Fredrik Backman

Grandpa and Ted do not have a lot in common and Ted has waited a longtime to be accepted by his father. It is Grandpa and Noah that has a bond: the love of mathematics. However the three must learn say good-bye. 0.

A Novella

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer

i adore how everything in this story comes full circle.

Tali ⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

Noah strokes his daughter’s hair; the girl turns toward him in the sleeping bag without waking up. She doesn’t like mathematics, she prefers words and instruments like her grandpa.

“You look different, Noahnoah. How is school? Are the teachers better now?”

“Yes, Grandpa, the teachers are better. I’m one of them now. The teachers are great now.”

That’s why we get the chance to spoil our grandchildren, because by doing that we’re apologizing to our children.

when you think you've cried enough, and that it can't get worse... you're wrong. absolutely wrong.

“No. Because if you forget me then you’ll just get the chance to get to know me again. And you’ll like that, because I’m actually a pretty cool person to get to know.”

“Noahnoah, promise me something, one very last thing: once your good bye is perfect, you have to leave me and not look back. Live your life. It’s an awful thing to miss someone who’s still here.”

“Tell me that we danced, Noahnoah. Tell me that that’s what it’s like to fall in love, like you don’t have room for yourself in your own feet.”

"... she was a force of nature. Everything I am came from her, she was my Big Bang."

“Like constantly searching for something in your pockets. First you lose the small things, then it’s the big ones. It starts with keys and ends with people.”

i love, love, love when the title of a book is used in some way and form within the story itself. in a smooth way 

“I know that the way home is getting longer and longer every morning. But I loved you because your brain, your world, was always bigger than everyone else’s. There’s still a lot of it left.”

i am literally sinking and drowning in my own tears rn. what the fuck???

“Do you remember what you said, when we first fell in love, that sleeping was a torment?”

“Yes. Because we couldn’t share our sleep. Every morning when I blinked awake, the seconds before I knew where I was were unbearable. Until I knew where you were.”

“Why are you holding my hand so tight, Grandpa?” the boy whispers again.

“Because all of this is disappearing, Noahnoah. And I want to keep hold of you longest of all.”

“Those who hasten to live are in a hurry to miss."

“It rained for a long time here when your Grandma died. I never quite got it back in order after that.”

this is just the preface, and already freddy b. has me sobbing. oh he'll always be my favourite author. 

I’m dealing with slowly losing the greatest minds I know, about missing someone who is still here.

Jillian Roberts

“What’s on those pieces of paper?” the boy asks.  

“Those are all my ideas,” Grandpa replies.  

“They’ve been doing that for a long time.” 

Hana 

"But the universe gave you both Noah. He's the bridge between you. That's why we get the chance to spoil our grandchildren, because by doing that we're apologizing to our children."

Eslie

“Because if you forget me then you’ll just get the chance to get to know me again. And you’ll like that, because I’m actually a pretty cool person to get to know.”

“Tell me that that’s what it’s like to fall in love, like you don’t have room for yourself in your own feet.”

“How did you fall in love with her?” the boy asks.

“She got lost in my heart, I think. Couldn’t find her way out. Your grandma always had a terrible sense of direction. She could get lost on an escalator.”

“I . . . she . . . that’s your grandma. She was younger. You never got to meet her young, she has . . . she had the strongest feelings I ever experienced in a person, when she got angry she could empty a full bar of grown men, and when she was happy . . . there was no defending yourself against that, Noahnoah. She was a force of nature. Everything I am came from her, she was my Big Bang.”

issa

"When a boy is just big enough to know how the world works but still young enough to refuse to accept it."

"There's nothing wrong with being a bit scared."

"The only time you've failed is if you don't try once more."

"Almost all grown adults walk around full of regret over a goodbye they wish they'd been able to go back and say better."

"It's a big universe to be angry at but a long life to have company in."

the first second after i finished this book, i felt like it was just another book. nothing really moved a part in my heart, and i didn’t even cry. but after writing the highlighted quotes in my journal, i started to feel the emotions i was supposed to feel while reading it. then, i realized that this book is meant for us to ponder about life. this book explores love, the fear of being forgotten and forgetting, and how we deal with grief. it also touches on the complicated bond between a father and son, and the regret of not doing better from the very beginning. as readers, we are placed inside the mind of someone with dementia, and it’s actually very sad. everything feels like a scattered puzzle, as we slowly explore the tangled and repeated memories. there are so many quotes that feel relatable and open up new perspectives about life. so, ⭐️ 4 stars for and every morning the way home gets longer and longer

love, kinanti

"When a boy is just big enough to know how the world works but still young enough to refuse to accept it."

"There's nothing wrong with being a bit scared."

 

"The only time you've failed is if you don't try once more."

 

"Almost all grown adults walk around full of regret over a goodbye they wish they'd been able to go back and say better."

 

"It's a big universe to be angry at but a long life to have company in."

 

the first second after i finished this book, i felt like it was just another book. nothing really moved a part in my heart, and i didn’t even cry. but after writing the highlighted quotes in my journal, i started to feel the emotions i was supposed to feel while reading it. then, i realized that this book is meant for us to ponder about life. this book explores love, the fear of being forgotten and forgetting, and how we deal with grief. it also touches on the complicated bond between a father and son, and the regret of not doing better from the very beginning. as readers, we are placed inside the mind of someone with dementia, and it’s actually very sad. everything feels like a scattered puzzle, as we slowly explore the tangled and repeated memories. there are so many quotes that feel relatable and open up new perspectives about life. so, ⭐️ 4 stars for and every morning the way home gets longer and longer.

