less than one hour read delivers a treasure trove of beautifully drawn themes to the reader. In a most poignant manner it addresses the fear of not only growing old, but of losing precious ...more
This less than one hour read delivers a treasure trove of beautifully drawn themes to the reader. In a most poignant manner it addresses the fear of not only growing old, but of losing precious ...more
Sep 27, 2016
Connor
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
short-fiction
Video Review:
https://youtu.be/WHBXMxd4QMQ
I think this is definitely a read that will hit some more than others. With a grandfather who remembers me only occasionally when I visit him, this hit me really hard and boosted my love for it. The actually story and writing is what I expect from Fredrik Backman after read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. Moving. It's written mostly with the grandfather, and as such, the story can jump around as Grandpa grasps at memories that he's having ...more
https://youtu.be/WHBXMxd4QMQ
I think this is definitely a read that will hit some more than others. With a grandfather who remembers me only occasionally when I visit him, this hit me really hard and boosted my love for it. The actually story and writing is what I expect from Fredrik Backman after read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. Moving. It's written mostly with the grandfather, and as such, the story can jump around as Grandpa grasps at memories that he's having ...more
5❤❤❤❤❤
The morning I read this to my husband was also the occasion of our only grandsons first birthday. I made it almost all the way and then had to hand it over for him to finish. Throughout the story, as Grandpa talks and struggles to remember for Noah, his eyes keep getting blurry. Thats what happened to me through the whole forty-five minutes of this little gem. Were not so young anymore and are oh so aware of the ticking clock in the room. I seriously imagined that Mr. Backman wrote it just ...more
The morning I read this to my husband was also the occasion of our only grandsons first birthday. I made it almost all the way and then had to hand it over for him to finish. Throughout the story, as Grandpa talks and struggles to remember for Noah, his eyes keep getting blurry. Thats what happened to me through the whole forty-five minutes of this little gem. Were not so young anymore and are oh so aware of the ticking clock in the room. I seriously imagined that Mr. Backman wrote it just ...more
Backman delves into the failing mind of a grandfather and the young vibrant mind of his grandson. It's an impressionistic novella, that captures strings of thoughts and feelings about remembering, forgetting, remembering again, connecting, seeing the past, projecting into the future... I loved some snippets and passages. I liked the overall effect. Thank you to the publisher for making a copy available to me.
Not just a pretty cover but a charming and heartbreaking story of a father and Grandfather and his struggles to hold on to his treasured memories.
A Beautifully written and thought provoking story that made me realise the pain and struggle that is a reality for so many people today and everyday who suffer or watch a lovd one suffering from dementia or Alzheimers and I think everyone who reads this book will know someone who has been punched by this condition.
I listened to this one on audible ...more
A Beautifully written and thought provoking story that made me realise the pain and struggle that is a reality for so many people today and everyday who suffer or watch a lovd one suffering from dementia or Alzheimers and I think everyone who reads this book will know someone who has been punched by this condition.
I listened to this one on audible ...more
An exquisite prose poem. A spare yet unsparing meditation on dementia, love and loss. A book to read over and over again, to gift to family and friends coping with a loved one's death of the memory, death of the body. Timeless, deeply felt and beautifully imagined, full of love and ideas, cathartic, amazing and so freaking sad. Backman stuns. It's a masterpiece.
It's just one of those days when you haven't really thought of the harsh unfairness of life and then you pick up a Backman book and you're hit with all these emotions and realizations and want to curl up into a ball and cry but also have this spark of hope that Backman has managed to ignite somehow even though his story is making you sob??
Yep, just one of those days.
Why are you holding my hand so tight, Grandpa? the boy whispers again.
Because all of this is disappearing, Noahnoah. And I want to ...more
If you are looking for a book that will have you crying in the middle of the hair salon (not tearing up or a single tear, but really tears-streaming-down-your-face-crying), have I got a book for you!
This story was so emotional and beautiful. I was shocked at how quickly and deeply I fell in love with these characters. The ending was so emotional and beautiful - I was sobbing. This story will stick with me for a long time and I'm going to read more of this author's work very soon!!
A beautiful morning read for me today! What a touching story about Grandpa, who is fading from Alzheimer's, and his grandson Noahnoah, and the beautiful memories Grandpa has from the past with Grandma.
I have read a few wonderful reviews of this book. Angela's at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... is the one that caused me to decide to read this sooner than later. And her eloquent words were so right. Backman has captured the sadness, confusion and devastation that is visited on a person and a family by progressive dementia such as Alzheimers. Yet he also captures the beauty of the love, the support that family and loved ones can provide to those whose brains are so affected. We can all
...more
A Little book with a big heart says the blurb.
And how big is that heart indeed. As big as the unknown universe, where mathematics made it possible to discover the unknown, to calculate the distance to the moon, to send men there and bring them back safely.
