Age Group: Adults

Description: Gruff, rule-obsessed Ove, a 59-year-old widower, plans to end his life after his beloved wife Sonja dies, but new neighbors—a chaotic Iranian family—keep interrupting. Parvaneh, the pregnant driver who crashes into his mailbox, enlists his help, dragging him into babysitting, driving lessons, and neighborhood disputes. Flashbacks reveal Ove’s past: a lonely childhood, Sonja’s accident, and feuds with neighbor Rune over cars and principles. Ove saves a man from a train, shelters a runaway teen, and battles developers threatening Rune, now battling Alzheimer’s. His heart—literally and figuratively—grows through reluctant bonds, proving even the grumpiest soul can find purpose in community and kindness. Backman’s witty, poignant tale blends humor, heartbreak, and redemption, showing love endures beyond loss.