CRIED MY EYES OUT. BANGER. 10/10. KILLED ME. READ THIS.

Bibi

This is such a short book so it shouldnt have taken me this long but my Great Aunt had dementia and passed a few years ago. We watched her mind go for a decade before she was officially diagnosed. I wonder if this is how she felt during it all. I pray this type of pain never finds anyone who reads this. 

jade

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

turtle

hana

"And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer" 

by Fredrik Backman is a deeply moving novella that captivated me from the first page. With its poignant exploration of love and the unforgiving passage of time, it had me pausing multiple times due to the overwhelming emotions it evoked. This beautifully written book resonated with me on a personal level, reminding me of my own beloved grandfather, who was tragically lost too soon. It is a treasure that I will cherish dearly. 

The novella centers around the relationship between a young boy (Noah) and his aging grandfather, who’s gradually losing his memories to dementia. Through a series of heart wrenching and tender conversations, Backman skillfully captures the bittersweet moments of connection and the deep bond between the two characters. 

"And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer"

 holds a special place in my heart, as it allowed me to reflect on my own experiences and the profound impact my own grandfather had on my life. "And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer" is an extraordinary and deeply affecting novella that deserves every bit of its five-star rating.

"And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer" by Fredrik Backman is a deeply moving novella that captivated me from the first page. With its poignant exploration of love and the unforgiving passage of time, it had me pausing multiple times due to the overwhelming emotions it evoked. This beautifully written book resonated with me on a personal level, reminding me of my own beloved grandfather, who was tragically lost too soon. It is a treasure that I will cherish dearly. 

The novella centers around the relationship between a young boy (Noah) and his aging grandfather, who’s gradually losing his memories to dementia. Through a series of heart wrenching and tender conversations, Backman skillfully captures the bittersweet moments of connection and the deep bond between the two characters. 

"And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer" holds a special place in my heart, as it allowed me to reflect on my own experiences and the profound impact my own grandfather had on my life. "And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer" is an extraordinary and deeply affecting novella that deserves every bit of its five-star rating.

My heart, my soft human heart. I don’t think I’ve sobbed this much over novella, but Fredrik Backman is a master of sentimental and awe filled prose. One of my all time of favourite authors

Jawahir M

Molly M

aleksandra

3.5/5

I wish I could rate it higher, but I usually have a hard time getting attached to short stories like I do to a full-length novels. It doesn’t change the fact that it was incredibly emotional and beautiful. It’s Fredrik Backman, so it had to be. 


  
    “When you looked straight at me when I was seventy I fell just as hard as I did when I was sixteen.” She smiles. His fingertips touch the skin above her collarbone. “You never became ordinary to me, my love. You were electric shocks and fire.”

“Death isn’t fair.” “No, death is a slow drum. It counts every beat. We can’t haggle with it for more time.”

🍁

A beautiful and heartbreaking story about love, loss, and the inevitable, relentless passing of time. Anything about Dementia  ALWAYS gets me crying, and this novella was no exception. It is an incredible reminder to treasure every moment with our loved ones. 

“I know that the way home is getting longer and longer every morning. But I loved you because your brain, your world, was always bigger than everyone else’s. There’s still a lot of it left.”

A beautiful and heartbreaking story about love, loss, and the inevitable, relentless passing of time. Anything about Dementia  ALWAYS gets me crying, and this novella was no exception. It is an incredible reminder to treasure every moment with our loved ones. 

Isabella 

Such a sad, beautiful story ): I cried while reading it. A very fast read, but definitely worth it.

Keely Calagos

Balled my eyes out listening to this novella. Bachman gets me every time!

Julie Tran

Finished this quick little read this morning. It dives into the interplay of memory and love, revealing a touching exploration of the sentimental reminiscences between a grandfather and his grandson. As they navigate the challenges of the grandfather’s battle with Alzheimer’s, his grandson has to help recollect his memories throughout the story.

I started to think about how I tend to ruminate on memories, spending lots of my time lost in nostalgia. My inclination to linger in the past leaves me very frustrated at times as I am reluctant to hold on. You'll eventually forget the little things, as it turns into a bittersweet mix of comfort and sadness. Their memory becomes hazy, like a dream slipping away. But I care about these moments because I pay attention, and to be able to do that is so special. I do and will always continue to remember

big ab

sobbed like a little baby. what a beautiful circle of life we have. one day you’re missing your grandparents, then the next moment you are the grandparent. <3

“that’s why we get a chance to spoil our grandchildren, because by doing so we are apologizing to our children.”

Quick read read in one sitting, this novella is so painful but written amazingly.

Melissa Palmer

Book #22 Read in 2018
And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

This novella focuses on Noah and his grandfather, who is losing his memory. When the book starts, Noah is a young boy who is afraid of his grandfather forgetting him. This journey though is one the two take together and it shows the power of family and love. I read it in one sitting. High school and adult readers would appreciate this book.

Andrew John Kinney

Short but sweet. A book written to work out feelings of loss; how we sometimes lose people before we actually lose them for good.

Tish

Well this one left me crying. The audiobook was so so good! 

Also, I want a man that’ll talk about me like Grandpa talked about Grandma.

Krystyna 

This little novella had me in tears. So good!

Emma Wärnberg

I cant stop crying 😭
It is so well written and I didnt want it to stop.. I need more books like this, that really pierces your heart and makes you grateful for the things we have.

If you havnt read it, Just do it! (but maybe when you are at home so people dont see you crying) bc you will! I promise..

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer A Novella

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