gmhTODAY 12 gmhToday Jan Feb 2017 | Page 103

BOOK CLUB BEAT THE BOOK A MAN CALLED OVE with Sherry Hemingway Author Frederik Backman A Man Called Ove is an unlikely tale of humor and redemption. Who could love a man who expects the worthless world to disappoint him, or punches the hospital clown in the emergency room? Nearly everyone, apparently. In 2014, a Swedish blogger wrote this novel about an endearing curmudgeon, and the world fell in love with Ove. The book sped across the planet, selling 2.8 million copies and was translated into 38 languages. As of this writing, it has spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The newly released Swedish movie, based on the book, is Sweden’s submission for Oscar consideration as a foreign language film. Ove (pronounced OO-veh) is a 59-year-old Swede living alone in a non- descript row house. His approach to life is reflected in his daily routine. He awakens at dawn to “inspect” the neighborhood for parking violators. When he finds one, he immediately telephones the useless bloody imbecile who can’t read signs. The man Ove is today has been honed by a life of tremendous hardship. He is lonely, his deeply loved wife has died, his best friend is disappearing into Alzheimer’s and he has been forcibly retired from the job he held for a third of a century. Ove is at the end of his rope, literally, and is meticulously planning suicide. Ironically, this is where the humor and his redemption begin. Ove intends to die, neatly and efficiently, but every attempt is thwarted by someone in need of his help. It seems the world has a different plan for Ove. This book’s unexpected, feel-good plot will make you laugh and cry, occasionally at the same time. This book is about how one man can rebuild his own world and make a difference in so many lives, including new neighbors (“foreigners”), scraggly cats, abused women and gay teenagers (“bent”). He remains forever cranky, cantankerous and surrounded by people who refuse to see it. What they see is a man with a golden heart, but little tolerance for anyone who does not drive a Saab. Love this book. Love Ove. LuSal Book Club Named for founders Lucy Grisetti and Sally Wrye, the LuSal Book Club started as a group of tennis buffs and evolved into a book club. Members of the three-year- old group are a mix of Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Martin residents. They are (front row, l-r) Mary Ann Ruggles, Barbara Carr, Donna Melching, Diana Scariot; (back row, l-r)  Ann Raymaker, Sally Wrye, Stacey Nydam, Lucy Grisetti and Carol Marques. Missing are Debra Grove, Ruth Irving and Brenda Sass. GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 LuSal’s Book Picks Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Never Home by Laird Hunt The Paris Wife by Paula McLain The Light Between Oceans by M.L.Stedman SHERRY HEMINGWAY spent her childhood after lights out with a book and flashlight under the covers. With degrees from Kent State University and Harvard University, her lifelong career was in journalism and public relations. Her hobbies are travel in (very) remote countries, volunteering, and two book clubs. gmhtoday.com 103