That's what the granpa's unwavering faith taught his grandson. There's mathematics in saying goodbye. And mathematics in the most beautiful garden designed for the love of grandpa's life. And mathematics in the love for a grandson, when memory ...more
And how big is that heart indeed. As big as the unknown universe, where mathematics made it possible to discover the unknown, to calculate the distance to the moon, to send men there and bring them back safely.
That's what the granpa's unwavering faith taught his grandson. There's mathematics in saying goodbye. And mathematics in the most beautiful garden designed for the love of grandpa's life. And mathematics in the love for a grandson, when memory ...more
When I first started reading this novella, I thought to myself that it would be a wonderful little book to share with a child to help them understand what happens to a loved one who suffers from Alzheimer's. I still believe that. However, Backman has such a remarkable gift of combining words that he can take you skipping along through the pages and then, when you are comfortable with where the storyline is taking you, he instantaneously takes ahold of your heart and an upsurge of emotions come
...more
A touching novella about a grandfather who suffers from Alzheimer's and his grandson. It's written in a stream of consciousness style, which would have become tiresome in a full length novel, but was perfect in such a short book.
This was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, maybe made more so now that I'm a grandparent myself. This was a lovely way to spend an hour or so. Highly recommend!
This was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, maybe made more so now that I'm a grandparent myself. This was a lovely way to spend an hour or so. Highly recommend!
You can read all of my review at Lit.Wit.Wine.Dine
How could I could not say no when the publisher asked if I'd like to review this book?? Though I don't read many novellas, I am an absolute evangelist for anything written by Fredrik Backman. I would read his grocery lists. (5 stars, I'm sure!)
I met the Fredrik Backman at BEA this year and was a little surprised to find that he's absolutely nothing like his aging, curmudgeonly characters. In fact, he's quite young and charming. I tried my best ...more
How could I could not say no when the publisher asked if I'd like to review this book?? Though I don't read many novellas, I am an absolute evangelist for anything written by Fredrik Backman. I would read his grocery lists. (5 stars, I'm sure!)
I met the Fredrik Backman at BEA this year and was a little surprised to find that he's absolutely nothing like his aging, curmudgeonly characters. In fact, he's quite young and charming. I tried my best ...more
5 stars - Utterly amazing.
This is a story about memories and about letting go. Its a love letter and a slow farewell between a man and his grandson, and between a dad and his boy.
Such a sweet and touching read easily devoured in one sitting. Backman does an amazing job of vividly putting into words the special bond between a child and their grandparent, while simultaneously displaying the heartbreaking, cruel effects of Alzheimers and similar diseases. It is a unique and contrasting combination ...more
This is a story about memories and about letting go. Its a love letter and a slow farewell between a man and his grandson, and between a dad and his boy.
Such a sweet and touching read easily devoured in one sitting. Backman does an amazing job of vividly putting into words the special bond between a child and their grandparent, while simultaneously displaying the heartbreaking, cruel effects of Alzheimers and similar diseases. It is a unique and contrasting combination ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play Book Tag: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer - Fredrik Backman - 3 Stars | 2 | 19 | Aug 07, 2019 02:13PM | |
| Amor y letras : And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer | 2 | 15 | Mar 22, 2019 10:36PM | |
| Play Book Tag: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer - Fredrik Backman - 4 stars | 3 | 24 | Aug 19, 2018 09:33AM | |
| Fredrick Backman ...: Loss of imagination over body - dealing with neurodegenerative diseases | 1 | 11 | Apr 30, 2018 02:59AM | |
| Play Book Tag: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer | 2 | 28 | Mar 30, 2017 01:36PM | |
| Play Book Tag: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrick Backman 3 stars | 7 | 37 | Jan 17, 2017 08:39AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove (soon to be a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks), My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You Shes Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, as well as two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, his first work
...more
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“Our teacher made us write a story about what we want to be when we're big," Noah tells him.
"What did you write?"
"I wrote that I wanted to concentrate on being little first."
"That's a very good answer."
"Isn't it? I would rather be old than a grown-up. All grown-ups are angry, it's just children and old people who laugh."
"Did you write that?"
"Yes."
"What did your teacher say?"
"She said I hadn't understood the task."
"And what did you say?"
"I said she hadn't understood my answer.”
—
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"What did you write?"
"I wrote that I wanted to concentrate on being little first."
"That's a very good answer."
"Isn't it? I would rather be old than a grown-up. All grown-ups are angry, it's just children and old people who laugh."
"Did you write that?"
"Yes."
"What did your teacher say?"
"She said I hadn't understood the task."
"And what did you say?"
"I said she hadn't understood my answer.”
“The only time you've failed is if you don't try once more.”
—
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